(Not hypothetical anymore) Leicester win the league!

cowboyBuilder

jmayo wrote: »

I hope they win since Arsenal now won't.
And they show everything that Arsenal lack i.e. a fighting spirit, leadership when it matters and a quick attacking prowess.

And they are not made up of overpaid half interested spineless gobdaws being led by an excuse ridden leader.



Exactly.

Come on, Arsenal got a good win at the weekend ..

DanielODonnell

Arghus wrote: »

There was the small fact of City becoming the richest club on earth during that 10 year period.

where was the success to show it? they were nothing more than average until the early 2010s

Arghus

DanielODonnell wrote: »

where was the success to show it? they were nothing more than average until the early 2010s

08-09 was the first year that they had serious financial firepower at their disposal. They had a difficult year that season, finishing 10th, but they stilll made serious investment in their squad. Then in the following three seasons they made a gradual and steady improvement - FIfth, Third and then First. All the while outspending their rivals. City winning the title, when it eventually happened, was a surprise to nobody. It was their stated aim and they were spending big to make it happen. If anything, I was amazed it took them as long as four years.

galwaylad14

Really hope they do it now. They've been so good all season. Solid at the back, very committed and resilient around the pitch and so energetic and exciting in attack and in Riyad Mahrez they posses probably the best player in the league. Wonderful player and shows that just because a player is not touted as a star from the age of 12 that you can still become a world class player.

As a matter of interest what do people think it will take for them to win it? They need 83 to guarantee it (66 currently with 7 to go) but I don't think anyone seriously thinks Spurs can win all of their last 7 games.

Personally I think 3 more wins and a couple of draws and they won't be caught. That would give them 11 points, 77 in total. Meaning Spurs, who have a tougher run in would need 16 points from 7 games to beat them to it and Arsenal would need 22 points from 8 games.

Iused2likebusts

West ham quarter final replay fixed for the midweek before they play Leicester. A tough fixture for Leicester just got a little bit easier.

Jayop

Iused2likebusts wrote: »

West ham quarter final replay fixed for the midweek before they play Leicester. A tough fixture for Leicester just got a little bit easier.

I would love if United could have 4th wrapped up before that game so I could fully cheer for Leicester like I'm doing every other game.

Hammer Archer

Jayop wrote: »

I would love if United could have 4th wrapped up before that game so I could fully cheer for Leicester like I'm doing every other game.

Wait, wouldn't you be cheering Leicester against West Ham anyway? :pac:

Jayop

Hammer Archer wrote: »

Wait, wouldn't you be cheering Leicester against West Ham anyway? :pac:

Sorry, assumed that it was the Man United game against Leicester that was coming up after the cup tie. That game has been rescheduled as it was supposed to be the last game of the season for us.

redzerdrog

I wonder what price they be to get relegated next season

Paz-CCFC

Hammer Archer wrote: »

Wait, wouldn't you be cheering Leicester against West Ham anyway? :pac:

West Ham are "United".

JohnFalstaff

Sunday Times are running a big premier league doping story tomorrow and rumours are flying that Leicester are implicated.

Be a damned shame if true.

Jayop

JohnFalstaff wrote: »

Sunday Times are running a big premier league doping story tomorrow and rumours are flying that Leicester are implicated.

Be a damned shame if true.

Ah I really hope it's not true.

JohnFalstaff

JohnFalstaff wrote: »

Sunday Times are running a big premier league doping story tomorrow and rumours are flying that Leicester are implicated.

Be a damned shame if true.

Sounds interesting. Leicester haven't played in a fashion that screams "doping" and they've had the advantage of no European football.

Still though, Arsenal winning by default in a few years time when Wenger is gone will be vindication for him.

Billy86

JohnFalstaff wrote: »

Sunday Times are running a big premier league doping story tomorrow and rumours are flying that Leicester are implicated.

Be a damned shame if true.

I'm pretty certain Leicester are doping to some extent. Mind you I'm pretty certain the other 19 teams in the league are doping to some extent too. It's very suspect timing and a convenient distraction to Leicester's squad during a crucial run in, is all I'm saying.

Paully D

JohnFalstaff wrote: »

Sunday Times are running a big premier league doping story tomorrow and rumours are flying that Leicester are implicated.

Be a damned shame if true.

No idea about Leicester, but no one should be surprised about doping in the Premier League.

GreNoLi

They're all at it, couldn't care less.

Billy86

Billy86 wrote: »

I'm pretty certain Leicester are doping to some extent. Mind you I'm pretty certain the other 19 teams in the league are doping to some extent too. It's very suspect timing and a convenient distraction to Leicester's squad during a crucial run in, is all I'm saying.

Yeah I'm wondering about the angle. To come in and introduce doping in a big way yet not have a rake of injuries doesn't really fit.

I'd have no sympathy for any club caught cheating, they should face serious sanction.

If the club is involved, they would have cheated their own fans first and foremost, and you'd have some sympathy for them.

