Sums it up really, moving for him almost makes too much sense.
Riyad Mahrez | 2017/18 Performances
- Thread starter MadMike
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In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik @Rood and Imran @Annihilate Now! start with the good news by celebrating Manchester United Women's emphatic FA Cup win over Spurs at Wembley and the future of manager Marc Skinner.
Then it's the bad news and the ever worsening form of our Men with losses to Arsenal and Palace.
Finally the main debate - ETH Out now or keep him until the end of the season - if not longer. Are you Team Nik or Team Imran?
Why aren't we after this guy? He'd be perfect for out right wing. I just read a report that his move to City is all but done. This is the guy I really need compared to the likes of Willian, etc. I know Willian works his bollocks off but in my opinion, he's not much of a game changer. Are we letting Mahrez go to City? The guy would be perfect for our RW.
My dream signing for the past two seasons. He makes some much sense. Should have been top of our list For last summer and this summer
Genuinely think Mahrez at City would be fantastic for us. I think Pep started testing Sterling down the middle a little last season and didn’t mind the end result, so he knows he doesn’t have to buy a ST but instead can just buy a forward and the system can remain fluid whoever you play.
Really? I don’t see what he adds that you don’t already have with Sterling and Bernardo.
Sterling is moving central.
Hope I'm wrong but I'm pretty meh on this
Yeah I’m a massive fan but honestly think Willian would be a better fit as he’s a playmaker winger hybrid, but I suspect we may be moving to a 442 diamond and it will be two midfielders coming in. I doubt we will sign Willian but I hope I’m wrong. But 442 diamond makes so much sense with SMS and Fred it will add to Pogba and Matic and allow us to go 433 as well. The diamond also best accommodates Sanchez pushing him up with Lukaku. The problem is our full backs with left side needing addressed and right back also although we have enough numbers but doubt the quality as Valencia refuses to go past a man in the final third nowadays.
So 3 left footed wingers for City?
So he’ll sit on the bench behind Jesus and Aguero?
Mahrez or Willian though?
Mahrez is better
I'm a big fan.... such a skilful player and we desperately need someone on the right
I know we were suprised with Sanchez but i think the club know Mahrez is already Citys hence the lack of rumours
I probably agree with you there, although I do think Willian is fantastic. Mahrez is so tricky and has the feet to unlock static defences.
Would love Mahrez at the club.
Won't be surprised if he's ahead of those two.
Still not convinced Pep sees Aguero as his perfect front man.
Can't we sign just Willian and Mahrez? Play Willian on the LW. Both of them are better than our wide attacking options (including Sanchez). Get rid of some of Mata, Lingard, Rashford (or all) and make way for some actual wide talent.
Makes too much sense though, instead we'll sign Willian if Chelsea are willing to sell, who'll proceed to look garbage as he'll have a 33 year old Valencia supporting him and 0 movement to play with, all the whilst we sign another CB and CM whilst City upgrade an already stacked attack.
Makes too much sense though, instead we'll sign Willian if Chelsea are willing to sell, who'll proceed to look garbage as he'll have a 33 year old Valencia supporting him and 0 movement to play with, all the whilst we sign another CB and CM whilst City upgrade an already stacked attack.
I'm guessing you're a City fan? Why do you guys want to get Mahrez when you already have Bernado. He looked promising towards the end of yhe season. It all seems to me like stacking attackers for the sake of it.
I think 4 CMs might be an overkill. I stand to be corrected but that's the way I feel. Also, I'm assuming that Pogba will be at the tip of the diamond. Honestly I'd rather have him to the left of midfield. I know we are close to signing Fred but I would personally love to have a very creative attacking player or a hybrid CM/AM (if you like) like a Draxler similar to what city have done with Silva and De Bruyne, to be on the other side of CM
Never say never mate. Think Sanchez. So long as the dotted lines aren't yet signed there is that glimmer of hope.
Once upon a time I thought we needed someone better than Mahrez. But given our lack of signings for the position and the few players we have been linked to, I can't think of anyone better.
