Is Riyad Mahrez the most skillful player in the premier league

[willie-bell-in-rothley]

Can't think of anyone else who regularly does what he does with the ball

[winteriscoming]

As much as I like him I think kdb and hazard are better and more consistent. 

[The Donald]

Mahrez is a genius and very stable

[brucey]

First touch - yes

Overall - no

Gray is probably a better dribbler than Riyad. Too bad that's all Gray can do.

[psychonaut]

1 minute ago, brucey said:

First touch - yes

Overall - no

Gray is probably a better dribbler than Riyad. Too bad that's all Gray can do.

Stop trolling

[Buzzell]

2 minutes ago, brucey said:

First touch - yes

Overall - no

Gray is probably a better dribbler than Riyad. Too bad that's all Gray can do.

No he’s not

[brucey]

Just now, buzzer_b said:

No he’s not

I don't rate Gray at all, but I just get the impression Riyad loses out more often when surrounded by 2-3 defenders at once. They both can deal with a series of 1-on-1s with ease.

[psychonaut]

1 minute ago, brucey said:

I don't rate Gray at all, but I just get the impression Riyad loses out more often when surrounded by 2-3 defenders at once. They both can deal with a series of 1-on-1s with ease.

Huh?! It's like Mahrez trademark special move, skinning 2-3 defenders at once then assisting or rattling the net. Hiw are we even having this conversation!!

[Fox92]

I'd say Ozil has the best first touch in the league.

 

Hazard and De Brunye are up there. Sanchez too, when on form, is sensational. 

[Nod.E]

18 minutes ago, brucey said:

First touch - yes

Overall - no

Gray is probably a better dribbler than Riyad. Too bad that's all Gray can do.

Outrageous shout!

Gray consistently runs down blind alleys. Riyad consistently ends careers. 

[TheHitman™]

37 minutes ago, winteriscoming said:

As much as I like him I think kdb and hazard are better and more consistent. 

I don't think either is more technically sound. I think KDB is more tactically sound though. He just does the simple things right.

 

I would put Mahrez up there though, with Ozil, Silva and Hazard.

[Captain...]

3 minutes ago, TheHitman™ said:

I don't think either is more technically sound. I think KDB is more tactically sound though. He just does the simple things right.

 

I would put Mahrez up there though, with Ozil, Silva and Hazard.

The difference is decision making, Mahrez has the skill to do anything, but he often messes it up over complicating things and trying to do too much, you only need to beat one man and then you have the numbers, but if you try and beat a second a third and then go back and beat the first man again you've lost that advantage.

 

Love him as a player, but he can be very frustrating.

[Fox92]

1 minute ago, Captain... said:

The difference is decision making, Mahrez has the skill to do anything, but he often messes it up over complicating things and trying to do too much, you only need to beat one man and then you have the numbers, but if you try and beat a second a third and then go back and beat the first man again you've lost that advantage.

 

Love him as a player, but he can be very frustrating.

Yeah, I agree. See it most weeks. It's things like this that hold good players back from being great players.

Edited 8 January 2018 by Fox92

[TheHitman™]

3 minutes ago, Captain... said:

The difference is decision making, Mahrez has the skill to do anything, but he often messes it up over complicating things and trying to do too much, you only need to beat one man and then you have the numbers, but if you try and beat a second a third and then go back and beat the first man again you've lost that advantage.

 

Love him as a player, but he can be very frustrating.

That's what I meant in my comment. Decision making is what separates the genuine world class from the very good and the terrible.

 

 

A good example of a player who are very good technically but have terrible decision making is Adama Traore. That guy has an excellent first touch and good on the ball and a good dribbler but can't do anything else right.

 

Paul Pogba is a few tweaks away decision making wise from being World Class.

Edited 8 January 2018 by TheHitman™

[Redouane]

Mahrez isn't much of a dribbler, he really has one skill move which he has perfected, and it is the Cryuff turn, also known as the Mahrez chop

 

His ball control, agility and long/finesse shots are beautiful though

[TheHitman™]

We are spoiled to have such a talent.

