Is Riyad Mahrez the most skillful player in the premier league

[Alf Bentley]

11 hours ago, Gerbold said:

A short time after City picked up the Premier there was a short 'discussion' on here about whether Mahrez was the 'finished article'. 'Thracian' (who knows his football) stated that he had still a lot to learn and pointed out some areas of his play which needed emphasis. I think Mahrez has not picked up on those. I think the 'Ballon D'Or' probably went to his head and he really did think he was 'sans pareil'. No-one has come knocking for him and now he's settled into a kind of mediocrity - compared to 2015-16.

 

I would probably have agreed with you until the last few months. But I think that he's improved several aspects of his game noticeably this season - particularly since Puel arrived.

 

His first touch in tight situations, near the touchline and under pressure from defenders, has improved (his ability to dribble past defenders was always top class - since 15-16, at least).

His vision for passes to teammates seems to have improved since Puel put him in a freer role, roaming around the pitch, including quite deep at times, picking the ball up in defensive midfield positions.

Even in less glamorous attributes like work rate, tackling and heading, he has improved this season, I think.

 

Edit: Peripheral vision of teammates' movements in tight attacking situations maybe still a weak area, where he doesn't match some other top performers.

 

I'd love it if he stayed till summer, we snuck into the Europa League and he stayed on. But I suspect that his recent performances, if they continue, will be enough to have a big club opening its wallet in the summer (hopefully not January).

 

Edited 11 January 2018 by Alf Bentley

[Stadt]

Riyad’s defensive workrate has always left a little bit to be desired (despite improving recently) but I’ve long thought his pressing and tackling has been underrated. He’s a reasonable tackler and perhaps surprisingly his aerial wins p90 is better than other creative/attacking players including the bigger Alli and De Bruyne.

[M0901]

On 08/01/2018 at 14:26, BenKimbo said:

Neymar has a far better first touch than Mahrez.

Far better? Far better? How can you be FAR better than pretty much perfect on a consistent basis?

[SamDZ]

   2:53  and  9:12 two touches with his back to the ball

 

 

Edited 11 January 2018 by SamDZ

[Lovejoy]

Sad as it is for us, if Mahrez played for an elite team, people would talk of him as a world beater. The guy is as skillful as anyone.

[dynamark]

This is in no way a moan but for a man who can turn an opponent inside out he doesnt seem to read it in the opponent.

Wouldn't fancy playing against him though 

[jayfox26]

The touch when he set Vardy up when we beat City was one of the best I've ever seen. To take a long 50 yard ball out the air on a wet pitch and set a perfectly weighted pass for Vardy to score was one of the best bits of skill I've ever seen. I said at the time and still say it now that not many players in the world could have done that! 

[Lambert09]

Personally think in terms of tricks Knockaert was more skillfull, but the rest of his game is nowhere near Riyads along with a lack of pace and not much of a footballers brain. 

 

But to the original question Knocky wins for me 

 

[TheLittleBigMan]

Naturally gifted player. His ball control is ridiculous. He has his own natural style with a little bit of Ronaldinho's party tricks he picked up along the way. He'd have to be up there with the most skillful in the league,  not quite as skillful as Schlupp but boy is he good. 

Edited 12 January 2018 by TheLittleBigMan

[UPinCarolina]

11 hours ago, Gerbold said:

I don't see this as improvement per se - he seems to have dipped in his confidence levels since 2015-16. I think that's the significant factor. His controlling first touch is as good as anyone I've ever seen and he employed that in '15-'16 as effectively as he's doing  now. His dribbling had much more arrogance about it back then too - now he seems to be rather more easily dispossessed. I agree with you about him having being given a more free roaming remit. I think he needs someone to take the weight off his shoulders though. Some players bask in being the sole playmaker - others find it onerous.

His willingness to track back and tackle has improved - as you state. I can't agree with your assessment of his peripheral vision as being comparatively weak - I think more haphazard might be the phrase - the pass to Jamie Vardy in the Liverpool game was little short of miraculous and showed just what he is capable of. I can't envisage City without him but that's life. I'd love Puel to take a punt on ben Harfa. I could see possibilities if the two of them (and Gray) got weaving. I really would love to see opposition defences being peppered by long-range shots. Wilf seems to have drawn his horns in at the moment but, as an alternative, it's a great ploy. I was thinking that we've no one who can really take a dangerous free-kick or am I missing something?

I think you’re right on about free kicks. We’ve put 2 in the back of the net that I can remember (both off the boot of Mahrez) in the last 3 years, I think? Not counting free kicks that later turned into goals after the initial shot. 

