82 | Rico Lewis - 2024/25

[cheekybids]

Don't think he's got that in him....the more minutes he plays, the more anonymous he is.

I think over the last month the only criticism should be his finishing, I think he’s got himself in some fantastic positions. Don’t give up on him yet ;)

 

[come-on-barney]

Credit to the lad today, took his goal well.

 

[supercity88]

Needs to show more confidence on the pitch. Took his goal exceptionally well and got into other good attacking positions but there were still occasions where he passed backwards or sideways when he could have driven with the ball. Minor issues in what was otherwise a very good performance from him. When I watch him I feel like he's just got Pep in his head saying "don't lose the ball" and he delivers. Considering the starting 11 today, with so many big names missing, credit to the lads who went out there and got the job done. The movement of Jack and Rico really helped Bernardo and Kovacic dictate things.

 

[Lovebitesandeveryfing]

Best game he's played all season - first half especially.

People have gone really over the top in both directions with this lad (I'm not having a pop at you, by the way). He was absurdly slagged off at many points this season. I see him as a useful squad player. We need those too.
He could get a starting position at a mid- to lower-half-of-the-table club, I believe, and if he wanted to go for it, I for one wouldn't blame him. But I'm happy for him to be here — as a squad player. I don't think he has the promise of a Nico O'Reilly (I'm astonished at how delicate that lad can be with his feet for such a big fella), or Oscar Bobb, but hell, he had a good first season and hasn't quite lived up to that. That may happen to Nico, too.
What I do notice is that in the vast majority of cases the young players we've let go have not exactly set the house on fire at their new clubs. Lavia's a case in point. People were claiming that Palmer was some sort of messiah. Yes, he did well, initially. We may have made a mistake there. But we don't often get it badly wrong.

By the way, the argument that a player is a lifelong blue from a family of lifelong blues doesn't cut it with me. Yes, it's nice, and I appreciate it with Phil, but only because he's got the skills he has. But it's really not a vital criterion, or even major. Does a player deliver out on the pitch? That's all I really want to know.

 

[David White]

Solid performance today, he looked like he enjoyed it.

 

[Mr HJ]

Fair play to Rico he had a very good game and took his goal really well. I guess it shows that it's all about systems - I think Pep knows with the midfield we had yesterday, even though we won, we were still cut open too many times. On another day they could have scored 3 or 4. But Rico showed he was good further up the pitch and did an admirable job.

 

[Ric]

Took his goal really well and was delighted for him after some of the unfair stick he gets at times. Great to see an academy player bagging such an important goal at Wembley.

 

[thegoatsthegoat]

It shows how a goal can gloss over a performance. Took his goal very well, great goal and all the credit he gets for that is deserved. He didn't play that well other than that, he lost the ball a lot, a few unforced errors and I think it was a 6/10 kind of game at best.

 

[chesterbells]

Yet another goal for him while playing in midfield. Have you noticed it yet?

So you pull up a post of mine from page 101 of this thread from back in November of last year, and quote it whilst I’m at the match, when I wasn’t looking at my phone, so please forgive my delayed reply.
Did you go back through 200 odd pages to find it or do you keep any criticism of him bookmarked?

Anyway, to answer you, yes I noticed it cos I was off my feet cheering it in along with everyone else. It was brilliant :-)

I’m not sure what his goal tally is now, but I hope my reply makes you feel better.

 

[ninjamonkey]

Superb goal that set us up for the win, that impact alone was worth his inclusion even if he did nothing else.

Was rather anonymous after it though, if he had gone down the tunnel for a 10 minute dump midgame I don't think I'd have noticed.

Buzzing that it was a criticized academy graduate to get such an important goal.

 

[daveiw01]

I really think that you got the wrong end of that stick mate.

I just re-read it following this post and now sober, I see what you mean, oops.

 

[madloaf]

A quick summary of the last 7 pages of this thread:

 

[oldius]

For me, the chance of local lads raised through the academy making it at the highest levels of the game is one of the most exciting aspects of being a fan. Am I really alone in that?

 

[Tb1981]

I think he could be a useful squad player in midfield next season assuming we get the quality in the first 11 sorted
Just can’t play the lad at full back
Glad he scored the goal, hope his confidence picks up

 

[oldius]

I think he could be a useful squad player in midfield next season assuming we get the quality in the first 11 sorted
Just can’t play the lad at full back
Glad he scored the goal, hope his confidence picks up

We played him extensively at full-back last season and won the league. In fact, I recall many posters here calling for him to be chosen over Walker because he was performing so well. The key is a functioning whole, not isolated criticism of individuals. I hope that we DO NOT have a first-eleven, but players competing with equal talents for their place.

 

[supercity88]

For me, the chance of local lads raised through the academy making it at the highest levels of the game is one of the most exciting aspects of being a fan. Am I really alone in that?

I'm with you!

Never understood why people went in on Rico the way they did. A lot of players have been shite this season and a young lad in the infancy of his career was the last place I would be pointing fingers.

He is 20 years old with 5 England caps and nearly 100 appearances for City already. Give him time!

 

[Withnail]

Took his goal really well and he looked lively in the first half. In the second half his levels dropped, but l think midfield is his best position rather than fb.

 

[doobyedoobye]

For me, the chance of local lads raised through the academy making it at the highest levels of the game is one of the most exciting aspects of being a fan. Am I really alone in that?

This 100 percent. It's clear when the club spend a fortune on a player there is more pressure to find a way to fit them in than to persist with a youth team player imo

 

[asahartford1]

Imagine if he was a rag, and scoring at Wembley, the first and most important goal of the season so far.. The media would be gushing,one of their own, a product of a famous academy.
Personally I was sad to see the reaction in the pub in Wembley when the team was announced.
Lewis lost possession once, beaten in a challenge twice, played a range of accurate passes, and quietened 38000 Forest fans.
I am not sure why People question Pep, Do they really think he would play a pony in a Stallions game.

 

[Otamendi's Beard]

For me, the chance of local lads raised through the academy making it at the highest levels of the game is one of the most exciting aspects of being a fan. Am I really alone in that?

You're not alone. It's a part of the sport that I really enjoy and something I've always respected about Barcelona.

I'll always support giving young players a chance.