Mahrez

[FIF]

Gets closed down immediately by at least two opposition players every time he gets the ball. Opponents can get away with dedicating players to that task because they know Simpson is no threat on the overlap and Drinkwater is little threat in the middle, so Mahrez is forced to either make a long distance Hollywood pass or take on the opposition himself. Neither are good options and it rarely works out well.

No point dropping him because if nothing else he is forcing the opposition into dedicating players to him and that should free up space elsewhere. For us it's about making use of that space. For him I don't know, I think he'd be better off playing in a team full of players who are as good as he is. Hope he doesn't leave, but if he wants to make the most of his talent then he probably should.

He really should be able to beat them or better still learn to pass the ball early meaning that later in the game 2 opposition players don't immediately close him down. Personally I'd start Gray for a game or 2 as he can beat players and then bring Mahrez on later when the opposition are softened up.

 

[fitz]

When he's in space players probably don't make the pass as they know he'll either wait for someone to close him down or he'll try and run at the opposition one time too many. Last season he made more correct decisions on when to pass, shoot or take another player on. This season he normally doesn't even consider the first two options.

 

[Cambridge_fox]

When he's in space players probably don't make the pass as they know he'll either wait for someone to close him down or he'll try and run at the opposition one time too many. Last season he made more correct decisions on when to pass, shoot or take another player on. This season he normally doesn't even consider the first two options.

This was my feeling as well.

 

[Graz]

I feel like Mahrez is held to a ridiculously high, unrealistic standard by most of our fans.

He's a magician on the ball, capable of incredible things, but people expect that every time he touches the ball. And if he doesn't pull it off, he's greeted by moans and groans.

Last night I was getting so annoyed at the two guys next to me who were moaning every time the ball came near Mahrez. They were both moaning about how he hadn't done anything in the game yet and we should take him off for Gray - after 8 minutes! This then continued throughout.

Mahrez played very well against Atletico, against one of the best defences in the world. He was a threat and in the second half was the one most likely to create something special.

I don't buy that Mahrez is lazy. I think a lot of people just misunderstood his role. His tracking back and defending have also got a lot better.

Don't get me wrong, there's times I get frustrated with Mahrez. Times when he holds the ball too long, tries to dribble it too far, or doesn't take the simple option. But he is a brilliant, brilliant footballer capable of great things and you have to take that balance. Because he can't take it past 3 players every time. There will be times where it doesn't work, but I still want him to try it.

As has been mentioned regularly, he's also being double or triple marked most of the time which of course makes it much harder. But the idea that we should sell him because that makes him ineffective is beyond crazy to me... If he's being triple marked, that opens space for other players. But we don't have enough players to take advantage of that.

I think a change of role - for example, into the centre like the 3-5-2 we had last night - would help him. Problem playing right wing in a 4-4-2 is he has to hold a fairly structured position. He can't go wandering off to escape the 2/3 people marking him on the right wing because it would leave the right back exposed, so he has to stay out there.

Look at Hazard two years ago, last year and then this year. Mahrez is going through the same. Chelsea adapted this season to a setup that gives Hazard more licence and less defensive responsibility - I think that's what Mahrez needs.

He's a quality player and anyone who thinks we'd be better off without him is insane. As BN says, some of you don't deserve him. I said it last night to my mates, but I think a lot of our fans will sadly only fully appreciate him once he's gone.

 

[Brown Nose]

Interesting that Mahrez has retweeted this message today. Maybe he isn't heading away in the summer after all.

 

[Blaarev]

I feel like Mahrez is held to a ridiculously high, unrealistic standard by most of our fans.

He's a magician on the ball, capable of incredible things, but people expect that every time he touches the ball. And if he doesn't pull it off, he's greeted by moans and groans.

Last night I was getting so annoyed at the two guys next to me who were moaning every time the ball came near Mahrez. They were both moaning about how he hadn't done anything in the game yet and we should take him off for Gray - after 8 minutes! This then continued throughout.

Mahrez played very well against Atletico, against one of the best defences in the world. He was a threat and in the second half was the one most likely to create something special.

