Mahrez

[Hammo]

Watching Mahrez this season has been so frustrating. We know he has a magical talent - he proved that repeatedly last season and fully deserved his Player of the Year award - but he has become so unproductive and short of confidence this season that he has started to overthink what to do on the ball and invariably gets dispossessed in dangerous positions, making him something of a liability at times.

 

I do wonder whether he will ever be able to return to the dizzy heights of last season. And I imagine that several clubs who lusted over him last summer will probably feel the same.

 

[fuchsntf]

Roll over in fits of laughter...die hitting my head against the wall,

fill the bath with tears of mirth...

Everybody has the right to an opinion...but ffs trying to push this idea that Mahrez should be

some great defender, and its his fault when he makes defensive mistakes !!!!

What damn right poor football analyse on a single player.Some even laughingly want to beef him up, how droll, how neanderthal..

Everyone who singles him out on his so called defensive duties, leaves me cold, frozen in astonishment.

He is an attacking player, he aint Albrighton, Gray wont improve his defensive potential, He aint

Fuchs nor Simpson.  Hes his talent within himself, quite a few around Europe who make a difference to their teams....

So far Leicester, have been top/poor/pathetic/great/useless  in using and realising  his talents. Both Ranieri, Shakespeare have succeeded and failed in understanding and realising his potential.

Riyhad M A H R E Z, is an attacking player, who should be playing across the front line or just behind it.Yes run back and cover oppos runs occasionally, but this stubborn idea from within this forum, and within any frontline coaching staff, is total misuse, blindness and  abuse of his talents and potential.

Oh he could still end up, not realising or being that player of that promised potential, but that wont be found out by forcing him to play a too an high % defensive role...utter crap idea.

 

Players like him and Gray have to be given their wings. Oh they will have big dips, but its what they can bring for/to the game. The Ronaldos and Messis have had their dips, but project and translate their skills at 80-90%, through many games. Other WC players with simular qualities,

run well below that, but are just as effective for the teams they play for.

I dont believe Mahrez will reach those 2 players greats hights,but can still achieve that special niche of continual top class displays, reaching WC levels.

 

Just lay off him, and stop this valueless critic on his lack of  defensive attributes.

If city as a team/coaching staff cant bring out and improve his attacking attributes, then he should leave...We found places for a trio of Weller/Farrington/Glover..

Other even greater teams have had their difficult to assess double, trios, even quads high technical players.  Lets select this little wonder packet for what he can do, not for what we

think he should also be able to do. Then see he has players around him, to give and pass, and

cover him when surrounded....That is what is missing, plus another attacking midfieler he can

play off....

Mahrez dirty work, needs to be done for him, he shouldnt be doing it himself, he can carry the water, but not from behind the trenches..!!!  

[Vardinio'sCat]

4 hours ago, Countryfox said:

Not true puss but unfortunately some of the rather silly remarks made by his 'followers' do tend to wind people up.

 

He was part of our legend team that did the impossible and stayed on when he could easily have gone elsewhere for big bucks ...   He has struggled a bit this season but then so have many ...   He still scares the opposition and pulls two opposition players over to him ...   this creates space for others.   He will never be a more physical player but can still improve as can some of the others.  Great asset and I hope he stays.

 

Yeah, I should have put that better, maybe I should have said he isn't universally loved, but I guess he set such high standards last year that he made a rod for his own back.

 

Given how poorly we have played for 2/3rds of the season, singling him for not delivering is harsh, imho.

[Vardinio'sCat]

2 hours ago, Grewks said:

Where did i mention Gray or any other player?

 

And why do we have to play with wingers?

 

We played with wingers last year.

[crisp packet]

Supported/ watched this great club for 30 years.

 

Best city player .

[USFox]

Mahrez is class. Team isn't. You can like it, you can hate it, its the truth. When you are constantly covered with 3 defenders because teams don't feel the need to play defense on the left wing, then its not the guys fault.

