We could show Mahrez we want him to stay

[KingsX]

With an overstretched (and often underperforming) midfield, and a defensive fullback behind him, he was never going to have the space to replicate last season’s feats.  Not that that has stopped him from turning the ball over 1-on-3 more than anyone wants to see.  

Even on off days, his gravitational pull on a defense has some value.  His first touch never fails him.  With a couple better, more offensively geared midfield pieces, he could have more space and opportunity and reverse the performance/confidence cycle he seems to be caught in.

People seem to forget his new contract was announced as having no release clause.  I don’t think the club will sell a player of Riyad’s talent at rock-bottom based on this year’s production.

 

[HighPeakFox]

18 minutes ago, Milo said:

yeah...who needs the electorate - Dictators are much better  

Point missed, I fear...

[ozleicester]

The best ive ever seen in a Leicester shirt... i honestly doubt ill EVER see better.

 

Even yesterday... i watched as a forty yard pass came to him... he stopped the ball dead with a single silken movement, 

 

he is welcome in my team for the next ten years.

[st albans fox]

50 minutes ago, Mickyblueeyes said:

Considering for example Spurs are not paying Alli, Kane or Erikksen £150k ( I know that's based on what is mentioned in papers rather than being "in the know"). On the latter, if I remember rightly there was early press of him pushing for that amount. it may be difficult for him to dictate to the bigger clubs who may show an interest that he deserves to be the highest earner. Not that I am sitting at the negotiation table (I wish I was for that commission) but I think his salary would be on par with what he is getting here. My assumption. As your assumption has shown, it could may be that Mahrez agent can negotiate on the basis of his brilliance, particularly from last year, rather than this. However, it is an interesting take on how clubs would view Mahrez and whether there would be an element of caution based on the first half of the season. I personally feel, last year was more the "real" Mahrez than this so it can swing both ways, again based on assumption.

 

Not forcing a move to me does show a certain element of loyalty. Plenty of players have gone about it in the wrong way. You obviously don't? 

Take your point of sorts that not forcing an exit shows some loyalty but is it really to be lauded ?? He only signed a new contract the previous august. he was told he couldn't leave so he had a choice of behaving like payet or knuckling down and taking the 100k/week

 

as far as Spurs wages are concerned - that's a potential problem for them. The youngsters will only get the six figure salaries at Man U, citeh or chelsea. Mahrez is mid twenties and will command the area I referenced if a CL club want to tempt him away - there's always the chunky s/o fee to cover the difference

[Wolfox]

4 hours ago, Jerryking said:

SK3...perhaps I'm deaf, or you don't sing loud enough.

I'm in SK4 and heard it !!!!

 

although agree that we should be a little more demonstrative when it comes to celebrating the most gifted ball player I've seen in a City shirt

[Foxxed]

I was worried when he held his head in his hands after being taken off yesterday.

 

I feel like a bloody worried girlfriend!

 

He may have dips in form, and he's currently not even our best winger, but everyone saw him last season and the idea he'll never reach that again flies against experience, and the idea we'll sign or develop another balloon d'or winger is the kind of optimism which may get its head heavily bloodied by reality fairly soon.

 

[Guest Danny Clender]

It took what? 2, maybe 3 games for us to realise we were onto something special.

I've never seen a more entertaining and skilful player at Leicester in my lifetime, so I'm a big fan.

And whilst trickery isn't everything, he's a player I do not want to leave. 

That said, I think if he feels ready and can advance his career at another club, as far as I'm concerned, he's earned his right now. 

I think he's a player that can demand to play in his preferred position, but as a club, I'm not sure we can allow that. 

 

[Old Fox]

Leicester City have probably only had a handful of talents like Riyad on our whole history.

 

He is the most talented footballer I have seen in 40 years plus of following our team.

 

Build the team around him for me - if that means we strengthen the rest of the team to accommodate a player then so be it. He has improved defensively but some players are worth accepting a weakness as he creates, scores and has that special talent that very few players possess. He will probably leave and be a star elsewhere.

