Riyad Mahrez - The great Artist

[Charl91]

8 hours ago, NotTheMarketLeader said:

The one trick being?

 

Scoring goals, assists, working rate for the team, winding up opposing fans? 

 

Which one is it? 

 

I didn't say Vardy was a one trick pony though.

 

Just that you can't class Mahrez as being a one-tricky pony, unless you extend that to most of the players in our squad. Mahrez has got a pretty wide range of skills.

[Redouane]

56 minutes ago, Countryfox said:

 

Wish you would stop bringing Vardy into your petty Mahrez squabbles all the time ...   Vardy is a top top striker and gives his absolute all for the team on the pitch week in and week out ..  playing through injuries and throwing himself into every tackle ..   he is an England player and one of the best strikers we have ever had ...   without him we would be toothless ...    he had his chance to leave, but guess what, he stayed .....    a true Leicester legend for me and I just won't sit back and let you, or anyone else for that matter, keep slagging him off.

Yeah but son did Mahrez. As the PFA player of the year, he could've easily changed clubs.. But he stayed

[KingsX]

4 hours ago, FIF said:

to be honest Mahrez was the worst player on the pitch until he scored. Most of his touches were backwards to players who had opposition players within 3m. The goal was a beauty but who didn't know that he was going to run forward, cut in and try to curl one? Only the Spurs defender I'd guess. 

So what if you, me and the whole world knew exactly what was going to happen?  The point is, due to Mahrez' speed and quality it could not be stopped!  Vertonghen was too slow and had no help, and when Riyad was still 40 yards out, the blood was already in the water.

 

As soon as the ball was in the net, I flashed to LeBron.  I have seen so many plays where the Cavs rebound, and in one glance at the defense as he turns on the jets, you already know it’s going to be one or two passes and a thunderous slam.  To get that feeling of glorious inevitability is a much rarer thrill in football, and I for one am still savoring it.

[the fox]

5 hours ago, Countryfox said:

 

Wish you would stop bringing Vardy into your petty Mahrez squabbles all the time ...   Vardy is a top top striker and gives his absolute all for the team on the pitch week in and week out ..  playing through injuries and throwing himself into every tackle ..   he is an England player and one of the best strikers we have ever had ...   without him we would be toothless ...    he had his chance to leave, but guess what, he stayed .....    a true Leicester legend for me and I just won't sit back and let you, or anyone else for that matter, keep slagging him off.

 

did i say anything bad about vardy? or it isn't allowed to even hint that vardy isn't the best thing since sliced bread on this forum.
 

just go back and read the comments on this thread, the bitterns is unreal, you have the posters who only drop by to slate him after a bad game, and others who say "good job" in an underwhelming tone like they are disappointed he preformed.

 

i mention vardy not to point his shortcomings , i do that to show the hypocrisy in some posts, the body of work between the two players is too different. it's easier to keep a consistent work rate than to keep  a consistent playmaking/dribbling ability.
 

i have no problem with people having a favoirite player (for me, it's mahrez). but when people are telling you to stop being a fanboy but  get triggered whenever you say anything about their favorite player, it's kinda hypocritical.

 

anyways, it seems that i hit a nerve with vardy , i will make sure that i will keep him out of it the best i could

[NotTheMarketLeader]

10 hours ago, Charl91 said:

 

I didn't say Vardy was a one trick pony though.

 

Just that you can't class Mahrez as being a one-tricky pony, unless you extend that to most of the players in our squad. Mahrez has got a pretty wide range of skills.

?

[AlloverthefloorYesNdidi]

I hate Danny Murphy.  If anyone watched us on Match of The Day this week you know why.

He's always been bitter towards us.

He can eat a bag of dicks

Edited 1 December 2017 by AlloverthefloorYesNdidi

[Nick]

12 minutes ago, AlloverthefloorYesNdidi said:

I hate Danny Murphy.  If anyone watched us on Match of The Day this week you know why.

He's always been bitter towards us.

He can eat a bag of dicks

?

