TA: The No. 10 position is Lewis’s best position, not the right back he played before.

October 23rd, TheAthletic talked about Guardiola’s use of Rico Lewis when reporting on Manchester City’s 2-0 win over Villarreal in the Champions League yesterday.

This article from TA wrote:

When Manchester City's starting lineup for the match against Villarreal was announced, showing that Foden and Shirkey were not included, some Manchester City fans may have felt a little disappointed. Guardiola had previously said that these two players were expected to play together, but in the end he chose to let Lewis and Savinho partner to play on the right side of Manchester City's midfield. This summer, the future of Lewis and Savinho at Manchester City was uncertain, but Guardiola valued their role in the team, and the club also renewed their long-term contracts. This is undoubtedly a sign of trust, but so far this season, their playing opportunities are still relatively limited.

In the first half of the away game against Villarreal, both of them showed excellent form, and both of Manchester City's goals were jointly created by them. Manchester City's first goal fully demonstrated the patience and control that Guardiola's team has maintained for a long time. They maintained the ball through passing and controlling on the right side of the pitch. Nunes, Stones, Lewis and Savinho continued to pass between them to mobilize the opponent's defense. Lewis was assigned to the No. 10 position in this game. He kept running in and out of the rib area to create angles for receiving the ball. This performance showed that the No. 10 position is his best position, rather than the previous right back position (at the right back position, his height and size disadvantages are easily exposed). Lewis made similar interspersed runs many times before finally breaking away from his defender and finding space in the paint. Savinho sent a pass with just the right strength, Lewis cleverly returned the ball, and Haaland took advantage of the opportunity to complete the goal.

Manchester City's second goal was also initiated by Lewis. But this time, Savinho cut inside to the left area, observed Bernardo's movement forward to the near post, and then sent a cross to help the latter score with a header. In the first half of the game, Savinho created the most scoring opportunities (3 times) and completed the most dribbling breakthroughs (3 times). This assist made him record assists in two consecutive games. If his return pass to Lewis was not intercepted early in the game, he could have added another assist. Guardiola may still expect the Brazilian to provide more of a goal threat, but the cooperation between him and Lewis undoubtedly brings out the best in both.