 

Again some of our fans do not appreciate the talents we have and may not see the like of again - replacing him will be extremely difficult and Gray is miles away imo.

 

 

[Foxes1]

If we had sold him prior to this season people would say we are not ambitious enough and gone back to be a selling club again. Now we have him here people want to get rid, the club can't win either way.

[fuchsntf]

6 hours ago, Dr The Singh said:

I'm willing to get me cock out, of that helps?

Take a sunday day trip, and call it  cock au van...

[steveherbe]

4 hours ago, Ric Flair said:

I've been arguing all morning on Facebook with prats who genuinely think Gray is better than him. I like Gray but I hate our fans. Get fcuked.

Don't worry Ric, all us fans hate you too, so the feeling is mutual - Cnut ( you did start it!)

[Ric Flair]

Yesterday was potentially the last time I'll see the magician in a Leicester shirt. I can't make the Spurs game and there's a small chance I can't make Bournemouth either, so for me that's it. I could never see him again, that's very upsetting and shouldn't be taken lightly. He arrived a skinny urchin from France 3 years ago with horrific hair and an unusual technique and style. He'll leave one of the very best in Europe on his day and a PFA Player of The Year and PL winners medal to his name. EXTRAORDINARY.

 

Players like Mahrez don't grow on trees. They don't get unearthed that often and certainly not for four hundred fcukin thousand pounds. We will badly miss him and it'll hurt. Let's try and give the man of his class the respect and honour he deserves and if somehow he stays for another season then that will be sensational news.

 

Riyad, you are the one! It's a pleasure to have you in my clubs shirt. You've lit us up. 

[SheppyFox]

Don't want him to go, he will though, looks a mardy little bastard at the minute.

[fuchsntf]

Imho....Keith Weller was our most talented fluid player, who could also stop a ball dead.

Had a great cross on the run, killed a ball on the run.Had flicks and has they say today

strong tekkies...

I like Riyhad, I want him to stay, but only if we not going to force him to play deep and concentrate

on irrelevant defensive duties. To me like last season, you give Riyhad and Vardy carte blanche,

to play the high line ( which intself will keep the oppo something to think about)

A track back or try cutting out oppos driving runs from deep, 80% of the time they shouldnt

see their own penalty area, maybe Vardy who defends set pieces, or occasionally tracks or tackles back.

Fans should appreciate Simpsons season, we dont need RB flitzer, if we had one, we would play a totally different game..His normal high game gives Mahrez that extra space, where

he takes the ball from halfway or higher, not like this season, where Mahrez defending,

and was too deep to be a worry..

[Jakemoore]

What if we don't want him to stay? I personally think he's holding Gray back. And his attitude still hasn't improved despite the fact that the rest of the squad seem to be bang on it. I'd take a large offer if it came our way..

[yorkie1999]

So, basically, mahrez is off because he hasn't got a decent chant and feels insecure about it..... what a load of bollox

[AmarteyAndChill]

36 minutes ago, Jakemoore said:

What if we don't want him to stay? I personally think he's holding Gray back. And his attitude still hasn't improved despite the fact that the rest of the squad seem to be bang on it. I'd take a large offer if it came our way..

Grays not fit to lace Mahrez' boots 

[Bossman Blessed It]

The animosity he receives is obvious everyone's subjective right, but it's completely unwarranted. He's made a mockery of virtually every defence in the Premier League over the past 2-3 years; not consistently, in flashes, but he's done it nonetheless. He can look disinterested, lazy and frustrates beyond belief at times. But we've seen moments of genuine footballing brilliance from him. Whenever he's disappointed I always think back to Stoke at home when he did a flip-flap through their centre back's legs and set Ulloa up for a tap in. 

