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The results by Leicester City are stunning, & I'm starting to root for them every week.

I know Vardy has been sizzling hot, but I think there is more to the Team than him, much more.

The most impressive thing is how many times they have come from behind to win. Real resilience & character.

They stand top of the EPL this morning. I suppose it can't last, but I'd love them to at least finish top 4, & prove that the you don't have to spend silly money to build an entertaining & successful team.

If we go back to the latter end of the last season, & now the first third of this season, it looks like this.

(http://c.files.bbci.co.uk/7A63/production/_86813313_premierleaguetablesince4april.jpg)
 

And this man - maybe not the world's greatest coach or Manager, but he seems to be essentially a decent man, with good values, great humility, & most of all, does not take himself too seriously.

Smiles readily, too.

LIKE
 

(http://cdn.images.express.co.uk/img/dynamic/67/590x/Leicester-City-Leicester-Leicester-v-Sunderland-Premier-League-Leicester-Match-Report-Claudio-Ranieri-Chelsea-Chelsea-New-597047.jpg)
 

Breath of fresh air , hope they win the title.

i was going to start a thread this morning, but was beaten to it

(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CUXK2AUWEAAW4bk.jpg)

Leicester's form since April 4:

WWWWLWWDW WWDDWDLWDWWWW

That's title-winning form across 22 games.

it gets tougher through to January though

(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CTit8ugWwAAWd3t.jpg)

still, aside from those who make the ehadlines Vardy and Mahrez you ahve to watch the little midfielder Kante next time we are on TV

a Makalele type, wins all the balls in front of our back four, tidies everythign up, gives it to the creative players and then does it again

wonderful player. only 24 years old

I won't shed a tear if they tail off a bit, it's bound to happen, I just hope they don't change their style or attitude.

As Norfolk Boy (aka Clever Clogs in Scotty's quiz) says, a breath of fresh air.

Really enjoyed the EPL so far this year. 

7 PL teams have conceded 20+ goals this season. They're currently sitting 20th, 19th, 18th, 17th, 16th, 15th & 1st

the team in first has scored 27 though


worth noting that we have been exceptionally lucky with injuries. Matt James cruciate aside, we havent had to do without the key players throughout our run since April and rotation has been minimal

presumably some variance will change that soon

Leicester are the first team outside of the 'Big Five' (MUFC, MCFC, AFC, CFC, LFC) to lead the PL after 13 games since Leeds in 1999-2000.

sorry, but tikay did start the thread :-)

Chelsea at home? Looks like its getting easier to me!

Refreshing to see a 'none Sky 4/6' up there, it does seem inevitable that it can't last, but stranger things have happened and I'm sure you're enjoying the ride every week.

Didn't Ipswich qualify for the UEFA Cup one season, then get relegated the next..... ;)

Thought when Leicester got Ranieri in they were in trouble. He's dealt with the media with class.

How much credit does Pearson deserve? Mostly his squad?

Mostly and deserves a lot of the credit

that said Ranieri has got virtually every tactical decision pre-game and in game substitutions right too

behind the scenes both managers benefit/benefitted from a very successful scouting network led by Steve Walsh the former Chelsea head scout who found Zola, Drogba and Essien for Ranieri and a decade later got Mahrez for £400,000, found Kante and many more besides

with a couple of notable exceptions (Kramaric etc) the recruitment policy has been a huge success and there is apparently a lot nmore to come from that in January onwards

eg we have scouts in Spain, France, Poland, Italy etc

at one recent game, watching Legia Warsaw scouts were in attendance from, it is reported, Man C, Man U, liverpool arsenal and...Leicester

this is the resource that a bilionaire owner can put in to the infrastructure of the club that mean we are progressing fast

I thought that jose was in charge when Drogba and Essien were signed.

Steve Walsh our assistant manager/chief scout was chelsea's head scout at the time and found them for Chelsea. iirc it was ranieri but could be jose. around the time one left the other came give or take a year either side

"Jamie Vardy, Riyad Mahrez and Shinji Okazaki... How Leicester City became the Premier League's top bargain hunters"

article on walsh and the scouting network

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-3220155/Jamie-Vardy-Riyad-Mahrez-Shinji-Okazaki-Leicester-City-Premier-League-s-BARGAIN-HUNTERS.html

a quote in that is

"Walsh was at Chelsea for 16 years and Jose Mourinho appointed him European scout. He worked with Andre Villas-Boas on the signings of Didier Drogba and Michael Essien, before leaving for Newcastle under Sam Allardyce, forming a bond with Pearson, and moving to Leicester"

Walsh is a good operator as with a lot of things and awful lot of luck in these.

Okazaki is hardly a snip at the price paid he is what he is an ok buy no more.

Rob Mackenzie who is now at Spurs would have been behind a lot of the recruitment.

So it's not the Leicester 80s legend Steve Walsh who loved a red card?  I always assumed it was.  Makes more sense now.  Could never see Walshie turning into a great scout.   What does the other Steve Walsh do nowadays?  Is he still at the club in any capacity?

The other one runs a 16-18yo academy/BTEC course with Muzzy Izzet. One of the lads in my sons local team goes there.

https://www.ucasprogress.com/provider/83844

I'd love someone like Leicester or Saints to squeak a top 4 spot.  Would invigorate the league for seasons to come imo.

So loving this having been a fan since the 61 cup final. As I put on FB last night I would have loved my dad to be alive and see Leicester a shorter price to win the Premier than they are to get relegated!!

Although I had a lot of time for Pearson I really felt that the Tinkerman's appointment was an amazing coup. The clubs he has managed must have seen something to appoint him at first but the expectations at those clubs were and are huge. At Leicester all is has to do is keep us up and he will be there as long as he likes.

Kasper Schmeichel on Leicester City's remarkable rise to the top

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/34896490

It's obviously easier to be relaxed in interviews when you're performing above expectations, but I get the sense that Ranieri is thoroughly enjoying the job.

I love how they play and if pressed really hard to choose between winning the league and finishing runners up to Leicester I think I'd take second now.

Still hope to beat you next week though. That 5-3 still hurts.

last season the game was in september, very early LVG, man u went 3-1 up and at the time were suffering a lot of defensive injuries. iirc it was a back three of tyler blackett, jonny evans and rafael.

Allied to that, they took the rather baffling tactical decision to defend high, in some cases as high as the half way line. We put the ball in behind, let Vardy chase it and hey presto we scored goals

i don't expect similar this weekend. for starters united are very solid at the back now, Smalling for example has come on again this season and i expect United to defend deeper so as to not get caught in behind. They know they will have most of the possession (we haven't had more than 45% of possession in any game this season, sometimes as little as 30%) so as long as they arent caught on the break they should control the game

still, that 5-3 will live in the memory for me. to beat a top 4 side from 3-1 down for a side like us hardly ever happens

I think Leicester went on a horror run right after that game, didn't you?

that's correct

bottom end of March, then the run started

the run coincided with Huth signing on loan and Pearson switching to 3-5-2, the problem previously being that we would concede a bad goal every game. When Huth came in, this stopped and it all looked much more organised, less frantic

what has been impressive this season is that Ranieri reverted it back to 4-4-2.We have conceded 20 goals though, but such is the speed, width and counter attacking prowess that we have troubled everyone going forward

even our one bad defeat, 5-2 to Arsenal, we gave them everything they could handle.