I like both players but I'd prefer Mahrez over Willian.
I like both players but I'd prefer Mahrez over Willian.
I felt we should have signed him 2 seasons ago. He will spend half the year on city's bench like Bernardo Silva did last season but he'd walk into our team.
Sometimes during press conferences, instead of asking useless questions, I just wish the journos could ask Jose about more pressing matters like, "Why haven't you signed Mahrez yet???!!!". 
Absolute dream signing
Absolute dream signing
I rather sign Mahrez instead of William but...
Would you prefer Mahrez over Douglas Costa/Ousmane Dembele/Bale?
Would you prefer Mahrez over Douglas Costa/Ousmane Dembele/Bale?
I have been saying for ages that Draxler would be great here. We could play a midfield of 3 (Matic,Pogba,Draxler) vs easy teams. He can play as No.10 if needed. Also, if we sell Martial, Draxler could cover Sanchez.
IMO Matic, McTominay, Herrera, Pereira and Fred?? have defensive capabilities, Pogba should be our KDB/Eriksen, but he is inconsistent at the moment, so Draxler could solve that problem and help us to be more creative. I like his progress in a midfield with Verratti and Rabiot.
In big games, we could play like this:
Sanchez - Lukaku
Draxler
Pogba - Matic - Fred?
Back four with proper fullbacks
Draxler
Pogba - Matic - Fred?
Back four with proper fullbacks
Yes, yes and yes...but only because he's injured all the time. Bale is better than Mahrez, the other two are not
Dembele>Mahrez>Willian
Given I don't see Dembele happening, Mahrez is the one I'd go for. Doesn't seem to have loads of injury problems like Bale either.
How is Dembele better tham MAhrez? Mahrez's title winning performance for Leicester is better than any season Demebele has had and he was much better this seeason.
I don't get it.
Dembeles decision making is not great and he has a long way to go. If Dembele played at any point he would never have been the best player in the EPL...
The only thing he has over Mahrez is being two footed and faster and perhaps better at taking pens but I don't think he's taken them regulalry since Rennes. Mahrez is pretty much better at everything else, especially knowing when to pass and making decisions.
I'd get it if you said he has more potential but at this present moment in time, I don't see how you can watch them both every week and come to that conclusion...
Dembele isn't better than Mahrez but he will go on to be miles better. I'd sign him based on natural talent whilst recognizing Mahrez being the better player presently (which is why he could be my next choice ).
Sanchez is a player that we were not desperate for (as we had Martial and Rashford playing LW) but still stole him from City. Mahrez is a player that will tremendously improve our weakest position but we show no signs of being interested at all. Sometimes I just don't understand the thought process behind our transfer strategy. Maybe we are still looking to sign Bale.
I think Mourinho is looking to sign William, mainly for his workrate.
I never understood why Sanchez didn't play as RW... Martial and Rashford were having a good season rotating in the LW position.
Yeah we didn't even give it a shot. Instead we tried to play Martial on the right which everyone knew wouldn't work. Such a waste really. Ruined our whole season.
Is Mahrez worth the 75 million ( add ons included ) that Leicester wants?
I mean he's talented, but is he worth almost half our transfer budget, especially with doubts over his mentality?
I mean he's talented, but is he worth almost half our transfer budget, especially with doubts over his mentality?
Draxler is my Dream signing so I’m with you on that. I’d play him very like KDB and I think he’s be atleast as awesome. He brings dribbling off the ball movement and quality with a lot of intelligence as a player he also has good work ethic. A real top player imo so I’d love him here.
4 midfielders is only over kill if we are keeping Herrera and playing a 2 or a 3 but then if we go to the diamond then 4 plus Herrera and Mctominay is fine. I’m not a fan of Herrera as a starter every week (his passing and choice of pass is too erratic for me) but he’s a top squad player to have to call on.
