5 minutes ago, foxedup said:

It was a bit tongue in cheek and more a comment on how quickly the market moves forward, whilst also setting the stall out for people to stop expecting us to accept a sh*tting offer just because Mahrez fancies a shot at playing somewhere else. Roma bid £17m in the summer FFS

Mahrez isn't actually as inconsistent as people think, you need to watch us week in week out to understand our and his issues. As a team our form has been so up and down the last few years, Mahrez gets affected by that. When the other 10 are off their game or not confident, the only chance Mahrez gets to do anything is on the half way line, with no support and surrounded by 5 players... he's good, but expecting him to produce from those positions all the time is ridiculous. His skills and ability always shine through, even if as a team we aren't putting him in the positions and situations he needs to be able to imapct the game. People see that as a Mahrez issue rather than a Leicester issue, which it actually is.

Somewhat like people doubting Hazard because your whole team was poor on Saturday and struggles to create situations for him to perform.

Almost exactly what I was about to post. Mahrez looks great for Leicester because he's given the time and space by opposing teams to play his game. We don't get any space for our forwards as teams set up to squeeze us out the game and hit us on the counter. If players like Hazard, Pedro & Willian are being marked out of the game while playing for us, what the hell is Mahrez going to do for us!?

11 minutes ago, xXRuufioXx said:

Almost exactly what I was about to post. Mahrez looks great for Leicester because he's given the time and space by opposing teams to play his game. We don't get any space for our forwards as teams set up to squeeze us out the game and hit us on the counter. If players like Hazard, Pedro & Willian are being marked out of the game while playing for us, what the hell is Mahrez going to do for us!?

I think you've misunderstood. The point was the inconsistency people think he has, is a Leicester issue not getting him into good positions, rather than a Mahrez issue. The better the team he moves to, the better he'll look as his team mates with be a) better at finding him in the right areas b) actually give him support, rather than Danny Simpson standing 50m away as his only option and c) you have other threats that draw players away, where as here he's pretty much our only creative threat and the opposition try and crowd him out.

Mahrez can put people on their arse with the flick of his boot, he's got no problem in tight situations with a lot of players. He's saved us game after game where teams came to frustrate us.

 

 

4 minutes ago, foxedup said:

I think you've misunderstood. The point was the inconsistency people think he has, is a Leicester issue not getting him into good positions, rather than a Mahrez issue. The better the team he moves to, the better he'll look as his team mates with be a) better at finding him in the right areas b) actually give him support, rather than Danny Simpson standing 50m away as his only option and c) you have other threats that draw players away, where as here he's pretty much our only creative threat and the opposition try and crowd him out.

Mahrez can put people on their arse with the flick of his boot, he's got no problem in tight situations with a lot of players. He's saved us game after game where teams came to frustrate us.

 

 

In that case I apologies as I did misunderstand, I should have read your post more thoroughly. Which also means I wholeheartedly disagree with you. If you was to put Willian or Pedro into the Leicester team, in my opinion they would be far more effective than Mahrez has ever been, for two reasons: Firstly because, as I mentioned above, they would have far more space to work in while being closed down far less than at Chelsea. And secondly, simply they are superior players! 

Mahrez is a player we do not need unless we are going to completely change our formation and style of play. More in the lines of how City and Liverpool play, which unfortunately is not Antonios style, so not likely to happen.

40 minutes ago, xXRuufioXx said:

In that case I apologies as I did misunderstand, I should have read your post more thoroughly. Which also means I wholeheartedly disagree with you. If you was to put Willian or Pedro into the Leicester team, in my opinion they would be far more effective than Mahrez has ever been, for two reasons: Firstly because, as I mentioned above, they would have far more space to work in while being closed down far less than at Chelsea. And secondly, simply they are superior players! 

Mahrez is a player we do not need unless we are going to completely change our formation and style of play. More in the lines of how City and Liverpool play, which unfortunately is not Antonios style, so not likely to happen.

Ok... well you clearly haven't watched many Leicester games.

3 minutes ago, foxedup said:

Ok... well you clearly haven't watched many Leicester games.

I have no problem with you disagreeing with me, such is life. However, the snappy little one liner about me having not watching many Leicester games when you don't know a thing about me is not needed thank you. I have an opinion, you have a differing opinion. Shall we leave it at that.

On 1/13/2018 at 20:21, enigma said:

problem is, where would he play in a 3-5-2? i'm genuinely serious because if we can't play pedro or willian, then finding space for mahrez won't happen lol.

We play a 3-5-2 because Pedro and Willian aren't great and it offers us more stability. Bring in a world class winger and we can easily shift back to a 3-4-3.

