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Riyad Mahrez lost out to Leicester City team-mate Jamie Vardy for the Football Writers’ Association Footballer of the Year award on Monday. Adam Bate explains why Mahrez got his vote… Everyone loves a winger. David Ginola and Gareth Bale were both rewarded with the FWA Footballer of the Year award. Riyad Mahrez wont be joining them just yet, but hes already set to do what those two did not do - propel his team to a Premier League title. Vardy wins FWA award Jamie Vardy named Football Writers Association Footballer of the Year for 2015/16. The numbers tell some of the story. Mahrez has scored 17 goals and provided 11 assists, putting him level with Jamie Vardy as the most effective player in the Premier League. Its difficult to overstate his importance to the team. Champions need flair as well as functionality. Even Watford have a dogged defence, having conceded the same amount of goals as the Foxes as recently as February. But they didnt have a Mahrez.In a team full of heroes, he still stands out. Both Vardy and NGolo Kante have been integral but Leicester have actually coped without them. Without Mahrez on the pitch in this seasons Premier League, they have conceded twice as many goals as theyve scored. Mahrez impact Player Dribbles Player Clear chances created Wilfried Zaha 127 Mesut Ozil 26 Riyad Mahrez 117 Riyad Mahrez 17 Ross Barkley 111 Dimitri Payet 13 He ranks in the top two in the Premier League for dribbles and clear-cut chances created. Hes twisted and hes turned. Hes sold the dummies and the defenders have just kept buying them. Hes been fun to watch and given the impression it was even more fun to play.I was a street footballer, he told Sky Sports recently. Every day, I was on the street dribbling, doing skills. I wasnt in an academy till I was 19. The lung-busting hunger of Vardy might be more conspicuous but Mahrez has his own story too.Perhaps the journey from Sarcelles - a dangerous ghetto, according to the man himself - doesnt evoke the same everyman qualities for English audiences, but it should. Mahrez battled for an amateur contract in Frances fourth tier. A trial at St Mirren didnt work out. Jamie Redknapp highlighted Mahrezs all-round game after the 4-0 win over Swansea As recently as 2014, one month shy of his 23rd birthday, he was with Le Havre in the French second division. Those spindly limbs didnt convince everyone of their capacity to cope in tougher conditions but Leicesters technical scouts looked at the stats and took a chance.Nigel Pearson trusted his talent but Mahrez was still an unused substitute on numerous occasions last season - most notably in the April win at Burnley that lifted Leicester out of the bottom three. Hes a more effective player now and that owes much to his dedication to improve.In the wake of Mahrezs PFA Player of the Year award, manager Claudio Ranieri said: I am very proud because Riyad is a very humble man. He asks every time, What can I do to improve? That is fantastic. He is a genius, our light. Mahrez has found a unique role for himself in Claudio Ranieris team In a recent interview with LEquipe, Mahrez spoke of the headaches brought about by Claudio Ranieris attention to detail on the tactical work. The instincts of the street footballer remain. I want so much be that player, the player who improvises, he admitted. But hes worked at it.Its been reflected in his efforts. While the compact team shape has been a feature of Leicesters success and theres a beauty in the simplicity of the roles of many within the line-up, the onus is on Mahrez to do something different. He has to pick his moments to gamble. Mahrez scored in a 3-1 win away to Manchester City in February We know hes a wide player, Jamie Carragher told Sky Sports. But the amount of times he finds himself between the lines, hes not just a headless chicken going in there. Its being in there and being decisive at the right time. Thats understanding. Thats reading the game.More often than not hes read it right. Mahrez scored in the first three games of the season - a brace against Sunderland, the winner versus West Ham and what turned out to be a significant late equaliser at home to Tottenham. Those goals alone were worth five points.By March, his goals had earned the team 20 points - and it wouldve been four more but for a couple of penalty misses. During the run-in, there were fine finishes in 1-0 wins over Watford and Crystal Palace. A brief dip followed but Mahrez has done it when it mattered. Needing to deliver with Vardy suspended, Mahrez opened the scoring against Swansea, settling the nerves and leaving Leicester on the brink. There was no goal against Manchester United on Sunday but his second-half dribbling relieved the pressure nevertheless.You were wondering whod step up, said Carragher of that win over Swansea. There was no need. Mahrez has been the decisive figure at the decisive time in the team of the season. Maybe even bigger things await, but this will always be his year - Leicesters year. He deserves every award going. Also See: Vardy wins FWA award Souness in awe of Leicester WATCH: Did Leicester get lucky? WATCH: LVG, Ranieri respect Authentic Casey DeSmith Jersey . The Oilers will try to get back in the win column on Monday when they continue a four-game road trip with a battle against the Buffalo Sabres. Edmonton