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mo-rima

Riyad finally gone

By mo-rima, in Leicester City Forum

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Redouane

Redouane

Posted
Posted (edited)
5 hours ago, foxinsocks said:

Diabate speaks french... and Puel signed him...... . 

Diabaté actually played with Puel's son in SC Bastia (I believe). He knew him well, which is why he signed him

Edited by Redouane
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Redouane

Redouane

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4 hours ago, davieG said:

Jonathan Liew Chief Sports Writer - https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/riyad-mahrez-manchester-city-signing-leicester-pep-guardiola-latest-updates-a8445861.html

 

Riyad Mahrez, another talented schmuck scooped up by Manchester City simply for the sake of it
For the Premier League champions, Mahrez is the eighth sports car in your driveway, the gold leaf monogram on your Bottega Veneta suitcase, the extra pepperoni on your triple-pepperoni pizza

A small crowd had gathered outside the main entrance of the Etihad Stadium to watch the unveiling of Riyad Mahrez as a Manchester City player. It consisted of several selfie-hunting kids, roughly the same number of patient parents, a shirtless bloke who wanted Mahrez to autograph his back, and a pair of terrifying-looking furry aliens called Moonchester and Moonbeam dressed neck to toe in box-fresh Nike, who were either City’s official club mascots or the visitations of a particularly lurid cheese nightmare that were visible to me and me alone. It wouldn’t be the first time. For days I’ve been trying to convince friends and family that I saw Harry Maguire playing in central defence for England at the World Cup. “Yes, of course he is,” they replied. Ever get the feeling you’re being gaslit by your loved ones?

 

If the existence of Moonchester and Moonbeam remains largely conjecture, then Mahrez’s arrival at the Etihad feels real enough. A transfer that somehow feels like it has been in gestation since towards the end of the Paleolithic Age – when Mahrez himself was just a glint in Wyscout’s eye – Mahrez to City marks the latest minor milestone in an era where the biggest clubs are not merely giants but predators, not merely bright stars but black holes, with a gravitational field from which not even the world’s 14th-richest club can escape.

 

The first thing to be said here is that City don’t need Mahrez. They might think they do, but they don’t really. They might argue that he fills some essential, gaping flaw in their collective front-five skillset that somehow Raheem Sterling, Bernardo Silva, Leroy Sane, Kevin de Bruyne, Gabriel Jesus, David Silva, Sergio Aguero and Ilkay Gundogan don’t already address. They might even, at a boardroom level, explain how the signing of the club’s first Arabic-speaking superstar (and it’s telling that his first interview with the club website was shown with Arabic subtitles) is a perfect synergy with the brand’s MENA marketing strategy, and produce the graphs to prove it.


But when you boil it down, the only reason City are really signing Mahrez is because they can. It’s the eighth sports car in your driveway, it’s the gold leaf monogram on your Bottega Veneta suitcase, it’s ordering extra pepperoni on your triple-pepperoni pizza. And that’s why, even if this is just one of hundreds of examples of big clubs picking off the best talent from lower down the chain, this transfer feels particularly wanton, particularly gratuitous, the footballing equivalent of raising both middle fingers to the neighbours, just so they can see the rose gold rings you’re wearing on each.

For his part, Mahrez might think he needs City, but even then: not that much. He may try and rationalise it as ambition, upward mobility, self-improvement, the chance to help the team and win trophies, the things your agent tells you to say in press conferences. And there’s no question that the view of Pep Guardiola’s high-pressing amusement park from beyond its gilded gates must look terribly alluring. Presumably this is why he agitated so hard for a move in January: if you can’t beat them, go on strike until the club to which you are contracted for another two years lets you join them.


But whatever he goes on to win at City won’t remotely compare to the scale and the satisfaction of what he achieved at Leicester, where he was a major part of the most unlikely title-winning campaign in the history of English football. His legacy there is already secure. And for all the rancour over his departure, the reaction among Leicester fans has been impressively mature, although his comments about Maguire in his opening press conference (“He deserves to play higher, but Leicester is a good club as well”) may not have been the best start. Mahrez was a god at Leicester. Now he’s just another talented schmuck warming the padded car seats of the superclub subs bench, hoping people notice him.

Of course, you will argue, this is just the way football is these days, and naturally you’re right. Nobody seriously expects a player of Mahrez’s talent to spurn a big move to a big club, a hefty pay rise, the opportunity to work with the most dynamic coach in the world. Nobody seriously expects a club of City’s ambition to pass up an opportunity to cement their dominance of English football, to weaken a rival, to supplement their already enviable array of attacking options. It would just be nice every once in a while if this wasn’t the case. But then, maybe that’s just the cheese talking.

 

I dont understand why everyone is salty at Man City for focusing on their entire squad rather than just the first 11. You don't win the big tourneys with just your first 11..

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Redouane

Redouane

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Posted
26 minutes ago, That_Dude said:

Basically when we have a new team then. Still think that we're Guardiola's least problem and he bought Mahrez for other reasons, but maybe you're right. Who knows.

