82 | Rico Lewis - 2025/26

St.Pauli support said:
Pep doesn't want to change, as he just has insisted.

Dias and Aké or top defenders in a flat 4, but not if they are pressing in spurs' half (!) like we've seen pre the 1st goal. They are too slow, opponents are aware and we are kindly inviting them.

Pep also doesn't care about Lewis who has his qualities in the mid 'in small pockets' - but not in a high line as defender. Bollocks.

Ah, we're going in circles. Pep is playing his standard system with the wrong players, and he will not change. Period.

I thought a good manager will find the best system for the players he has and a system that hurts the actual opponent most.
Pep does neither.

I've given up on that point.
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I am mystified why the best manager in the world can't sort this out. We are just like last season, easy to score against.
Completely outdone by Thomas Frank.

We've spent a shit load on new attacking players but haven't replaced Kyle Walker who through his speed saved our arses on numourous occasions. Rico Lewis is a good player but not good enough for an elite team like ours.
 
oldius said:
Anyone hanging today's result on Rico Lewis is simply reinforcing beliefs they entered the game with, and will still hold regardless of how well he performs. He is not to blame for today's result. We did not take several chances, a central defender slipped at a crucial time, and the keeper gave the ball straight to their team in a dangerous area. None of that is on Rico, and I cannot think of other clear chances that Spurs had.

Fans will need to be patient this year because we are a young team coming together with several with no experience of the PL. I think we will be in the mix, but we will be inconsistent, at times.
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Yes he isn't to blame for todays result. Scapegoating and reactionary fans
 
bhayes said:
Yes he isn't to blame for today’s result. Scapegoating and reactionary fans
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Rico Lewis being in the starting line up for a prolonged time is always a direct correlation to our team being in bad form. As soon as HE SPECIFICALLY is dropped from the XI we start to put wins together. In early 2022/23 he started a lot of games, we then dropped him from the squad for Walker and Akanji as RB guess what we start winning, it happened again in 23/24, it also happened again in 24/25, as soon as EVEN Nunez started playing as RB we went on a winning run. Defensively this lad isn’t just bad positionally, when it comes to one on one defending, he’s so bad, like there’s RB in league 1 who are better at defending. If he’s in the starting line up, every top 10 manager in the league will be over the moon. Please note, this is scapegoating at the highest level but it’s right, this lad has no business being in our starting line up. I’ve never said that about any player btw, but for years HE has always been the problem. Every humiliating defeat the guy is top 2 worst players in that game.
 
Let's keep it fair on Rico.
There are opponents where he can play and be good, e.g. Wolves away.

There are strong pressing and counter attacking opponents where he simply is the wrong choice.

What's so difficult about rotation on this position with different skill sets??
Perfect case of using a strong bench. We have the best IMO, we should use our advantage.

IF Pep just doesn't pick Nunes now as he wants him out to replace him with say Livramento, we would still be in the same situation after the window is shut - right pick for the right opponent.

Pep has to make the right pick, that's key. Analyzing spurs I don't see 1 single point to prefer Rico over Nunes.
Give me a hint if I am too blind to see the obvious.
 
Bill Walker said:
I am mystified why the best manager in the world can't sort this out. We are just like last season, easy to score against.
Completely outdone by Thomas Frank.

We've spent a shit load on new attacking players but haven't replaced Kyle Walker who through his speed saved our arses on numourous occasions. Rico Lewis is a good player but not good enough for an elite team like ours.
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Is he actually a good player though? Having technical ability on the ball alone doesn't make you a good player. For instance he probably has better technical ability than say Walker, but is he a better player? Absolutely not.

He doesn't have the defensive nous or reading of the game to play right back.
He doesn't have the physical attributes to play midfield and hardly makes an impact on games when playing there.
 
Blue2202 said:
Is he actually a good player though? Having technical ability on the ball alone doesn't make you a good player. For instance he probably has better technical ability than say Walker, but is he a better player? Absolutely not.

He doesn't have the defensive nous or reading of the game to play right back.
He doesn't have the physical attributes to play midfield and hardly makes an impact on games when playing there.
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He does some good stuff in the opponent's half when we're on the front foot, but you've summed up his issues as a defensive player correctly in my opinion.
 
Having blinding pace affords you to make mistakes and get away with them. Walker was constantly out of position but his pace rescued him a lot of the time.

Rico doesn't have that and therefore has to be more precise with his positioning and improve his awareness.

He was partially at fault for the 1st goal. He didn't look over his shoulder to see where Johnson was and didn't sprint hard enough, early enough and was therefore caught out on the cover. However Dias and Stones were equally at fault in their decision making.

Rico's positives don't outweight his negatives at the moment, he'll have to work at both to justify his continued selection
 
TonyBookEnd said:
Having blinding pace affords you to make mistakes and get away with them. Walker was constantly out of position but his pace rescued him a lot of the time.

Rico doesn't have that and therefore has to be more precise with his positioning and improve his awareness.

He was partially at fault for the 1st goal. He didn't look over his shoulder to see where Johnson was and didn't sprint hard enough, early enough and was therefore caught out on the cover. However Dias and Stones were equally at fault in their decision making.

Rico's positives don't outweight his negatives at the moment, he'll have to work at both to justify his continued selection
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It's suicide, it drags the entire defense down. The difference in speed between him and Spense on this dangerous play is very alarming.
 

