skikdi Posted 6 December 2015 Posted 6 December 2015 Hey all, First time opening up a topic. Riyad Mahrez has obviously been in sensational form this season and I wanted to know if you guys think there has been a dramatic change in his playing style. The 2013/14 season he scored eight goals and racked up ten assists (all comps), which are pretty good numbers for a 22 year-old in Ligue 2 and the Championship. Last season though, his numbers dropped a little: only 4 goals and 3 assists in his first season in the Premier League. This season he's already at 10 goals and 6 assists in the league. What's changed? Is it a matter of adapting to the Premier League? Maybe he's entering his prime t 24 years-old? Does it have something to do with Ranieri vs. Pearson? Maybe Kante and Drinkwater doing so much legwork frees him up, or maybe Vardy's efficiency in front of goal has helped his numbers. It's probably a combination of factors, but if you had to choose the 1-2 prime causes of his improvement, what would it be?
johnny the fox Posted 6 December 2015 Posted 6 December 2015 Fitter, stronger, more mature.. better coaching, more confidence...
foxfanazer Posted 6 December 2015 Posted 6 December 2015 I think his decision making has largely improved and his finishing undoubtedly is miles better. Think he's definitely a confidence player
Charl91 Posted 6 December 2015 Posted 6 December 2015 I think he's probably been offered a little more freedom and license to go forward under Ranieri.
ScouseFox Posted 6 December 2015 Posted 6 December 2015 nothing has changed he's always been the best player in the world
Dan Posted 6 December 2015 Posted 6 December 2015 The biggest factor is this season we have at no point abandoned our attacking philosophy - that happened last season. Compare the way we played at Swansea last season with the way we played at them yesterday. Seven players who featured yesterday played in that display. Mahrez has always had the ability. I've thought it since quite soon after we signed him. He just has this natural class about him and we're starting to utilise it superbly. He's a top class player.
Frank to be Posted 6 December 2015 Posted 6 December 2015 It's a combination of things. He was in and out of the team under Pearson which can't have done his confidence any good. I also got the impression that Pearson wanted him to be a much more defensively minded winger to provide cover for our leaky defence, but Ranieri is trying to sort out the defence properly so that Mahrez can concentrate on what he's best at. He's also playing in a better team which helps a lot, and he has naturally progressed as a footballer.
Foxymcoxy Posted 6 December 2015 Posted 6 December 2015 He got dropped for not being strong enough defensively, and his season was disrupted by the african cup of nations last year. When he was playing for us he looked a real attacking force. This year things have just clicked for him so far and he's obviously progressed a bit naturally since he is still young.
Soar Fox Posted 6 December 2015 Posted 6 December 2015 And to think last season Mahrez sat on the bench for 180 minutes whilst we lost to West Brom at home and Southampton away.
Guest Posted 6 December 2015 Posted 6 December 2015 confidence and some better defense behind him and in midfield.
AyewJoking Posted 6 December 2015 Posted 6 December 2015 ranieri lets him have a pre match snickers whereas pearson wouldnt budge from the prematch apple.
Guest Col city fan Posted 6 December 2015 Posted 6 December 2015 A part of it is experience of the Premiership. Simple as that in some respects. We all said, I think, that if we stayed up last season, we wouldn't have second season jitters because the squad was too good. We have Pearson to thank for keeping us up, Ranieri to thank for taking us to the next level. The players just know the division more now. Drinkwater especially I think.
ithuriel Posted 6 December 2015 Posted 6 December 2015 A settled fast paced team, based on 4-4-2 and attack whilst keeping a compact formation when the other team has the ball. Last season we played numerous formations before settling on a 3-5-2 style in which Mahrez did not quite fit in. Even then CR has struggled a little to fit everyone in at times, trying Mahrez out as a striker alongside Vardy but he does not have the work rate and is better running at peeps rather than chasing down or defending. Another thing a lot of peeps outside of Leicester miss is the fact that Albrighton and Mahrez often swap wings during a match which must mess up an opposing players comfort zone since they have to alter how they mark their player part way through a match.
