Riyad Mahrez | It's part of the game innit

BobbyManc

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It would be fair to say he's underwhelmed so far in a City shirt. He's in a very tough position as he needs to start regularly to really be judged but to do so means one of Sterling/Sane has to sit on the bench for a while, and when he does play it puts an awful lot of pressure on him which has clearly affected his performances. He seems too desperate to impress but equally worried about fecking up, as if he knows that unless he scores or assists then he's not going to start the next match, which results in him appearing, somewhat incongruously, greedy but also inhibited. Guardiola does not appear to have total faith in him unfortunately, as he hasn't even made the bench for a few games and this has been during periods when one of (sometimes both) Sane and Sterling have been underperforming. I hope he can get some more chances as the fixtures start to pile up now, and that it isn't his penalty miss against Liverpool that defines his season.
 

andyox

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He plays on the wing when KDB and D Silva are in the middle and we're using inverted wingers (left foot on the right, right foot on the left) because he's better than Mahrez.
I can't actually work out Guardiola's strategy on wingers. More often than not we play with classic wingers (Sane on left, Sterling on right), but then some games he decides to go inverted. I can't work out how he decides which option to go for, maybe it's just based on opponents.

I prefer classic wingers as a general rule, but also because I think Sane and Sterling are our best wingers, so why not use them in their best positions.
 

ash_86

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He slows them down and there is no other way to put it. Cost them a win at Anfield. No wonder Pep realized that and benched him. Defiantly could see him moving away in a year or two if he does not get game time.
 

BobbyManc

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He slows them down and there is no other way to put it. Cost them a win at Anfield. No wonder Pep realized that and benched him. Defiantly could see him moving away in a year or two if he does not get game time.
Actually he started and scored in both our league games after Liverpool, including the only goal away at Spurs. And in spite of his penalty miss he was our most dangerous player at Anfield. So he was not dropped as a result of that game. He does slow down our play compared to the likes of Sterling and Sane but that's to be expected given that the latter two have had plenty of time to adapt to Guardiola's system and wants in a wide player.
 

Utdstar01

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Not sure why hes getting criticised. Hes been pretty good when hes played and scored some important goals :confused: Better than anything we've had to offer on our right wing for the last 4 years.
 

ash_86

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Actually he started and scored in both our league games after Liverpool, including the only goal away at Spurs. And in spite of his penalty miss he was our most dangerous player at Anfield. So he was not dropped as a result of that game. He does slow down our play compared to the likes of Sterling and Sane but that's to be expected given that the latter two have had plenty of time to adapt to Guardiola's system and wants in a wide player.
Fair enough if you guys think he's been good for you. As i see it, he pulls your team a step down. Let's see if it changes next year.
 

BobbyManc

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Fair enough if you guys think he's been good for you. As i see it, he pulls your team a step down. Let's see if it changes next year.
I'd say he's been alright for us. He's had some strong performances and offers qualities that others don't. In particular, his vision, crossing and range of passing is superior to that of Sane and Sterling. He's done enough in his limited time to suggest that he can succeed here, but not enough to merit starting regularly yet.
 

ash_86

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I'd say he's been alright for us. He's had some strong performances and offers qualities that others don't. In particular, his vision, crossing and range of passing is superior to that of Sane and Sterling. He's done enough in his limited time to suggest that he can succeed here, but not enough to merit starting regularly yet.
He does offer something different but not necessary you need since he plays in the wings. You seem to play differently when he's on the pitch (whenever i watched) and not in a great way. Most of the creative responsibilities is taken care by KDB/Silva from the middle. So yeah, him starting is not the most priority for you guys now.
 

Bola

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Not sure why hes getting criticised. Hes been pretty good when hes played and scored some important goals :confused: Better than anything we've had to offer on our right wing for the last 4 years.
Maybe it's down to him not being an automatic 1st teamer?

I think it's harsh to call him a flop, but he is not a huge success either. A good signing in my opinion who has added to the strength of their match day squad and still has the chance to get an established 1st team birth
 

charlie9882

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A good signing in my opinion who has added to the strength of their match day squad and still has the chance to get an established 1st team birth
This really was the idea when signing Mahrez - City have 3 wingers for 2 positions, it's not really overkill and generally the 'inform' players will start in they're putting in performances where you can't justify dropping them.

Mahrez has just struggled to adapt so far and has been incredibly selfish in his play. Genuinely one of the most selfish players I've ever seen play for City and more often than not has chosen the wrong option, which just is not going to go down well in a team managed by Pep, where the system is king. I think this 'extended' time where he's been benched in games of more importance is Pep trying to give him a kick up the arse and to get him on the right path.