[Ted Maul]

9 hours ago, the fox said:

 

did i say anything bad about vardy? or it isn't allowed to even hint that vardy isn't the best thing since sliced bread on this forum.

Vardy is better than sliced bread.

[Countryfox]

14 hours ago, the fox said:

 

did i say anything bad about vardy? or it isn't allowed to even hint that vardy isn't the best thing since sliced bread on this forum.
 

just go back and read the comments on this thread, the bitterns is unreal, you have the posters who only drop by to slate him after a bad game, and others who say "good job" in an underwhelming tone like they are disappointed he preformed.

 

i mention vardy not to point his shortcomings , i do that to show the hypocrisy in some posts, the body of work between the two players is too different. it's easier to keep a consistent work rate than to keep  a consistent playmaking/dribbling ability.
 

i have no problem with people having a favoirite player (for me, it's mahrez). but when people are telling you to stop being a fanboy but  get triggered whenever you say anything about their favorite player, it's kinda hypocritical.

 

anyways, it seems that i hit a nerve with vardy , i will make sure that i will keep him out of it the best i could

 

Look at my previous posts on this page ...   thrilled with a win and praising the players ...   all of them.   I don't have a favourite and you have not hit a nerve ...    I just think it isn't right to bring in other players when you are attacking other posters who criticise your obvious favourite.  If it isn't Vardy its Albrighton or Okazaki or someone else ...    it just gets a bit boring.    I support Leicester City and all its players .....    thats not hypocritical at all ...    hope you can see that Foxy.

[kushiro]

RIYAD MAHREZ INTERVIEW on trials at St Mirren, winning the title with Leicester - and why he's not done yet

• Riyad Mahrez has grand ambitions to reach the very top of world football
• The winger once had a trial at St Mirren, scoring seven goals in four games
• Mahrez had huge reservations about moving to Britain again with Leicester
• Ballon d'Or candidate Mahrez wants his career filled with medals and titles

By Ian Herbert For The Daily Mail

Published: 22:30 GMT, 1 December 2017 | Updated: 22:30 GMT, 1 December 2017 

 

Riyad Mahrez stands before a vast image of Muhammad Ali, enthusing about him and another of his idols, Roger Federer — the sole reason he was determined to make it to Wimbledon this summer.

Yet it is in the story of how he wound up at St Mirren nine years ago, in the depths of a bitter Scottish winter, that something significant emerges about the player with title aspirations of his own.

'I didn't want to go,' says the French-born Algerian with a grin in an hour's conversation about his struggles, triumphs, philosophies and ambitions — less than 24 hours after scoring the goal that helped Leicester City beat Tottenham. 

 

Riyad Mahrez has grand ambitions to reach the very top of the game and win multiple medals

'Right from the start, I didn't want to go but someone I knew — more a friend than an agent — told me there was a trial in Scotland. He said, "Come on, let's try it", so I said OK.'

What happened next is something Mahrez can laugh about now. His arrival at Glasgow Airport, six weeks living in a small hotel on a minimal income, scoring goals freely for St Mirren's Under 21s and a local football agent becoming very interested in him in a way that first-team manager Gus MacPherson was not.

'I had four games. I scored seven goals. Every game I was scoring,' he says. 'They tried to keep me but I never got near the first team. And then my friend in France called me and said the Scottish agent wanted to cut him out, sign me up and become my agent instead. My friend said, "Come back home. I'll get you a ticket".'

So the player who within nine years would become a Ballon d'Or nominee — and take seventh place in that vote — found himself hatching a plan to retrieve his boots before doing a moonlight flit from Scotland.

'I'd left my boots at the training ground, so I took a bike from the hotel to get them,' he relates. 'Then I took the bus from the hotel, then the train, arrived at the airport and took the first plane back.'

What strikes you, as 26-year-old Mahrez relates this tale, is his how persuadable he was. This slight individual has such burning belief in his own ability that during lunch breaks at his school in Sarcelles, a Parisian banlieue, he would tell dining-room assistants that he would play in the 2014 World Cup one day (which he did, for Algeria, by virtue of his late father Ahmed).