[volpeazzurro]

1 hour ago, USFox said:

Mahrez is class. Team isn't. You can like it, you can hate it, its the truth. When you are constantly covered with 3 defenders because teams don't feel the need to play defense on the left wing, then its not the guys fault.

No its not his fault that they put 3 men on him, but it was his fault when he consistently tried to get passed them all and lose possession. Surely he should be able to work out that if three players are on him, there's a fair chance one of his team mates might stand a bit better of a chance of producing something more beneficial for the team. And guess what?  If he did this a few times, one or two of the opposition may drop off him for a second and in he goes!

 

I have to say however that in the last few matches his work rate has increased somewhat in fairness. Whilst I don't subscribe to the fact that he should be an ace defender, there were huge parts of the season where effort was lacking. He was puffing and blowing ten minutes before half time and knackered 15 minutes into the second. He was lazy and unfit.

[BoyJones]

Mahrez has had a relatively quiet season, but he is unbelieavably phenomenally skilful. I like Gray, but there are lots of players around with his type of skill. Palace have a couple. Good kid but flatters to deceive.

 

Mahrez is a one off and as such we must keep him and play him if we want to challenge next season for the top four. You can't get rid of your best players, sooner or later they will return to form and make the difference between mid table obscurity a la Stoke or driving Leicester back to greater heights.

 

I have found him incredibly frustrating this season and was beginning to think, get rid - but now all the stress has gone away, and common sense has kicked in, we must keep him, otherwise it will show a lack of ambition and an acceptance that we are happy to return to also ran status.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[WigstonWanderer]

7 hours ago, Vardinio'sCat said:

 

He isn't really loved here, which I find a bit sad.

Not true, folks just get a bit frustrated. Also people just preparing themselves for the possible hurt of him leaving.

 

I think if we use the 352 formation more he will rediscover a role with less defensive responsibilities that will suit him more. I have in mind something like Atletico second half with Mahrez in the hole and Vardy and Gray as the front 2.

 

Probably couldn't use this in all matches, but it would be suitable when we want a really attack minded formation. Swap one of the forwards for Ulloa or Slimani as required. Huth, Morgan, Benny, Fuchs, Simpson can be rotated at CB. A bit short of Wing backs on the right, just Albrighton, but Chilwell or Fuchs available for the left.

 

As it happens his defensive contribution has improved considerably IMO. He's actually surprised me sometimes recently.

[Mint23]

He just needs a better song to endear  him into our fans hearts, just look at Leo, he's a half decent sub that gets a few minutes a month but because of his great song we all love him!

[broughtonblue]

I think regardless of ability as some are technically better than others, all you can ask for is 100% effort . Something that is seriously lacking from mahrez this year. Last season he deserved all the praise he got because of his performances, this year he deserves the criticism he's getting because the effort is just not there. Sometimes it's like we are playing with 10 men 

[RODNEY FERNIO]

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   Second best player I've ever seen in a City shirt ...... just behind Keith Weller

[Arriba Los Zorros]

10 hours ago, BoyJones said:

Mahrez has had a relatively quiet season, but he is unbelieavably phenomenally skilful. I like Gray, but there are lots of players around with his type of skill. Palace have a couple. Good kid but flatters to deceive.

 

Mahrez is a one off and as such we must keep him and play him if we want to challenge next season for the top four. You can't get rid of your best players, sooner or later they will return to form and make the difference between mid table obscurity a la Stoke or driving Leicester back to greater heights.

 

I have found him incredibly frustrating this season and was beginning to think, get rid - but now all the stress has gone away, and common sense has kicked in, we must keep him, otherwise it will show a lack of ambition and an acceptance that we are happy to return to also ran status.

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is 100% true. Mahrez can beat players in tight spaces and can go both ways down the line, or cutting in. He's a lot more versatile than Gray. Gray is a good player but more of an athlete and not as gifted as Riyad.

[st albans fox]

2 hours ago, Mint23 said:

He just needs a better song to endear  him into our fans hearts, just look at Leo, he's a half decent sub that gets a few minutes a month but because of his great song we all love him!