Very impressed with Leicester/Tinkerman, am afraid top 8 finishing position will be where Leicester will finish, No strength in depth and this is Key for a high Premier League finish.

not quite

wasilewski, benaloaune, schlupp, kramaric, nathan dyer, andy king, inler, de laet could not get in saturday's XI

cracking little youth system too and three good ones currently out on loan gettign experience

obviously if vardy/mahrez leave or get injured we aren't the same team but them apart we can absorb anyone out for a period. this wasn't the case a year ago

if we are top six come january we'll spend too, have a run at it

Beat Manure and I will be happy 😊 not sure Leicesters fringe players will be the answer but as you said come January funds may be available. You don't think Vardy now 28yrs of age I think will be looking for a big money move to double his Salary. Has 3 good years left and I think he needs to weigh his financial options us very carefully.

contrary to reports he's under contract to 2018 and i am sure there is scope to re-up financially if need be

£10-15m isn't going to get him now and if a big club wants to pay £25-30m+ for a 28 year old who won't be the same player when he loses that yard of pace and therefore won't have resale value at 31-32 years old then fine, we'll re-invest

i fear Mahrez, at 25 years old, leaving much more and he could go for a lot of money to a very big club

Would Leicester fans take a guaranteed 6th placed finish and an FA Cup final appearance if offered now or prefer to play out the season?

Course they would

4 posts back Tighty said they'd spend and have a run at it if still top 6 come Jan. That's 6 games away, albeit a tough run of games.

Leicester will probably never have a better chance go get into the CL. Why settle for 6th and a FA Cup final appearance when worst case you'll probably finish 8th and possibly make a cup final any other year.

I think if u asked Leicester fans 90% would take it.

Why would u want to be in the black hole of the Europa League finishing 6th?  No team with a tiny squad wants to end up in that league on a Thurs night with no financial upside at all which will cost you 6-10 points next season.  i would want champs league spot or tank and finish outside the top 6.  Finishing 5th and 6th is going to be a black hole in the next 5 years as teams realise there is no advantage being in the Europa league only fatigue and costs.  The huge increase in domestic TV money makes the playing level more level than ever and being in this black hole will really start to hurt teams with ambitions to reach the top 4 long term.   Once you are stuck in this hole you might never get out.

notwithstanding the downsides of the europa league next season, we'd take 6th and the cup final right now

i know there are multiple transfer targets identified for January, pursuit of which really depends where we are mid-January

Interesting, asked my LCFC supporting son what he would do expecting him to say let it ride. He was 100% take 6th and the cup.

Have managed to get him tickets to see them play - at Spurs in Jan via the Spurs website. Didn't blink an eye at the LE postcode, was quite surprised.

thought this was funny

Was that a  ;bump;or just  ;booder;?

just something i thought was funny and thought would fit in on the thread about the tinker man

sorry if i keep offending you

I'm not offended, why would I be?

That joke was made when he became manager many(4/5) months ago.

It was funny then..

 Leicester are serious Premier League title contenders, according to Manchester United boss Louis van Gaal.

The Foxes, who finished 14th last season, are top of the table, one point ahead of second-place United.

They meet on Saturday (17:30 GMT) and when asked if Claudio Ranieri's team could win the league, Van Gaal said: "It is possible, I think."

Van Gaal called Leicester striker Jamie Vardy, the league's 13-goal top scorer, a "nasty" player to face.

Vardy marked his first Premier League start by making four goals and scoring the other as the Foxes beat United 5-3 in September 2014.

The England international, 28, has equalled former United forward Ruud van Nistelrooy's record of scoring in 10 successive Premier League games, and could break it on Saturday.

"He was already a very nasty player for us last year," Van Gaal said of Vardy.

"He scores, he provoked a penalty, now scoring 10 goals in a row, he is a great player. I only know Dennis Bergkamp as a player who did the same with Ajax. It's not so easy to do that."

--

 Foxes boss Ranieri called Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger "a joker" for suggesting that Leicester were title contenders, but Van Gaal thinks they can sustain their form.

"Normally these kind of clubs can compete for long time, then at the end it becomes more difficult," he said, before Saturday's game at the King Power Stadium.

"But in England because of the quality of the teams, because every team has the money to buy players - and they have bought players - the difference in the Premier League between the clubs is not so high."

very good balanced article

http://www.espnfc.com/blog/espn-fc-united-blog/68/post/2727313/leicester-city-top-premier-league-table-can-they-stay-there

Impressive numbers. Nothing wrong with being second :)

Henry Winter has left The Telegraph & joined The Times, & has written a 2 page piece on James Vardy today.

Alongside it, in a sidebar, he looks at where, over the entire history of the EPL, the leaders after 13 games have finished.

1st - 10 times

2nd - 6 times

3rd - 3 times

4th - 2 times

5th - 2 times

6th - 2 times (Newcastle & Aston Villa). 

Huge buzz in Leicester about the game. Everyone's talking about it.

vardyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy

Wonderful, the whole thing has brightened up the EPL season for me, Vardy, Leicester City, Ranieri.


delly ding, delly dong

agreed, it really is refreshing to see one of the smaller teams  up there, not just fighting but looking the business.

hope they can keep it up, i think they can.

Best premier league ever.

will take that

usual defensive vulnerability from set pieces, could have won it on the counter with ulloa 3 on 2

mahrez fantastic, wonderful player

on we go

You made the mistake of scoring first.

1-1 v Man U? Suppose that'll do.....

.

good article

http://www.whoscored.com/Articles/ejnh79njc0aqdhbfdqavgq/Show/Team-Focus-Input-of-Leicester-Support-Cast-Just-as-Vital-as-Vardy-Goals

Is that David Moyes?

yesterday

New Leicester PLsequence records for away wins (3), away unbeaten (11), games scoring (16)

Riyad Mahrez cost €500k from Le Havre, is only 24, has 15 in all comps this season and 6 PL assists.

(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CVek_G5WsAAlRy0.jpg)

(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CVegQlJWcAAe9fc.jpg)

(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CVejqvIWwAA9u1N.jpg)

Leicester's squad christmas party. today they are drinking in a bar in Copenhagen dressed as turtles

(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CViuUwBUsAE-FyF.jpg:large)

(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CVi5Ts9WEAE86zd.png:large)

New Leicester PLsequence records for away wins (3), away unbeaten (11), games scoring (16)

Riyad Mahrez cost €500k from Le Havre, is only 24, has 15 in all comps this season and 6 PL assists.


Extraordinary.

The going gets a bit tougher the next few weeks, but I doubt any of the EPL elite teams are relishing the prospect of playing Leicester City at the moment.

Who would have forecast they'd be 17 points ahead of Chelsea after 15 games?

What a ride you are having.

not a headline i thought i would see

Sir Alex Ferguson urges LCFC to spend in January and go for Premier League title. http://buff.ly/1LYIU9S 

Leicester winger Riyad Mahrez has dismissed his team's chances of winning the Premier League, despite being top.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/35059847

16 years since the team top after 15 games didn't finish in the top 4 (Villa 6th 1999)

the importance of N’Golo Kante to Leicester’s PL run this season http://wscrd.co/KanteHero 

clean sweep for November

(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CV7e7fOWEAEY7Xw.jpg)

Claudio Ranieri, best manager in the Premier League?

http://www.northyardanalytics.com/blog/2015/12/11/claudio-ranieri-best-manager-in-the-premier-league/

very interesting interview with Riyad Mahrez

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/leicester-city/12048440/Flying-Riyad-Mahrez-coming-to-terms-with-dramatic-ascent-and-comparisons-with-Lionel-Messi.html

not behind a paywall

interesting stuff in here on the sports science effort, lack of injuries and chance creation stats

http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/public/football/article4640097.ece

If Leicester's low count of soft tissue injuries and speedy recoveries can be attributed to their medical team and facilities can Arsenal and United's record in that respect ever be accepted as just bad luck?

can't speak to other clubs but i know there is a strong school of thought that Arsenals run of injuries is not down to luck

have seen pictures of the leicester training ground and back room resources and it is astonishing how much has been invested into people and medical/physio/sports science kit. whether this is merely playing catch up or we are ahead of the curve, don't know

lesta are good to watch, hope they win league

Ok, watching the game. Leicester just got themselves another fan.