Yet an ability to take control of his own destiny has come less easily. When others have said 'go' over the years, Mahrez has generally gone. And when others have said 'stay', he has tended to fall in line.

Now, there seems to be a greater resolve to shape events, rather than allow them to shape him; to follow his own path rather than wait for one to materialise.

He has a new agent — recently joining the Sports Invest stable that includes Liverpool's Philippe Coutinho, Chelsea's David Luiz and Willian, and the exciting Watford winger Richarlison.

Scoring against Spurs as he did on Tuesday — shaping inside Jan Vertonghen to arc a left-footed shot from the edge of the area around Hugo Lloris — rekindled memories of being the centre of the national football conversation 18 months ago. He doesn't mind saying he misses all that.

 

 

'The win reminded me of when we were champions,' he says, 'and yes, of course I want to win more trophies. I've always had the ambition to win a lot of trophies. It's what we are playing for. At the end of your career, what you will keep in your head is the memory of winning trophies — Premier League, Champions League. Those are the only things you remember.'

He says he was '50-50' about leaving in the summer of 2016, once Leicester's title was won. He spoke to Arsenal's chief transfer negotiator, Dick Law, at that time. His representatives were in touch with Arsene Wenger. He feels that was the closest he has come to leaving and that Arsenal were the best fit for his skills.

And what became of that chance? 'I don't know what happened,' he shrugs. 'It's football. You never know what will happen.' Luis Suarez was not nearly so philosophical when Arsenal's approach for him came to nothing three summers earlier.

Mahrez's reticence about discussing this stems from the self-effacing nature he shares with friend, former team-mate and occasional tennis partner N'Golo Kante.

But Kante left Leicester for Chelsea and a second successive title, while Mahrez stayed and signed a £100,000-a-week deal. There was no buy-out clause, which has given Leicester a strong hand.

 

At school he told dining-room assistants he would play in the 2014 World Cup... which he did

'N'Golo had a clause and when he left they stopped those clauses,' Mahrez says. 'They said they would never give one to anyone after that.' And though he speaks of Leicester with affection, Mahrez clearly feels he does not know all that there is to know about which clubs have been interested in him in the past 18 months.

'They didn't want to sell me. They said, "Yes, (there will be) no problem if something comes up",' he says, 'but behind the scenes they were blocking stuff — talking to clubs but just not wanting to sell me. But I'm confident. Contract or no contract, I believe I will get to the top. When you have quality, and show it, there's no problem.'

He has made no secret of the fact that he may need to look elsewhere for success and trophies, in the finite time a football career allows. In May, he handed in a transfer request. 'I wanted to be transparent, not play people around, be honest about it,' he says.

Three months later came one of those deadline-day frenzies, after a photograph of him at Charles de Gaulle airport was circulated, putting photographers in London and Barcelona on alert to identify his onward destination. He didn't even leave France that day, he reveals. 'The Algeria national team let me leave their base because there was a chance a move might happen and we were going so far away, to Zambia, for a World Cup qualifier,' he says.

 

 

Despite not thinking he was made for the English game, Mahrez soon began to flourish

'I flew from Algeria to Paris and after that I was reading, "Riyad is here, Riyad is there. Riyad is somewhere else". No. I was at home in France all the time. I missed the Zambia game because there was no way to get out there. They couldn't organise a flight.'

The summer's only firm offer was from Roma and, once again, he stayed.

The resolve to keep him has evidently done nothing to diminish his affection for a club who — with the St Mirren experience in mind — he most definitely harboured doubts about joining in the winter of 2014. But Leicester's offer of £350,000 to Ligue 2 side Le Havre was the only one on the table. This time it was his mother, Halima, who urged him to take a chance. 'Go,' she said. Once again Mahrez went.

'I really didn't want to come,' he admits now. 'It reminded me of St Mirren — bad memories, the language I can't speak. I said, "I'm not going". But my mum insisted and I came with two friends so I wasn't on my own. I was staying at the Leicester Marriott hotel and we hung out together.'

