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About LinkBacksAND LEICESTER WIN THE TITLE!!!
Wow.....
AND LEICESTER WIN THE TITLE!!!
Wow.....
My colleague, a lifelong Leicester fan, is a little bit giddy this morning.
Probably the best thing to happen to the premier league in decades - it has given hope to teams that are not bank-rolled by billionaires.
Definitely. Team spirit goes way further than money to motivate people.Originally Posted by Spreadie
Sunderland, Newcastle and Middlesbrough for European football next year then?
Steam - ReapedYou - Feel free to add me!!
I think you're confusing team spirit with fan loyalty. Sunderland and Newcastle have both suffered with poor morale in the ranks for as long as I can remember. IMO this is largely down to poor managerial choices along with the attitude of selling the clubs to foreign stars as stepping stones into 'the big four' (Man U, Chelsea, Arsenal, Man City). If you only see the club as a stepping stone to greater things then its unlikely you will ever truly connect with the fans and visa versa.
A lot of the players in the title winning Leicester side were rejects from other clubs, deemed not good enough to compete with the upper echelons of world football. In the most part, as far as they were concerned, this club was their paycheck. Inject a manager into the mix who knows how to build a spirit of success and winning mentality into a team and look at what happens...
What managers have either of our teams appointed that you can honestly say is/was a good, consistent motivator for team spirit and organisation?
In fairness chaps, it's more than that. Not just injecting a manager. It's a squad who (for the most part) fought their way up from the championship, fought their way out of relegation, and in spite of a change of manager, fought their way from the start to not be there again this season. The result of that team effort once sustained over a season is a very well deserved trophy and title. The manager gets credit for bringing in Kante and not tinkering too much - and for keeping everyone humble with their feet on the ground throughout. Very very well done Leicester. I never thought I'd see the day we won a title.Sure, it helped that other teams were in disarray, and sure, it helped that our cup runs were short given the lack of depth to the squad, but what a season. Now to see if we give the subs a run-out for the next match... I'd be inclined to do that, but you never know. And credit to Pearson as well as Ranieri. He brought in Fuchs, and did a lot of the groundwork last season.
Ooh, and while we're on the subject... Why are Tottenham players ideal for the backbone of the England squad?
Because they've already perfected crashing out with two games to go...
Well I think that seals the bottom 3. Toon and Norwich going down and Sunderland, as usual, scrape and scrounge their way out.
Gutted
Last edited by Biscuit; 07-05-2016 at 05:35 PM.
Jermain Defoe doing the business yet again. What a signing he has been, single handedly keeping us up two seasons in a row. Will be sad to see him go at the end of the season, he deserves a better club. Could be in for a shout with euro 2016 not long away. Although his age might be an issue, I would take him over Sturridge or Welbeck. Even if it was just backup for Vardy and Kane
Agreed. If he doesn't hang around (though I don't see who would take him now, as his age is becoming more of a concern) we will need one solid striker to net at least 10 goals reliably and we need Khazri and Borini to step up and each chip in with at least 8 a piece. I reckon Defoe will finish his contract and his professional playing career with us though.
I think we should also point out it isn't game over yet. We're certainly the favourites but I'm not going to get a head of myself yet.
Wednesday could be a good day but it could also destroy my nerves.
Steam - ReapedYou - Feel free to add me!!
what do you reckon will happen with the other end of the table? Can ManU beat City and will Arsenal overtake spurs?
the midweek game for Sunderland is a must-win. As a neutral I'm slightly hoping it isn't for the added excitement of the last day with both Sunderland and Newcastle going for it.
Well from my perspective its over. Everton look terrible, utterly terrible. Defoe is totally on form. You'll concede but score more, the same as Chelsea, I really cant see it going any other way. Us drawing against Villa was criminal.... still makes me mad just thinking about it. All Sunderland need is two draws or 1 win and its all over and the team is totally set up for that outcome.