But the story could yet take many forms, individual players doping, no names of players or clubs and just vague assertions etc.

[Deleted User]

[Deleted User] wrote: »

I'd have no sympathy for any club caught cheating, they should face serious sanction.

If the club is involved, they would have cheated their own fans first and foremost, and you'd have some sympathy for them.

But the story could yet take many forms, individual players doping, no names of players or clubs and just vague assertions etc.

Aye, who knows like? If it's focused just on 1 club without specifics then it'll likely just be a hatchet job.

niallo27

In fairness they must be some ****en drugs if they can get Leicester to win the league.

astonaidan

Sure Barcelona get accused on the reg of doping, its all mind game at this stage imo

astonaidan

astonaidan wrote: »

Sure Barcelona get accused on the reg of doping, its all mind game at this stage imo

Difference is (IMO) that Barcelona play a game that would benefit from doping. They've got the technical stuff down and then they add the incredible pressing and fitness. Leicester on the other hand look like a strong side based on pace and counterattacking. While doping would help, it seems unlikely at least that the marginal improvement from doping would launch them from behind Stoke and up to the top.

astonaidan

Deleted User wrote: »

Difference is (IMO) that Barcelona play a game that would benefit from doping. They've got the technical stuff down and then they add the incredible pressing and fitness. Leicester on the other hand look like a strong side based on pace and counterattacking. While doping would help, it seems unlikely at least that the marginal improvement from doping would launch them from behind Stoke and up to the top.

Oh for sure, I was merely stating that teams on the top are the only ones that make the news when accused of doping

Dirty Dingus McGee

JohnFalstaff wrote: »

Sunday Times are running a big premier league doping story tomorrow and rumours are flying that Leicester are implicated.

Be a damned shame if true.

I hope for their sake it isn't true and they aren't implicated however I remember talking with a work mate back in December I saying that if Leicester were able to keep up this pace for much longer I would be highly suspicious so I wouldn't be in the last bit surprised if this was the case.

Although in all likelihood every single professional soccer team has some sort of PED use.

Dirty Dingus McGee

Deleted User wrote: »

Sounds interesting. Leicester haven't played in a fashion that screams "doping" and they've had the advantage of no European football.

Still though, Arsenal winning by default in a few years time when Wenger is gone will be vindication for him.

Really.They play with absolutely ferocious intensity most of the time.

Hank Scorpio

Have to wait and see who the article names. Leicester are a weird one though, out of nowhere last season they started winning game after game to survive relegation, and their form has remained the same throughout this entire season. They only lost one of their last 9 games and that was to Chelsea. It's not like Raneiri came in and totally changed things, if Pearson had stayed on there's a good likelihood they'd still be in the same position imo which is bizarre the more you think about it.

Guy:Incognito

Hank Scorpio wrote: »

Have to wait and see who the article names. .

I'm going to go out on a limb and say, as usual , it'll be no one. Probably full of "a source says" and " a current pl star is alleged......."

Laois_Man

Based on the tweets that The Sunday Times put out this evening, I got the impression it was players spread across multiple clubs.

Even if they say just one club, I won't believe it's only one. The absense of high profile players failing tests is a dead give away that it's rampant. Arsene Wegner was in hot water 4 or 5 months ago for saying he's thinking it's going on too.

gosplan

In a way it'd be quite positive for the premier league.

It'd actually mean that they're not all at it.

CSF

Let's all get excited for an article that will inevitably name no names and provide no evidence.

But sure if a doctor makes baseless claims then that's a story and a half.

Alfred Borden

Arsenal player(s) supposedly involved

mansize

Leicester, Birmingham Chelsea and Arsenal players accused it seems

Billy86

Let's see if the English courts do like the Spanish did and pretty much demand all evidence (if there even were any) be destroyed before anyone can have a chance to look at it.

mansize

Billy86 wrote: »

Let's see if the English courts do like the Spanish did and pretty much demand all evidence (if there even were any) be destroyed before anyone can have a chance to look at it.

No doubt they will. Don't want to kill their cash cow of the BPL

Alfred Borden

Alfred Borden wrote: »

Arsenal player(s) supposedly involved

Must be on heroin.

Alfred Borden

Deleted User wrote: »

Must be on heroin.

:pac:

CSF

As expected, all but confirmed that there is no evidence and only the word (and probably no names) of a crooked doctor.

Non-story that people will want to latch onto because it goes along with what people already believe to be true.

IamtheWalrus

If Leicester win tomorrow then it's all over.

Jayop

Football isn't a sport that doping would do a massive amount of good in. Sure the fitness would help but that's only a tiny bit of the story. Skill is probably about ten times more important.

gosplan

Jayop wrote: »

Football isn't a sport that doping would do a massive amount of good in. Sure the fitness would help but that's only a tiny bit of the story. Skill is probably about ten times more important.

Nah it'd be huge. Your skill levels and your skill levels having run 10k and sprinted 5 of those are very different.