Leicester City surprised him. He'd struggled through five professional years in France, where at Quimper and Le Havre there were suggestions he lacked the physique, at 5ft 10in and 10st, to make it.

 

 

Under Claudio Ranieri Mahrez took his game to the next level, and had the boss's full belief

Yet here was manager Nigel Pearson delighted to have him along. Not to mention Pearson's assistant, Steve Walsh, who had scouted at Le Havre with another forward in mind — Cape Verdean Ryan Mendes — and stumbled on Mahrez by luck. 'When I arrived, they showed me a lot of videos of myself,' Mahrez says. 'They'd been following me a bit and that did surprise me. They really knew me and Nigel Pearson really wanted me.'

Within months, he also met the confident young Englishwoman, Rita, who would become his wife, the mother of their two young children and, on the evidence of her being around in the background during our interview, a source of strength, humour and wise counsel. She was working as an extra in the film industry at the time, for Warner Brothers and Disney.

Mahrez seems to excel at most sports, including table tennis, though Rita questions his suggestion that she cannot match him at the table they have at home. It seems no quarter is given in that contest.

It has not been the only one. Mahrez once told L'Equipe the story of the Championship game in his early Leicester months in 2014, when he was happy to be a substitute. 'Better I didn't play. It was — intense. I would have got myself killed.'

 

 

The 26-year-old was instrumental in Leicester's miraculous title win of the 2015-16 season

He excelled in the Championship. It made him hungrier for the Premier League when it came. 'In France, they said I was a player for Spain, so I went with that,' he says. 'Everyone was saying, "It's not for you". I came to believe them. I thought I would never play in England.'

It's hard to avoid the impression that it is somewhere on English soil that he would most relish taking his game next.

He did not anticipate the relationship he would foster with Claudio Ranieiri, the former Leicester manager. 'He was the one who believed in me most,' says Mahrez. 'Riyad is our light,' the Italian said at one stage during that astonishing season. 'When he switches on, Leicester change colour.'

For all this player's deference for the two managers who have followed — Craig Shakespeare and now Claude Puel — there is no one like quite Claudio. Puel recently demanded more consistency after substituting Mahrez early at West Ham, following a performance well short of his best. 'I have to accept constructive criticism,' he says of this. 'I'm here to improve.'

 

Mahrez is a man who doesn't intend to stand still and is determined to win more honours

So speaks an individual who clearly does not intend to stand still.

Whatever happens next, Leicester can have no regrets over their extremely well-invested £350,000, though St Mirren will always rue an opportunity missed. 

Their top scorer in that season when Mahrez could not make the first team was Billy Mehmet, an English journeyman now in Cyprus. He scored eight goals in all competitions. 

 

Edited 1 December 2017 by kushiro

[the fox]

amazing interview with great input. a lot of things got cleared, he got a new agent so that's a good thing. he wasn't flying around europe on deadline day, 

 

i don't want to call him naive but,  i think he thinks that everyone has his best interest in mind (almost like those cartoon characters)

 

"Yet an ability to take control of his own destiny has come less easily. When others have said 'go' over the years, Mahrez has generally gone. And when others have said 'stay', he has tended to fall in line."

 

but good thing is, he is working on it 

 

"Now, there seems to be a greater resolve to shape events, rather than allow them to shape him; to follow his own path rather than wait for one to materialise.
He has a new agent — recently joining the Sports Invest stable that includes Liverpool's Philippe Coutinho, Chelsea's David Luiz and Willian, and the exciting Watford winger Richarlison."

[the fox]

this goal was just amazing, textbook counter attack, but what makes the goal is the crowd reaction, they cheered for n'didi but when riyad got the ball, most of the stadium was gassping for air, they knew something special gonna happen, just like his chelsea goal. and the "shooot" makes it even better. goosebumps! 

