Riyad Mahrez

[Stadt]

Even without the scar Ribery would one ugly mofo.

[Xen]

Physicality of the prem? Isn't it generally agreed upon that the championship is the rougher, more physical of the two divisions whereas the prem is more free-flowing and skill-based? Surely thats the sort of environment where our young Frenchies are gonna thrive?

[Unabomber]

Ribery is solid. Muscles on muscles in a small frame.

[Agent Fox]

Riyad is not weak on the ball, he manages to keep hold of the ball after initial contact, I'd worry if he didn't

[Carl the Llama]

Already getting next years signings sorted? 

 

When/where was that taken?  I can imagine Nige and Pep alike will be pissed that our next signing's already taking pics of himself with the squad.  I can understand being excited at moving to a club of our calibre but it's still not very professional. 

[turkish14]

When/where was that taken? I can imagine Nige and Pep alike will be pissed that our next signing's already taking pics of himself with the squad. I can understand being excited at moving to a club of our calibre but it's still not very professional.

I'm guessing the bayern team stayed at the same hotel as our team prior to the Wigan and united games?

Edit: doesn't really answer your question :-)

[ScouseFox]

Jury is still out for me on Mahrez.

He's got trickery and pace but he's lightweight and bundled off the ball too easily. Whether he'll be able to withstand the physicality of the Prem remains to be seen. He'll only be able to impact on games if he has the ball.

 

i can barely remember a time he has been pushed off the ball. he bounces off defenders and challenges and keeps hold of the ball with ease more often than not. 

 

i've also been impressed with how many headers he's won and how comfortable he seems to be putting a foot in. he has bottled one or two steaming head on challenges sure, but they're the type of challenges half our team would bottle, not just our wingers. 

[Stadt]

i can barely remember a time he has been pushed off the ball. he bounces off defenders and challenges and keeps hold of the ball with ease more often than not. 

 

i've also been impressed with how many headers he's won and how comfortable he seems to be putting a foot in. he has bottled one or two steaming head on challenges sure, but they're the type of challenges half our team would bottle, not just our wingers.

Actually quite good in the air

[ScouseFox]

Actually quite good in the air

 

yeh he's got one decent leap on him that's for sure. i dunno if kasper was aiming kicks at him at blackburn the other week but it seemed like it, certainly looked more likely to beat his full back to a header than nuge/vardy beating a 6ft4 centre half. 

[StanSP]

yeh he's got one decent leap on him that's for sure. i dunno if kasper was aiming kicks at him at blackburn the other week but it seemed like it, certainly looked more likely to beat his full back to a header than nuge/vardy beating a 6ft4 centre half. 

 

It sounds weird that I remember a specific header but I think it's only because it led to a goal. Against Charlton at the KP about a month ago, Kasper launched one and Mahrez leapt in the air on the sideline to head it back in to the field of play and then Nugent ran and scored as a result. 

 

It's also the challenges he wins against opposition in the air. He has the makings to be a seriously good player. 

[Guest Col city fan]

Fingers crossed then..lets see

[Dickov22]

What I like about Mahrez is how long he's in possession of the ball for. At Burnley especially but also on Tuesday at Wigan he often just runs with the ball and keeps possession- this is great for our defenders as it gives them just that little breather. He also quite often manages to create things out of nothing- little passes that I don't think other players would necessarily spot- Vardy at Bham, Vardy at Barnsley as well.

I'm excited by him. Quicker than Knockaert too, which is something I worry may let Knocky down in the prem.

[Guest Col city fan]

What I like about Mahrez is how long he's in possession of the ball for. At Burnley especially but also on Tuesday at Wigan he often just runs with the ball and keeps possession- this is great for our defenders as it gives them just that little breather. He also quite often manages to create things out of nothing- little passes that I don't think other players would necessarily spot- Vardy at Bham, Vardy at Barnsley as well.

I'm excited by him. Quicker than Knockaert too, which is something I worry may let Knocky down in the prem.

Excellent post and I completely agree. Don't forget though, what you DONT get in the Prem is much time on the ball. When Mahrez is on the ball, he must be able to keep hold of it.

[Dickov22]

Excellent post and I completely agree. Don't forget though, what you DONT get in the Prem is much time on the ball. When Mahrez is on the ball, he must be able to keep hold of it.

