Looks like the next world beater, body wise he reminds me of Hazard with the legs. Probably has a big butt as well.
Rayan Cherki - Lyon player
- Thread starter Suvvernmanc
- Start date
Looks decent, not sure I’d break the bank and throw everything we have at Lyon to get him though. He doesn’t look the quickest and his balance is hardly balletic. He looks more like a young Lampard than a young Rooney. Not that that’s a bad thing.
Isn’t he a #10? Not sure where he would have fit into our system since we are moving towards 433. From the clips I’ve seen he doesn’t have the pace to play wide.
Yes
Ok I’ll take your word for it, only seen him in his 2 senior matches so far and haven’t seen much dribbling. I don’t think he’s got the pace for it yet against men tbh. We shall see.
He’s not a winger type of dribbler, his pace isn’t an issue from what I’ve seen. He’s more an Isco/Thiago/Pogba type of dribbler. Will do so more centrally. Quick feet and body feints, but not a flying winger.
Yeah that was sort of what I was getting at, Wayne would happily get the ball and knock it passed a defender and do them for pace, Cherki doesn't look that type, more quick turns and a drop of the shoulder.
Scouting time!
Edit: Started on the left, but roamed quite a bit throughout the game. Very little influence for the first 40 minutes or so, afterwards a few good passes and intelligent movement to get himself into positions in the final third. His dribblings and passes were stopped quite often. Did his share defensively. Subbed off around the 80th minute. The potential is visible in what he attempts imo, but it didn't come off for much of this game. Still impressive for a 16 year old.
Edit: Started on the left, but roamed quite a bit throughout the game. Very little influence for the first 40 minutes or so, afterwards a few good passes and intelligent movement to get himself into positions in the final third. His dribblings and passes were stopped quite often. Did his share defensively. Subbed off around the 80th minute. The potential is visible in what he attempts imo, but it didn't come off for much of this game. Still impressive for a 16 year old.
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Played Winger rather than 10 today and it was the closest he has played to his youth league level in term of dribbles/skills.
Best player on the pitch despite only playing 20 minutes, had an insane longshot that the keeper saved and hit the post with a volley.
Needs more starts, Garcia can't keep playing Traore/Cornet/Ekambi ahead of him, Lyon looks utter shit offensively
Best player on the pitch despite only playing 20 minutes, had an insane longshot that the keeper saved and hit the post with a volley.
Needs more starts, Garcia can't keep playing Traore/Cornet/Ekambi ahead of him, Lyon looks utter shit offensively
Reminds a bit of Rooney and Tevez, somebody who would peak early and become poor after 27/28.
Good player Lyon have here. I hope they can hang on to him for a while.
It's going to be hard to compete for the signing of the top French talent while Zidane is at Madrid though.
It's going to be hard to compete for the signing of the top French talent while Zidane is at Madrid though.
Players have to be smart. I know playing for a madrid is a huge deal but joining them when you are 16-17 or 18 is not the smartest decision. Grow at Lyon and see how you develop. Odegaard made that mistake and to an extent Dembele made that mistake too by joining Barca.
Was Tevez really poor at 28 or so? I genuinely thought he was still performing into his early 30’s etc. but might be one of those weird feelings of football for me I guess
Tevez was great for Juventus and he joined them at 29.
You can make a strong case for Tevez having the best season of his career at 29. He was a monster in the league and in the CL too.
Yes Tevez's peaked lasted longer and he transformed himself in Juventus.
Not to mention he wasn’t a prodigious 16 year old either. He’s not a good comparison with Rooney at all. His career has followed a fairly regular trajectory.
20 minutes is all you need to see. He’s absolutely fantastic. How I wish we managed to get him.
Is he going to be the new Benzema? As in we will be linked with him for a few years before Madrid come in and nab him off us? 
You're right. Tévez approximated his club football peak at Juventus — playing a major role in their journey to the 2015 Champions League final vs. Barcelona at the Olympiastadion, and was even voted Footballer of the Year by the Italian Footballers’ Association at age 30/31...
https://www.sportmediaset.mediaset....ra-e-miglior-allenatore_1084196-201502a.shtml
Not a significant performer after that, though — surplus to needs for the Albiceleste after the 2015 Copa América, and returned to Boca Juniors after calling time on his Juventus stint.
