Riyad Mahrez

[Pizy 17,860]

3 minutes ago, Styles said:

Same. They would still need a striker though

Lacazette? Arsenal would be scary as hell if they signed Mahrez and Lacazette! 

Luckily, Wenger doesn't usually spend that kind of cash. Let's hope it continues and he sticks with Giroud and Welbeck.

[Blue Colored Sky 1,807]

47 minutes ago, Pizy said:

No one else reporting anything about it so I won't believe he's off there yet. Have to say, if he leaves Leicester, Arsenal are the most annoying place he could go to for me. I think he'd be incredible for them. He's perfect for the way they play. Even with Giroud up front an attacking trio behind him of Özil, Sanchez, and Mahrez will be unstoppable against many teams in the PL. Then you have the likes of Ramsey and Cazorla as well.

I just wonder if Wenger would spend huge on a position they're already stacked in. Like us, they already have several players who occupy Mahrez's position.

Well, some French source reported Kante to Chelsea 2 days before any major outlets picked that up. So wait and see.

1 hour ago, Chelsea4 said:

We have 5 wingers already we don't need him.

 

We have 7 attacking midfielders, we should get rid of 3-4 and got one quality in like him.

[Peace. 4,352]

1 hour ago, Styles said:

Honestly, you could even argue that whilst Willian is a great workhorse and tidy player he isn't a quality attacking winger. Mahrez is definitely better in that aspect.

We have the quantity over quality. It makes me despair when I see Pedro and Oscar listed as reasons why we can't sign good players.

To be honest I do not even consider him as an attacking winger and he has nothing to do that high on the field ; he is a central-midfielder and I am bemused that no one has ever tried to use him as a CM.

He is perfect for that role. He has a great engine, a great work-rate and a great pace and thus he could be physically everywhere in that midfield. Moreover, he has a very good and net technic, a very good passing game with a good range of passes, and he does see the passes. The problem is that when he is in the last third of the pitch, he does not have the spontaneity and the spark to make use of his technical ability. However, when he is sitting deep, he can be a very good passer of the ball as he proved many times.

If we could use him in a similar fashion that Barça used Xavi or that Madrid is using Modric, I am confident that we would have a really good midfielder in our hands — and this would spare us to research a quality CM which we desperately need and which yet we are not researching for*. With his technic (first touch and passing game), his engine and his stamina, he could make the central midfield his own (he would most certainly not be as good as the aforementioned names, but could be very good good).

I am thinking something along these lines :

• 4-4-2 : Kanté - Willian (central midfield) // Hazard - new winger (wings/attacking midfield) // Costa - Batshuayi
• 4-2-3-1 : Kanté - Willian // Hazard - new n°10 - new winger // striker
• 4-3-3 : Kanté - Willian - new CM // Hazard - Costa - Batshuayi
• etc....

Against the small teams that will sit deep, we could even play a 4-3-3 with Kanté-Fabregas-Willian — in other words, we could make use of Fabregas' passing game without losing too much of work-rate in the midfield and neither be forced to play a donkey to balance Fabregas' defensive deficiencies.

Well of course it may fail, but there are many signs that tell us that it would be very well worth to experience it for some times.

 

*It would also settle the dilemma that we have with Cesc.

[gadget 126]

Don't get the stick Pedro gets, admittedly he can be frustrating but gives 100, first season in the perm (with no pre season with us) and 2nd top PL scorer. Very useful player to have. I would like willian to step up his goals/assists again this season. Final product been v.poor since he joined,

Would pass on Mahrez, top player but we need to strengthen full backs and CB before anything else. Im happy with the current Midfield + Attackers

[Blue_Fox_ 2,086]

9 minutes ago, Peace. said:

...

Get out of my head!
Been wanting to see Willian in that role for what feels like ages.

[Styles 9,790]

14 minutes ago, Peace. said:

To be honest I do not even consider him as an attacking winger and he has nothing to do that high on the field ; he is a central-midfielder and I am bemused that no one has ever tried to use him as a CM.

He is perfect for that role. He has a great engine, a great work-rate and a great pace and thus he could be physically everywhere in that midfield. Moreover, he has a very good and net technic, a very good passing game with a good range of passes, and he does see the passes. The problem is that when he is in the last third of the pitch, he does not have the spontaneity and the spark to make use of his technical ability. However, when he is sitting deep, he can be a very good passer of the ball as he proved many times.

If we could use him in a similar fashion that Barça used Xavi or that Madrid is using Modric, I am confident that we would have a really good midfielder in our hands — and this would spare us to research a quality CM which we desperately need and which yet we are not researching for*. With his technic (first touch and passing game), his engine and his stamina, he could make the central midfield his own (he would most certainly not be as good as the aforementioned names, but could be very good good).

I am thinking something along these lines :

• 4-4-2 : Kanté - Willian (central midfield) // Hazard - new winger (wings/attacking midfield) // Costa - Batshuayi
• 4-2-3-1 : Kanté - Willian // Hazard - new n°10 - new winger // striker
• 4-3-3 : Kanté - Willian - new CM // Hazard - Costa - Batshuayi
• etc....