I think the main positive City can take from Mahrez is that despite it not quite happening for him right now, he's still got 9 goals and 10 assists this season. City are still in 4 competitions with it all to play for. If it can suddenly click for him, City have a past POTS, who can really show some impact in the business end of the season and prove him worth/justify the decision to sign him.
 

Aloysius's Back 3

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He does offer something different but not necessary you need since he plays in the wings. You seem to play differently when he's on the pitch (whenever i watched) and not in a great way. Most of the creative responsibilities is taken care by KDB/Silva from the middle. So yeah, him starting is not the most priority for you guys now.
I agree with you again.

As I said - it's not mahrez's fault; but I have felt that he has taken City back a level in comparison to where they were.

The best way I can say it is symmetry of the team. Pep's teams at their best is equally as deadly, speedy etc from both sides - which makes it abysmal to defend coordinatedly against. I felt that happening or building under sane & Sterling. I also felt the creativity of players like Silva, de bryune & Bernard0 silva more due to the team playing much more in a sync overall.

Mahrez however makes their attack different; maybe it's an element of being slower as you said. However it doesn't effect them maximally & only does so minimally- yet these minimal changes from one player does change the approach minimally of the whole team & I do think last year's City was better.
 

Jack - City Fan

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I always felt he was somewhat of a luxury signing. No doubt he's a good player but every time I watch him he's so frustrating. Seems to not have bought into the way we play yet and it really shows.
 

padr81

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I can't actually work out Guardiola's strategy on wingers. More often than not we play with classic wingers (Sane on left, Sterling on right), but then some games he decides to go inverted. I can't work out how he decides which option to go for, maybe it's just based on opponents.

I prefer classic wingers as a general rule, but also because I think Sane and Sterling are our best wingers, so why not use them in their best positions.
Me neither, I have no clue why he goes that way, i know sometimes (when we play Mendy) he wants the fb to overlap so plays Sterling on the left but for the most part I have no clue. I think our best front 3 is Sterling Aguero Sane (right to left). We score more Fifa styled tap ins from cut backs that way.
 

padr81

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Sanchez looks finished whereas Mahrez certainly has a lot of his career ahead of him. It seems more like a blip in adjusting to his new club compared to Sanchez.
I still feel Sanchez will eventually come good for you guys.
 

RooneyLegend

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I said at the time Mahrez wasn't good enough to step up to City's level, far too one dimensional and not even top class at what he is good at. Sterling and Sane are far better

A poor man's Nani to be extremely blunt
He's better than Nani. He just doesn't fit their set up.
 

RooneyLegend

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Me neither, I have no clue why he goes that way, i know sometimes (when we play Mendy) he wants the fb to overlap so plays Sterling on the left but for the most part I have no clue. I think our best front 3 is Sterling Aguero Sane (right to left). We score more Fifa styled tap ins from cut backs that way.
Strangly enough no one is all that impressive wide unless it's Sane and Sterling on their sides where they can dribble on the outside. If he wanted depth wide he should have bought the likes of Martin's and D.Costa, players who can play on the outside. Playing the likes of B.Silva and Mahrez just limits those players and makes them look like less than they are.
 

adexkola

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Strangly enough no one is all that impressive wide unless it's Sane and Sterling on their sides where they can dribble on the outside. If he wanted depth wide he should have bought the likes of Martin's and D.Costa, players who can play on the outside. Playing the likes of B.Silva and Mahrez just limits those players and makes them look like less than they are.
:confused:

He's been one of the best players in the league this season
 

RooneyLegend

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He's no where near as good as prime Nani
Crazy talk. Only fans on here could come up with such. Nani waa never ever even in the reckoning for league player of the season and you compare him to someone who's actually won it. Prime Nani lost his spot in our team along the way in his best season. No surprise when he left here no serious club wanted him.
 

HDRubens

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He's no where near as good as prime Nani
What ? Again please What ? Mahrez in his prime & best season was one of the most entertaining players the PL has ever seen , he was the kind of player that made people jump from their seats every game week, he was shaming defenders for fun.

And yet people forget that he came 7th in the Ballon d or and Won PFA player of the year, he was maybe a one season wonder but a hell of a wonder he was.

Still a decent player though Riyad Mahrez has reached double figures for goals and assists in two of the last three league seasons 2015/16 & 2017/18 17 goals 11 assists then 12 goals 10 assists ( league only), this year he is currently at 9 goals & 10 assists ( All competitions).
 

Kostov

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Your insane if you believe the two are comparable
Since that first post, I checked his stats to be fair, and they paint another picture. His goals and assists stats is pretty fine, but he's been very underwhelming whenever I've seen him play. And that's not taking into account that penalty miss against the scouse at Enfield, which might be vital in the title chase.

On the other hand, I think Alexis's failure is so much overblown on here, or maybe it's just me I'm not sure. We got him in a swap deal for a guy who was useless for us in my opinion, and yeah of course he will get high wages, the guy was running his contract down because he wanted his last pay day. People are acting like other players are playing for free. And that blatant propaganda when the transfer happened has taken it's toll on people's opinion, imo.
 