I don't buy that Mahrez is lazy. I think a lot of people just misunderstood his role. His tracking back and defending have also got a lot better.

Don't get me wrong, there's times I get frustrated with Mahrez. Times when he holds the ball too long, tries to dribble it too far, or doesn't take the simple option. But he is a brilliant, brilliant footballer capable of great things and you have to take that balance. Because he can't take it past 3 players every time. There will be times where it doesn't work, but I still want him to try it.

As has been mentioned regularly, he's also being double or triple marked most of the time which of course makes it much harder. But the idea that we should sell him because that makes him ineffective is beyond crazy to me... If he's being triple marked, that opens space for other players. But we don't have enough players to take advantage of that.

I think a change of role - for example, into the centre like the 3-5-2 we had last night - would help him. Problem playing right wing in a 4-4-2 is he has to hold a fairly structured position. He can't go wandering off to escape the 2/3 people marking him on the right wing because it would leave the right back exposed, so he has to stay out there.

Look at Hazard two years ago, last year and then this year. Mahrez is going through the same. Chelsea adapted this season to a setup that gives Hazard more licence and less defensive responsibility - I think that's what Mahrez needs.

He's a quality player and anyone who thinks we'd be better off without him is insane. As BN says, some of you don't deserve him. I said it last night to my mates, but I think a lot of our fans will sadly only fully appreciate him once he's gone.

Great post.

 

[FIF]

I think it's funny when people say that lifelong fans don't DESERVE a player.

Surely it should always be the other way round.

We are Leicester. Most players are mercenaries who'll go where the money takes them.

 

[FIF]

Interesting that Mahrez has retweeted this message today. Maybe he isn't heading away in the summer after all.

I wouldn't have thought he is at the moment.

Look at Vardy last season, he wasn't, he was, he wasn't. Money talks, players walk.

 

[Skitzo]

personally I would play Gray for the rest of the season as I have long been convince Mahrez is off in the summer, the season now is basically over so why not give the likes of Chilwell and Gray the games until the summer, get Kapustka involved too from the bench

 

[Blaarev]

personally I would play Gray for the rest of the season as I have long been convince Mahrez is off in the summer, the season now is basically over so why not give the likes of Chilwell and Gray the games until the summer, get Kapustka involved too from the bench

Question is if CS is equally convinced.

And it may be that Kapustka is off faster than Mahrez.

http://talksport.com/football/leice...apustka-wanted-serie-giants-roma-170419235964

 

[Skitzo]

talkshite as a source? seriously?

 

[popillius]

Brown Nose is, yet again, on point. Mahrez cannot live up to the outrageously unrealistic expectations of some. He has been poorer this season than last going forward but so have the whole team. Tracking back, he's been far better and this has affected his attacking play; it's probably dented his confidence as well. To me it looks as if he was asked to play a completely different, far less 'free' role than last year from the beginning of this season and this had stifled him. He's a wonderfully gifted player and one we should try every single thing we can to hang on to. He will find a way to adapt his game once more to compensate for being double/treble marked every game; great players always do but it doesnt happen over night. I am so sick of this 'lack of effort/playing for a move' bollocks of an 'argument'. It's senseless and doesn't explain why the rest of them were so shite for two thirds of this season. Something was rotten in the coaching and management of the players and it affected everyone of them to a man with perhaps the exception of Kasper (but there's obvious reasons for that). Mahrez just takes the brunt of it from some because he was so outstanding last year. Why the frig wouldn't you want to see that again? If we can persuade him to stay, we just might.

Fans who would want to see a player like Mahrez leave really have been totally ruined by last season's successes and should look to re-evaluate their understanding of who we are and what we have.

 

[Blaarev]

talkshite as a source? seriously?

As bad as any

 

[FIF]

Something was rotten in the coaching and management of the players and it affected everyone of them to a man with perhaps the exception of Kasper (but there's obvious reasons for that).

And you have proof of that I suppose, or is it just a made-up excuse for players not making an effort.

 

[popillius]

And you have proof of that I suppose, or is it just a made-up excuse for players not making an effort.