[Dan]

59 minutes ago, brucey said:

First touch - yes

Overall - no

Gray is probably a better dribbler than Riyad. Too bad that's all Gray can do.

No way. He's a good dribbler but Mahrez for me is second to only Hazard in the league for dribbling.

[Monsell1976]

44 minutes ago, Fox92 said:

I'd say Ozil has the best first touch in the league.

 

Hazard and De Brunye are up there. Sanchez too, when on form, is sensational. 

Just the names come to my head, I rate him, and he’s very important to us, but not yet on the players level you mentioned 

[Guest MattP]

Possibly, hard to compare but he's up there, no way can Gray be described as a better dribbling, the only reason Demarai often takes it so far is because he runs into space and often into blind alleys, Riyad will square straight upto the defender and head towards goal, exactly what he should do.

 

I think only David Silva has a better first touch. He is incredible, the way he brings it out the air time and time again perfectly still amazes me.

[Steven]

Certainly the best left foot since Frank Worthington at City.

[Babylon]

In terms of trickery him and hazard stand apart, they can put people on their arses with a few flicks of the ball. There are numerous other skills though that can come under being "skillfull". KDB passing and vision are outrageous, Kane's ability to get a shot away at power and with accuracy isn't something I've seen much before, perhaps Shearer. Kantes Interceptions and tackling are another level.

[Finnegan]

Nobody in world football has a better first touch than Riyad and I do mean nobody, Messi and Neymar included. 

 

Someone will ping a fifty yard ball over the top to him and he'll just nonchalantly bring it down like it's nothing. The man is unbelievable. 

 

Whatever else he's good or bad at, that's one thing you can't take away from him. 

 

Sometimes he'll control the ball and people around me just draw breath like "dude."

[Alf Bentley]

5 minutes ago, Finnegan said:

Nobody in world football has a better first touch than Riyad and I do mean nobody, Messi and Neymar included. 

 

Someone will ping a fifty yard ball over the top to him and he'll just nonchalantly bring it down like it's nothing. The man is unbelievable. 

 

Whatever else he's good or bad at, that's one thing you can't take away from him. 

 

Sometimes he'll control the ball and people around me just draw breath like "dude."

 

We've been spoiled if we don't appreciate the exceptional quality of his ball control in challenging situations, both receiving and in possession.

 

As you say, his control of long, flighted passes is unbelievably good on a consistent basis. He'll receive a flighted ball several feet in the air, when he's right on the touchline and with a defender closing him down - and in one move he'll bring the ball down, under control and instantly ready to take the defender on or pass to a teammate.

 

In possession, I'm disappointed if he takes defenders on and DOESN'T go past them - remembering that we're talking about top-class defenders, not mugs.

He normally gets past 1 defender, very often past 2 and can take 3 out of the game. I honestly don't think I've ever watched a player with better ball control...we'll realise what we've lost when he goes, just hope it's not for a while yet.

 

Of course, there are aspects of his game that aren't so exceptional, but to me he seems to even be improving in those areas: better awareness of team-mates' movements, creativity in deep positions, stronger work ethic, even getting better at tackling & heading. Stay here where you're appreciated, Riyad! 

[BenKimbo]

25 minutes ago, Finnegan said:

Nobody in world football has a better first touch than Riyad and I do mean nobody, Messi and Neymar included. 

 

Someone will ping a fifty yard ball over the top to him and he'll just nonchalantly bring it down like it's nothing. The man is unbelievable. 

 

Whatever else he's good or bad at, that's one thing you can't take away from him. 

 

Sometimes he'll control the ball and people around me just draw breath like "dude."

Neymar has a far better first touch than Mahrez.

[Finnegan]

1 minute ago, BenKimbo said:

Neymar has a far better first touch than Mahrez.

 

He really doesn't. 

 

The rest of his game may be streets ahead but Mahrez is first touch is outrageous.