26 | Riyad Mahrez - 2022/23 Performances

[nellyonthewing]

He doesn’t create anything for anyone. The only chance Haaland has of getting regular assists off Mahrez is if he starts playing at RB. He will get plenty of ball off Mahrez then.

In his defence Pep clearly instructs our wide players to just knock the ball back rather than risk losing possession by taking on the defender. Its pretty monotonous.

 

[youngbob]

Palmer time.

 

[bluealf]

He is 32 years old, that performance normal for me. We shouldn't have extended his contract. We should sell him and bring Leao or Kvaratskhelia.

Easy for you to say :)

 

[Kippax Street 1880]

Starting to do my head in this season Riyad, I think its time to give Palmer his minutes until he bucks his ideas up. Been poor since the start of the season and he's had plenty of time to get into rhythm now. Could do with the kick up the arse as we will need his fresh legs second half of the season after Qatar.

 

[ninjamonkey]

Do you not think though that with his record he should just say “look lads, I’ve had my turn and it’s not worked out, it’s someone else’s go?” He won’t do it though because he plays for himself. He’s stood out wide doing absolutely nothing to influence games. He isn’t scoring and he isn’t assisting and for me, he sees pens as his get out of jail free card. It worked for him last season. It isn’t this.

No. Absolutely not. You want players willing to step up and have the balls to take one even after he's just missed the last 2. You get no personal glory from scoring penalties, everybody expects you to score, you can only fail.

Pep chooses the penalty takers, he's decided Mahrez is still second best option, I'd be disappointed if any player would hide away from taking one, it shows a weak mentality.

Sterling is probably the worst penalty taker in terms of technique I've ever seen from a professional footballer but I always admired his willingness and mental strength to continually want to take them.

 

[OrigamiNinja]

In his defence Pep clearly instructs our wide players to just knock the ball back rather than risk losing possession by taking on the defender. Its pretty monotonous.

I accept that our wide men are clearly instructed to keep the ball and it affects them all to a certain degree. That being said, Mahrez takes it to a whole other level. He is ultra-passive.

 

[MarsLlama]

Pep chooses the penalty takers, he's decided Mahrez is still second best option, I'd be disappointed if any player would hide away from taking one, it shows a weak mentality.

Does he? Pep says he doesn't care who takes them and lets the players decide. My interpretation is that Mahrez will kick up a fuss if he's not allowed to take them, whereas Gundo (who's definitely a better taker) probably doesn't see it as something worth arguing over, so they let Riyad have them to avoid the drama.

 

[Kippax Street 1880]

No. Absolutely not. You want players willing to step up and have the balls to take one even after he's just missed the last 2. You get no personal glory from scoring penalties, everybody expects you to score, you can only fail.

Pep chooses the penalty takers, he's decided Mahrez is still second best option, I'd be disappointed if any player would hide away from taking one, it shows a weak mentality.

Sterling is probably the worst penalty taker in terms of technique I've ever seen from a professional footballer but I always admired his willingness and mental strength to continually want to take them.

I don't know why we ever took them off Gundo after he missed one penalty. He's the penalty taker for the German national team ffs! Of course now we have Erling but I always felt that Ilkay should have been on them.

 

[The Stockport Iniesta]

Did well to win the pen, then took a shit pen, was hoping Gundog would take it when he was stood on the spot.

Apart from that offered little, which is about par for the course.

 

[Dzeko9]

Easy for you to say :)

Yes. We’re the best club in the world football today with Real Madrid. We can get any player we want.

 

[OrigamiNinja]

No. Absolutely not. You want players willing to step up and have the balls to take one even after he's just missed the last 2. You get no personal glory from scoring penalties, everybody expects you to score, you can only fail.

Pep chooses the penalty takers, he's decided Mahrez is still second best option, I'd be disappointed if any player would hide away from taking one, it shows a weak mentality.

Sterling is probably the worst penalty taker in terms of technique I've ever seen from a professional footballer but I always admired his willingness and mental strength to continually want to take them.

I’m not suggesting that you send someone forward who really doesn’t want to take one and is shaking like a shitting dog. However, I refuse to believe there are 10 other players out there who are 100% dead against taking a pen. If Haaland isn’t on the pitch then it should be someone else’s turn until that point where their record is so bad that it becomes someone else’s go. Mahrez can put himself forward all he wants but it should be a firm thanks but no thanks.

 

[bluealf]

Yes. We’re the best club in the world football today with Real Madrid. We can get any player we want.

Think you missed my joke :)

 

[Paulmcfc2703]

Missed a pen away to Dortmund, missed a pen away to Copenhagen and was taken off when we were losing 1-0 to Dortmund at home.

He's a complete liability this season and needs to fuck off.

 

[jimmygrimblesboots]

He hasnt got the bottle to take penalties , he is like a rabbit in the headlights when he approaches the ball in fact spineless bunny rabbit could do better, why the f*ck is he allowed anywhere near the football when we win a spot kick surely a couple of our players should tell him to f*ck off your not taking it.
Palmer must be thinking he will never get a start when a player like Mahrez is playing so poorly and still is picked ahead of him ,Mahrez has done some great things for our club and has had a good few seasons but he is nowhere near his best this season ,he needs benching for a few games and told to fight for his place, because he doesnt deserve a shirt at the moment.

 

[Stelea]

I thought his performance on Saturday was poor but this took it to a new level. Never mind the pen, he was fooking awful. 1st half performance was spineless, especially when Haaland fed him in and he tried to do some fanny flick. Who gave this fraud a new contract.

 

[Dzeko9]

Think you missed my joke :)

I got it from transfermarkt :D copy-paste

 

[Don Karleone]

I hope he picks up his form but he feels like a shadow of the player he was.

This is the thing for me. We know he can do it, he's proved it. If he can't be arsed anymore, keep him away.

 

[chris85mcfc]

Not here to slate him, bit I'm lost as to how he's still our penalty taker

There's a colossal difference between taking them in training, and in front of 80,000 fans away from home in a Champions League game

Just lost as to why Alvarez or Gundogan didn't take it

The mad thing is, when we got the penalty all of the players went over to Mahrez almost as if they were trying to give him some confidence before taking it

 

[iTyler]

Never taken to him and never will.

 

[ninjamonkey]

Does he? Pep says he doesn't care who takes them and lets the players decide. My interpretation is that Mahrez will kick up a fuss if he's not allowed to take them, whereas Gundo (who's definitely a better taker) probably doesn't see it as something worth arguing over, so they let Riyad have them to avoid the drama.

Where's he said that? I find that difficult to believe. I could be wrong here but I'm fairly confident he's said before, possibly around the time gundo and kdb missed penalties that he's seen them in training, decided mahrez is the best and put him on them. I can't see a situation where a manager let's the players decide who takes penalties, seems amateurish and a breeding ground for arguments.

I’m not suggesting that you send someone forward who really doesn’t want to take one and is shaking like a shitting dog. However, I refuse to believe there are 10 other players out there who are 100% dead against taking a pen. If Haaland isn’t on the pitch then it should be someone else’s turn until that point where their record is so bad that it becomes someone else’s go. Mahrez can put himself forward all he wants but it should be a firm thanks but no thanks.

That's fine, I don't neccesarily disagree with you but it's not on Mahrez to make that call, it's Peps choice and the fact mahrez took it today ahead of club captain Gundo suggests Pep still believes he's the 2nd best option and fair play to Mahrez for wanting it. I do expect that will change the next time we get one but it will be Peps decision and won't have anything to do with Mahrez having a self serving ego to bolster.