Every week their fans must be getting more paranoid over the offers that will be tabled for their players. The season newcastle were right up their their whole team was linked away and not losing a player was alot more important then buying any. Hopefully they keep up there and their players tell the rest of the chokers to get stuffed (well at least to the summer).

Boom.

Good result, Care full of the booking count, Some key players could be missing over Xmas period.

A couple of my housemates are Leicester fans and they've been incred to watch this season

How many points clear at the bottom was it around this time last year? Incredible job

Mahrez.wow. kante is a sensational player too

On the 36th minute Tighty I nearly fell off of my seat when your premonition of Matic swooping in at the near post from a corner nearly came true  ;D

I wonder how many Leicester fans had a quid at the 5000/1 offered at the start of the season

Have any 5000/1 shot singles actually landed? Obv theres someone that puts a 50p acca on and pings a few grand every weekend. Do even amateur golfers get priced this big in majors?

One red-top journo=strong school of thought.

Same plonker who suggested that Wenger played Alexis against the advice of his medical team when he injured his hammy probably.

You do realise that manure have a few more injuries than Arsenal this season which presumably is also not down to luck either.

Good win tonight btw, enjoyed it enormously.

The amazing story continues! Well deserved.
The Drinkwater injury might be costly though. And Huth suspended now for the Everton game.

I tried to get a fiver on but the limit was 0.0000001p

All joking apart I said to her indoors I can't believe Leicester were 2500/1 (I think) at the start of the season. She replied after 15 games played "I can't believe you didn't have a tenner on that!

I know someone who has a fiver on at 3000/1. Cash out at the moment is just shy of 400 quid

They must have been odds on to get relegated at this time last season, or nearly so?

Has there ever been a bigger turn-round in the space of 12 months?

I wonder where they would have been if Pearson were still in charge? Mr Tinker is immensely likeable, & good luck to him, but Pearson laid very solid foundations, it seems to me, & he deserves some credit.

Anyway, Tighty had better dust off his Passport, ready for next Season's CL. Barcelona first up, please.

Happy clappers

(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CWNJsKQWIAAprw9.jpg)

the worst half and half scarf ever?

(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CWM22-aWwAAfEi1.jpg)

£1.35mil for 35 Premier League goals/assists before the end of December

(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CWNsysbW4AANB71.jpg)

(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CWNtFczXIAAX6pR.jpg)

(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CWN0MgUW4AAJVHl.jpg)

£350 charged to cash out.  Incredible the margins in cashing out.  This is probably one of the few examples where cashing out probably makes sense unless you got £15k sitting around in an ISA earning next to nothing then stick it into betfair and lay £750 at 20/1 and get the profit locked in.

"He's doing things with that left foot that I only see Messi do." Jamie Carragher on Riyad Mahrez

sorry to go on but ;D

The jury is still out.

Cryogenics secret is out.

Surely this isn't going to end like Vanilla Sky?

i see the cryogenics chamber has been featured on ssnhq

dont understand the reference to vanilla sky though. never seen the film

Vanilla Sky cliffs(including spoiler):

Penelepe Cruz has outstanding knockers

They jump off a tall building in the finale believing themselves to be immortal.

^^^^

PS There are cryogenics involved too.

PPS Ms Cruz was more outstanding in the original Spanish version of the movie.

my old uni boss put a 10er on that i think!

Riyad Mahrez says he won't be leaving Leicester in January:

http://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/Leicester-City-Transfer-News-Riyad-Mahrez-says/story-28377425-detail/story.html

Phew.

I'd imagine, with all the TV money, that Leicester would be able to turn down any offer someone would be willing to pay for him anyway?No one offers more than 30m and Leicester don't sell for less than that surely?

we have no need to sell

Owned by thai billionaires

new TV deal coming, and so across the league its going to be more difficult to get talent out of middle ranking sides into the top six...the corollary of seeing game changing players now in teams like west ham, stoke, southampton etc

vardy under contract to 2018

mahrez under contract to 2019

now of course if major teams come in and offer big increases in wages, european football etc then that is a challenge.

i think mahrez will go to a barcelona or PSG at the end of the season and we'll get full value.

but the days of a step up from leicester being selling to everton and tottenham, for example, are gone.

What price do you expect him to go for if he keeps up his current level?

He's 24, so anyone buying him can get two contracts out of him

He's on a long term contract

no one is doing what he is doing in the league and you are assuming this continues to the end of the season

£35-40m or else keep him another season (presumably with a pay rise)

You'll need him for the CL :)

If you get CL football next season then you'll have a terrific shot at keeping him imo.

The money though, very hard to turn down.

I know someone with £200 at 2000/1 lettttting it riiiidddde :-D

If Leicester do get CL and England lose a CL spot the transfer market is going to go mental.

Really?  Pre season?  Incredible the characters who love a punt!

this chap has got a bit of sweat for this weekend

everton v leicester

then arsenal v man c...could be sweating the draw there

(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CWV4G3UWcAAygVp.png)

What bookie lays that sort of bet?

Would Floyd Mayweather get that kind of action at the M Resort?

Pretty sure anyone in the world could walk into a lolbrokes shop pre season and get that bet on.  A team that was short single figures to go down.  I might even get that on in my local where i am banned from.  They would probably be 100 times more worried now if you tried to cash it out at the revised odds and they actually do some real cash.

Thought they run on exposure?

They do but if you rung up for that bet i would be amazed if you got knocked back by a big 4 chain.  They would consider it £200 towards the xmas party (which it is).  They will probably still win on the market even if they laid Leicester to lose £1m pre season.  Every ante post yankee/lucky 15 would be beat on the first line.  No ante post acca would win either on the leagues.  Virtually every one of these bets would always have a EPL 'banker' selection in it at a short price.

Booom. Predictably, we are 5 points clear

Wonderful, another week unbeaten, another win.

Fabulous.

Top at Christmas. Still take 6th and a cup final over a run at it?!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p03cl1cc (http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p03cl1cc)

Leicester Fan on 606

This really is incredible.  Loving it seeing a mid size team sock it to the big boys!  Got to think champ league spot is a great chance now.  I have an ante post on foxes for fa cup but think they need to tin that.

This is getting silly now - simply incredible.  Such a brilliant story.

The run of "tough" fixtures starting with Chelsea was supposed to slow the progress down but just powering  through. Fantastic stuff.

Watched highlights yesterday - half a season and top - good footie too. Amazing that they have opened up such a chasm between themselves and teams like Man U in terms of talent, skill and entertainment value. Naturally don't want them to win it but would be great if they could remain in the Top 4 for the whole season

home and away games remaining

home games look nice, away games less so

(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CWnwvgYWsAADFXV.jpg)

Leicester's last 21 Premier League games: WWDWWWDDWDLWDWWWWDWWW Goals: 47 Conceded: 25

Leicester completed just 168 passes yesterday, fewer than any other PL side

(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CWniYKpWUAAblTL.jpg)

(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CWnDaUyWEAQJUYf.jpg)

(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CWmoHG8WcAA0-u0.png)

Leicester's last 21 Premier League games: WWDWWWDDWDLWDWWWWDWWW Goals: 47 Conceded: 25


Astonishing.

Pardon my ignorance, but what does this tell us about Leicester?



Leicester completed just 168 passes yesterday, fewer than any other PL side

that they counter attack very well and don't need possession to win when they are in such lethal form up front

only one of their 17 games this season we have had more than 40% posession

Quite a quirk of the fixture list that is with still the 'top 8' of the EPL all still to play away from home.  I am not sure if you are still ahead of the handicapper or not after yesterday.  5/2+ away at Everton was an interesting price.