Edited 12 January 2018 by UPinCarolina
Spelled 'off' with 'of'

[Alf Bentley]

7 hours ago, Gerbold said:

I don't see this as improvement per se - he seems to have dipped in his confidence levels since 2015-16. I think that's the significant factor. His controlling first touch is as good as anyone I've ever seen and he employed that in '15-'16 as effectively as he's doing  now. His dribbling had much more arrogance about it back then too - now he seems to be rather more easily dispossessed. I agree with you about him having being given a more free roaming remit. I think he needs someone to take the weight off his shoulders though. Some players bask in being the sole playmaker - others find it onerous.

His willingness to track back and tackle has improved - as you state. I can't agree with your assessment of his peripheral vision as being comparatively weak - I think more haphazard might be the phrase - the pass to Jamie Vardy in the Liverpool game was little short of miraculous and showed just what he is capable of. I can't envisage City without him but that's life. I'd love Puel to take a punt on ben Harfa. I could see possibilities if the two of them (and Gray) got weaving. I really would love to see opposition defences being peppered by long-range shots. Wilf seems to have drawn his horns in at the moment but, as an alternative, it's a great ploy. I was thinking that we've no one who can really take a dangerous free-kick or am I missing something?

 

I agree that we need alternative sources of creativity, apart from Mahrez (and Albrighton's crosses / Vardy's runs). Iborra is starting to gel with the team now and to play more penetrating passes. Hopefully he and Silva will be the ones to provide that, as Gray is still too erratic and inclined to be selfish, though he is still young. Likewise, I agree that it would be good to see Wilf (or someone) try more long shots - and we're almost as poor with attacking free kicks as we are with defensive free kicks. If we could sort that out, I'd be confident that we could make the Europa League and be more competitive with the big clubs again.

 

Re. Mahrez, after 15-16 I think other teams worked out how to stop him most of the time - put 2 men on him when receiving in advanced positions with a third loitering a few metres away in case he got through the first 2, and he didn't seem able to release good passes to teammates instead. So, what you say about him losing confidence after 15-16 was true for 16-17 and maybe the start of this season. But I think his freer role in recent months has seen him become as dangerous as in 15-16 again - that greater mobility, particularly under Puel, has improved his creativity.

 

His control in possession was always good, but I do think that his first touch when receiving difficult balls in tight situations (near touchline, under pressure from defenders) has improved this season. Which pass to Vardy do you mean? The one for his goal at Anfield? A good pass, but not one requiring exceptional vision, I'd say - Vardy was exactly where you'd have expected him to be. Or do you mean that great goal v. Spurs, where he held it up in isolation, waiting for Vardy to streak through in support? That was great judgment and a superbly timed/executed pass, certainly, but didn't require much peripheral vision to see Vardy haring through from the halfway line and to anticipate that he'd outpace the Spurs defence. I was referring more to his inability to play a killer pass in tight situations where the opposition is defending in numbers. It might be that there's more prospect of Iborra or Silva doing that for us. It might be something that Mahrez cannot excel at, but he's certainly offering a lot individually and creatively now that he has more freedom to roam.

 

Anyway, we all see games slightly differently. I just hope Mahrez stays until at least the end of the season. If he carries on in his current vein of form and Iborra and/or Silva click with the team, we could be moving up from 8th and not down.

[the fox]

a sad reality but, he will not unlock his full potential while he's still here. as far as technical ability goes, no player on this team can sit in the same table as him.
 

he is the best boxer in a small, less-popular jim. he's riding his talent and no one can tell him how to improve because he's that much better than anyone else.

 

he needs to train with better players than him to improve. if he goes to arsenal, ozil will polish his playmaking and hazard will make his all around game better at chelsea. neymar had the chance to play alongside the greatest player of all time and that made him the player he is today. some players need to see things to learn. some subtle additions to refine his game can make a huge difference.

btw, isn't it funny that we compare riyad to world class players? that speaks volumes of how good he actually is

[the fox]

his stats are up there with the best!

 

 

 

[davieG]

Riyad Mahrez: From match-winner to malcontent and back again

The flame has been rekindled at the King Power - for one reason or another - though for how long it burns blue only Mahrez knows

Samuel Lovett 

@samueljlovett 

an hour ago

The Independent Sport

Riyad Mahrez is once again making waves at Leicester Getty

A flash of shock-blond hair, a twizzle of that willowly left leg, a shoulder dip, a dizzying burst of speed and, whoosh, a second goal in as many games. There are some sights in football for which, sometimes, a simple tip of the hat is not enough. Indeed, when these moments concern Riyad Mahrez, Leicester City’s shining “light”, as Claudio Ranieri once opined, they deserve all the hyperbole thrown their way.