I don't like him. Apparently he's a real cherk.
Not to mention Rooney was a known smoker and drinker which contributed to his early decline, which people always seem to leave out when making these sorts of comparisons.
And every year he seemed to gain weight around Christmas. I miss him, he is your regular guy with a lot of talent.
Well, that’s what all of them are, or at least should be tbh. Some would do well to remember that.
Thanks gents. That was what I thought. He was doing well at city and then even better at Juve.
Yeah, probably his best season was at Juventus, he was just unplayable. It was so surprising as it looked like he lost motivation and wanted to go back to South America.
What's his long term position do people think?
Looks good so far but I can't see his position clearly yet.
Looks good so far but I can't see his position clearly yet.
For the long term, he can be trained as a deep-lying center forward, methinks. Seems to possess a very robust attacking skill set in terms of characteristics and temperament — good decision-making for the most part...which is key for a False 9 as he is the biggest influence in attack as its conductor, creative in the final third and effective with through balls (eye/timing for killer passes will improve further as he matures), has a natural nose for the goal (on display vs. Nantes in the Coupe de France and even this match as he could have had a couple with better luck), good close control and overall dribbling ability, remarkably two-footed (which is a plus, like grandmaster Cruyff...who could flummox defenders in either direction), good in the medium shooting/passing range, strong and authoritative on the ball, press-resistant and not easily flustered, and even has a decent sense of defensive responsibility for a 16 year old attacker. Messi, Totti, Firmino, Tadić all flourished in that broader role, albeit with varying remits, after playing as wingers or wide forwards or attacking midfielders earlier on in their careers — Cherki could do that under a suitable coach, too. Maybe not now, but some time in the not too distant future when he's more commanding as an organizer and has further refined his spatial awareness and decision-making.
The other role/position-based options seem to more straight forward...free-roaming trequarista behind a lead striker or a Neymar-esque wide playmaker with license to impact the game centrally.
His touches from yesterday.
Looks like Ronaldo.
That's where I thought too but wasn't sure - as a false nine - he has the ability to fool a player quickly with a turn which he seemed to do at a young age and find himself at a place to make a pass or find himself one on one on goal. Has a great touch on him aswell.
He is starting against PSG tonight
Undoubtly the biggest game of his career so far, will be interesting to see how he handles the pressure.
Undoubtly the biggest game of his career so far, will be interesting to see how he handles the pressure.
Looking forward to it, game is about to start. OL has nothing to lose IMO, they're poor and while he will blow hot and cold, his hot is hotter than most of what Lyon can muster and I think him and Dembele have a very good understanding.
Looked his age today. He'll get there but the jump between reserves and under 18s to a European powerhouse is hard.
Yea, he got pushed about by PSG and bullied off the ball.
It’s good he’s getting first team games. He looks unreal at underage level. It could still be 4 or 5 years before he really gets going though.
Really doubt so.
He was quiet last night because Lyon as a whole was lethargic and couldn't get their feet on the ball to save their lives.
Still played a part in Terrier's goal
Didn't have his best game but still got an assist.
Not sure I like him out wide but he will make an incredible 10.
Not sure I like him out wide but he will make an incredible 10.
I think he did fine given the circumstances. He really only had 2-3 moments the whole game where he was put in position to create some danger. His first touch for the pass he put behind Dembele was class until the pass. He also created the pass that got deflected for the Lyon goal as well. Personally, I don't think he's worse than any other option Lyon could have put, and I think he can already manage the physical aspect. Yeah, he'll get bullied here and there, but it's not as easy as it is to do with someone of a Neymar-type of physique. He has a strong base like Messi, but even Messi struggled at 17 here and there. I think he'll be ready in a year to really show his talent, right now he's trying to not get yanked back to the bench and is very conservative for his ability.
Seemingly a good assesment, after watching him just now, just turned 17, and Lyon’s greatest attacking asset against Montpellier whom they deservedly lost to. Dembele and Depay are touted for us and Barca, but didn’t look a patch on (nor much older than) Cherki tonight. Close control, press-resistant, eye for a well weighted pass into the right space, can dribble, can shoot. Looks overage in a manner reminiscent ofRooney, but his type of abilities remind more of the Messi kind.
if Mejbri is half as good, that’s a consolatiin, because this one can only become very, very, very good.