EGBFitness Posted 6 December 2015 Posted 6 December 2015 Fitter, stronger, more mature.. better coaching, more confidence... Pretty much sums it up He has always been a talent and from his very first game you could tell he had the potential to go far. Don't think it's too surprising he is playing the way he is playing now, it's not like he has been our worst player for years and then all of a sudden come good.
IsItMuzzy Posted 6 December 2015 Posted 6 December 2015 He seems to have improved his defensive side and is more willing to track back and make a tackle. Add this to his attacking capability and he's soon becoming a complete player.
fuchsntf Posted 6 December 2015 Posted 6 December 2015 Hes gone through the natural steps...gathering experience,Maturity, beefed up mentality, fitter. We have simply seen at city, not 1 but 4-7 players within 1-2 yrs ,gone from investment..potential.. games behind them,...translate experience..mature into the PL,....realising their potential. History....Mat Gillies, J.Bloomfield, Milne (Lineker, Smith, Lynex), MON, NOW the N.Pearson-C.Ranieri handshake. We must wait and see if this turns out to be, the dream that turns to fact. Even now this is the time to enjoy + mark in your note book, that this squad has the potential to go beyond all other past achievements, but firstly the fans priority is just to enjoy the ride now. Mahrez not just yesterday but this season, confirms Ranieris Words, ' let the opposition close Vardy down, we have other players who WILL come through'
Vindaloo FOX Posted 6 December 2015 Posted 6 December 2015 he is not playing as wing-back anymore , he has been given freedom to play as a winger and also in the hole . and of course he has improved and adjusted to Prem football.
bovril Posted 6 December 2015 Posted 6 December 2015 I think we underestimate how long it takes all players to come to terms with playing in the Premier League. Mahrez, Vardy et al have always had the ability, but they seem to have learned how to play and consistently win the top flight, which is incredibly exciting for the future.
Guest CityFan 06 Posted 6 December 2015 Posted 6 December 2015 I think having the experience of one season in the Premier League has helped him adapt well to the overall football style in the division, and he has probably become more comfortable to play in it. The potential was always there, and his quality both last season and this season has shown through.
ALC Fox Posted 6 December 2015 Posted 6 December 2015 He looks fitter, stronger, and more confident. The team is set up differently and this exploits his natural game. The midfield is more mobile and we're not just relying on Cambiasso to lump it up (skilfully, I might add) for Vardy to chase. Kanté's run with the ball for Mahrez's third sums up how much better we are in the middle of the park for me. We're also better at soaking up pressure at the back now so we're more able to hit teams on the break effectively. The players have no hesitation in piling forward.
Richard Posted 6 December 2015 Posted 6 December 2015 His tracking back and positioning when we haven't got the ball is also much better.
kingfox Posted 6 December 2015 Posted 6 December 2015 Consistency, last season he would have a couple of terrific games followed by a couple of bad games. He had a little blip around the Arsenal game this season, but credit to Danny Simpson his partnership with Mahrez has been very good so far, in terms of defensively Mahrez has improved since Simpson has come into the side.
dylanlegend Posted 6 December 2015 Posted 6 December 2015 Last season under NP he had to do more defensive work. Also now Simpson is ahead of De Laet he doesn't have to track back as much as Simpson is less attacking. The Vardy factor also helps as defences are now scared of Vardy which takes the limelight of Mahrez abit allowing him more freedom. That said.... Apart from the hat-trick yesterday I'm seen him play better tbh
stevelcfc Posted 6 December 2015 Posted 6 December 2015 Adaptation to the league, increasingly confident, playing in a confides team and less pressure on him to be the star every week.
DennisNedry Posted 6 December 2015 Posted 6 December 2015 He's in a team that's full of confidence and attacking a lot more in games. Our style of play suits him more than under Pearson.
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.