 

[Albert]

On 30/11/2017 at 15:46, FIF said:

to be honest Mahrez was the worst player on the pitch until he scored. Most of his touches were backwards to players who had opposition players within 3m. The goal was a beauty but who didn't know that he was going to run forward, cut in and try to curl one? Only the Spurs defender I'd guess.  After the goal his effort increased and he looked a team player. Must admit Albrighton was the better winger still though - what a game he had.

 

And redouane's silly argument about Vardy!!!! Even when he isn't knocking them in his effort is superb. He makes our team what it is - surprisingly he leads the team in a way the Captain couldn't.

I don’t think you appreciate the fact that more or less every team we play has a  defensive plan that mostly consists of stopping Mahrez. They double/triple up on him with the aim to crowd him out, close any space for him to play and cut his supply to Vardy. When that works people are so quick to point a finger and say he’s having a poor game when in reality he’s just being nullified. Have u actually tried consider that the reason Albrighton was “the better winger” could be down to the fact that the majority of attention was on Mahrez and he had more space?!?!

As for the captain comment are you talking about the same guy that has been a complete rock from day 1, clocked up 250 appearances for us never letting us down & led us to both the Championship & Premier league title!??

Just because you don’t see a player screaming & shouting doesn’t mean he’s not a leader!!

[Guest]

7 hours ago, Albert said:

I don’t think you appreciate the fact that more or less every team we play has a  defensive plan that mostly consists of stopping Mahrez. They double/triple up on him with the aim to crowd him out, close any space for him to play and cut his supply to Vardy. When that works people are so quick to point a finger and say he’s having a poor game when in reality he’s just being nullified. Have u actually tried consider that the reason Albrighton was “the better winger” could be down to the fact that the majority of attention was on Mahrez and he had more space?!?!

Maybe you don't really watch the games, just look at them.

 

Usually Mahrez has a maximum of 1 defender on him when he gets the ball - often he's so deep in our own half that he doesn't have a defender. Then he runs with the ball, using a few stepovers, then tries to beat a defender (or 2) before cutting in. Once he gets the ball a second defender makes his way over, the reason there are 2 defenders is that he holds onto the ball for so long and isn't the fastest mover with a ball. Eventually by the time he cuts in he's had the ball for so long that he may have 3 defenders on him. Being a very skilfull player Mahrez can often beat the 1 defender and sometimes 2 but nearly always loses the ball because he holds onto it for too long.

 

His best friend is unselfishness, if he passed the ball earlier then the second defender would be a little slower coming over and maybe he'd not ever get a third defender but the defenders know that most times he's just going to keep the ball and try to beat players or pass it backwards. 

 

As for your Albrighton comment he was the better winger because he worked for the team, ran hard, crossed the ball and defended like a demon. Anyone who thinks Mahrez had the better game is a star struck football fan or has Algerian roots. 

 

 

[Guest]

9 hours ago, the fox said:

amazing interview with great input. a lot of things got cleared, he got a new agent so that's a good thing. he wasn't flying around europe on deadline day, 

 

i don't want to call him naive but,  i think he thinks that everyone has his best interest in mind (almost like those cartoon characters)

 

"Yet an ability to take control of his own destiny has come less easily. When others have said 'go' over the years, Mahrez has generally gone. And when others have said 'stay', he has tended to fall in line."

 

but good thing is, he is working on it 

 

"Now, there seems to be a greater resolve to shape events, rather than allow them to shape him; to follow his own path rather than wait for one to materialise.
He has a new agent — recently joining the Sports Invest stable that includes Liverpool's Philippe Coutinho, Chelsea's David Luiz and Willian, and the exciting Watford winger Richarlison."

Can you understand why some people love Andy King?

[the fox]

1 minute ago, FIF said:

Can you understand why some people love Andy King?

and i do to, i don't want kingy to leave. but you are kiding yourself if you think they are in anyway, shape or form close in ability.