I think Man U are in with a good chance. Despite the criticism he receives, I think LVG has done almost everything right. Everyone says he doesn't set up for the most entertaining football but as we have seen with Rashford and Martial working with Lingard, this is none-sense. The problem is that he has Wayne Rooney as cpt and was seemingly forced into playing him as a striker for far too long. Now that he's settling into a deeper Gerard type roll playing balls down the channels to the young lads, he's actually doing alright and the football is entertaining. Seeing as the kids were out of the team for the weekend, you would expect them to come back during the midweek game and they could well get something out of it.
If Man U force LVG out this summer I will laugh my balls off. He isn't the problem at that club, he's a pretty decent manager IMO. People talk about Newcastle fans having 'unrealistic expectations'
City are a strange beast this season. Look at their team sheet and they should be winning the league and fighting with the best of the best in the champions league every year, but this is the first year they came close in the champions league and may not even have a place next year.
The lack of appreciation for Pelegrini in the farewell was appalling. Sure, he should have done a LOT better, but he still brought them a title and two league cups, that should be more than enough for the fans to at least stick around but this is what he gets:
Disgraceful and I think that will effect the City result.
Arsenal have been playing the most boring brand of football I think I have ever seen in the second half of the season. Not one player in their attacking lines actually takes responsibiltiy and goes for it, they just pass it side to side to side... I don't see them climbing above Spurs, I still think Spurs will beat us unfortunately, at least now it makes no real difference.
Last edited by Biscuit; 09-05-2016 at 02:33 PM.
If you'll forgive my saying so* (this isn't meant as a dig), Newcastle could do with a spell in the Championship. They have incredible support, but rarely field a team worthy of it, in my opinion. Perhaps a year or two outside the premier league will embolden the club to try harder?
It is thoroughly refreshing to see the likes of Chelsea, Man utd, Liverpool and Everton struggling, with only one of them in with a chance of playing in Europe. In the same breath, seeing Leicester and Spurs in the top four with another strong season from Southampton - minnows and also rans rising to the challenge - has made this one of the most enjoyable seasons for me, as I don't have a dog in this particular hunt* and can watch it objectively.
*Dunfermline and Doncaster are my teams, and that will never change.
Last edited by Spreadie; 09-05-2016 at 03:54 PM.
No need to apologise, perhaps you're right and the same could certainly be said for Sunderland, however it didn't do us much good last time
We could pull our socks up, bring together a solid youth team and get back up in a season or two... or we could go the way of Leeds and end up lingering in the championship indefinitely.
Perhaps Ashley will stay and invest money, perhaps, like last time, he will expect miracles with no investment. Perhaps he will sell, if that happens then anything could happen, it will all depend on who the buyer is. Fingers crossed for a wealthy Asian/American/Eastern businessman desperate to create a brand in his country of origin...
I just want to be able to watch the games which becomes a great deal more difficult in the Championship.
This could be it. Sadly I'll be missing the first half due to work commitments which require me to be with out outside contact (blinking confidentiality!!) but I should be able to watch the second half no bother.
Here's hoping we finish it today!
Steam - ReapedYou - Feel free to add me!!
Wow, how bad were Everton? Seriously. People joked that they might throw the game in a sort of symbol to Rafa (And in an attempt to get rid of Martinez) and it really looks like they did.
They just rolled over and showed us the soft underbelly, how we didn't put another 2 or 3 past them I'll never know. I guess a Defoe chip was saved off the line but he had 2 2-on-1's with the keeper and didn't smash either ( I believe ) and Khazri trying to be too unselfish and put Defoe through when the near post was just begging to be shot at.
But can we just take a moment to consider that our CB put 2 away last night? And the first one was really well taken. I was desperate for him to get his hat-trick!
Roll on next season I guess, I'm pretty sure we'll do the same. Start poorly, appoint a new manager before the new year then survive in the final few games. But I hope we don't and I'd say this is the best squad we've had in a long while with the best premier league experienced manager we've had in a long while. I'm ever the optimist but I think a top 12 finish would be a good turn next year but my minimum expectation isn't survival any more, it's not getting involved with the relegation battle at all.
Steam - ReapedYou - Feel free to add me!!
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