Record of 1-2-1 so far against the traditional 'big 6' (all 4 games at home and the win against 'bottom half' chelski) with 8 games still left to play against them.  This is when the lack of possession will/should really start to tell.

Don't want to be a party killer this time of year but they look a sensational lay at 12/1 to win the EPL.

Amazing to watch them for the calender year of 2015 all the same.

i would upgrade to take 4th now

drawn tottenham away in the cup, think we'll put a reserve team out three days ahead of playing them same venue in the league

Surely Tony you're old enough to remember Ali's rope a dope tactic against Foreman :)

Means they are long ball merchants, Tikay.

Was talking with a few regulars down my local on Friday night. Despite us all supporting different teams (City, Arsenal, Chelsea, Spurs and......York) we were all in agreement that should our respective clubs fail to win the title, then we wanted Leicester to do it. I imagine this is the case for fans across the country (apart from maybe those in the midlands? Not sure on how deep rivalries go in that neck of the woods)

2nd place play off tomorrow night, gg Leicester.

Way before my time, you must be mixing me up with an old bloke.

PS - Hope you & Lady B have a great Christmas.

Well I'm not a football expert, but "long ball merchants" is a derogatory term associated with "hoof it upfield"is it not?

I get the impression it is more a case of fast & incisive breaks, with none of the tippy tappy stuff we usually see associated with the world's most skilful teams, such as Barcelona & Arsenal.

Have to agree with the other point though - all neutrals seem to be rooting for Leicester.

What with Watford (4 on the spin now) & Lord Pardew's Palace miracles (Palace in 6trh place, incred) , it's been one of the most enjoyable EPL seasons I can ever remember. 

That is an amazing stat.

Which game was it? Because i think there will be a very good chance it was first game of the season against us!!

Ty Tony - you too my friend

Lord Pardew? Seriously?

Just pray he's never near a team you support.

Pardew doing a magnificent job at palace.great at Newcastle. Should be next Chelsea manager but won't be

Let's not get carried away. Would you have him as your manager if Ranieri had to be replaced tomorrow?

Yes I think so.

He's welcome at the Swans, I'd rather Bielsa but other than that Pardew would be fine with me.

Was tongue in cheek Tony, thought you of all of people might realise that! :)

Dreading going there on the 29th, our away record is dog shit and don't see it turning any time soon with trips to Leicester and Watford on the horizon.

Can't wait for King Pards to get the England job, win the world cup (bringing himself on after 70 min's in the final when 1-0 down and scoring twice to win 2-1) and the toon fans still shrug their shoulders.

Shola Ameobi is the only person to ever leave Newcastle and not be berated by the fans for years to come.

The stat is wrong. It should be 1 game more than 50%. The point still holds tho - they are always still down on possession

Bugger. I say, BUGGER, I got whooshed  I'm so naïve these days. WP Percy Plump, WP.

I'm calling it a score-draw though, as I got "Lord Pardew" through, & poor old CF walked right into it.

You might just be the greatest.

Newcastle fans are certainly.....well, not to be rude, a little hard to fathom.

I wonder if it's all for show, & secretly, many wish Pardew was still there? Logically - logically - they should.

I'm going to bite one last time :)

Firstly the "Newcastle fans..." line trotted out by many is just so so lazy. Newcastle fans are the same as any others - there's a range of opinions. Naturally the ones most heard are the ones the media select to fit with their delusional geordies line but it is by no means representative.

Why should we logically want Pardew back? Ignoring how he may currently be doing at Crystal Palace he did awfully at Newcastle. Yes he finished 5th. We get it. He finished 5th. Maybe he'll do it again at Palace. So what? The season after he almost got us relegated. Just before he left in the club in a decent state supposedly. I don't call relegation form over the previous 38 games a good state. That was also failing to score in 19 of them. But Pardew is very good at rewriting history. The scoreless games didn't happen. How could they with Alan's front foot attacking football?

West Ham got rid. Charlton got rid and Southampton got rid. I doubt any would want him back. Maybe he's found his calling at Palace? But as someone who saw first hand what happened at Newcastle and apparently happened before he's gone into a new job and everything has just clicked for him. Just wait until Cabaye, Zaha etc get injured and he starts to come under some pressure. There's no plan B, he'll revert to type of keep it tight and hope for that little bit of magic and I don't doubt before long it'll all come crumbling down.

And if they don't get injured expect the attacking flair players to be thrown under the bus when results aren't going his way. He's good at that.

Not to mention the headbutting off opposition players, calling managers c*nts in front of the TV cameras, pushing over linesmen and overall massive ego and lack of any class whatsoever.

People would actually want this man at their club? You're mad!

I'm "mad" because I happen to have a different opinion to you?

And there you have it.

There you have what? It's just an expression. Way to ignore anything else that might have been said in the post above. Was there anything in it you disagree with?

When I say "Newcastle Fans" (actually I say toon fans) I probably have a less biased point of view than some others as I am from Newcastle and have lived in the West End for my 25 years. And the majority of toon fans i know, certainly my friends, are incredibly realistic and don't expect the world. They expect the players to give 100% on the pitch and to be friendly and approachable off the pitch. There is still the odd tit who relives the mid 90's and the great Alan Shearer days and that unforgettable night when Lord Shola of Fenham single handedly took apart the mighty Barcelona. And unfortunately, it's these lads that get on Skysports just after they've stumbled out of the Newcastle Labour Club.

I personally think football management these days in the premier league is just a whoooooooooooooooooole load of luck. But I'd rather be lucky than good. #KingPards

Isn't there a Newcastle thread for this kind of nonsense?

Us Leicester fans only want positive stuff in here!

Apologies.

I'm Leicester through and through myself.

Just didn't think there was much point in this thread as we all know their gonna piss the league anyways?

:)

One thing worth remembering about Pardew is that he was virtually on the managerial scrapheap, having been shown the door by League One Southampton, before Ashley brought him back in from the cold in what was very much a surprise appointment at the time.

Not a fan of him as a person but has definitely done a great job at Palace.

(http://i.imgur.com/duvBUuj.png)

There's running good then there's running good.

the image shows that we are nearly 9 points better than "expectation" on the basis of goals for/against

undoubtedly, with vardy and mahrez scoring 28 goals we've converted chances at a crazy rate

its only reasonable to expect some regression to the mean, even without injuries to key players

that said, no team has got to grips with us on the counter, no team has got to grips with Kante winning the ball and quickly transitioning us from defence to attack.

Everton got closest but still conceded two penalties, the second after Kante won the ball, fed it to mahrez and vardy made the run in behind

again its only reasonable to expect teams to work out how to stop us but a very successful season it is whatever happens from here 

furthermore our record this season on games decided by one goal wins or less (ie draws) is 8-5-0

again, unsustainable but indicative of a certain spirit and skill in winning the close ones....

Funny to think that even if Villa were running 5 points above EV, they'd still be in the relegation places. What a terrible squad they've accrued.

(http://c.files.bbci.co.uk/A366/production/_87303814_conversion_leic.png)

Leicester City: Why Premier League title dream is possible

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/35102187

5th in the league! Get in!

(http://www.sportingintelligence.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/Value-in-PL-17-games.jpg)

http://www.sportingintelligence.com/2015/12/24/festive-front-running-foxes-fancied-for-top-three-but-villa-doomed-241201

deservedly beaten today though we could have equalised at the end

interesting, one of the first teams to set out to stop us. can doubled up on mahrez with moreno

manchester city next, and vardy took a knock today.

 

Sinker on

First away loss in the league since March

all good, and will be so even if it tails away further  :-)

Wenger will make sure that plenty of his firm take knocks, so it should be alright.