Yes I proof;

1. I have watched the matches this season
2. I understand football
3. I am capable of thinking logically
4. It's in opposition to what you think, thus, it must be correct.
5. They have played in a completely different way since the departure of Ranieri. A different way, not the same way with renewed effort. Can you see the difference? What am I saying, of course you can't.

You're so boring.

 

[popillius]

I feel like Mahrez is held to a ridiculously high, unrealistic standard by most of our fans.

He's a magician on the ball, capable of incredible things, but people expect that every time he touches the ball. And if he doesn't pull it off, he's greeted by moans and groans.

Last night I was getting so annoyed at the two guys next to me who were moaning every time the ball came near Mahrez. They were both moaning about how he hadn't done anything in the game yet and we should take him off for Gray - after 8 minutes! This then continued throughout.

Mahrez played very well against Atletico, against one of the best defences in the world. He was a threat and in the second half was the one most likely to create something special.

I don't buy that Mahrez is lazy. I think a lot of people just misunderstood his role. His tracking back and defending have also got a lot better.

Don't get me wrong, there's times I get frustrated with Mahrez. Times when he holds the ball too long, tries to dribble it too far, or doesn't take the simple option. But he is a brilliant, brilliant footballer capable of great things and you have to take that balance. Because he can't take it past 3 players every time. There will be times where it doesn't work, but I still want him to try it.

As has been mentioned regularly, he's also being double or triple marked most of the time which of course makes it much harder. But the idea that we should sell him because that makes him ineffective is beyond crazy to me... If he's being triple marked, that opens space for other players. But we don't have enough players to take advantage of that.

I think a change of role - for example, into the centre like the 3-5-2 we had last night - would help him. Problem playing right wing in a 4-4-2 is he has to hold a fairly structured position. He can't go wandering off to escape the 2/3 people marking him on the right wing because it would leave the right back exposed, so he has to stay out there.

Look at Hazard two years ago, last year and then this year. Mahrez is going through the same. Chelsea adapted this season to a setup that gives Hazard more licence and less defensive responsibility - I think that's what Mahrez needs.

He's a quality player and anyone who thinks we'd be better off without him is insane. As BN says, some of you don't deserve him. I said it last night to my mates, but I think a lot of our fans will sadly only fully appreciate him once he's gone.

So perfect. Wasted words on some though.

 

[Lako42]

So perfect. Wasted words on some though.

Why? because we have a different opinion?

I don't doubt, and never have, that Mahrez is the best footballer to have worn the sacred Leicester shirt. I do doubt that he is suited to us as a team and think that he is better served being able to play in the way he is capable.

It is absurd that anyone can suggest that he is doing the business in any way this season. I constantly hear people saying it's because he's marked out of games, this isn't a reason for saying he should be playing, it's a reason as to why he isn't and that doesn't help us.

Everyone has massively underachieved this season (domestically) but Mahrez is one of a few who have continued in this over the last few months.


I stand by the view that he is better served elsewhere and we are better served having a player who isn't continuously marked out of games.

 

[Skitzo]

come on Lako you know no matter how poorly certain people play they aren't allowed to be criticized.

Even when he gets the ball he isn't being decisive this season, he was being marked out of games last season but he was still decisive when he received the ball, now he is dithering taking needless touches and slowing down moves.

He also seems to be taking the wrong option far more often than not

 

[Miles Away]

You're so boring.

Indeed.

I hope Riyad stays forever. I love him and we have never seen anyone close to his ability. The Gray comparison is absolutely laughable.

 

[M17TT C]

It is also absurd that we should want to get rid of the greatest player to ever play for us.

Yes he hasn't reached the heights of last season but who has?

Just look at Hazard last year. I'm sure there were many a stupid Chelsea fan that would have sold him last year but would probably let him shit on their face now.

If had maintained last seasons form up until Christmas he would have been gone on January 1st.

Gray is an excellent prospect but no way ready to fill Mahrez's boots just yet. If we can find a way of fitting both in the team we could be an extremely dangerous team to face.