6 minutes ago, RIP Mourinho said:

We play a 3-5-2 because Pedro and Willian aren't great and it offers us more stability. Bring in a world class winger and we can easily shift back to a 3-4-3.

3-4-3 would be a far better system for Mahrez, though I'd prefer Sanchez. The problem with that system is still the two in midfield. We've got to prey that Barkley is better than what we already have for that system to work.

39 minutes ago, xXRuufioXx said:

I have no problem with you disagreeing with me, such is life. However, the snappy little one liner about me having not watching many Leicester games when you don't know a thing about me is not needed thank you. I have an opinion, you have a differing opinion. Shall we leave it at that.

If you'd watched us a decent amount of times, then you'd know that during our championship winning season, we had plenty of teams who just tried to shut up shop against us. Just as they continue to do this season, on current form we'll probably end up 7th, best of the rest. There are plenty of teams who don't want to attack us and just come looking for a point, just as they do you guys.

The difference in those games most of the time? Mahrez. If we were talking about Vardy then fair enough, there is a reason he scores so many goals against the big boys, because the games are usually more open and he gets the space. He does tend to be less effective against a packed defence. Mahrez doesn't have an issue with that.

We played a defensive team on Saturday with 8 defensive players behind the ball and he was still the best player on the pitch.

49 minutes ago, foxedup said:

If you'd watched us a decent amount of times, then you'd know that during our championship winning season, we had plenty of teams who just tried to shut up shop against us. Just as they continue to do this season, on current form we'll probably end up 7th, best of the rest. There are plenty of teams who don't want to attack us and just come looking for a point, just as they do you guys.

The difference in those games most of the time? Mahrez. If we were talking about Vardy then fair enough, there is a reason he scores so many goals against the big boys, because the games are usually more open and he gets the space. He does tend to be less effective against a packed defence. Mahrez doesn't have an issue with that.

We played a defensive team on Saturday with 8 defensive players behind the ball and he was still the best player on the pitch.

Ok, lets take your title winning season as an example. At the beginning of that season not one team that played Leicester played against them as if they were playing against title contenders. It wasn't until the game against City in which you won 3-1 that teams actually stood up and took notice. After that most teams played not to lose, rather than trying to win, which meant that they sat back and packed out their defense to try and nullify your attack. Up until and including that game against City, Mahrez scored 14 goals and had 10 assists. Then came Arsenal which you lost, and from then on for the final 13 games where teams sat back to nullify your attack like they do now to Chelsea, guess how many goals Mahrez scored..........3. Guess how many assists he had.......1. 

 

So yes. He was one of one of you best players that season. Until he had to try and break down a packed defense.

Edited January 16, 20188 yr by xXRuufioXx

1 hour ago, xXRuufioXx said:

Ok, lets take your title winning season as an example. At the beginning of that season not one team that played Leicester played against them as if they were playing against title contenders. It wasn't until the game against City in which you won 3-1 that teams actually stood up and took notice. After that most teams played not to lose, rather than trying to win, which meant that they sat back and packed out their defense to try and nullify your attack. Up until and including that game against City, Mahrez scored 14 goals and had 10 assists. Then came Arsenal which you lost, and from then on for the final 13 games where teams sat back to nullify your attack like they do now to Chelsea, guess how many goals Mahrez scored..........3. Guess how many assists he had.......1. 

 

So yes. He was one of one of you best players that season. Until he had to try and break down a packed defense.

nice analysis but i would like to add one thing , we are in need of a real goal scorer , we already have hazard and morata and with mehrez we can get that real good support , opposition need to take care of two good players , Pedro and willian both are 3o or nearing the same , you have to accept there is a real threat of hazard leaving for RM (atleast what all the papers and pundits are saying) , so mehrez can be really a good signing for us and trust me he is good not a bad player at all 

2 minutes ago, Alakshendra said:

nice analysis but i would like to add one thing , we are in need of a real goal scorer , we already have hazard and morata and with mehrez we can get that real good support , opposition need to take care of two good players , Pedro and willian both are 3o or nearing the same , you have to accept there is a real threat of hazard leaving for RM (atleast what all the papers and pundits are saying) , so mehrez can be really a good signing for us and trust me he is good not a bad player at all 

I understand what you're saying, but I still don't see him as an upgrade on what we already have. He could be a replacement for Willian or Pedro, but I don't believe he will add anymore than what they already do. 

 

However, like I've said before, this is just my opinion. If he comes here and plays a blinder for us I'll be ecstatic, just like everyone else here will. I just have my doubts. 

17 minutes ago, xXRuufioXx said:

I understand what you're saying, but I still don't see him as an upgrade on what we already have. He could be a replacement for Willian or Pedro, but I don't believe he will add anymore than what they already do. 