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KDBPLGOAT said:
Rico Lewis being in the starting line up for a prolonged time is always a direct correlation to our team being in bad form. As soon as HE SPECIFICALLY is dropped from the XI we start to put wins together. In early 2022/23 he started a lot of games, we then dropped him from the squad for Walker and Akanji as RB guess what we start winning, it happened again in 23/24, it also happened again in 24/25, as soon as EVEN Nunez started playing as RB we went on a winning run. Defensively this lad isn’t just bad positionally, when it comes to one on one defending, he’s so bad, like there’s RB in league 1 who are better at defending. If he’s in the starting line up, every top 10 manager in the league will be over the moon. Please note, this is scapegoating at the highest level but it’s right, this lad has no business being in our starting line up. I’ve never said that about any player btw, but for years HE has always been the problem. Every humiliating defeat the guy is top 2 worst players in that game.
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Really annoyed he’s getting a new deal, I don’t think Rico is shit, but him being a starting player for Manchester City is just not serious.
 
KDBPLGOAT said:
Rico Lewis being in the starting line up for a prolonged time is always a direct correlation to our team being in bad form. As soon as HE SPECIFICALLY is dropped from the XI we start to put wins together. In early 2022/23 he started a lot of games, we then dropped him from the squad for Walker and Akanji as RB guess what we start winning, it happened again in 23/24, it also happened again in 24/25, as soon as EVEN Nunez started playing as RB we went on a winning run. Defensively this lad isn’t just bad positionally, when it comes to one on one defending, he’s so bad, like there’s RB in league 1 who are better at defending. If he’s in the starting line up, every top 10 manager in the league will be over the moon. Please note, this is scapegoating at the highest level but it’s right, this lad has no business being in our starting line up. I’ve never said that about any player btw, but for years HE has always been the problem. Every humiliating defeat the guy is top 2 worst players in that game.
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I think Pep lost it. We won the last games last season with 2 fullbacks ( 2 overlapping ones) and yet he reverts back to turning an wingback to an inside fullback ( Nouri) and brings back Rico Lewis who is always part of our loses. I’ve genuinely never seen a player so out of place no matter where he plays.
 
KDBPLGOAT said:
Rico Lewis being in the starting line up for a prolonged time is always a direct correlation to our team being in bad form. As soon as HE SPECIFICALLY is dropped from the XI we start to put wins together. In early 2022/23 he started a lot of games, we then dropped him from the squad for Walker and Akanji as RB guess what we start winning, it happened again in 23/24, it also happened again in 24/25, as soon as EVEN Nunez started playing as RB we went on a winning run. Defensively this lad isn’t just bad positionally, when it comes to one on one defending, he’s so bad, like there’s RB in league 1 who are better at defending. If he’s in the starting line up, every top 10 manager in the league will be over the moon. Please note, this is scapegoating at the highest level but it’s right, this lad has no business being in our starting line up. I’ve never said that about any player btw, but for years HE has always been the problem. Every humiliating defeat the guy is top 2 worst players in that game.
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And you’re a ****, the end
 
St.Pauli support said:
Let's keep it fair on Rico.
There are opponents where he can play and be good, e.g. Wolves away.

There are strong pressing and counter attacking opponents where he simply is the wrong choice.

What's so difficult about rotation on this position with different skill sets??
Perfect case of using a strong bench. We have the best IMO, we should use our advantage.

IF Pep just doesn't pick Nunes now as he wants him out to replace him with say Livramento, we would still be in the same situation after the window is shut - right pick for the right opponent.

Pep has to make the right pick, that's key. Analyzing spurs I don't see 1 single point to prefer Rico over Nunes.
Give me a hint if I am too blind to see the obvious.
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Rico can be a very good squad player like Zinchenko was. He’s a smart player and versatile but will never be the highest level. Nunez is a similar standard but is faster.
 
bobbyowenquiff said:
Rico can be a very good squad player like Zinchenko was. He’s a smart player and versatile but will never be the highest level. Nunez is a similar standard but is faster
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My thoughts exactly, Lewis is a good squad player. Not as a first choice right back in any aspect.

It ain't his fault cos' like any player he will want to just play and do as he is asked. However, when he is being asked to play RB and he doesn't have the awareness needed it allows for mistakes like he did when he just failed to realise the spurs player who was catching him up and overtook him - by then it was too late

As many have said, walker could give himself that grace as if he sped up he would always make it up with his pace - Lewis does not have that luxury

And with the highline Pep consistently plays, a back line with no pace in it, will be an issue all season
 
Smithy77 said:
My thoughts exactly, Lewis is a good squad player. Not as a first choice right back in any aspect.

It ain't his fault cos' like any player he will want to just play and do as he is asked. However, when he is being asked to play RB and he doesn't have the awareness needed it allows for mistakes like he did when he just failed to realise the spurs player who was catching him up and overtook him - by then it was too late

As many have said, walker could give himself that grace as if he sped up he would always make it up with his pace - Lewis does not have that luxury

And with the highline Pep consistently plays, a back line with no pace in it, will be an issue all season
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Have a look at the goal Stirling scored for Chelsea in the 1-1 at the Etihad in 23/24. Walker was the RB that day. And look at Spurs 4th goal at the Etihad last year, also scored by Brennan Johnson, this time on the left. Gvardiol was the LB. Both very similar to the goal your talking about. Your right about the highline, but pace doesn't always save us. Having said that, Walker got us out of jail plenty of times, but not just for balls down the right, but also down the centre. Right now it's particularly bad, because our midfield isn't effective at hindering the transition enough to give our defence a chance to get into position. A fit and functioning Rodri would help a lot as would always fast defender....Khusanov? Without one or both of those, I agree with you that we could see this sort of scenario play out again and again
 
Recently he's being exposed by his more senior teammates, who should be protecting him. It's been unfortunate that the teams lack of consistency has coincided with his emergence

See him more as a John O'Shea type of utility player at the moment. He's an intelligent player, knows the system and the club, is dependable to put the effort in and is happy to sit on the bench as well. A good player to have around. He may develop into more of a first choice player.

Just wish he'd stay on his feet more. Somebody with his low centre of gravity should be difficult to push over.
 
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