Klopp hinted at our transfer 'strategy' in a recent interview. Marketing and marquee signings play a role apparently. So yeah, we might actually end up signing Bale
Aguero was benched for every big game last season except the ones Jesus was injured in irrc. Sterling played central against United, Spurs, etc
If Mahrez goes, City would have 2 players for each of the wide positions. ATM, they have only Silva. Sterling and Sane were on their last legs at the end of the season. If they fight on all fronts for 4 competitions all the players will get a lot of minutes.
Since when did we have a set transfer budget? We're not Arsenal.
Sanchez has been terrible even when given undroppable status in his favourite spot. Playing him at RW would free up the left for another player but he'd probably be even worse out on the right. Signing Willian would be a decent move if a little underwhelming, Mahrez would be mint but he looks City bound.
You people have been watching Mourinho for over a decade and are surprised he would want Willian ahead of Mahrez?
Surely every team has a budget,no club has a bottomless pit if money, except the Oil clubs maybe.
It's not like Woody gives Mourinho his Platinum Credit Card and says go crazy love, you deserve it!
Also we have been spending nearly 150 mill for the last few summers.
What I'm asking is, with so many holes to fill in our squad and the 75 million price tag on this guy, is he worth it as buying him could mean maybe no RB or no second CM.
What do you mean? He's signed quite a variety of wide players across his career.You people have been watching Mourinho for over a decade and are surprised he would want Willian ahead of Mahrez?
I agree with most of the points mentioned on this page.
I love Draxler and watching him play deeper this season I have no doubt he'd be a revelation in central midfield (sometimes I wish I could ring up Jose and say to him, 'Boss, ever considered this Draxler lad?' Lol)
But you never know, maybe he reads redcafe. It wouldn't be out of place to consider a few ideas from mortals like we here on the Caf.
Back to Mahrez vs other options, I honestly think we can do better than Willian and then there's Douglas Costa. He had a very impressive spell under Pep iirc but also faded badly. Never seemed to hit the heights ever again and I'm not sure he'd be a game changing signing per se. Dembele on the other hand is the interesting one as he's got loads of potiential. His raw pace and dribbling are next level coupled with his ambidextrousness. This guy will be special. If we can sign him, I'd be really glad. If Liverpool touches that boy I'd be so loathe.
We must avoid the temptation to sign Bale at all costs. Let Bale be someone else's problem not ours.
In any case I think Mahrez is the closest to the surest bet amongst available RW players. For one we don't need to worry about rawness and him not having matured as he's pretty much at his peak. Not saying he cannot step up a gear re Mo Salah. I'm saying that his present level is already good enough. The way he feigns a shot and leaves opposing LBs on their arses is a beauty to behold. He has a wicked shot and is the one that makes that Leicester side plus Vardy tick. I don't think it's a done deal yet so I'd say let's feck citeh over like we did during the winter window.
I love Draxler and watching him play deeper this season I have no doubt he'd be a revelation in central midfield (sometimes I wish I could ring up Jose and say to him, 'Boss, ever considered this Draxler lad?' Lol)
But you never know, maybe he reads redcafe. It wouldn't be out of place to consider a few ideas from mortals like we here on the Caf.
Back to Mahrez vs other options, I honestly think we can do better than Willian and then there's Douglas Costa. He had a very impressive spell under Pep iirc but also faded badly. Never seemed to hit the heights ever again and I'm not sure he'd be a game changing signing per se. Dembele on the other hand is the interesting one as he's got loads of potiential. His raw pace and dribbling are next level coupled with his ambidextrousness. This guy will be special. If we can sign him, I'd be really glad. If Liverpool touches that boy I'd be so loathe.
We must avoid the temptation to sign Bale at all costs. Let Bale be someone else's problem not ours.
In any case I think Mahrez is the closest to the surest bet amongst available RW players. For one we don't need to worry about rawness and him not having matured as he's pretty much at his peak. Not saying he cannot step up a gear re Mo Salah. I'm saying that his present level is already good enough. The way he feigns a shot and leaves opposing LBs on their arses is a beauty to behold. He has a wicked shot and is the one that makes that Leicester side plus Vardy tick. I don't think it's a done deal yet so I'd say let's feck citeh over like we did during the winter window.
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