won its third straight game last Wednesday against visiting San Jose, beating the Sharks 3-0 as Scrivens stopped 59 shots to set an NHL record for saves in a regular-season shutout. Authentic Brian Dumoulin Jersey . Each day, TSN.ca provides the latest rumours, reports and speculation from around the NHL beat. Defensive Depth TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun is reporting the Toronto Maple Leafs have considerable interest in unrestricted free-agent defenceman Dan Boyle. http://www.cheappenguinsjerseysauthentic.com/?tag=authentic-matt-murray-jersey . - Leon Draisaitl scored a hat trick as the Prince Albert Raiders stormed past the Swift Current Broncos 5-2 in Western Hockey League action Tuesday. Authentic Patric Hornqvist Jersey . Obasi chested the ball past one defender, prodded it past another and then rounded the keeper before scoring from a tight angle in the 16th minute. Seconds after the restart, Obasi set up Klaas Jan Huntelaar for the Dutchmans 11th goal from 13 games this season. Authentic Derick Brassard Jersey .C. United on Wednesday night. Forward Bright Dike scored the games only goal in the 85th minute on a foggy night in Bradenton, Fla.PHILADELPHIA -- Down and out or down to the wire, the 76ers are freefalling toward NBA history. D.J Augustin scored 20 points and Taj Gibson had 19 points and 13 rebounds to lead the Chicago Bulls to a 102-94 win over Philadelphia on Wednesday night, handing the 76ers their 22nd straight loss. The Sixers are four losses shy of matching the NBA record for the longest single-season losing streak. The Cleveland Cavaliers set the record of 26 consecutive losses in the 2010-11 season. The Vancouver Grizzlies (1995-96), Denver Nuggets (1997-98) and Charlotte Bobcats (2011-12) each lost 23 straight. "Winnable game," 76ers coach Brett Brown said. "I say that because a group thats been losing ... still stays together. They still compete. Im proud of them." The Sixers also lost their 17th straight home game since beating Charlotte on Jan. 15. They were 8-11 at home at that point and had already defeated Miami, the Bulls, and Houston in Philadelphia. After the Sixers were 3-0 following a Nov. 2 win over Chicago, fans held signs that said, "3-0. Thats No Bull." That seems like another season at times after the Sixers traded Evan Turner, Spencer Hawes and Lavoy Allen at the deadline for draft picks, a necessary step for a rebuilding franchise. Unlike most of the first 21 losses in the streak, the Sixers were competitive until the final possessions, never letting the Bulls lead by more than 11. Sixers centre Byron Mullens, who hadnt attempted a shot all game, hit consecutive 3s to pull the Sixers to 83-80. He made a nifty save on a ball headed out of bounds, leading to Henry Sims bucket and a foul. With a chance to tie the game, Sims missed the free throw with 8:19 left. Thaddeus Young bailed him out a possession later with a 3-pointer that made it 85-all. Joakim Noah buried a go-ahead 3 from the top of the arc and Augustin followed with one from the sideline to put the Bulls up 91-85. Tony Wrotens 3 made it 93-90 but it was just more false hope. Carlos Boozers emphatic dunk stretched the lead to six and the Bulls did enough to hang on and move to .500 onn the road (17-17).dddddddddddd The Sixers have lost three of four by less than 10 points after losing each of the previous 10 games by double-digits. "We knew it would be this type of game," Augustin said. "We just tried to fight them until the end and it was a fight, a real fight." The Sixers could make it 23 straight with a loss Friday to New York. Then three straight on the road at Chicago, San Antonio and Houston. If the Sixers lose all of those games, the potential record 27th loss would come March 29 vs. Detroit. Young scored 24 points for the Sixers and Wroten had 17. "Were going to get one soon," Wroten said. Boozer had 12 points and 11 rebounds for the Bulls and Noah added 14 points and 10 boards. The Sixers solid 11-for-24 3-point shooting was undone by a 9 of 19 mark from the free-throw line. "There is just no inch for error," Brown said. "Theres no wiggle room at all." The Sixers stayed tight and chipped away in the third, making it 64-61 on Youngs 3-pointer. Sims was 0 for 7 from the floor until his first basket cut it to 64-63. The Sixers just couldnt make the clutch basket or two to finally take the lead. Theyd get as close again as two points in the third and trailed only 75-69 at the end of the quarter. "I think Bretts done a great job with them," Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau said. "Theyve got a lot of moving parts. I give a guy like Young a lot of credit for his professionalism -- how hard he plays. They shot the ball well. The Bulls played without Derrick Rose, the former MVP point guard who tore the meniscus in his right knee at Portland in November and was ruled out for the remainder of the season. Thibodeau said Rose could could be ready to return if he gets the call to play this summer for Team USA at the world championships. "I know hed like to do it," Thibodeau said. "I know how USA basketball feels about him. If hes cleared to do it, Id love to see him do it." NOTES: The Sixers are 3-32 since a four-game winning streak ended Jan. 4. ... The Bulls have won seven of eight against the Sixers. 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