If we don't sort wilf out soon, he will be off. How can we not sing the manfred mann chorus with lalalala either side beats me 

 

sort it out !!!

[chapero82]

Hray has nothing on Mahrez! If Riyad had the space Gray did he would score and assist goals like last year! 

 

The probkem Riyad has is he has no support from anybody when he has 3 players around him 

[filbertway]

Just out of interest, which was the last game Mahrez took a game by the scruff of the neck and was a game winner for us. 

 

By that I don't mean he scored a goal that won us the game. A game where he's put in a 9/10 out of 10 man of the match performance and made the difference?

 

Genuinely interested to know as I miss a fair few games and every time I watch him he produces much less than I expect of somebody with his talent.

[foxes21]

We need to do everything to keep him. The criticism he's had this season, will only make him better next season. A proper pre-season will get him back to his best.

 

We cannot afford to lose him & then downgrade to Demarai Gray as his replacement.

[ZeGuy]

Just now, filbertway said:

Just out of interest, which was the last game Mahrez took a game by the scruff of the neck and was a game winner for us. 

 

By that I don't mean he scored a goal that won us the game. A game where he's put in a 9/10 out of 10 man of the match performance and made the difference?

 

Genuinely interested to know as I miss a fair few games and every time I watch him he produces much less than I expect of somebody with his talent.

ManCity at home for example.

[The Floyd]

I absolutely love Riyad Mahrez. It's impossible to criticise him too much because I know how I'll feel if/when he leaves.

[foxes21]

1 minute ago, filbertway said:

Just out of interest, which was the last game Mahrez took a game by the scruff of the neck and was a game winner for us. 

 

By that I don't mean he scored a goal that won us the game. A game where he's put in a 9/10 out of 10 man of the match performance and made the difference?

 

Genuinely interested to know as I miss a fair few games and every time I watch him he produces much less than I expect of somebody with his talent.

For the first 6 months of the season, every single player in our team was very poor. We need to write that period off.

Since Shakespeare has taken over, we've looked more like a team. Mahrez has looked better, like everyone else. I wouldn't say he's been man of the match in any of the recent games, but most importantly the whole team is back to their best.

If we are serious about top 6 next season, then Mahrez has to stay.

Form is temporary, class is permanent.

[les-tah]

he is made 4 a 4231 unfortunately not a 442 where he has to full support his full back.

[ZeGuy]

8 minutes ago, foxes21 said:

For the first 6 months of the season, every single player in our team was very poor. We need to write that period off.

Since Shakespeare has taken over, we've looked more like a team. Mahrez has looked better, like everyone else. I wouldn't say he's been man of the match in any of the recent games, but most importantly the whole team is back to their best.

If we are serious about top 6 next season, then Mahrez has to stay.

Form is temporary, class is permanent.

That's indeed mandatory. The concept still has to get through some thick skulls but it will, eventually. Or not.

 

Mahrez must raise his level too, nonetheless. Still baffled that two of the clubs best players are getting most of the critics or abuse on a daily basis. Never saw it anywhere else.

[Crazy Kop Corner]

Mahrez has had a quiet season by his own tremendously high standards set last year But if you look back over our recent goals he is still involved in a large percentage of them.

 

Hopefully he'll look to incorporate more variety into his play i.e switch wings more, move on to his right foot as it is more than decent (goal at Man City last year was sublime).

 

Hope he stays for at least another season as it has been an absolute privilege to watch him over the last 3 and a half seasons.

[Finnegan]

I just hope that when we flog him we sign Boudebouz to replace him so the fox sticks around.

[Redouane]

 

1 hour ago, Finnegan said:

I just hope that when we flog him we sign Boudebouz to replace him so the fox sticks around.

LMAO! Becareful what you wish for. I'd move permanently to Leicester if that happened ^^ 

In all seriousness, I think Boudebouz will go to a much bigger team after the the past two seasons he's had. A better option would Bentaleb, but I doubt Schalke 04 would be ready to let  him go so soon.