Rhapsody in Blue
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Bad start of the season
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26 | Riyad Mahrez - 2022/23 Performances
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SebastianBlue
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Not to have a go at him, but the problem with Mahrez today was he absolutely killed our forward momentum most of the time he received the ball in the first half.
Compare to the second half, when we were using the exact same tactic of switching play to the right wing with cross-field passes, only this time Bernie was on the end of them, and you see a stark difference in outcomes.
Bernie, even when he had to take one more touch than Mahrez (which is itself rare) to control the ball, was immediately attacking their isolated fullback, causing a midfielder to come over to contain, leaving a huge amount of space for Kev and Rodri to take up just outside the box.
And, once more, rather than using that action as a decoy, half the time Bernie actually tried (and often succeeded) in beating the full back to get himself in the box, forcing a CB to come over to stop the easy low cross across the keeper, creating even more space for all of our attackers, and even our defenders at times (Alvarez, Stones, Haaland, goal). That in contrast to Mahrez constantly stopping, cutting back on his left, looking up, ignoring the overlap, not seeing any good passes because all of our players are then trying to get back inside, before finally passing over it to Rodri or back to one of our CBs at the halfway line.
And you could tell Riyad knew exactly why he was coming off as he walked to touch. He knew he was ineffective today. Then he watched from the bench how he should have been playing as Bernie helped completely turn the match around in his role.
Mahrez is not sh*te as some were undoubtedly claiming in the match thread (I was thankfully not in attendence today as I was watching the match on my phone as we celebrate my little lad’s first birthday). But he was certainly in ‘FFS’ mode, which he needs to stamp out if he wants to continue to start.
Compare to the second half, when we were using the exact same tactic of switching play to the right wing with cross-field passes, only this time Bernie was on the end of them, and you see a stark difference in outcomes.
Bernie, even when he had to take one more touch than Mahrez (which is itself rare) to control the ball, was immediately attacking their isolated fullback, causing a midfielder to come over to contain, leaving a huge amount of space for Kev and Rodri to take up just outside the box.
And, once more, rather than using that action as a decoy, half the time Bernie actually tried (and often succeeded) in beating the full back to get himself in the box, forcing a CB to come over to stop the easy low cross across the keeper, creating even more space for all of our attackers, and even our defenders at times (Alvarez, Stones, Haaland, goal). That in contrast to Mahrez constantly stopping, cutting back on his left, looking up, ignoring the overlap, not seeing any good passes because all of our players are then trying to get back inside, before finally passing over it to Rodri or back to one of our CBs at the halfway line.
And you could tell Riyad knew exactly why he was coming off as he walked to touch. He knew he was ineffective today. Then he watched from the bench how he should have been playing as Bernie helped completely turn the match around in his role.
Mahrez is not sh*te as some were undoubtedly claiming in the match thread (I was thankfully not in attendence today as I was watching the match on my phone as we celebrate my little lad’s first birthday). But he was certainly in ‘FFS’ mode, which he needs to stamp out if he wants to continue to start.
01cravend
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Slows everything down when we try to move with pace. Doesn't have a good relationship or understanding with anyone that goes out wide right to help him either instead he just uses them to basically pass backwards.
Needs to up his game, I know stat wise he was good but there's a reason he only started 15 games in the league last season.
Needs to up his game, I know stat wise he was good but there's a reason he only started 15 games in the league last season.
FantasyIreland
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Should have sold him with Sterling.
ninjamonkey
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Takes 1 game for people to get back to hating Mahrez. He wasn't even that bad, his primary use is the outlet switch, he killed them dead like only he could but he had nothing on, no support and nobody in the box so it goes back gets recycled to the other side and he waits for the next switch. Needed to come off but its just a simple instance of the game not suiting him than him being shit.
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Bizarre comments from some.. He was one of our only half decent players in the first half.Takes 1 game for people to get back to hating Mahrez. He wasn't even that bad, his primary use is the outlet switch, he killed them dead like only he could but he had nothing on, no support and nobody in the box so it goes back gets recycled to the other side and he waits for the next switch. Needed to come off but its just a simple instance of the game not suiting him than him being shit.
Manchester_lalala
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His form is wasn’t great at the end of last season. His goal at the Bernabeu gave him some credit. He just doesn’t excite me as he doesn’t even think about taking his man on.
OrigamiNinja
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This is his game every week. So either you are bang on the money and there’s never anything on, in any game, or he’s just overly passive. Surely at some point, he has to be the one that takes the game by the scruff of the neck? He is a senior player, on crazy wages, he can’t just pass on responsibility to everyone else all the time. He’s all for taking responsibility when there’s a free kick on the edge of the box, or a pen and he has the chance at glory. General play…not so much.Takes 1 game for people to get back to hating Mahrez. He wasn't even that bad, his primary use is the outlet switch, he killed them dead like only he could but he had nothing on, no support and nobody in the box so it goes back gets recycled to the other side and he waits for the next switch. Needed to come off but its just a simple instance of the game not suiting him than him being shit.
Bernie showed what can be done in the wide forward role and what we saw from Bernie is what we should demand from Mahrez.
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