The goal in question belongs to Leicester’s memorable 4-1 rout of Southampton last month – just four days after the Algerian’s similarly sublime strike against Newcastle. Picking up possession inside the hosts’ final third, the winger weaved his way forward, twisting and turning as he did so, before assertively drilling the ball into Fraser Forster’s bottom-right corner. Delicate of touch, technically brilliant and dangerously unpredictable, this was trademark Mahrez. 

More significantly, it was further confirmation that the 26-year-old had returned to the height of his powers after a year in the wilderness. Fast forward one month and Mahrez now has eight goals and seven assists to his name at Leicester – a far greater return than his exploits throughout the entire 2016/17 campaign. Under Claude Puel, the player looks revitalised, re-focused and energised. 

 

Mahrez stars as Foxes start the new year with a bang against Terriers

But is this resurrection as simple as it seems? Puel certainly has a reputation for getting the best out of his players, as his record in Ligue 1 suggests. Has the Frenchman, then, given Mahrez the metaphorical kick up the backside needed to lift him out of his slumber? 

Or, alternatively, is there a not-so-hidden agenda at work here? As a player who handed in a transfer request over the summer, Mahrez’s desire to move on to bigger and better things is plain to see. As he said himself, “I wanted to be transparent, not play people around, be honest about it”. With the likes of Liverpool and Arsenal being continually linked to the winger, is Mahrez simply placing himself in the shop window?

There’s no doubting, though, that Puel’s presence has certainly helped. Tactically, the player has been given license to roam. Initial attempts to centralise him brought limited success, but in allowing him to drift inwards across opposition final thirds Mahrez has rediscovered his potency. His goal at St James’ Park exemplified this, with the build-up to his stunning 25-yard strike stemming from the fact he had dropped deep and left his post on the far right touchline to claim possession. 

Riyad Mahrez has look revitalised under Claude Puel (Getty)

Puel’s propensity for tinkering with his line-ups has also brought a renewed competitive edge to Leicester’s squad. This climate has notably benefited rising star Demarai Gray, who has greedily seized the opportunities handed to him. 

Could it be the case, then, that the young gun has helped keep Mahrez on those twinkly toes of his? Quite possibly. With his days as an England U21 international limited as he approaches his 22nd birthday, Gray has made it clear to those at the club he believes he’s ready for a shot at Gareth Southgate’s squad. Against such confidence and self-belief, Mahrez has had no option but to raise his own game.

And then there’s the player’s relationship with Puel himself. Both loyal students of the game, both reticent, unassuming figures, the two men have struck up a healthy rapport at Leicester. Puel has already spoken of his encouraging one-to-one chats with Mahrez, who has shown a willingness to listen and positively respond to his manager’s words.

The winger has rediscovered his potency in front of goal this season (Getty)

It’s a relationship that naturally stretches to the intense demands of the training ground. Through their French connection, Puel has been able to deliver clearer and more concise messages to which Mahrez can respond straight off the bat. This has similarly helped with Islam Slimani, another French-speaker, who, as a result, has been brought more into the picture under Puel.

But hanging over this upturn in form is the unshakeable sense that Mahrez’s time in a blue shirt is drawing to an end, for this is a player with grand designs for the future, a player who has set his sights on the very top.

He made it clear last month that he won’t rest until he’s reached the game’s apex. ”I’m confident,” he told the Daily Mail. “Contract or no contract, I believe I will get to the top. When you have quality, and show it, there’s no problem.”

On the club’s part, there is no bad blood over the player’s desire to take on a new challenge. He remains an intrinsic cog in the Leicester machine and a core squad member, having played a vital role in the side’s title-winning campaign two years ago. His relationship with his teammates remains strong as ever, too, as does his love for the club, while his commitment to the side’s cause is plain to see through his performances.

Successor to the throne? (Getty Images)

And although Leicester would prefer to keep hold of his game-changing talents, there is a sense at the club that Mahrez’s departure, if and when it comes, needn’t hinder their ambitions to refashion themselves as an elite Premier League side. There is no desire to sell the player now – asides from N’Golo Kante, the club has a strong record of standing firm in the face of buyers’ interest – but the club is equally confident they would be able to fill his hole, especially given the promise and potential of Gray.

In the meantime, it’s a case of sitting back, relaxing, and enjoying the spectacle that is Riyad Mahrez. From match-winner to malcontent and back again, the Algerian has proven he’s more than just a one-trick pony – and Leicester are all the better for it. The flame has been rekindled at the King Power, for one reason or another, though for how long it burns blue only Mahrez knows.

[WigstonWanderer]

41 minutes ago, the fox said:

his stats are up there with the best!

 

 

 

Interesting that he’s right next to Thorgan Hazard in that chart.