Adisa

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Last year we thought Bernardo was a flop. I just think he's competing with players that are better than he is.
 

Ainu

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This talk of Mahrez being nowhere near as good as a peak Nani is a bit weird but I also don't support the notion that Mahrez was far better or anything. If we compare their best seasons, the gap isn't that wide. Nani had 23 goals + assists and 8 MOTM performances in 2010-2011 compared to Mahrez's 28 goals + assists and 10 MOTM performances in 2015-2016. Both were instrumental in league wins that year, though obviously that of Mahrez will be remember more for how exceptional it was. Mahrez edges it but not by miles.
 

charlenefan

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Crazy talk. Only fans on here could come up with such. Nani waa never ever even in the reckoning for league player of the season and you compare him to someone who's actually won it. Prime Nani lost his spot in our team along the way in his best season. No surprise when he left here no serious club wanted him.
So because Mahrez won POTY the year the rest of the PL were so poor that Leicester won it is proof he was better than Nani? Now that's crazy talk
 

Di Maria's angel

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What ? Again please What ? Mahrez in his prime & best season was one of the most entertaining players the PL has ever seen , he was the kind of player that made people jump from their seats every game week, he was shaming defenders for fun.

And yet people forget that he came 7th in the Ballon d or and Won PFA player of the year, he was maybe a one season wonder but a hell of a wonder he was.

Still a decent player though Riyad Mahrez has reached double figures for goals and assists in two of the last three league seasons 2015/16 & 2017/18 17 goals 11 assists then 12 goals 10 assists ( league only), this year he is currently at 9 goals & 10 assists ( All competitions).
Nani:

09/10: 6 goals and 15 assists in 34 games.
10/11: 10 goals and 20 assists in 49 games.
11/12: 10 goals and 15 assists in 40 games.

No disrespect to Mahrez but Nani in this period was on another planet to him.
 

Ainu

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Nani:

09/10: 6 goals and 15 assists in 34 games.
10/11: 10 goals and 20 assists in 49 games.
11/12: 10 goals and 15 assists in 40 games.

No disrespect to Mahrez but Nani in this period was on another planet to him.
How is that on another planet? Statistically they're not far apart.
 

Di Maria's angel

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How is that on another planet? Statistically they're not far apart.
His impact on our team? We were pretty awesome through out those years, especially in attack. Mahrez, obviously has one incredible achievement but he probably hasn't had the impact with City just yet given they're a few levels below from last season.
 

Ainu

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His impact on our team? We were pretty awesome through out those years, especially in attack. Mahrez, obviously has one incredible achievement but he probably hasn't had the impact with City just yet given they're a few levels below from last season.
Surely Mahrez' impact on Leicester wasn't any less than Nani's on United? He's struggling at City but they play such a specific type of football it can be difficult to adapt to that. Maybe he'll come good there. I just don't see any basis for suggesting Nani was on another planet compared to him.
 

VorZakone

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United should have bought him IMO. While he had a good game yesterday I still think he would have fit United's right wing much better.
 

Gentleman Jim

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United should have bought him IMO. While he had a good game yesterday I still think he would have fit United's right wing much better.
Hate to say I told you so but..I suggested him to this forum as an ideal signing for United when he fell out with Leicester before City came in for him but nobody agreed at the time.
Had an inconsistent season last season while he adapted and was shuffled in and out of the team but looks twice the player now and will start a bunch of games now.
 

Martialfc

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Nani wasn’t as good as people make out. Mahrez is sooooo good. Things I’d do to have him at United. I wish we’d signed him. He’s exactly what we need a right winger who can beat a man. I’m so jealous of city these days. Guess I’m just going to have to keep watching Jesse Lingard every week..
 

Di Maria's angel

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Hate to say I told you so but..I suggested him to this forum as an ideal signing for United when he fell out with Leicester before City came in for him but nobody agreed at the time.
Had an inconsistent season last season while he adapted and was shuffled in and out of the team but looks twice the player now and will start a bunch of games now.
He'd have flopped here, regardless.
 

Jack - City Fan

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Great game at the weekend. Still don't think he's ever going to be at his best for us. We're good on the counter but he gets far less opportunities to show his ability than he should when we spend most of our time breaking down the opposition. Still, at least we stopped you lot getting your hands on him :)

I did enjoy his and Gundogan's tweets back and forth regarding Gundogan's howler though.

I do think he's better than Nani was for whatever that's worth but my opinion is also coloured by Nani's later years, I think if your comparing their numbers, it's probably fair to say Nani was playing as part of a much better team than Mahrez has been until joining City, but again maybe I'm misremembering.