Also imagine having defenders that don't tire and play the last 30 mins as solidly as the first.

Billy86

CSF wrote: »

As expected, all but confirmed that there is no evidence and only the word (and probably no names) of a crooked doctor.

Non-story that people will want to latch onto because it goes along with what people already believe to be true.

I don't think many people want it to be true, I just think many people are aware that it is unfortunately commonplace.

Billy86

gosplan wrote: »

Nah it'd be huge. Your skill levels and your skill levels having run 10k and sprinted 5 of those are very different.

Also imagine having defenders that don't tire and play the last 30 mins as solidly as the first.

And if anyone's ever completely gassed out during a game, they'll know well how much that effects your skill level. Footballs a tricky game to play with spaghetti legs.

CSF

Billy86 wrote: »

I don't think many people want it to be true, I just think many people are aware that it is unfortunately commonplace.

I don't think people want it to be true, but people have a tendency to overvalue testimony (regardless of how flimsy) that supports what they already believe to be true.

Jayop

Jayop wrote: »

Football isn't a sport that doping would do a massive amount of good in. Sure the fitness would help but that's only a tiny bit of the story. Skill is probably about ten times more important.

At the top level it'll make all the difference. Watch boxing,football,rugby,tennis, anything at a high amateur level and the difference to the lower pros is ridiculous. Take the best player you see in a LOI match, they'll rip the best LSL player to ****in shreds. Put him in the championship and he'll likely struggle.
At the top level those tiny, tiny differences are all the difference.

MD1990

Jayop wrote: »

Football isn't a sport that doping would do a massive amount of good in. Sure the fitness would help but that's only a tiny bit of the story. Skill is probably about ten times more important.

It would be a big help especially Leicester's style of football. Any small advantage can be the difference. The fitness & recovery needed to play 38 games a season would be huge.

Jayop

Meh skill over fitness every day. I'm not saying it wouldn't help but no amount of injections will turn Glen Whelan into Roy Keane. Other sports it can make a difference from a bog standard athlete to a world class one. See swimming and our own gold medal Olympian.

Jayop

Jayop wrote: »

no amount of injections will turn Glen Whelan into Roy Keane.

Yup, that's the point.

matrim

Deleted User wrote: »

Difference is (IMO) that Barcelona play a game that would benefit from doping. They've got the technical stuff down and then they add the incredible pressing and fitness. Leicester on the other hand look like a strong side based on pace and counterattacking. While doping would help, it seems unlikely at least that the marginal improvement from doping would launch them from behind Stoke and up to the top.

I disagree and think Leicester would benefit more from doping over a full season.

Barcelona are a team with some of the best players in the world. They have the skill to keep the balll and make the opposition work. If the don't have the ball they press to get it back and once they do they have time to recover. A quick google shows an average possession of 63%

Leicester are a team of decent but hard working players that are punching above their weight. They have an average possesion of about 40% so spend many games defending which is considered more draining. They have to keep 100% intensity every game to win, while a team like Barcelona can get away with 90% (or less) for a lot of games.

Liam O

Hank Scorpio wrote: »

Have to wait and see who the article names. Leicester are a weird one though, out of nowhere last season they started winning game after game to survive relegation, and their form has remained the same throughout this entire season. They only lost one of their last 9 games and that was to Chelsea. It's not like Raneiri came in and totally changed things, if Pearson had stayed on there's a good likelihood they'd still be in the same position imo which is bizarre the more you think about it.

I watched Leicester quite a bit for some reason or another at the start of last season and they looked very good despite not winning a lot of games. They were missing a lot of chances but were putting it up to teams. The 5-2 against United was a tease of what they were capable of.

It is bizarre but they have been the form team for a year and a half in the league and it's no fluke. Whoever got Kanté deserves some lifetime achievement award though

matrim

matrim wrote: »

I disagree and think Leicester would benefit more from doping over a full season.

How many games do each team play?

Barcelona are a team with some of the best players in the world. They have the skill to keep the balll and make the opposition work. If the don't have the ball they press to get it back and once they do they have time to recover. A quick google shows an average possession of 63%

When a team keeps it away from them they press as well. Their distance travelled (when needs be) is pretty high. They're never "off" when the ball is in play. It's pretty incredible.

Leicester are a team of decent but hard working players that are punching above their weight. They have an average possesion of about 40% so spend many games defending which is considered more draining. They have to keep 100% intensity every game to win, while a team like Barcelona can get away with 90% (or less) for a lot of games.

Who does the defending for Leicester? Barcelona's defenders are more like classical midfielders than anything else. When a team can actually put it up to Barcelona it's clear to see they can't defend, set-pieces are especially hilarious. Generally though they get 4 players on an opposition player in their own half. Incredible really.
Leicester had a couple of players drifting back and across the pitch. Their defenders did a slow drift. Really well set up and had a goal in mind the whole time. Their off-the-ball wasn't heroic, it was drilled and disciplined.