Both Vardy & Mahrez are fit to play tonight.

Good point that. Set up more conservatively, missed the best chance of the match. 39 points.onwards

Bookeis must've made a killing with that result!

When Leicester City’s ewoks stood up to Man City’s Death Star

http://www.theguardian.com/football/2015/dec/29/leicester-ewoks-and-manchester-city-death-star?CMP=share_btn_tw

Leicester have done more to promote PL than 100 PR companies,

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/leicester-city/12073500/Leicester-City-0-Manchester-City-0-Foxes-have-done-more-to-promote-Premier-League-than-a-hundred-PR-companies.html

(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CXbKzy0W8AAFNNm.jpg)

How much is Vardy on currently?  Assume he is on the same contract he was on when he signed for £1m.

signed a new contract last year through to end 18

about £35k a week, currently negotiating double that with the club. Which he should get

Vardy was very much absent last night, didn't look fit at all.

missed the best chance of the night.

played on his own up front. we sacrificed something going forward to play the extra holding midfielder. which was understandable but did leave him isolated on the break, he normally has players breaking in support

surely it would be madness for a)anyone to come in with huge money for Vardy and b) for him to go anywhere this january.

The summer,at 29...going to be really hard for him to turn down big money at a club with tons of money

Mahrez, at 24, should absolutely be a big target for huge clubs. going to get two contracts out of him if you sign him.

Vardy is a more complicated one because of

a) his age. you sign him and at the end of his first contract he's 32-33

b) his style. team is set up to play to his strengths on the counter (playing him in behind) and possession based teams don't do that, strikers more often get the ball with back to goal, defenders around them etc. Thats not his bag as much

i think, given his huge desire to get into the euro 2016 squad, that staying for a team set up to create chances for him makes sense for now

in the summer, we would be sensible to cash in given his age and he probably should too.

I wouldn't be surprised to see him a disappointment at his next club though

Is that the first time that Ranieri has adopted a more pragmatic & conservative approach?

Anyway, I guess you'd have bitten my hand off 4 games ago if I had offered you 7 points from the games against Man C, Liverpool, Everton & Chelsea?

Does the fixture list get a little less testing now?

Not able to watch as much live football as a month or 2 ago- do Leicester show any signs of burning out at all? Or is this team the real deal in that they can keep it up through a 38 game PL season and still compete for the title or top 4? Never been a fan of Leicester but really bloody hope you can do it to stir things up a bit!

this was the first time he tinkered formation. suppose you could argue a point against man c means it was a success

fixture list. a lot of bottom half teams at home, but tottenham, arsenal and man c away in jan-feb. 

we don't know that yet

there is the january transfer window to get through, and we've been very lucky that the key players have been able to play every game

i would say we are clearly not as strong as arsenal, man u and tottenham either in terms of starting xi or squad but teams like chelsea and man u underperforming gives us a crack at 4th-6th

a year ago

(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CXjXyQQWYAAvS1D.png)

By God them were the glory days, 14th position!!

Views on yesterday's effort, Tighty?

Bit of a bad spell the last 3 games, hope they can rediscover their touch. Was bound to happen I suppose, but now we'll see their character.

Spurs away, in the Cup, next Saturday. Must be a bit of a dilemma whether to play a full strength team, but I hope they do.

We will definitely play a squad team in the cup game at Spurs. heavily rotate. we have Spurs away in the league three days later and that will be the priority.

yesterday was the first game that the key players looked a bit leggy. missed a penalty, vardy missed a one on one and either get scored and the narrative is different.

teams are also beginning to adjust tactics against us. two on Mahrez when he gets the ball, defend deeper against the counter

still 40 points already, hoping to end with 65+ and in the league for the new TV deal bonanza next year.

Its all good

Gray for 3.75m if that's the price is a steal imo (maybe you even bid more in the summer). He is still very raw - but even if it doesn't work out I would say you would be able to resell him for almost all of that. He has bags of potential, if he gets a bit stronger and develops more end product he could be an excellent player and fit into your system well. I have no idea why we would have written a release clause so low into his contract. Absolute madness and again Birmingham are selling their best youth products for peanuts (eg Butland, Redmond).

Sad to see him go but inevitable I suppose as we are now a 100% selling club. Would love him on loan for the rest of the season but it would seem to make sense for Leicester to keep him in case of injuries and perhaps as an inpact sub.

had a medical yesterday

word is loaned back to the summer

scored a scorcher against us in pre-season and obvioulsy we have an eye on pace and his age there shouldnt be much downside

--

we also just got Ben Chilwell back from loan at Huddersfield. hope we can keep him for a couple of seasons. going to be a top class left back

wow.

you were down a year ago.

no way back, sure fire, down.

They were 4 points off safety , don't exaggerate :)

not merely 4 points of safety.

being rock bottom and 4 points off safety and at christmas AND being newly promoted AND being called leicester city is pretty much a nap for relagation. [and managed by someone named nigel, no less].

are we sure they didnt actually get relegated?

What hope have villa got then!

their manager has a sexy name though...

Vardy to undergo minor surgery . Expected to be out for a couple of weeks.
http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/football/35218678

I'm sure he'll be chomping at the bit after a few cryogenic sessions.

Timed to catch fa cup weekend and miss no league time

didnt really want the replay but a draw will do i suppose

cracking body swerve and step over for okazaki for the second goal

(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CYYG4wIWYAAPuDl.jpg)

Any idea whether Vardy will start this weekend? Sorting my fantasy football team out and I don't want him in the team if he only comes on in the 84th minute and gets a yellow card

^ didn't mean this weekend, meant for the midweek games

Vardy had a groin op last monday

he warmed up yesterday but did not train

in his pre game press conference yesterday ranieri said he was 50-50 for wednesday, and was going to assess how he trained this morning

they'll play him if they possibly can but

a) 90 mins must be unlikely
b) so much of his game is chasing in behind, and not sure he'll be 100%
c) and its the spurs parsimonius defence

Thanks tighty, will shift him to the bench and bring Barkley in

What a win that is. Joint top and seven points ahead of fourth!

Gan on the lads!!

And more importantly, 8 pts ahead of 5th.
You've gone from the best attack in the league to the best defence in the league!
http://www.oddschecker.com/football/english/premier-league/lma-manager-of-the-year

LOL @ "joint top", whatever happened to goal-difference?

That is a a monster win for Leics tonight with the other results this midweek.  Still think Stoke will finish above Leics.  What price 2 out of Leics, Stoke and/or West Ham finish in the top 4?  That would really be amazing to totally smash up the traditional big 4 champions league monopoly.

i don't want to bet on it, but stoke finish above leicester, from 11 points behind now?

not a scooby

here is caley's final projection

(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CYoy5MmWAAQA--V.png)

Jamie Vardy had been unable to train for a month with groin injury. http://buff.ly/1OQ1Aiq 

Took my son to the game last night. Continuing the theme of kids thinking football started in 1992 it was fun to see his reaction to White Hart Lane - the steep seating, the leg room only suitable for amputees, the exit routes that must give health & safety kittens. In his limited experience of WHL, KP, Madjeski and Wembley this was definitely the loudest he'd been to.

Spurs battered them all night, think it was 16 corners in the end. Vardy and Mahrez were both invisible all night, Schmichael's distribution was poor.

We were sat with my Spurs supporting mate in their end, after 60 minutes I said Leicester were going to nick this with a goal in the 84th minute.  [  ]  Bet on it too.

vardy is not fit and mahrez, teams are adapting to the threat. watch teams stick two on him, has happened for the past few weeks

winning at a tough place when not really able to impose your style? great stuff

drinkwater was brilliant i thought. if he was playing for united, would be an england regular.

