82 | Rico Lewis - 2024/25

[Durutti City]

I like him. He'll come good.

 

[silvathechihuahua]

I like him. He'll come good.

don’t see it happening unfortunately

 

[chris85mcfc]

Thought he did OK today. Better than he has been and I’m sure a bit of a break helped that.

Still doesn’t particularly offer much, though, but the signs are there for a decent player if he can improve.

So how would you summarise the just shy of 80 appearances he's made for the first team?

If he still doesn't really offer much, then when will he, and what will it be?

Ive never seen a player in him throughout his whole first team career. He's done OK in patches, but my opinion is that he's been given a golden opportunity to showcase his ability, with ~80 first team appearances, and we are still all trying to work out what he does, and what his position is.

 

[Whether or not]

I find the vitriol levelled at Rico shameful and frankly pathetic. I was at Villa today with a load of mainly younger blues behind me who hammered him from minute one. He is a young player who we have played in a different position every week, often like today two or three positions in the same game. He never hides, he seeks to get on the ball and there are far bigger high profile, big name, problems in our team, than Rico, but no, let’s scapegoat the academy graduate who is an easy target.

 

[Millwallawayveteran1988]

I find the vitriol levelled at Rico shameful and frankly pathetic. I was at Villa today with a load of mainly younger blues behind me who hammered him from minute one. He is a young player who we have played in a different position every week, often like today two or three positions in the same game. He never hides, he seeks to get on the ball and there are far bigger high profile, big name, problems in our team, than Rico, but no, let’s scapegoat the academy graduate who is an easy target.

To be fair to him he wasn’t anywhere near the worst player. He does try hard and I would never doubt his application (I would with some of the others currently!)

My only concern is that he isn’t quite at this level. He should always start over Walker though. He is done. Completely finished.

 

[pudge]

He's just so painfully not a midfielder

I'd rather he take his lumps at right back exclusively

 

[RayCTID]

Until we the injury crisis ceases there is nothing we can really do to shake up the pack unless we bring in more squad fillers in January. Even that is the magic silver bullet we are hoping for.

 

[warringtonblue]

He's just so painfully not a midfielder

I'd rather he take his lumps at right back exclusively

Nowhere near defensively aware enough

 

[Damanino]

wish Palmer got as much playing time when he was here even if he played mediocre.

 

[pudge]

Nowhere near defensively aware enough

True but I think he'd at least learn more from that position, where if he is ever going to make it that's where it'll be.

 

[Goldust]

Starting to think it’s not the lad but the awful tactics which leaving him to get hung out and the rest of the defence for that matter. Jose has to do 2 jobs half the time, poor lad doesn’t know if he’s coming or going.

 

[GaudinoMotors]

Hard working but bang average. The sort of player we used to salivate over signing pre takeover.

 

[Blue Bogey]

I do think Rico is a player that is giving his best and he doesn’t hide. He would be better if he stayed in a traditional RB role facing up to the opposition. Definitely don’t dwell on the ball with your back to the opposition, this is when he gives up transition the most, hence he needs to be facing the opposition.

However positionally right now I do not have a clue why he takes up some of the positions that he does.

Pep has a tendency to demonstrate to players from the sideline if he is not happy when certain players are not taking up the positions that he he wants them to, except I do not see Pep coaching Rico from the sideline. He does it for Stones, Haaland, even De Bruyne. If Pep thinks the positioning from Rico is all good then I am genuinely astonished by Peps tactics.

 

[super_city_si]

Starting to think it’s not the lad but the awful tactics which leaving him to get hung out and the rest of the defence for that matter. Jose has to do 2 jobs half the time, poor lad doesn’t know if he’s coming or going.

The inverted full back needs to stop. It adds nothing to the build up or midfield and just kills the side the fb is inverting. Just look how Jack had all the ball first half (rico inverted RB) and none of the ball second half (rico inverted lb). Not on Rico as such but the tactics. Its fucking awful.

 

[WallyA]

The inverted full back needs to stop. It adds nothing to the build up or midfield and just kills the side the fb is inverting. Just look how Jack had all the ball first half (rico inverted RB) and none of the ball second half (rico inverted lb). Not on Rico as such but the tactics. Its fucking awful.

Blaming the tactic that Pep has used and revolutionized football for the last 8 or so years is a pretty crazy take.

Don't blame the tactic.

Blame the player/manager doing it in its current state.

 

[toffee balls]

I find the vitriol levelled at Rico shameful and frankly pathetic. I was at Villa today with a load of mainly younger blues behind me who hammered him from minute one. He is a young player who we have played in a different position every week, often like today two or three positions in the same game. He never hides, he seeks to get on the ball and there are far bigger high profile, big name, problems in our team, than Rico, but no, let’s scapegoat the academy graduate who is an easy target.

Not having that, one bit.

He is on the potty, either take a dump or get off and let someone else takeover.


Average, at best.

 

[Gingers Dad]

I find the vitriol levelled at Rico shameful and frankly pathetic. I was at Villa today with a load of mainly younger blues behind me who hammered him from minute one. He is a young player who we have played in a different position every week, often like today two or three positions in the same game. He never hides, he seeks to get on the ball and there are far bigger high profile, big name, problems in our team, than Rico, but no, let’s scapegoat the academy graduate who is an easy target.

I agree. Keeps showing for the ball and breaks the lines in a very static team. He gets caught on the ball a lot more now because the team isn't functioning the way it should do.

 

[Tugay One Cup]

He is on the potty, either take a dump or get off and let someone else takeover.

Like who? Everyone's injured.

 

[mexico1970]

Like who? Everyone's injured.

We had people on the bench yesterday were they ever going to play? Can Pep only play one formation? If he isn't good enough we shouldn't play him and from what I have seen it's a big no from me mate.

 

[Feed the Elk]

Rico will be a top notch player, hopefully for us, in a year or two when he gets that physicality. He’s still growing into his body but has been thrust into the limelight because of the injury crisis.

As a club and as a fanbase we’re just going to have to see it play out without all the bullying and if we can be patient we’ll have a superb player on our hands.

Unfortunately, given the nature of the entertainment side of football, he’s becoming the object of the fans disaffection, and I hope he doesn’t have to leave to a club that will allow him to grow at the right pace.

Foden was a similar age when he came into the first team but Pep allowed him the space to grow as the team was in a much better place when he was coming through.