 

He should be playing regular Champions League football - anyone doubting that is in denial about our position in the footballing food chain. He's a rare, special talent and we simply won't be able to upgrade him - can only hope we unearth another gem who develops into someone as influential as he has been after a couple of years with us. 

[Vardinio'sCat]

9 hours ago, seenitall said:

Wanting rid of Mahrez is a bit like wanting Brexit - you think there is a better way out there and howl until you get it and only when you eventually have it and it is worse than what you had before will you want to turn the clock back to the 'good old days'. It's why football fans and the electorate should never be listened to on anything important.....but sadly they are.

 

My post of the week...  

 

there endeth the lesson!

[Charl91]

Mahrez is a brilliant footballer. Yeah, he's not been as great as he was last season, but he's still far better than anyone we're likely to get it, and he can still produce those moments of pure magic. Look at how shite Hazard was last season, and how great he's been this one. If Chelsea had decided they wanted rid after a poor season, then they'd be regretting it now.

 

I like Albrighton; he's a fantastic team player, and every team needs someone like him. But if we had a team of 11 Albrightons, like some people seem to want, I'm not so sure I'd want to watch. It's no fun just having 11 work horses in a team.

 

Or we could get some of those mythical "players that work harder than Mahrez but also have just as much quality on the ball", that some are banging on about. Yeah, easy to find those kind of players, for dirt cheap too. And they'd all obviously want to join Leicester. Why don't we get that Griezmann bloke, he works pretty hard and has lots of quality.

[Countryfox]

3 minutes ago, Charl91 said:

Mahrez is a brilliant footballer. Yeah, he's not been as great as he was last season, but he's still far better than anyone we're likely to get it, and he can still produce those moments of pure magic. Look at how shite Hazard was last season, and how great he's been this one. If Chelsea had decided they wanted rid after a poor season, then they'd be regretting it now.

 

I like Albrighton; he's a fantastic team player, and every team needs someone like him. But if we had a team of 11 Albrightons, like some people seem to want, I'm not so sure I'd want to watch. It's no fun just having 11 work horses in a team.

 

Or we could get some of those mythical "players that work harder than Mahrez but also have just as much quality on the ball", that some are banging on about. Yeah, easy to find those kind of players, for dirt cheap too. And they'd all obviously want to join Leicester. Why don't we get that Griezmann bloke, he works pretty hard and has lots of quality.

 

Why, when people are talking about one player, do they have to slag off another ...     I don't get it.   Albrighton is a cracking player as are virtually all our title winning squad.   Stop fookin whining.

[the fox]

Can't help but feel a little sad because I know I contributed to the animosity towards riyad, some of my really early posts seemed biased and almost "fanboy-ish". Didn't mean any harm by said comments but I kinda understand why some gonna be happy because they will get their Facebook page back.

 

No amount of social media bias is worth losing mahrez. The day he leaves will be a sad one.

[ajthefox]

Riyad gets far more stick than he should. People just expect him to take on 3 players and set someone up every time he's got the ball (despite the fact he gets doubled up constantly)and he gets hammered every time it doesn't come off because we got used to him turning people inside out all the time last season. It really is ridiculous.

 

And his tracking back has been slowly improving over the last couple of seasons too, and he has mentioned a few times that he knows he has to get better. He's not the best at it but those saying he does fvck all are just churning the same shtick out every week.

 

I think what's worse is the suggestion that Riyad doesn't care either. I think he has quite an aloof attitude and it can come across a certain way sometimes, but everything I've read and seen suggests this lad is passionate about what he does, that he cares about the team and that he wants to be better. The insinuation he doesn't give a shit for me is so wide of the mark.

 

I'll be gutted if he goes and I think anyone who won't be does not appreciate the gem he is and what he did for us last year in particular.

[foxile5]

For all the hyperbole and vitriole... Do we want a player who resents being here? Has enforcing a contact ever really worked? If he wants, he's gone. 

[TheSomersetFox]

This thread is bringing my faith in Leicester fans back somewhat. He's just a brilliant footballer