I wish Stoke still had Huth alongside Shawcross. Good signing for Leicester? All the attention has been on Vardy & your manager this season (and rightly so), but who are you top 5 for your team this season? What signings (if any) would you like in the transfer window?

Hard to believe how good Stoke would be if they still had Huth and had Shawcross fit all season.  We got 3 red cards and 0 points from 2 games against WBA as well who most seasons are usually a weighed in 6 points.

Huth has been a fantastic signing, our results turned from the minute he signed on loan last season, as the silly conceded goals stopped

He has transformed Wes Morgan next to him though, never thought Wes was more than a championship centre-half but he is superb this season

apart from Vardy and Mahrez

- Kante is different gravy. £5.5m, most interceptions in the league, an unbelievable engine, good on the counter. our best signing for a long long time.

- Fuchs from Schalke. Austrian national captain. great at corners and free kicks, proper defender too. real leader in the squad.  his no look pass/assist on the counter for vardys record breaking goal against united was one of the moments of the season

- Schmeichel, one of the best keepers in the league. the odd wtf moment, but top class. another leader

- Albrighton, villa released him two years ago. a real threat for assists but up and down the left flank he offers great help defensively

- drinkwater. completely under-rated player in central midfield. picks a pass, gets his foot in, organises well. come on again this season in a better team


really the only signing that hasn't come off is kramaric, really high strike rate by steve walsh and team. kramaric didn't start too well and needs a run of games that he isn't going to get

signings.

would like another striker to upgrade ulloa, target man maybe. some protection for if vardy and mahrez suffer injuries so maybe a striker 

that apart, save money for the summer window when we know what we are competing in next year. the new tv deal and our finishing position this year means we are going to be in the market for more talent and to upgrade further

Love this on the Leicester forum


(http://i63.tinypic.com/29mnigp.jpg)

What is the 'huth chant' at leics?  hutttttttttttttttth there it is huttttttttttttth there it is?  like it was at stoke or a different one?

different one

huuuuuuuuuuuuuthh

very creative.

Tbh when they started the Kante/Mahrez chant last night I thought I flicked on to the darts!!

Kolo/yaya style?

clears throat

"ngolo, ngolo, ngolo, ngolo, ngolo, riyad mahrez"

Very unoriginal but after his fifth or sixth goal kick went straight out for a throw in, 'you're just a shit Peter Schmeichel' made me smile.

Yup

Funny

Agree with you on the Schmeichel & Albrighton lines. Dont really know the others but take your word for it.

I think Crouch might be on the move this transfer window. Maybe Leicester could step in for him if a short term deal could be worked out. I have a feeling he will go Palace or West Brom though.

The TV money is not to be sniffed at. I think this is so much help for the teams outside the 'big 4 or 5'.

the tv money in the PL is shallow, everyone gets a lot of the pot compared to some european leagues

as the pot is now so big it raises all ships. we can buy players who we could never have dreamed of getting

stoke can get afellay, shaqiri etc

every L club is in the top 30 richest in europe

apart from barca, madrid, psg etc the super clubs even leicester, stoke, west ham etc are competitiive in the transfer market against anyone else

this is why the liiverpools etc are going to have to overpay for talent, they are competitng against 20 clubs in england not 3 or 4 for these guys

Might have asked you before, Tighty, but just how good is Ranieri?

He does this "bumbling fool" act, but I suspect he's pretty shrewd tactically.

The rest of the League have had time to suss his tactics now,. but he's still able to get results.

Those 2 results at WHL should not be under-estimated, Spurs are well organised these days & a very fine team. There were some grumbles from one of the Spurs players, "hit & chase, bla bla", but what strikes me is the team spirit, they all give their best & play for each other. It sort of reminds me of Clough's first Derby Team, the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. Don't see any prima donnas there, either. Can you imagine, say, Ballotelli there?   

very shrewd tactically, especially within games. on several occasions his changes of formation/substitutions have changed games

when he joined he brought in an italian assistant but very cleverly i thought left the pearson team intact. really helped make sure last season's finish wasn't wasted by "starting again"

he knows we don't have the quality to dominate possession, so he really ramped up in tactics and incoming transfers our ability to transition quickly from back to front.

the pace in the team, and kante's ability to interrupt opponent's attacks, is the key variable

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/35322127

Incidentally, they enjoyed a nice piece of good fortune this week, Huth scoring in the 83rd minute, & Arsenal conceding in the 90th minute produced quite a swing.

It all evens out in the end though.

Best EPL season in recent years, not even close. If the quality has declined, & maybe it has, that would not bother me.

Vertonghan came over as very sour grapes.  I loved that result as for the first time I'm confident they can make top 4 and spice the league up a bit.  Would love it if someone else could as well.  Stoke.  Even Spurs I guess.

 

(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CY1J4CYVAAE0m3i.jpg)

2nd chance? He wasn't given a first chance hoe he snubs them

I assume Greece don't want him back?

We go top overnight

two points dropped with a missed penalty a few players, Huth and Mahrez notably, below par

44 points, and onwards

Just sums up the Prem this year. The games against Bournemouth and tonight were givens IMHO and four points lost rather than two won. I thought the taking off of Shingi for De Laet was baffling. Mahrez also looks very down on confidence at the moment. FA Cup replay this week will be interesting.

 

dont think he thinks Okazaki is robust enough to play every game. had a knock first half, and subbed him off

to replace him with de laet was negative though, with demarai and dyer on the bench

Great twitter link on bbc sport saying 'Leicester have been top of the league for 33 days in 2015/16 season.  The same number Spurs have since 1992.'

Permission to dream the impossible dream, yet?

It was only Stoke.

True Marky, I really thought from recent reports they were a threat today but watched the whole game and they were really dross. Maybe this week's Capital Cup was on their minds?
 
Still it is only September   October November December January so mustn't get too excited yet :)

15 games to go

next three

Liverpool h

man c a

arsenal a

but 10 points clear of 5th, so can withstand a tough run hopefully

Vardy and Mahrez were sharp again yesterday, and Kante. what a signing. Don't think i have seen the type of skill Mahrez shows from anyone in a Leicester shirt, ever. maybe frank worthington when i was very young, but not since

(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CZbZg4kWYAE3ZMj.jpg)

Kante wins the ball, tackles, drives forward, passes off either foot, then wins the ball again and rinse, repeat

(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CZbK1y0WwAAi2Nx.jpg)

i am hoping that drinkwater finally gets in an England squad. super player

(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CZb6bOoWwAEyEIL.jpg)

squad costs

(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CZcNSP1WQAAl4Z5.jpg)

I read this about Kante yesterday;


Another impressive showing. His five tackles, five interceptions and gaining back possession 11 times was more than any other team-mate. He also ran for 11.24km, more than any player on the pitch

as a warm down, he ran home. possibly.

incredible engine he's got.

Mike Pejic: LCFC remind me of Sacchi's AC Milan - and there's no bigger compliment. http://goo.gl/nq66Pj 

Not sure this is accurate. Bournemouth have spent £40m since August, +whatever Iturbe costs. United's team cost £360m~

doesn't include the current window, when bournemouth have splashed out and is in euros

source is a report on sportingintelligence

Leicester Cty lead the Premier League by three points going into February

 ;D

I still despise Costa but thank you

So...that 6th place and a cup final, what we thinking?!

that we have liverpool and man c and arsenal next

and we end with man u away, everton and chelsea away last game of the season

but we would have to really collapse not to get top 6 and have a great shot at top 4

as well as our results, not many teams putting a run together, beating each other, that helps

second last game of the season is man c v arsenal. hopefully still in the hunt then and we can sweat that too, whatever result helps

It's the end of January and no sign of a little prick yet





(http://i64.tinypic.com/jl1hlc.jpg)

if you can get 3+ points out of the next 3 games you then have a nice run upto the last 3 games but even then the last 3 games are as bad as the next 3 and the teams are likely going to have nothing to play for

will be nice to see someone new winning the league without spending the world to do it

+1

I think all real footy fans outside the big 5/6 are hoping Leicester take it to at least the wire, if not win it now.