 

ï think Riyad got himself into à tricky situation, the team doesn't play to his strength, but on the other hand, the club won't risk putting all the eggs in riyad's basket if he isn't comitted long term.

n'didi did what kante used to do, which is drive upfield and lay the ball to mahrez on the other team's half. more of that and the team will win more games.

[Guest]

15 minutes ago, the fox said:

and i do to, i don't want kingy to leave. but you are kiding yourself if you think they are in anyway, shape or form close in ability.

 

ï think Riyad got himself into à tricky situation, the team doesn't play to his strength, but on the other hand, the club won't risk putting all the eggs in riyad's basket if he isn't comitted long term.

n'didi did what kante used to do, which is drive upfield and lay the ball to mahrez on the other team's half. more of that and the team will win more games.

 

I don't think they are in any way, shape or form close in ability.

 

I was comparing and contrasting actions and fan's views.

[the fox]

8 minutes ago, FIF said:

 

I don't think they are in any way, shape or form close in ability.

 

I was comparing and contrasting actions and fan's views.

kingy served the club greatly, he is an important piece to the chemistry of the team but like i said, he doesn't have the ability or ambition like riyad. like i said before, riyad was imo too naive and didn't handle it correctly, he thinks it's all sunshine and rainbows. business and no one will lose money to make you happy.

as for fan views, kingy is getting abuse all the time, here and on twitter, they know he is a limited player but they slate him like they were expecting a xavi-like game. those fans do my head in

Edited 2 December 2017 by the fox

[Countryfox]

1 hour ago, FIF said:

 

I don't think they are in any way, shape or form close in ability.

 

I was comparing and contrasting actions and fan's views.

...   

[Wymsey]

Should have a field day, and Gray, today if they're 100% up for it imo.

[the fox]

9 minutes ago, pmcla26 said:

I'm really annoyed at Mahrez for this now, one good goal and a decent game and he is talking about transfers AGAIN! He needs to realise that 'to get to the top' like he's asking for (which in a way, it doesn't come much bigger than playing in the Premier League and Champions League clubs have shown they aren't really interested in spending £40-50 million right now on him) he needs to play for LEICESTER like he did in 2015-16 and not just one game.... 

but he only said that he felt he was left in the dark (about the offers). he sounds a bit salty that he didn't get the transfer he wanted, but he signed the contract himself so he has himself to blame.

there is no problem being ambitious, but the way he did it is what rubbed people the wrong way. no one wants to feel like riyad "settled" for leicester

Edited 2 December 2017 by the fox

[the fox]

1 minute ago, Wymeswold fox said:

Should have a field day, and Gray, today if they're 100% up for it imo.

but you can't bench marc and shinji wasn't bad vs spurs. and even if shinji is taken off, think ben will play instead

[the fox]

16 minutes ago, pmcla26 said:

I just don't really get it to be honest, he's seen what this squad of players can do with him on top form for them so if he put it in for a long period of time 1) he would benefit the team 2) he could reach towards achieving his ambitions with us and 3) he would get the move he so desperately is after. 

he's been here for what? almost 4 years? but the management never built the team around him. partially his fault because he didn't commit for the long run, but still, he is into his 3rd year with a RB who doesn't overlap.

we play vardy-ball, the team is built around him, imo, building your team around a striker isn't always the best option because he isn't involved much in the play. (and no, CF, i'm not having a dig at vardy)

 

he isn't the most athletic so he can't defend and attack the whole game. give him the ball in the other team's half and let him do damage. i won't be surprised in the slightest if he goes and rips the league to bits consistently (just like when mane was considered inconsistentat in southhampton but is now atleast a top 15 player in the league)

Edited 2 December 2017 by the fox

[the fox]

i know it sounds like excuses on top of excuses, and only time will tell, it's only hypotheticals, but if he gets his move, we will all be talking about how wasted and criminally mismanaged he was.

[Countryfox]

11 minutes ago, the fox said:

i know it sounds like excuses on top of excuses, and only time will tell, it's only hypotheticals, but if he gets his move, we will all be talking about how wasted and criminally mismanaged he was.

 

Doubt it Foxy ...