WHY MAHREZ IS STRUGGLING AT MAN CITY

Manchester City recent Champions League defeat away to Tottenham saw the major blame of the defeat fall on the feet of Pep Guardiola and Riyad Mahrez.

Guardiola made some puzzling selection ahead of the game which was a cause for alarm for the Spanish tactician. It is, however, Mahrez selection that seemed to baffle City fans as the Algerian is adjudged by many to be an expensive mistake by the club.  when the Algerian made his £60 million moves in the summer it raised eyebrows as many saw the 26-year-old as an unnecessary luxury.

Guardiola understood the need for an extra winger of a different fold as he sought to maintain the Etihad’s club dominance this season. the Algerian appeared to begin well as he scored a few goals early in the season. however, the tie against Liverpool marked a turning point in his career as he missed an important penalty to secure victory at Anfield.

The Algerian showed a strong mental attitude to score the winner at Wembley a week later but the harm of the penalty miss had been done. Many Manchester City fans believe that his style of play is not compatible with the club.

Mahrez is an individualistic forward who loves to torment defenders before cutting into his favourite left foot for a cross or shot. Man City is a team that favours short intricate passes as they seek the perfect pass for an easy goal scoring opportunity.

One thing going for Mahrez is that he appears to have embraced the defensive aspect of his game which comes with playing for City. It is highly unlikely that City’s record signing would leave in the summer as last season Bernardo Silva also struggled but has emerged a different player this campaign.