Why Riyad Mahrez to Arsenal would be the right fit

Riyad Mahrez wants a move away from Leicester City this summer

Towards the end of May 2017, Riyad Mahrez’s intentions of moving on from Leicester City this summer became apparent. Mahrez recently released a statement displaying his intent on leaving the club, describing himself as “fiercely ambitious” and stating “now is the time to move on.” A wealth of destinations are possible for Mahrez, and the decision to find his next club will be an essential one, in this inevitable next step of his career.

Despite a host of clubs considering the prospect of roping in Mahrez, the price tag put on him by Leicester has cautioned them somewhat. Believed to be marked between £40m to £50m, the Foxes are understandably keen on getting a high price for one of their star players. 

The former champions are expected to be stubborn on their valuation, as they are in no need to sell the Algerian with their finances being healthy. However, the situation could all become a little bit sour if Mahrez does not find that move and stays at Leicester, with his intentions being elsewhere. The situation could parallel to a degree with that of Dimitri Payet when he was at West Ham United. Eventually, Payet got a move away but prior to that period became very unhappy at West Ham.

2016/17 overview

The 2016/17 season was rather a difficult season for the winger/forward with his performance levels barely touching the heights of his success in the 2015/16 season. He showed glimpses last season of what he is capable of, such as in the 4-2 home victory against Manchester City, but his confidence levels on the ball and his game as a whole had diminished compared to what it once was. 

Displays on the pitch have also given the indication that his heart lies away from the King Power Stadium. Last season, Mahrez registered six goals and only three assists, a poor return when compared to his 2015/16 season performance where he managed 17 goals and came up with 11 assists.

Mahrez did, however, play an integral role in Leicester’s UEFA Champions League campaign, helping the club reach the quarter-finals of the competition. He left his mark on the European stage contributing four goals and a couple of assists.

The 2016/17 season hasn’t been kind to either Mahrez or Leicester

In spite of an underwhelming season, in fairness to the 26-year-old, he has been ever present in a topsy-turvy campaign for Leicester City. Premier League title-winning boss Claudio Ranieri was sacked and for a large majority of the season, the club was languishing in and around the relegation zone, before Craig Shakespeare took over to rescue the sinking ship. 

For Mahrez, it is evident that he needs to move onto that next level and get himself into a team who will bring the best out of him again. Leicester’s style of play does not fit that bill, as they are not a possession based side. Mahrez’s best chance of prospering will be with technical sound players around him – teams who are comfortable in possession.

Arsenal the club to reignite Riyad Mahrez?

This is where Arsenal come in. Although Arsenal under Arsene Wenger have experienced a lack of title glory in recent years, they still adopt the same possession, technical based style to their game that had brought them much glory at the turn of the century. At times, Arsenal’s football can be dazzling to watch and Mahrez would definitely fit into the Arsenal style. As his form in the Champions League showed, Mahrez has proven he can perform on the big occasions.

In terms of stats, the numbers further enforce why he would be suited to Arsenal. Using Squawka’s stat comparison matrix, it is quite clear to tell that Arsenal are heavily reliant on Mesut Özil in particular to provide goalscoring opportunities.

As of last season, the German playmaker amassed 89 key passes, created 98 chances and had 35 successful take-ons. Mahrez, on the other hand, completed 37 key passes, created 50 chances and undertook 78 take-ons. So comparing the two, they are in essence similar type of players – with immense skills with the added advantage of being able to survive alongside each other in the same team.

Can Mahrez get back to his best?

If Mahrez joins Wenger’s side, it would take pressure off Özil being the hub of things, and would additionally aid in a less one-dimensional approach to Arsenal’s play. Teams have become aware that most of Arsenal’s good attacking play runs through the German, so having the option of Mahrez out wide (hopefully in addition to Alexis Sanchez) would open up a new avenue for Arsenal’s attacking play.

Looking at last season once more, towards the end of the campaign Wenger preferred the use of the 3-4-2-1 formation. The only question that does lie is whether Mahrez could integrate into that formation next season, or be put off by the competition of Özil potentially taking his spot.

Ultimately, that would come down to Wenger, and to what measure he’d be willing to cater for Mahrez. One possible formation Wenger could consider, which would accommodate each of Mahrez, Özil and Sanchez would be the 4-2-3-1, the trio acting as an attacking/creative force behind the sole striker Danny Welbeck.

How would Mahrez fit in at Arsenal – the missing piece?

Arsenal have tended to rotate their right-hand side frequently, with the likes of Theo Walcott, Alex-Oxlade Chamberlain, Aaron Ramsey and Lucas Perez all known to have taken up the right-wing position. There is, thus, an opportunity for Riyad Mahrez to potentially make that right spot his like he has done with Leicester over the seasons. Özil and Sanchez are more or less guaranteed starters for Arsenal, usually occupying the central or occasionally left-wing position.

As mentioned earlier, Özil’s main threat comes through the centre, feeding and collaborating with Alexis. With the duo being essential to Arsenal’s play, Mahrez taking up the right midfield position would undeniably add additional creativity and fluency to Arsenal’s play. He would have the potential to be the third crown in the Arsenal forward line, capable of being the game changer when Ozil or Sanchez fail to step up.

Mahrez does favour cutting inside from the right, and this differs from what Chamberlain and Walcott have to offer as they both play a more direct style. Additionally, having the probability of Hector Bellerin behind Mahrez would mean he would have greater support going forward.

At Leicester, Mahrez often gets crowded out without the support of an attacking right-back. Defending and tracking back aren’t Mahrez’s strong points, often leaving the right-back with sometimes two players to deal with. However, he makes up for that by what he can produce further up the field.

With Arsenal having the calibre of players to be tactically adjustable, Mahrez could find himself in a system whereby he could focus on staying further forward to a greater extent, without having the defensive responsibilities as he does in the traditional 4-4-2.

Arsenal might well be the right move for Riyad Mahrez because he could potentially reignite that fine ability he possesses. Mahrez is at a time in his career where he needs to regain his confidence and shine as a player, and Arsenal might just be the club that allows him to do that.