Against the small teams that will sit deep, we could even play a 4-3-3 with Kanté-Fabregas-Willian — in other words, we could make use of Fabregas' passing game without losing too much of work-rate in the midfield and neither be forced to play a donkey to balance Fabregas' defensive deficiencies.

Well of course it may fail, but there are many signs that tell us that it would be very well worth to experience it for some times.

 

*It would also settle the dilemma that we have with Cesc.

I can see why you think he'd be decent there. Willian is a competent all rounder but isn't an elite attacking player so shouldn't be taking up an attacking position -- especially when we're short of goals.

Willian playing as a CM is lot less strange than RLC becoming a striker.

[Pizy 17,860]

I just think all of Willian's best attributes would be wasted in CM. His pace, dribbling ability and endless energy to run up and down the flanks for 90 minutes are what makes him great. He'd do a competent job in midfield, of course, but I'd rather have a specialist in there.

[Styles 9,790]

19 minutes ago, Pizy said:

I just think all of Willian's best attributes would be wasted in CM. His pace, dribbling ability and endless energy to run up and down the flanks for 90 minutes are what makes him great. He'd do a competent job in midfield, of course, but I'd rather have a specialist in there.

These are very valuable CM qualities too.

[Peace. 4,352]

2 minutes ago, Pizy said:

I just think all of Willian's best attributes would be wasted in CM. His pace, dribbling ability and endless energy to run up and down the flanks for 90 minutes are what makes him great. He'd do a competent job in midfield, of course, but I'd rather have a specialist in there.

Of course it would be fantastic if we had the opportunity to get someone like Modric. But we have many problems with that CM position.

First, we do not have anybody in our ranks, neither our senior players nor our youngsters — at the exception of Fabregas —, that has the technical ability to play as he central-midfielder. Fabregas as too many weakness to be considered as our "undisputed" central-midfielder (in the sense of playmaker). I believe that he could still be useful, but as a squad player and not as a starting-eleven member.

Secondly, it seems that we are not interested to get a central playmaker — now but also in the past. Apart of a few exceptions, we seem to only consider strong and powerful players — and not fine and technical — when it comes to compose our central-midfield. And I do not see it changing.

Finally, these kind of players are expensive ; at the exception of the Lady Boy — and despite the rumored bids for Pogba and all —, we never spent more than £32-ish million upon a player.

For all these reasons I believe we will not have a central playmaker at the end of August (once again, bar Fabregas but he causes huge problems). In consequence, we have to find an alternative. The solution could of course be from the Academy. However, I do not believe that there is anyone ready to be our undisputed starter — especially for this strategic position. Moreover, I am not even sure that we have anyone good enough at this position in the Academy ?(???) Maybe, just maybe, Mosunda could be that player, but he is on loan right now. And anyway, we do need someone right now, for the short-term, not for the futur (and as Willian is 28, he could be that stop-gap).

_____

Additionally, I do not agree with you regarding the fact that it would be wasting Willian's best attributes. "Pace" and "endless energy" were exactly Ramires' best attributes ; yet Ramires was a very poor winger and he excelled as a central midfielder. It happens that Willian is a Ramires with hair and technic — and I am pretty sure that if Ramires had technical ability he would have been devastating midfielder. So why not Willian ?

[nono 791]

Willian is shit. Lol @ designing a team around making the best out of a mediocre player. Bahahhaha

[Fernando 6,376]

4 hours ago, avroneelbiswas said:

Can't believe, Wenger is getting Mahrez and we are sleeping once again.

Yeah looks like he's going to arsenal for 50 million euros. 

It's a pity since we should be going for him as well. 

 

[Blue_Fox_ 2,086]

Good player but not that fussed about his next destination, they're gonna choke as it is in their dna. We have other, far more pressing, worries.

[petre.ispirescu 4,928]

Maharez is the last target we could be thinking about, we have a plethora of wide players right now. 

[Last Sicarius 610]

I think we should monitor his status and when he would wants to leave we must make a offer  better then Arsenal. But if he stays in LFC let him stays and focus on other position like CB.

[avroneelbiswas 33]

Letting Mahrez go Arsenal is definitely is a horrendous idea. I would really like to see Roman pulling the plug off Emenalo.

[AK-3001 286]

Just now, avroneelbiswas said:

Letting Mahrez go Arsenal is definitely is a horrendous idea. I would really like to see Roman pulling the plug off Emenalo.

What the actual fuck did I read? Who even lets 3 year old kids like these to register for the forums I do not know.

[AK-3001 286]

We don't need wide players right now, yes I'd prefer Mahrez staying at Leicester, but even if he does leave, I wouldn't be too sad cause we really don't need him right now. How much of an upgrade will he be to us? Marginal, when the same money could be invested in other areas to drastically upgrade those areas (CB, wing back)

[avroneelbiswas 33]

3 minutes ago, AK-3001 said:

What the actual fuck did I read? Who even lets 3 year old kids like these to register for the forums I do not know.

You don't know many things beside this. Don't consider yourself as the pundit.