That's what I'm saying though, thus far he does seem to keep hold of it exceptionally well.

Knocky may struggle in the prem- once on Tuesday he pulled off a lovely cruyff turn in their area but just didn't have the pace to then pull away from their defender (Boyce, I think, who isn't exactly quick). He won't get any quicker either. Mahrez is much quicker.

[svensson]

Excellent post and I completely agree. Don't forget though, what you DONT get in the Prem is much time on the ball. When Mahrez is on the ball, he must be able to keep hold of it.

You get far more time on the ball in the prem than the championship. Johnson, Downing, Walcott, Navas, Towsend all have slight frames, they all do reasonably well for their stature.

[Guest Col city fan]

You get far more time on the ball in the prem than the championship. Johnson, Downing, Walcott, Navas, Towsend all have slight frames, they all do reasonably well for their stature.

If you really think you get 'far more time' in the Prem, I think you're going to be shocked next season.

Were you not at the Man City game? Dzeko aint the quickest, but lost our centre backs time and time again.

The pace is relentless pretty much from start to finish. Any time you have on the ball, you make yourself either by being very strong, quick or skillfull. We'll have to hope Mahrez has these in abundance. If not, he'll have very little time on the ball.

Navas and Walcott are both massively quick and extremely good players. Downing has had a shite season and Johnson is in a side destined for relegation.

[Russell sprout]

Mahrez is a greedy bastard,though doesn't give the ball away as much as the talented but overrated knockart

[GingerrrFox]

I feel comfortable that Mahrez will handle the step up to the Prem whilst playing on the wing but Knockaert in my view will have to move centrally and play the number 10 role as he just doesn't have the pace to play as a winger at the next level.

[pazzerfox]

What I like about Mahrez is how long he's in possession of the ball for. At Burnley especially but also on Tuesday at Wigan he often just runs with the ball and keeps possession- this is great for our defenders as it gives them just that little breather. He also quite often manages to create things out of nothing- little passes that I don't think other players would necessarily spot- Vardy at Bham, Vardy at Barnsley as well.

I'm excited by him. Quicker than Knockaert too, which is something I worry may let Knocky down in the prem.

David Silva and Juan Mata aren't particularly quick and i'd say they are similar sorts of players to Knocky.  It's about speed over the first few yards for those types of players.

[Dickov22]

David Silva and Juan Mata aren't particularly quick and i'd say they are similar sorts of players to Knocky. It's about speed over the first few yards for those types of players.

They're both much quicker than he is.

Plus, Knocky plays on the wing, not in the middle like those two usually do.

[LC/FC]

Pace isn't always needed if you have a trick or 2 up your sleeve. Both Knockeart and Mahrez have tricks galore. Being a good winger isn't all about knocking it down the line and running onto it quickly to produce a cross, especially these days where they tend to come inside more.

[svensson]

If you really think you get 'far more time' in the Prem, I think you're going to be shocked next season.

Were you not at the Man City game? Dzeko aint the quickest, but lost our centre backs time and time again.

The pace is relentless pretty much from start to finish. Any time you have on the ball, you make yourself either by being very strong, quick or skillfull. We'll have to hope Mahrez has these in abundance. If not, he'll have very little time on the ball.

Navas and Walcott are both massively quick and extremely good players. Downing has had a shite season and Johnson is in a side destined for relegation.

I won't be shocked at all, its a known fact that players are afforded more time on the ball in the prem. Have you watched a top flight game in the last 5 years???? As for your analysis of players, it has no relevence to the point that marez isn't strong enough... Boring hell

[pazzerfox]

They're both much quicker than he is.

Plus, Knocky plays on the wing, not in the middle like those two usually do.

I'm not sure Mata is that much quicker.

[Dan]

Mahrez being muscled off it is a myth.

 

This lad is class and will flourish in the top flight. Quote me in a years time.

[Guest Col city fan]

I won't be shocked at all, its a known fact that players are afforded more time on the ball in the prem. Have you watched a top flight game in the last 5 years???? As for your analysis of players, it has no relevence to the point that marez isn't strong enough... Boring hell

No worries. We'll have to wait and see. As for the analysis of those players, they were players YOU had brought up!