 

However, like I've said before, this is just my opinion. If he comes here and plays a blinder for us I'll be ecstatic, just like everyone else here will. I just have my doubts. 

true but i think he is a good alternative , our team is better than foxes and with Mehrez at a wing we can do better in attack , i think that Alonso and moses both are somehow weak in defence so we should focus on those areas as well 

1 minute ago, Alakshendra said:

true but i think he is a good alternative , our team is better than foxes and with Mehrez at a wing we can do better in attack , i think that Alonso and moses both are somehow weak in defence so we should focus on those areas as well 

I hate to come over like a broken record at the moment but I don't think people understand where I'm coming from in regards to Mahrez. I'll try and be clearer this time, maybe I haven't been before. I will agree that our defense if better than Leicester. Our defense is one of the best in the league and is one of the reasons we are where we are in the league. Our midfield is non-existent at the moment and is only just holding up due to the fabulous N'golo Kante. Our front line however is the joint worst out of the top 6 due to our team being unable to break down stubborn defenses. 

All I ask is for somebody to counter my argument with some facts that Mahrez is an upgrade on what we've already got!

2 minutes ago, xXRuufioXx said:

I hate to come over like a broken record at the moment but I don't think people understand where I'm coming from in regards to Mahrez. I'll try and be clearer this time, maybe I haven't been before. I will agree that our defense if better than Leicester. Our defense is one of the best in the league and is one of the reasons we are where we are in the league. Our midfield is non-existent at the moment and is only just holding up due to the fabulous N'golo Kante. Our front line however is the joint worst out of the top 6 due to our team being unable to break down stubborn defenses. 

All I ask is for somebody to counter my argument with some facts that Mahrez is an upgrade on what we've already got!

Mahrez is a dribbler with good finishing and vision, which we currently lack other than Hazard. Pedro is a pace player who finishes well, Willian is a great technical dribbler with little end product. Mahrez slots in on the right side of a 3-4-3 being left footed and has ability to shoot from outside the box, as well as put in decent crosses for Morata which we don't already have. He's certainly an upgrade.

1 minute ago, RMCM said:

Mahrez is a dribbler with good finishing and vision, which we currently lack other than Hazard. Pedro is a pace player who finishes well, Willian is a great technical dribbler with little end product. Mahrez slots in on the right side of a 3-4-3 being left footed and has ability to shoot from outside the box, as well as put in decent crosses for Morata which we don't already have. He's certainly an upgrade.

Yes, he doe's all those things for Leicester, like I keep saying.......Leicester! Hazard is the best dribbler at our club and probably in the League. But he has rarely been able to break down these stubborn defenses we've come up against this season. Mahrez is nowhere near as good as Hazard, so how on earth is he going to break them down. Just look at Mohamed Salah for instance. When he played for us he was playing against teams that sat back and soaked up all the pressure that we threw at them which countered his ability, which was and still is his speed and shooting from outside the box. As soon as he moved to Italy he was banging them in again. And unfortunately now he's playing for a team that plays to his strengths and is ten times the player he was then. Now I'm not comparing Salah and Mahrez in ability, but Mahrez will have to put up with the same sort of conditions that Salah did for us, and I just don't see what he has that will help us that we don't already have at our club.

3 minutes ago, xXRuufioXx said:

Yes, he doe's all those things for Leicester, like I keep saying.......Leicester! Hazard is the best dribbler at our club and probably in the League. But he has rarely been able to break down these stubborn defenses we've come up against this season. Mahrez is nowhere near as good as Hazard, so how on earth is he going to break them down. Just look at Mohamed Salah for instance. When he played for us he was playing against teams that sat back and soaked up all the pressure that we threw at them which countered his ability, which was and still is his speed and shooting from outside the box. As soon as he moved to Italy he was banging them in again. And unfortunately now he's playing for a team that plays to his strengths and is ten times the player he was then. Now I'm not comparing Salah and Mahrez in ability, but Mahrez will have to put up with the same sort of conditions that Salah did for us, and I just don't see what he has that will help us that we don't already have at our club.

Salah never really got a chance to get going with us. And he's improved immensely, especially his finishing, in the time between then and now, as you said. Mahrez is not as good as hazard, no, but he provides a similar style of threat from another angle, which would prevent this quadruple marking of Hazard that shuts us down. Pedro suffers much the same fortune as Salah did, he rarely gets the space to run in behind, which is why he isn't super effective for us, but I still rate him. Mahrez adds the ability to beat a man that currently only hazard and willian possess in our side, but with the bonus of being both a good supplier and finisher, unlike willian who we all see is mightily inconsistent. 