Yep.  I have few doubts it will end the same as noble strong "minnow" challenges in the past though.  Norwich seems to spring to mind.  Villa under Graham Taylor as well.  I think it's even harder to do it now, so that just shows how amazing Leicester have been.

To be honest, Leicester playing in the Champions League does plenty to spice things up even if they don't win it.

Interesting.

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/football/transfernews/6891092/Graziano-Pelleis-shock-Leicester-target.html

Okazaki is injured and Kramaric on loan which leaves us with Vardy and Ulloa

we were linked with Eder, Doumba and others and clearly want some depth in the squad before 1 Fev

Prepared to push the boat out a bit on wages with the top 4 a possibility

you can in principle get the names playing in europe for a lower fee/comparable wages to ross mccormack, jordan rhodes etc so why not?

i expect the actually name we would like is not public though.

Leicester City and Chelsea have agreed a fee for Loic Remy, player will now discuss terms and undergo a medical

Hello, you injury prone goalscorer.

like the look of this if it is £11m which is suggested

lets see if it gets over the line

chelsea pull the plug on it

tried to get mame diouf too on loan, nothing doing

lets hope vardy stays fit

played some serious stuff tonight, and Vardy scored a worldie and then we executed the high press on the liverpool back four for the second.

mahrez is a magician.

man c and arsenal away next, but no pressure on us. its all gravy from here

(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CaPQUHhW0AAXz1f.jpg)

http://www.si.com/planet-futbol/2016/02/02/jamie-vardy-goal-leicester-city-liverpool-video

Not bad. Matt Taylor-esque. He has to start for England, doesn't he?

Him and Kane would be an excellent pairing. Kane wants to drop off if he can.

he will start rooney though

vardy on the last man with kane or rooney the support striker would be brilliant

just don't waste vardy wide left, he needs to be on the last defender, will scare teams witless with his pace

If it were me, I'd have Dier as the holding man and then a five of:

Sterling Alli Rooney
      Vardy Kane

so these are the three best leicester goals i have seen

i am pondering where vardy tonight fits in. top three or not?

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a6OHXjh2CLk

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d4coI5nERPc

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zHF4qWUDXac

i think it might knock nalis out

The dullard Hodgson will start Rooney irrespective of form unfortunately.

Muzzy fucking Izzet

saturdays game

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9TbUukyFu7g

(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CaW1sI5WAAAQtfa.jpg)

http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/public/football/article4681683.ece

https://www.reddit.com/r/soccer/comments/43zvbx/how_difficult_is_the_remaining_schedule_for_each/

The secret of Leicester City's success is out.

Clap banners.

 

A sign of how quickly things have changed.

i was sceptical at first, but they don't half create an atmosphere

welcome onto the fun bus Jeremy Vne

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/35497832

so tomorrow is a big day

Three points clear at the top, and away at Manchester City who go top if they win

In February.

I expect the game will follow a familiar pattern, we'll have 30-35% of possession and look to break up play and transition at speed from defence to attack

Vardy will have fun against Otamendi and DeMichelis, but i expect we'll have less joy down the flanks.

Kante will have his hands full against the City attacking midfield, but he's been such a revelation this season, non stop running, tackling, interceptions and can play too

A point would be a magnificent result, and there is absolutely no pressure on us

I think it could be a corker of a game.
 

Kompany aside how do man city have such a poor central defence despite spending fortunes? 

wrong thread to ask, but they are going to have to defend deep tomorrow (they did in the first game) and take care of the high press we do

Might be worth asking Plumpy (hhy) on the Man City thread, he seems to be able to offer a balanced view on Man C matters.

i know the theory behind not cashing out, know you are paying vig twice, once on the first bet and then on the cash out offer

but

Jacqui Oatley ‏@JacquiOatley

Dilemma: @herb1977 bet £5 at 5000-1 in Aug that @LCFC would win the PL, so should he take £3200 offer to cash out now, or hope for £25,000?


how bullish would you have to be now, the day before Man C away, not to take £3200 now?

They are 5/1 best, 9/2 with anybody willing to lay.  Sure he could get 4k without much effort. 

I'd take up to £400 to win £2500 anyway.  Neil would take some?  Arbboy?  

Edit somebody willing to put 10k at 6.4 on Betfair.

Tomorrow is one of many huge games for Leicester and every game from here will be a Cup Final.

I think Demachellis is their weakest link with Otamendi not far behind. As for Kante? With Dad's Army "fashionable" again "they won't like it up em"

I have a front seat reserved in a local pub that does real ale so come 2.45 I'll be flying either way!

Can't say its a game I'm particularly looking forward to. Despite plenty of shaky moments, we've managed to put in a few clean sheets recently, I think the Argie understanding between Otamendi and MDM helps, even more so when we have Zaba at right back. Concerned about Vardy taking advantage of a potential lack of mobility at the back.

Our team is almost picking itself at the moment due to injuries, so I imagine we'll line up something like 4-5-1 with the midfield packed with Yaya, Delph and Fernandino, Silva and Sterling on the flanks and Aguero up top. Don't see Nacho starting tomorrow, but a useful option from the bench.

09.24 train out of York.....good luck tomorrow.

Tikay has beckoned me, how can I say no? :)

Erm, for starters, I don't think our defence is anywhere near as poor as is made out by the media. I think we have conceded the 3rd least goals in the league and just 4 in the last 6 games (all comps), so there has certainly been an improvement in recent weeks.

A lack of cover in midfield doesn't help, the amount of times we lose possession in the middle of the park and leave the defence completely exposed is alarming. I don't think we retain the ball well enough sometimes, esp away from home.

Obv we miss Kompany, partner him with either Mangala or Otamendi and they both look like world beaters (5 clean sheets in a row at start of season), put them 2 together and the jitters set in. It doesn't help that we concede such sloppy goals either, and with games like Sunderland this week where it was a backs to the wall job against the 2nd bottom team for the last 20 mins, I can understand why outsiders think we are shite defensively. We were pretty well drilled under Mancini, but MP is hell bent on scoring goals, horses for courses.

Cliffs...
-we're not that bad at the back
-concede silly goals and chances that make us look worse
-poor protection from midfield
-Pellegrini doesn't give a fuck about defending, only goals :)
-still got 3rd best defensive in the league......somehow!

Fair points.  I guess from my limited views of man city it feels like when they are keeping clean sheets it is because they are pummelling the opposition who don't try to attack, but when they are under pressure and Kompany isn't playing they look pretty chaotic.  Maybe it's a false impression.

this is great

I believe

Hsyhenwtskejwveuw

If there was ever a day to sneak awful bets past Tighty on tips for tikay, this is it. Get you 3pm 8 folds put up

Leicester have been great. Man city abject, pathetic as terrible as I have seen them. If they're playing for Pelle this is just downright disrespectful

Well, well, well

(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CaiZok8W4AEtCwo.jpg)

(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CaiYWF2W4AEVWvf.jpg)

shots on target

tackles

unbelievable on the break, lethal finishing from Mahrez. Kante sensational, Fuchs wonderful

Huth and Morgan absolute rocks

(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CaiedWwWEAEzJml.jpg)

£400,000

signing of our decade

(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CaigvHyWwAAN4hQ.jpg:large)

with the extra TV money coming into the game next season Leicester wont be forced to sell but will they be able to keep all there star players
unlike Southampton for past couple of seasons you will have ECL to help keep the players happy but will the likes
of marhez want to move to a 'bigger' club

Mahrez may do yes

Not that we will have to sell but its difficult to persuade any player to stay if PSG, Real or Barca come calling

We should have Kante for another year, Vardy is 29 and about to sign a new 3.5 year contract doubling his wages

Mahrez is the one, and i reckon it could be a big big price given he's got a contact for 2 more years

GG Leicester.

