Leicester

kevthegaff

Well lads good win today against a tricky Stoke side, Champions, top four or Europe?

Demosthenese

Huge odds to finish top 4 now, when else would you get a season where Utd/Chelsea are so badly lacking. Will be interesting to see if they do it, then a shot to nothing for the league - brilliant position to be in and fair play to them.

monkey9

I can't see anyone being consistant enought to narrow the ten point gap (at least) to prevent Leicester finishing in a Champions League spot.

Iused2likebusts

7 wins from 15 games will get them to 68 pts meaning Utd their nearest challengers would have to get 32 pts from their last 15 games to definetly finish ahead of them. They are in an unreal position and hopefully they make it. Including the end of last season they have won 20 of their last 32 games was a stat on motd.

Its nearly feb!!

Champions league for sure, they deserve it big time

Claudio working wonders and making the fans dream

Fair play, I'd love to see them take the pl title to the wire

Charlie19

Demosthenese wrote: »

Huge odds to finish top 4 now, when else would you get a season where Utd/Chelsea are so badly lacking. Will be interesting to see if they do it, then a shot to nothing for the league - brilliant position to be in and fair play to them.

I just had a look at the odds and thought Spurs look good @ 1/2 to finish inside the top 4.

Buying money me thinks.

Boskowski

I'm an Arsenal fan but tbh if Arsenal wasn't so overdue a title I'd nearly be rooting for Leicester.

It would be great for the league, too. Watching the PL and its surrounding media circus it seems the permanent chase after the next new signing and ongoing insane spending must be what the next fix must feel to a heroin addict. To an extent that your chances are deemed zero unless you're a big somenumber club. It would be great to have a smaller club showing how absurd it has become. If not THAT it would show that the dream is still alive in this league.

Beefy78

They have to considered genuine title challengers now. They've the points on the board and no one else looks like being consistent enough to mean that they'll have to win almost every match to stay in contention.

Gbear

I was absolutely positive that this run they're in the middle of would unseat them, but they've handled it pretty well - obviously they've dropped a few points here and there, but it's mostly been against decent teams (and Liverpool).

At this stage, they've probably already done too much to slip out.

You'd have to think that they're the most likely of the top 4 to go on a really bad run, because they're still a bit of an unknown quantity, and if you plucked Mahrez and Vardy out long term you'd imagine that they'd struggle, but teams 5th and downwards have been so poor that it's hard to envisage that happening.

Still, there's almost no chance that they're winning the league. City and Arsenal's squads are just so much better that I can't see how that won't tell by the end of the season.

Boskowski

Next 3 games are:

Liverpool (H)
Man City (A)
Arsenal (A)

If still on top after that I'd say they'll do it.

galwaylad14

Think they'll definitely get top 4 now. They're flying now and the likes of United and Liverpool are nowhere near good enough or consistent enough to make up the 10 point gap.

I also think this thing about them having had a slump around Xmas is exaggerated. They went a few games without winning but they were still picking up points and had Mahrez scored his 2 penalties they'd now be 7 points clear.

They're a very good side. Think the top 4 will stay as it is now. They're the 4 best teams in the league by a good distance. Virtually impossible predict the order they'll finish in though.

Dirty Dingus McGee

Don't think they will end up winning the league but they have a very good chance of finishing in the top 4 now and more than likely will as I can't see the teams behind them being consistent enough to bridge the gap.

They've got 3 difficult games in a row now so if City and Arsenal end up winning those games against them then their chance of the title is gone.

Liam McPoyle

I'd love to see them win the league bit I think the Arse will win it once they don't have a total meltdown.

Top 4 is 99.99% garaunteed though and they are there on merit. Some could argue that its because United and Chelsea have been muck but Leicester have been great to watch, playing good football and they have a likeable manager and fully deserve their spot.

Paully D

I thought they'd be relegated.

Pighead

Paully D wrote: »

I thought they'd be relegated.