1 minute ago, RMCM said:

Salah never really got a chance to get going with us. And he's improved immensely, especially his finishing, in the time between then and now, as you said. Mahrez is not as good as hazard, no, but he provides a similar style of threat from another angle, which would prevent this quadruple marking of Hazard that shuts us down. Pedro suffers much the same fortune as Salah did, he rarely gets the space to run in behind, which is why he isn't super effective for us, but I still rate him. Mahrez adds the ability to beat a man that currently only hazard and willian possess in our side, but with the bonus of being both a good supplier and finisher, unlike willian who we all see is mightily inconsistent. 

Listen, I hope you're right. And if he comes to us, I hope he does as well as your hoping. We won't know unless we do sign him, which unfortunately doesn't seem to be the case this window. As for who we do sign! I refuse to get drawn into the Andy Carroll rumors, because if that is who we end up signing, I will be hugely disappointed. 

2 hours ago, xXRuufioXx said:

Ok, lets take your title winning season as an example. At the beginning of that season not one team that played Leicester played against them as if they were playing against title contenders. It wasn't until the game against City in which you won 3-1 that teams actually stood up and took notice. After that most teams played not to lose, rather than trying to win, which meant that they sat back and packed out their defense to try and nullify your attack. Up until and including that game against City, Mahrez scored 14 goals and had 10 assists. Then came Arsenal which you lost, and from then on for the final 13 games where teams sat back to nullify your attack like they do now to Chelsea, guess how many goals Mahrez scored..........3. Guess how many assists he had.......1. 

 

So yes. He was one of one of you best players that season. Until he had to try and break down a packed defense.

 

From Manchester City away Mahrez' card was marked, teams started doubling, tripling up on him which created space for others to contribute. Note that they still won 8 of the last 12 (not 13), even if 5 were 1-0s (two of which Mahrez scored in), he was still Leicester's go-to guy and most important player even if the "stats" dropped off.

How have Manchester City been obliterating defensively packed teams this year? Because they have so many creative players the other team can't really make any specific plans to identify and nullify any one primary threat and they simply get overloaded. One Mahrez is manageable. One Hazard is manageable. Hazard + Mahrez is lethal.

Edited January 16, 20188 yr by Fatty_Speeding

3 minutes ago, Fatty_Speeding said:

 

From Manchester City away Mahrez' card was marked, teams started doubling, tripling up on him which created space for others to contribute. Note that they still won 8 of the last 12 (not 13), even if 5 were 1-0s (two of which Mahrez scored in), still Leicester's go-to guy and I'd say most important player even if the "stats" dropped off.

How have Manchester City been obliterating defensively packed teams this year? Because they have so many creative players the other team can't really make any specific plans to identify and nullify any one primary threat and they simply get overloaded. One Mahrez is manageable. One Hazard is manageable. Hazard + Mahrez is lethal.

Good argument. And yes that is how City beat the pack defenses they come up against. My only counter would be that everyone of Citys front line are far better than Mahrez. 

P.S. There were 13 games after the City win, not 12.

7 minutes ago, xXRuufioXx said:

Good argument. And yes that is how City beat the pack defenses they come up against. My only counter would be that everyone of Citys front line are far better than Mahrez. 

P.S. There were 13 games after the City win, not 12.

 

Aye my bad I was correcting you saying 13 after Arsenal away but then changed "Arsenal away" to "Manchester City away" after

Not sure if I'd agree the likes of Sterling are "far better" than Mahrez. Either way though Mahrez doesn't need to be better than Man City players at unlocking packed defenses for this argument, just Willian/Pedro. To whom he has far superior vision, passing, intelligence and close control.

4 minutes ago, Fatty_Speeding said:

 

Aye my bad I was correcting you saying 13 after Arsenal away but then changed "Arsenal away" to "Manchester City away" after

Not sure if I'd agree the likes of Sterling are "far better" than Mahrez. Either way though Mahrez doesn't need to be better than Man City players at unlocking packed defenses for this argument, just Willian/Pedro. To whom he has far superior vision, passing, intelligence and close control.

We'll see if we sign him. How good is Carrolls close control??? 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2018/01/30/riyad-mahrez-emerges-late-man-city-transfer-target-leicester/

 

[emoji615]?[emoji615]? BREAKING NEWS [emoji615]?[emoji615]?

Riyad Mahrez has handed in an official transfer request to Leicester City, @SkySportsNews understands.

Get all the latest in the Transfer Centre [emoji117][emoji117][emoji117] https://t.co/0gEN4a8j1J https://t.co/KxoG1pnsL6

Man City favourite to sign him

christ they certainly have quality got to give them that

City bid 50m ffs