Greenlizard0 Weekend Football Thread ** spoilers ** [12th - 16th March 2016]

[mysticsniper]

I know, I said as much a few weeks back. This is a poor league with none of the big sides having any consistency and Leicester have shown how far you can go if you can just be fairly competent, keep things tight at the back and have a threat up front. You don't have to play great football and play sides off the pitch.

If you take out the fairy tale factor, I think it's fair to say Leicester (or whoever else may go on to win it) would be the poorest champions possibly since the beginning of the PL.

I think it's been the most interesting Premier league in history, having a team who play to their strengths and who have stuck two fingers up to the establishment.

By now the title race was pretty much over with Chelsea or one of the teams in Manchester. Now we have a credible challenge from Leicester and Spurs.

Long may this 'poorest' season continue.

 

[McBain]

It's certainly a refreshing change from the status quo and the 'big 4'.

It will be interesting to see what happens if they do win it, and some big offers come in for their top players. Would they leave the current champions? End of the day money talks, so I would expect their lineup to look very different next season whether they win it or not.

Get the money on now for them to be relegated next season

 

[Bigpig]

Was the first Newcastle match I dint feel the need to turn over in a long time.

The fact that we went one behind and dint drop our pants and bend over for a good ramming is a massive improvement.

 

[Gooner Leroy]

Offside goal, and poor 'finishing' (if you can call those chances) from us. Hope Spurs win the league and Leicester go into administration.

Tea, everywhere.

 

[planty]

It's certainly a refreshing change from the status quo and the 'big 4'.

It will be interesting to see what happens if they do win it, and some big offers come in for their top players. Would they leave the current champions? End of the day money talks, so I would expect their lineup to look very different next season whether they win it or not.

Get the money on now for them to be relegated next season

I'm expecting Mahrez and Kante to go in the summer - from what I've seen of Kante he could walk into any top side in the world. But I think those will be the only two to go.

I'm also expecting Leicester to struggle next season, but I would be happy to take a relegation if it meant winning the Premier League in my lifetime - something I doubt I'll ever see again.

 

[BaZ87]

I think it's been the most interesting Premier league in history, having a team who play to their strengths and who have stuck two fingers up to the establishment.

By now the title race was pretty much over with Chelsea or one of the teams in Manchester. Now we have a credible challenge from Leicester and Spurs.

Long may this 'poorest' season continue.

I'm not arguing that it's not interesting or refreshing than the same sides at the top of the table but the actual quality of the League is the worst I can remember. Whoever goes on to win the League, whether Leicester or not, wouldn't have made it into the top 4 in many of the seasons before.

And I'm not sure Leicester have stuck 2 fingers up at anyone. They've certainly performed beyond their expectations but the big sides only have themselves to blame - if they performed anywhere near their capabilities then Leicester are last seasons Southampton rather than title challengers.

 

[smr]

You're not sure if we've stuck two fingers up at anyone?

Well let's just give you 1 of 10,000 examples - our whole team cost less to buy than Chrstian "the donkey" Benteke? How'd ya like them apples?

And so what if "utd havent been up to standard, chelsea have had a meltdown" etc. so flippin' what?!

They've got no one to blame but themselves, it's a team game, spirit, determination, psychology and everything else like that are at their best when it comes to the Champions at the end of the season - it's all a part and parcel of Football - they've got the money and apparantly the best managers in the business, so yeah. I think we've stuck two fingers up to them - infact I think we've stuck 4 fingers up to them.

 

[smr]

I don't see loads of people moving on. Eg. who's going to pay what would be needed to prise Vardy away, and of the clubs who could afford him will he be first choice? If he's happy to move for money and sit on a bench then maybe he'll go, but if he wants regular first team football I don't see who'd buy him, tbh.

I don't think Vardy would get anywhere, got a nice pay cheque which won't be improved upon by other clubs and he's guaranteed regular football at Leicester...

The only guys I could see moving are Mahrez and Kante, I hope both, if not one of them stays though - for me it's neck and neck as to who's been the EPL player of the year between those two.

Kante is absolutely unbelievable tho

 

[BaZ87]

The only reason why his wage won't be improved upon is because nobody would be willing to pay him more. If any of the big sides wanted him they could offer him 4 times what he's on now.