So did most people, me included. Ranieri coming in after a nightmare time with the Greek national team seemed a strange appointment to me but it's been well and truly vindicated. And it looks like nobody's leaving in January which is great to see. Team will be torn apart in the summer so it's good they have a chance to finish this season together and see just how far they can go.

Fr Tod Umptious

The possibility of them making the top 4 will be music to the ears for the people here who will relish in the schadenfreude that will come with seeing England lose a CL place.

Beefy78

Pighead wrote: »

So did most people, me included. Ranieri coming in after a nightmare time with the Greek national team seemed a strange appointment to me but it's been well and truly vindicated. And it looks like nobody's leaving in January which is great to see. Team will be torn apart in the summer so it's good they have a chance to finish this season together and see just how far they can go.

I don't know if it will be torn apart in the summer. The new TV deal gives clubs like Leicester the financial strength to be able to turn down all be crazy offers and there's no one in that side who can't be replaced if they £40m for them

Pighead

Beefy78 wrote: »

I don't know if it will be torn apart in the summer. The new TV deal gives clubs like Leicester the financial strength to be able to turn down all be crazy offers and there's no one in that side who can't be replaced if they £40m for them

Marhez, Vardy and Kante are three of the very best performers in the league this season. I'll be very surprised if any of them are still with Leicester next August. It's all very well getting big bundles of cash for them but a player like Mahrez is a one in a million find. Extremely difficult to bring in a player to replicate what he does in the team.

That_Guy

Should Leicester get a Champions League spot, they'd surely have no need to sell any of their players. The problem I think people have, is that they don't recognise Leicester as a "big" team which is why teams, even at this stage, are struggling against them.

What they're doing is remarkable especially in a money orientated league. Ok, they've spent themselves but it's a fraction of what others around them have splashed out.

Hypothetically they get CL football/top 4 prize money and get new TV deal money. They'd be in a prime position to really strengthen their squad rather than feel the need to sell.

I'm not saying Leicester are a power house of English football but they could really have a big opportunity to push on and make some serious progress in terms of recruits.

I think they'd be crazy to sell their top players imo.

Liam O

United or Liverpool spending a bit and finding some form over the next 3 games and them losing the next 3 is somewhat possible but given how bad those 2 have been and how good Leicester have been you wouldn't be betting on it.

Vicxas

I dont see the top 4 changing, and to be fair the teams there deserve it. UTD, Liverpool dont deserve it this year.

Leicester winning the league would be an amazing achievement, and as a Liverpool fan they'd absolutely deserve it.

Vicxas

I dont see the top 4 changing, and to be fair the teams there deserve it. UTD, Liverpool dont deserve it this year.

Leicester winning the league would be an amazing achievement, and as a Liverpool fan they'd absolutely deserve it.

Guy:Incognito

Vicxas wrote: »

I dont see the top 4 changing, and to be fair the teams there deserve it. UTD, Liverpool dont deserve it this year.
.

Why not?If Leicester lose enough games to drop out and Utd or Liverpool win enough to get top 4 then its deserved. Going on a run to February then dropping is no more deserving of a place than picking up the same points spread evenly over the season.

Demosthenese

Demosthenese wrote: »

Huge odds to finish top 4 now, when else would you get a season where Utd/Chelsea are so badly lacking. Will be interesting to see if they do it, then a shot to nothing for the league - brilliant position to be in and fair play to them.

They're 1/2 at best, hardly huge all things considered.

Agent Coulson

Nigel Pearson came across as quiet an unlikable guy last year but the job he did to keep them up and built a great team spirit should not be forgotten he laid the foundations for this season.

I for 1 hope they win the whole damm thing.

Iused2likebusts

After Leicester drew at villa there was a lot of talk that they were done. Which was ridiculous seen as they had just had a great result at spurs 3 days before. 4 pts from those 2 away games was still a great return.

Pighead

Pighead wrote: »

Marhez, Vardy and Kante are three of the very best performers in the league this season. I'll be very surprised if any of them are still with Leicester next August. It's all very well getting big bundles of cash for them but a player like Mahrez is a one in a million find. Extremely difficult to bring in a player to replicate what he does in the team.