I don't think you understand sarcasm lol

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yorkie1999

yorkie1999

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Posted
23 minutes ago, the fox said:

What about the Keeper? Won't someone please think of the keepers?

 

simpsonscharacter.jpg

 

 

King of penos. Once he sorts his new specsavers sponsorship contract out, he’ll be the top man again. Seriously, he was sponsored by specsavers, which did make me kinda think.

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Bazly

Bazly

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Posted
On 13/07/2018 at 19:10, That_Dude said:

Well, that's your opinion mate and you're fully entitled to it.

 

I personally don't see any problem with a player wanting to prove themselves at a higher level and a team strengthening in order to be able to compete on multiple fronts. Always was the case and will always be.

 

We'll see what he's made of and if he can walk the walk.

 

This so called higher level, presumably you mean where a player needs to fight for a starting place rather than be an automatic choice? You could argue its not really a higher level beyond that as if you play for a team of worldies that romps the league scoring 3 or 6 goals a game playing shitty cannon fodder week in week out where is the struggle in that. Sounds like the easy choice to me.

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That_Dude

That_Dude

Posted
Posted (edited)
2 hours ago, Bazly said:

 

This so called higher level, presumably you mean where a player needs to fight for a starting place rather than be an automatic choice? You could argue its not really a higher level beyond that as if you play for a team of worldies that romps the league scoring 3 or 6 goals a game playing shitty cannon fodder week in week out where is the struggle in that. Sounds like the easy choice to me.

It's not though. Playing with worldies and trying to win everything you can compete for, is a higher level, like it or not. There are not many teams that can aim for it.

 

He could have stayed and made a Le Tissier, be a big fish in a small pond. He'll play the CL which is the toughest competition you can find out there.

 

I don't see why people take issue with this and get touchy as soon as one states that there are better teams than ours, which play a better football and at a higher level. It's a fact.

 

The rest is just bitterness.

Edited by That_Dude
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volpeazzurro

volpeazzurro

Posted
Posted
1 hour ago, That_Dude said:

It's not though. Playing with worldies and trying to win everything you can compete for, is a higher level, like it or not. There is not many teams that can aim for it.

 

He could have stayed and made a Le Tissier, being a big fish in a small pond. He'll play the CL which is the toughest competition you can find out there.

 

I don't see why people take issue with this and get touchy as soon as one states that there are better teams than ours, which play a better football and at a higher level. It's a fact.

 

The rest is just bitterness.

Don't think I've ever been resentful in the past of any of our players moving on for what they believe to be better opportunities and, to try and regularly play in and have a realistic chance of winning the Champions league has got to be a no brainer for Marhez as well as money. I remember being disappointed when Heskey went but understood and wanted him to hit the heights. Likewise Kante albeit he was only here for a short time and would love to see his smiling face if they put a World Cup medal round his neck.

Marhez is somehow different though,  I don't deny his unquestionable ambitions which are no different to the above but the way he went about it leaves a nasty taste in a lot of people mouths. Continual lateness for training even in our winning year, lazy efforts on the pitch in the year after despite a huge paycheck followed by his tantrums revealed a total lack of respect for our owners, his fellow players and supporters alike. Aside of certain silky skills when he can be bothered, I'm glad the spoilt little shit has gone. Pep won't put up with any such crap and guess what, I bet he won't even try it on there which will reinforce my views about him.

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Countryfox

Countryfox

Posted
Posted
24 minutes ago, Out Foxed said:

Has said thank you to the club or fans yet? Don't think I've seen owt.

 

I think he has actually ...   read a bit, sounded hollow, stopped reading.  

 

Here’s my statement ...   good luck mate, all the best, thanks thanks, thanks, will never forget you ...    blah blah blah ...    zzzzzz.

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RODNEY FERNIO

RODNEY FERNIO

Posted
Posted

Got a feeling it won't be a bed of roses for Mahrez next year.

They've lost out on their key midfield target to Chelsea and David Silva is now 32

and Fernandinho now 33 .. great players but are they likely to repeat last seasons performance levels ?

Can see Liverpool pipping them to the title and the Champions League being a step to far.

 

 

 

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reynard

reynard

Posted
Posted
On 13/07/2018 at 21:30, Ecdysiast said:

https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/riyad-mahrez-manchester-city-signing-leicester-pep-guardiola-latest-updates-a8445861.html

 

pretty good summary really...

Agree. He completely nails the most significant problem with modern football. He may say it in a sarcastic manner but he is 100% correct.

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Ric Flair

Ric Flair

Posted
Posted
2 hours ago, RODNEY FERNIO said:

Got a feeling it won't be a bed of roses for Mahrez next year.

They've lost out on their key midfield target to Chelsea and David Silva is now 32

and Fernandinho now 33 .. great players but are they likely to repeat last seasons performance levels ?

Can see Liverpool pipping them to the title and the Champions League being a step to far.

 

 

 

Pep should put his faith in Phil Foden, considering he described him as one of the best central midfield talents he's ever worked with it's time he proved it.

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