Riyad Mahrez

[Shaelumstash]

I still think Robben is an outside-right and de Bruyne a half-back, but maybe I'm just showing my age! ;-)

;-)

 

[Kokonut1307]

You have already decided for Pep that Mahrez will be Sterling's back up, making your argument fundamentally wrong. What if Pep had envisioned Mahrez as a starting 11 player, would your argument hold water?

Well then he will be the starter and hopefully he peforms well. I still believe that Sterling is our main RW and Sane our LW but I am biased because I really enjoyed their season. We will see in 3/4 months time.

 

[Silva_Spell]

Why all the sudden talk about the fee?

City Watch quoting Leicester Mercury? That article simply quoted The Guardian (£60m + £15m addons) of 3 or 4 days ago.

 

[blueinsa]

Well then he will be the starter and hopefully he peforms well. I still believe that Sterling is our main RW and Sane our LW but I am biased because I really enjoyed their season. We will see in 3/4 months time.

I agree. No issue with Mahrez coming as he is quality but Raz and Sane are our main men but its a squad game when you are in all 4 comps and we need the quality replacements because there is plenty of game time for everyone.

 

[franksinatra]

Mahrez is a scintillating inverted winger and I like him as a player. My only two reservations are his current price tag because I would prefer City not become market conformers like United but it is not my money so if the Sheikh wants it he can have it. The other concern is fitting all these players onto the pitch. Maybe injuries and long cup runs will balance that but who knows. All we can do is wait and see how we look in about 3 months time.

I would be not overly surprised to see him start the vast majority of games next season. Pep values dominance of the ball over everything else and Mahrez is technically good enough to enhance that. Also he is a decent finisher and even though we have had a wonderful season I still think Pep might have felt frustrated by some of the missed chances at key moments.

I also think the fact he tried to sign Sanchez, who was never going to sit on the bench each week, suggests he might still see room for improvement.

 

[Silva_Spell]

I wouldn't be surprised if Pep sees Mahrez starting over Sterling more often than not. Pep can love you as much as anyone could but he's a hard taskmaster and if you're consistently messing up normal chances (Utd and Spurs) he's not just gonna sit on his arse. His reaction to the misses vs Utd said it all. He'd never admit it but he blames Sterling for him not winning the PL infront of Mou

 

[pudge]

Daily Mail running with much the same story as everyone else, close to a £75m deal. However, they say Leicester are negotiating for Patrick Roberts in a separate deal.

 

[Easy]

I wouldn't be surprised if Pep sees Mahrez starting over Sterling more often than not. Pep can love you as much as anyone could but he's a hard taskmaster and if you're consistently messing up normal chances (Utd and Spurs) he's not just gonna sit on his arse. His reaction to the misses vs Utd said it all. He'd never admit it but he blames Sterling for him not winning the PL infront of Mou

LW-Sane/Mahrez
RW-Sterling/Bernardo

Everyone seems to think Mahrez won’t play LW for us which is completely wrong. All our other targets (Sanchez, Hazard, Zaha etc) play predominantly LW. So in the end we decide on the right winger? No, Mahrez is a major talent and can play both sides well and probably midfield given often he drops deeps for Leicester.

Mahrez is seriously under rated. Put Sane in that Leicester team and he wouldn’t be as good as Mahrez. How many of Sane’s goals or assists have been because of David putting him through or Kevin putting it on a plate. While Mahrez does everything himself at Leicester. Nothing against Sane who I love but Mahrez will seriously challenge him for LW.

 

[ojeme]

Well then he will be the starter and hopefully he peforms well. I still believe that Sterling is our main RW and Sane our LW but I am biased because I really enjoyed their season. We will see in 3/4 months time.

I love Raheem, he's a fighter. I recall that going into the new season we all had him as a bench guy and thought Bernado will be the sure starter going by his exploits at Monaco but Raz made us all look stupid.

You see my point is that there will be a lot of experiments and I bet if we enjoy a run of invincibility with Sane Sterling Mahrez, the others would have to work their way into the team. In essence, Sterling is not necessarily going to be the from-the-off loser here.

We'd just have to wait and see as you say but I honestly feel that if all we did this summer was sign Jorginho and Mahrez, we wouldn't be doing anything terrible to the market. Mahrez, a former epl poty who has continued to show that he's up here with the best in the epl is surely not overpriced for 60m pounds leading up to 75m pounds in the current market.

 

[Dribble]

If Guardiola has proved one thing, it's that the player in form keeps the shirt. I've no doubt whatsoever that if Mahrez comes, Pep will see it as we have 2 to select from 3 & the best 2 will get the nod.

This is the only way to keep players on their toes & to keep the squad in the mentality that if you're playing well, you play. Neither Sane nor Sterling started the season as first choice, but they played themselves into their relative starting positions.

Next season hopefully this will ve extended with the addition of Mahrez with Bernardo as an option too.

 

[Stiff Little Wingers]

Mahrez is clearly a very good player but I would want to be sure about his mentality. At 27 this may be his last big pay day and I’d want to be sure he can fit in with the rest of the lads

 

[kaz7]

I wouldn't be surprised if Pep sees Mahrez starting over Sterling more often than not. Pep can love you as much as anyone could but he's a hard taskmaster and if you're consistently messing up normal chances (Utd and Spurs) he's not just gonna sit on his arse. His reaction to the misses vs Utd said it all. He'd never admit it but he blames Sterling for him not winning the PL infront of Mou

Pep said he can forgive mistakes and misses,the one thing he can't forgive is not trying/running,raz never stops so no he won't be disgarded

 

[RayCTID]

It is a joke valuation but if Pep can some kind of consistency out of Mahrez then fair enough.

 

[jared]

Pep said he can forgive mistakes and misses,the one thing he can't forgive is not trying/running,raz never stops so no he won't be disgarded

Yes agreed. after how he saw sterling scored those important goals in the incredible winning streak including some last minute ones I find it difficult to believe pep would drop sterling unless he lost form. Plus sterling positioning and running been excellent if he improves his finishing which I think he will, he is unstoppable. I think pep will play sterling central more next season.

 

[Dax777]

I`m amazed that you`re amazed. ;)

I'm amazed that you are amazed that he is amazed :)

 

[oakiecokie]

I'm amazed that you are amazed that he is amazed :)

Unfuckingamazinglyjeff.

 

[balotellishaircut]

Seems like having some constructive criticism immediately makes someone a rag.

Don't worry I got dogs abuse for suggesting Mahrez was only worth about £35m tops, some were saying give names for alternative players. I get its not the fans money, and I get the City hierarchy know better than me, but I was suggesting we walk away from the deal if Leicester try to take the piss that's all, so I know where your coming from blue.

 

[kun]

Mahrez for £60m + add-ons is not bad business in this market IMO. The market is and always has been constantly inflating since the first ever transfer fee. Neymar's money might explain Coutinho, Dembélé and Van Dijk, but what about Morata (£60m), Lukaku (£75m + £15m + Rooney), Sigurdsson (£45m), Mendy (£49m + add-ons), Laporte (£57m), Vincinius Jr (£40m), Pogba before that, Bale before that etc. etc

 

[Jim Tolmie's Underpants]

I’d want to be sure he can fit in with the rest of the lads

You sound like his mother.

 

[SebastianBlue]

You sound like his mother.

Have you ever seen @Stiff Little Wingers and Mahrez’s mother in the same room?

Makes you think...