Why would they leave with the high probability that Leicester have CL football next season? Unless there's ridiculous money lobbed at them....
I can't see any other reason.

KaiserGunner

M!Ck^ wrote: »

Why would they leave with the high probability that Leicester have CL football next season? Unless there's ridiculous money lobbed at them....
I can't any other reason.

If a bigger club who offer them more money and (wouldn't even necessarily be in the champions league) comes in for them, then their heads will be turned.
For example, say Man Utd don't get champions league but, put in an offer to Mahrez and increase his wage package, then he definitely isn't going to turn them down.

If I was Leicester I'd turn down offers for these players, but players usually get their way.
Leicester are doing great at the moment and do have to be taken as serious title contenders.

Iused2likebusts

M!Ck^ wrote: »

Why would they leave with the high probability that Leicester have CL football next season? Unless there's ridiculous money lobbed at them....
I can't see any other reason.

Why did suarez leave Liverpool. Why did ddg want to leave utd. Why did rvp go to utd. Players will always want to better themselves and move to bigger clubs to play with better players and increase their chance of winning trophies.

Iused2likebusts

Iused2likebusts wrote: »

Why did suarez leave Liverpool. Why did ddg want to leave utd. Players will always want to better themselves and move to bigger clubs to play with better players and increase their chance of winning trophies.

Slightly off-topic but says who? Where is the source to state DDG said he wanted out at Utd?
Utd got him a new contract and this is the only fact.

Back to Leicester: Who's to say the current set of players have some faith in the direction the club are going and who's to say they can't challenge for trophies if the team is strengthened on the basis that they will have CL football and will be a more attractive prospect for new players?

Iused2likebusts

M!Ck^ wrote: »

Slightly off-topic but says who? Where is the source to state DDG said he wanted out at Utd?
Utd got him a new contract and this is the only fact.

Back to Leicester: Who's to say the current set of players have some faith in the direction the club are going and who's to say they can't challenge for trophies if the team is strengthened on the basis that they will have CL football and will be a more attractive prospect for new players?

They will want to leave if any of Chelsea utd arsenal pool spurs city want them.

LuckyLloyd

I love their schedule tbf. The next three games are tough of course, but they're playing two huge games after the ship has been righted. After these three games they have a relatively clear March and April. 15 Cup finals.

DubDani

I believe that they will stay in contention for the title if they can get 4 points out of their next 3 games. Anything more, and everyone will have to finally recognize them as a serious contender this year.

LuckyLloyd

LuckyLloyd wrote: »

I love their schedule tbf. The next three games are tough of course, but they're playing two huge games after the ship has been righted. After these three games they have a relatively clear March and April. 15 Cup finals.

City game is huge in the context of the season. City will open up on the attack which will suit Leicester IMO. I'd fancy the draw.

GLaDOS

It would be incredible achievement if they managed to win the title, one of the biggest victories in modern day football.

Long way to go though.

Amirani

Mod:

Until Leicester have formally submitted their offer for David de Gea, we might keep discussion about his future out of this thread. Thanks.

Beefy78

Iused2likebusts wrote: »

Why did suarez leave Liverpool. Why did ddg want to leave utd. Why did rvp go to utd. Players will always want to better themselves and move to bigger clubs to play with better players and increase their chance of winning trophies.

But the new TV deal means that there's no real reason why those clubs at the top are the ones which will win everything and the price that Premier League clubs can now demand for their players will make a lot of these potential transfers prohibitively expensive. Look at John Stones and the size of bids that Everton are dismissing out of hand.

Obviously there's an elite of club who will always attract elite players. I don't think anyone will disagree with that. But I don't think it is a coincidence that the gap between the top clubs and the rest in England has reduced and I wonder if that gap might not reduce further over the coming years. The sort of money that Leicester would be able to command now will enable them to significantly strengthen their squad.