[cc_star]

On 08/01/2018 at 13:52, MattP said:

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.

Spot on

 

Gray does do long runs with the ball, but very little comes of them, & defenders are better leaving him to it

Everything Mahrez does is aimed at either taking a shot or creating a chance, there's very few better.

 

If he didn't play for us, I'd love to see him at a real top club who generally dominate games, just to see what he could possibly do

[Alf Bentley]

3 hours ago, Gerbold said:

The 2-0 win at the KP. Mahrez pushed the ball, first touch, infield, thus stranding the covering defender. He's running parallel to the goal, looks up and loops a long pass to the spot where Vardy is going to be. It looks to me that he's put topspin and side on it. When it bounces, the ball 'stands up' and also bounces slightly towards the touchline. Mahrez was completely 'in the zone' at that juncture. Take another look on YT - there's also a reaction video of Ian Dowie on there as well. Simply an amazing and intentional pass.

 

I presume that you mean the goal last season - unbelievable long pass by Mahrez, spectacularly good long shot by Vardy. Sorry, I was assuming you meant this season.

 

It was certainly a spectacularly well-executed pass, but I'd say the genius was in the execution rather than the vision. I'm not sure it was that difficult to spot Vardy haring away on the counter-attack as usual.

When I referred to "peripheral vision of teammates' movements in tight attacking situations", I meant the sort of tight situation where there isn't even the time to look up, as Mahrez did v. Liverpool, more a case of registering teammates' movement out of the corner of your eye. Maybe I should have explained it better. Anyway, long may he stay, long may he continue improving (as he is) and long may we continue to appreciate him!

[willie-bell-in-rothley]

On 1/10/2018 at 19:16, Gerbold said:

Surely they're one-and-the-same thing? If not, please enlighten me as to just what the difference is.

Showed great skill today over and over again

[StriderHiryu]

Often on Match of the Day we'd slag off Danny Murphy because he would say that "Mahrez is too good for Leicester." Of course the guy is a buffoon but I think it might not have been a criticism of what the team achieved, but how the team played. I would argue that Mahrez IS too good for a team that just clings onto 30-40% possession and hoofs it long all day. But now that Claude has turned us into a team that gets on the ball and can play it out of the back he is flourishing, as you'd expect he would at a top 4 club anywhere in Europe, because he gets lots of the ball in dangerous areas.

 

Confidence is of course a big thing, but now we are playing a style that allows him to flourish it's no surprise he's hitting the heights again. I was just reading the Chelsea forums and even they conceded that today he made Hazard look ordinary. We have been inconsistent under Puel but there's clearly an underlying upward trend. I honestly think we are just a few tinkers away from being top 4 contenders if we keep our best players and play in the way we have been.

 

If we get into Europe this year I think we could keep Riyad for one more season, but this summer I expect the big bid to come in from one of the elite. When you look at the fees that Van Dijk and Sigurdsson go for, you would have to say that the stats back up the opinion that Mahrez is a better player than either.

 

One more thing, it's a real shame Algeria didn't qualify for this years World Cup, because Mahrez could have lit it up.

 

[sm1]

On 12/01/2018 at 13:37, the fox said:

a sad reality but, he will not unlock his full potential while he's still here. as far as technical ability goes, no player on this team can sit in the same table as him.
 

he is the best boxer in a small, less-popular jim. he's riding his talent and no one can tell him how to improve because he's that much better than anyone else.

 

he needs to train with better players than him to improve. if he goes to arsenal, ozil will polish his playmaking and hazard will make his all around game better at chelsea. neymar had the chance to play alongside the greatest player of all time and that made him the player he is today. some players need to see things to learn. some subtle additions to refine his game can make a huge difference.

btw, isn't it funny that we compare riyad to world class players? that speaks volumes of how good he actually is

Sadly i think you're right. As much as i want Mahrez to stay, when he goes, l'd love to see him go to a real top club Man City/ Barca, surrounded by class players, just to see how good he can actually become.

[ScouseFox]

once more showed how much better than any of the "big 6"'s similar players are. not a first eleven in the country that he doesn't stroll into and become a key player. maybe not even in the world. 

[Vardinio'sCat]

 

His form since Claude turned up has been awesome. To watch him in his pomp is such a joy.

 

[ozleicester]

An absolute SUPERSTAR, the best player ever in a Leicester shirt.

 

That shop window was wide open and shining bright last night.

[Vardinio'sCat]

Que sera sera

Whatever will be, will be

Riyad's flying for Leicester City

Que sera sera

 

 

 

[foxes_rule1978]

The way he beats half the Chelsea team was sensational, Anyone that refused to pay 50m for him should be kicking themselves, his value is going up all the time