Kante's a decent player but his limitations on the ball will probably rule out any big clubs spending what it would take to sign him and similarly Mahrez's price will put off most suitors. He's been very good but the clubs that can and will spend £35m+ have got or would want better than him.

You're not sure if we've stuck two fingers up at anyone?

Well let's just give you 1 of 10,000 examples - our whole team cost less to buy than Chrstian "the donkey" Benteke? How'd ya like them apples?

And so what if "utd havent been up to standard, chelsea have had a meltdown" etc. so flippin' what?!

They've got no one to blame but themselves, it's a team game, spirit, determination, psychology and everything else like that are at their best when it comes to the Champions at the end of the season - it's all a part and parcel of Football - they've got the money and apparantly the best managers in the business, so yeah. I think we've stuck two fingers up to them - infact I think we've stuck 4 fingers up to them.

Can I have the other 9,999 examples because the 1 you gave is a bit ****.

I thought cm would be unbearable if Spurs won the League but I think you're going to top him. You cried over a comment I gave after the game yesterday about how Leicester don't play very well, very often - I've since clarified what I was getting at. That's what.

I've said the big sides have themselves to blame because no matter how well Leicester have done, and they've done well, if the bigger sides had performed to 90% of their capability then Leicester wouldn't be near the top of the table.

It will be an incredible achievement if Leicester were to win the League and I don't think you'd find too many football supporters not being pleased for Leicester and their fans that have stood by them over the years (not so much the part time fans that joined 3 months ago) but there's no getting away from the fact that they'd be the poorest Champions we've had in god knows how long.

 

[Burned_Alive]

 

[Tummy]

Same. I didn't like Tottenham when 'Arry was there, but Poch is quite likeable/the number of England players they have is good for us/etc... a lot of me wants them to do it... but one or two fans put me off . It's similar with Leicester. Why do they have to spoil it?

I actually agree in part. Nail on the head re Tottenham, cannot stand 'Arry and thought they were underachieving under him. I am a fan of the Pochettino, and his work at Tottenham, however their fans (certainly on here) are awful.

Leicester is a little different, given that I'm here and watch them when not at H'boro/Old Trafford and a lot of friends (I know tonnes of Leicester fans) smr is the only one (and I do not know him) that talks like this.

Part of the charm of Leicester is the transformation from last season to now. The likeable manager, the hard working team (even if the football is not great), and how in an age of Chelsea/Manchester United/Manchester City spending phenomenal money to compete the Leicester first eleven frequently costs less than single players at elite (sometimes European) clubs.

 

[Mr Jack]

And I'm not sure Leicester have stuck 2 fingers up at anyone. They've certainly performed beyond their expectations but the big sides only have themselves to blame - if they performed anywhere near their capabilities then Leicester are last seasons Southampton rather than title challengers.

I think this is fair. But, on the other hand, you can only win the league you're in so I don't think the collective failure of the Manchester, Arsenal and Chelsea should really detract from what Leicester have done here.

 

[Tummy]

I think this is fair. But, on the other hand, you can only win the league you're in so I don't think the collective failure of the Manchester, Arsenal and Chelsea should really detracts from what Leicester have done here.

Indeed.

 

[BaZ87]

I think this is fair. But, on the other hand, you can only win the league you're in so I don't think the collective failure of the Manchester, Arsenal and Chelsea should really detracts from what Leicester have done here.

As I said before, regardless of how **** the league is, nobody will remember or care about that - Leicester will have won the league and that's all that will be remembered.

The argument that you can only beat what's in front of you is fine but that doesn't really change the point I made. Had Leicester gone on to win the league with 90 points and the closest rivals been 15 points behind then fair enough, the league may have been **** but Leicester still performed to a level that would have won the league in plenty of other seasons. This isn't the case this season though. Whoever wins the league this season will have won it with 1 of the lowest points totals ever.

This season has been a freak season. You've had every single of the big sides have terrible seasons and it's coincided with a smaller side having an incredible season. We've had seasons in the past when the bigger sides have struggled (maybe not every 1 of them but a few) but none of the smaller sides have capitalised. Equally we've had seasons when lesser sides have had excellent seasons by their standards but the bigger sides didn't perform badly enough for them to be caught.