Iused2likebusts

Beefy78 wrote: »

But the new TV deal means that there's no real reason why those clubs at the top are the ones which will win everything and the price that Premier League clubs can now demand for their players will make a lot of these potential transfers prohibitively expensive. Look at John Stones and the size of bids that Everton are dismissing out of hand.

Obviously there's an elite of club who will always attract elite players. I don't think anyone will disagree with that. But I don't think it is a coincidence that the gap between the top clubs and the rest in England has reduced and I wonder if that gap might not reduce further over the coming years. The sort of money that Leicester would be able to command now will enable them to significantly strengthen their squad.

It's all relative the bigger pl clubs will still have more money from bigger attendances, bigger sponsorship deals, more merchandise sales. The wages will just go up across all Pl clubs and eat into the increase in tv money for all the clubs. The only change is that mid ranking premier league teams can sign players from abroad that previously they couldnt. Players will still want to move to the bigger teams and will still be sold all be it at a higher value.

Beefy78

It's possible. We'll need to see how that plays out. I just think that for squad players even a Chelsea or Man United are going to not want to compete on wages with other Premier League clubs. It just isn't in their interest to do so when they can buy an equivalent player from abroad for a much lower wage. I don't think the impact of the new TV deal can be overstated.

Rayne Wooney

If they manage 4 or more points from the next 3 I'd have them favourites to win the league, really rooting for them they'll be worthy winners the way they've gone about this season. Entertaining whilst very savvy

Shanotheslayer

Did a points total for the other day:

Arsenal
Leicester
City

Turned out as follows:

City 75
Arsenal 73
Leicester 69

No doubt if I did another one now I'd get a different number of points :pac:

Shanotheslayer

Did a points total for the other day:

Arsenal
Leicester
City

Turned out as follows:

City 75
Arsenal 73
Leicester 69

No doubt if I did another one now I'd get a different number of points :pac:

GavRedKing

3 of Chelseas last 5 league games are at home to City, then Spurs and last day of the season we host Leicester.

Chelsea may still have a part to play in the title race though with those fixtures.

It would be one of the great stories of the modern game if we welcomed Leicester as champions or if they needed to win to secure a title I'd have no issue rolling over.....although they way we're playing, we may have no say in that particular matter.

LuckyLloyd

How now brown cow?

Guy:Incognito

They're going great but I still think it's going to go like Liverpool 2 years ago.
run it real close but ultimately fall short.

chupacabra

Guy:Incognito wrote: »

They're going great but I still think it's going to go like Liverpool 2 years ago.
run it real close but ultimately fall short.

I agree, but even a champions league spot would be insane.

Dirty Dingus McGee

Based on how they are playing at the moment it doesn't look like they'll fall away as they are playing with such confidence and after the Arsenal match next week they've got 6 or 7 winnable fixtures in a row so they could even afford to lose that game they would still be in a very strong position and all the other contenders are in Europe and FA cup still which is another thing they have in their favour.

The only thing that might trip them up is that up to today they've been playing with nothing to lose and it might get to them mentally now that they are leading and have something to lose as apart from a couple of their players they are probably never going to get this chance again in their careers.

thebaz

I'd love leicester to win the league - would be one of the great sporting achievements - but, I really don;t think it will happen - Lawrenson made the point that it will be in the final run in , of the last 6 games where the real pressure will happen, given others will be fighting for there very survival , there will be no easy game - hope I'm wrong - if not leicester - Spurs or Arsenal , anyone but City

Hopefully they keep it up and win the title or at least take a CL spot. Refreshing to see

Corholio

The thing about Leicester is that if they can keep their defence solid they will have a great chance because of the way they play. Vardy and Mahrez will always be a danger on the break in different ways. Kante's all action style too will suit games where they may come under a lot of pressure, they dealt with it brilliantly today.

tfer

I'm a leeds fan for over 50 years, we haven't had much to cheer for in a long time and the pl was getting very boring, I am cheering your team on every week, they are playing fantastic football and I really do hope they win the title, as are many neutrals