I'm really not meaning to **** on Leicester. I said before, if it wasn't for Vardy I'd be more than pleased for them if they went on to win it - even with Vardy they're the lesser of all the evils in my eyes. I'm just saying it as it is, imo of course.

 

[cm1179]

As I said before, regardless of how **** the league is, nobody will remember or care about that - Leicester will have won the league and that's all that will be remembered.

.

Hey maybe vardy wil sell his winners medal to stevie g or if spurs do nab it maybe carroll will sell his? Either which itd be ace to imagine stevie g blubbering into his cuppa with a biccy wiccy

 

[the wopster]

I don't think Vardy would get anywhere, got a nice pay cheque which won't be improved upon by other clubs and he's guaranteed regular football at Leicester...

The only guys I could see moving are Mahrez and Kante, I hope both, if not one of them stays though - for me it's neck and neck as to who's been the EPL player of the year between those two.

Kante is absolutely unbelievable tho

I'm sorry mate but your deluded if you think vardy would turn down a bigger club to stay with Leicester, loyalty is a thing of the past in football now, no disrespect to Leicester but it's a big draw to play with the really top draw players. which top player would refuse a move to test himself amongst the best and play with the best, I meen who would turn down playing with yaya to play with drinkwater. I really do hope Leicester win the league but this is going to be a one off and will never happen again, so why would he jeopardise a move to a really big club.

 

[Purdy]

I thought cm would be unbearable if Spurs won the League but I think you're going to top him.

That was evident when he was posting pictures attempting to validate his fandom to us because someone called him out on facebook

 

[BaZ87]

Hey maybe vardy wil sell his winners medal to stevie g or if spurs do nab it maybe carroll will sell his? Either which itd be ace to imagine stevie g blubbering into his cuppa with a biccy wiccy

I take back what I said, you're the most unbearable.

 

[smr]

I'm sorry mate but your deluded if you think vardy would turn down a bigger club to stay with Leicester, loyalty is a thing of the past in football now, no disrespect to Leicester but it's a big draw to play with the really top draw players. which top player would refuse a move to test himself amongst the best and play with the best, I meen who would turn down playing with yaya to play with drinkwater. I really do hope Leicester win the league but this is going to be a one off and will never happen again, so why would he jeopardise a move to a really big club.

I didn't say he wouldn't move to a bigger club. I just don't think a bigger club will come in for him at the price Leicester will want, which will probably be £30m+

 

[smr]

As I said before, regardless of how **** the league is, nobody will remember or care about that - Leicester will have won the league and that's all that will be remembered.

The argument that you can only beat what's in front of you is fine but that doesn't really change the point I made. Had Leicester gone on to win the league with 90 points and the closest rivals been 15 points behind then fair enough, the league may have been **** but Leicester still performed to a level that would have won the league in plenty of other seasons. This isn't the case this season though. Whoever wins the league this season will have won it with 1 of the lowest points totals ever.

This season has been a freak season. You've had every single of the big sides have terrible seasons and it's coincided with a smaller side having an incredible season. We've had seasons in the past when the bigger sides have struggled (maybe not every 1 of them but a few) but none of the smaller sides have capitalised. Equally we've had seasons when lesser sides have had excellent seasons by their standards but the bigger sides didn't perform badly enough for them to be caught.

I'm really not meaning to **** on Leicester. I said before, if it wasn't for Vardy I'd be more than pleased for them if they went on to win it - even with Vardy they're the lesser of all the evils in my eyes. I'm just saying it as it is, imo of course.

"Absolute madness that Leicester might actually win the League. They barely ever play well, they're just finding ways of grinding out results. "

That's what you said yesterday which I called as being rubbish...

We have played well this season, in many games, not all of them but a good majority of games we've played good football. Granted, last night - no, just about anytime we've been on TV this season infact we've not played particularly well but to say that we barely ever play well is ridiculously harsh - and very surprising considering you watch Liverpool.

I don't see how I'm talking differently to any other Leicester fans either - if you go on foxestalk or talkingballs forum and see what masses of Leicester fans think of the digs other club's supporters are giving us it's basically the same thing. Just because I'm sticking up for my club means I talk in a certain way? Right...