City battling for 2nd with the spuds and gooners.

Tighty, quick Q. Who is the player who was on your bench today; about 30, stocky build, tattoo on his right calf, spiky brown hair and beard, looks a bit of a bruiser? Genuinely thought he was your sub keeper and couldn't work out why he was warming up from the 1st minute :)

Wasilewski, polish international centre back

cult hero

old style centre half, bought from Anderlecht where he was also a cult hero

leicester and anderlecht fans now go to watch each other's games because of a shared love of the beast.

Phenomenal performance today, delighted to see Huth grab a couple! I thought this would be the big turning point where Citeh would thump 4 last you and the Leicester slide would begin. I'm very happy to eat my humble pie after this one. I really hope it continues. Not to sound too cheesy but it would be such a victory for English football and football in general if you could win the league.

Interesting listening to Dale Tempest of Skybet last night on talk sport.
Says they will lose 5 million on Leicester winning. They have 128 bets at 5000/1....from 10p to £20e/w
He said sky were happy (last night!) to listen to punters wanting to cash in.

What a ride..... good luck to them all  :)

Yes, certainly wouldn't want to get into a disagreement with him. Didn't recognise him at all (and didn't see the line ups for subs), but he's built like a brick shit house.

Wp today, gulf in class and confidence. Can't begrudge you guys taking the title, and hope you do (assuming we don't catch up) as its fully deserved.

Its not the same as southampton tho as leic will be able to match the excuse that most wantaways give- CL football, at least for next season.  If RM or barca offer theres no getting away from it but you protect your assets from the likes of man u. liverpool (southamptons parasite) and most foreign teams.

TBH id trade everyone of those players for a league title. Win the league and theres no worries about your players being stripped, its easy to find decent ones with CL football to offer.

I think he's been unlucky this year not to get a game as he was pretty decent when he played last year I thought. But you can't argue considering how well the team has done.
I thought that Leicester would fall away this year as even though you went very well at the start of the season, you were shipping lots of goals. I thought the Vardy/Mahrez goals would have to dry up at some point (and they have to a degree) but now the defence has tightened up considerably. Probably the best defence in the league over the last dozen or so games? I think Ranieri has to take a lot fo credit for that.
Well done on hopefully taking a huge step towards winning the league today and a massive, massive step towards securing top 4.

Did he say how much money have they taken on the outright market?

They're not declaring a £5m net loss are they?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BhQK0XoRZJg

why the hell was there 3 of them around that first free kick? 2 i can just about get away with but 3?!

Fuchs is a left footed dead ball specialist

Mahrez is a genius

Albrighton the right footed option

seeing as Man Cdecided not to defend the near post, i'd say it was a decent free kick

FYP

No chance that 1 solitary season of CL football will stop todays players from wanting higher wages and more chance of success at any bigger clubs. Leicester should probably cash in on their stars over the summer rather than wait a year and allow their stock to fall, which it will when offers start coming in from elsewhere, Leicster reassume a mid table position and players make it clear they want to go. I mean this season is a dream but an anomaly, so perhaps it's best to maximise its value to maintain the long term position of the club in the PL while all the hype is around.

Jamie Vardy has signed a new contract with Leicester City, committing his future to the Foxes until 2019.

Ranieri wins the league and it must be the greatest achievement in football history.

Lol on twitter:

"Dad how did Leicester win the league?"

"It all started when Nigel Pearsons son racially abused a Thai prostitute in a sex orgy on video."

No, £5m is their liability on Leicester, not the book as a whole.

Absolutely. I do like it when those figures are the ones published but they will have taken a few quid on Chelsea, Man City, Man United, Liverpool, whoever Pardew manages these days and obviously Stoke.

so in fact fantastic publicity

lets say gross take is £10m, lose £5m if LCFC win it, net take £5m and next season everyone punts the outsiders and the big four re-assert and everyone does the lot, most probably

and lcfc probably don't win it anyway, so even better. they get publicity from feb-may about tickets at 5000-1 and ultimately they lose

bit like the super 6, or a big accumulator. the £250k/whatever is a fantastic use of marketing budget over the lifetime of customers for acquisition/extra volume from ice-creams etc 

(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CakOo4WW8AAXyZ1.jpg)

Caley's projection

(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CajqkifWAAIhHu1.png)

Another stunning result yesterday.

The unique thing about this whole story is that it has unified football fans everywhere, they are all rooting for Leicester, with the possible exception of those in Derby & Nottingham.

Not sure why, as this is most unusual, but it is probably down to their refreshing, almost gung-ho playing style. They don't appear to have a bus to park.

Add into that 3 sensational players, backed up by some players who really are playing the best football of their life. It reminds me somewhat of Clough's early years at Derby, when the team as a whole were greater than the sum of the parts.

Long may it last. It's absolutely revitalised the EPL. Just imagine the fun we'd have if the EPL introduced a NFL or NBA draft system.

interesting WBA have 10% relegation chances there.

After Arsenal, Leicester have very favourable run, 9 very winnable games almost all against lower half of the league teams. Really is very much in their hands now.


Leicester v Norwich
   
March 2016

Leicester v West Brom
Watford v Leicester
Leicester v Newcastle   
Crystal Palace v Leicester
   
April 2016

Leicester v Southampton
Sunderland v Leicester
Leicester v West Ham   
Leicester v Swansea      

Assuming it goes down to the last 3 games, Man United/Everton/Chelsea looks tough, but likely they won't have much to play for.

pleno, your free kick question...

(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CaiGM7lW4AEUzxF.png)

The EPL was like totally vital before Licesster became top of the table. It will probably remain so when they're not

Sorry I don't understand what it's trying to show? City defending the set piece poorly? I assumed this or does it show having 3 people out there took an extra city player away from a danger area and it was pre planned?

just the odd defending. on MOTD they highlighted Zabaleta just to the right of the top right of the six yard box who was in the wrong position and that Huth showed more tenancity than De Michelis when the ball came in. Quite rare to see a ball, played in that low from a set piece, get that far really.

i don't think having 3 over the ball made any difference to that. I do know all three take a mean free kick. quite what happens if the ball is cleared and your left back is stuck by the corner flag over a free-kick, not sure.

Yeh I usually understand having both right and left footed people over the ball to make opponents not be able to read the angle and sometimes understand 3 players in central positions where it can be stop and struck but never ever saw 3 players at this kind of angle as obviously it restricts how many people you can have in the box/potentially makes you vulnerable to counter attacks. Ranieri is obviously a tactical genius though so I'm very intrigued.

Will be interesting to see who Leicester attract next season. Carrick maybe? Think he'd be a pretty good signing with good experience and cheap and probably will see the exit door at Man United. Nathan Redmond if Norwich go down potentially a good signing. I'm not very clued up on continental football so unsure about anybody form outside of England but obviously scouting system is one of the best and sure they will continue to do good business.

John Terry? :)

pretty sure they won't be looking at players on a last contract. cambiasso was a bit of a special case. Huth was a loan signing who transformed the back four so utterly that it would have been mad not to sign him

the whole thrust of the transfer policy has been to buy players in the early 20s, who you can get before the big boys want them (steve walsh and the scouting network) and they then

a) develop with you
b) sell on at profit if needed
c) second contract with you if possible

demarai gray is 19
Amartey is 21
Kante is 24
Mahrez  is 24
Drinkwater is 25

fuchs, albrighton (only 26 years old now) etc were on frees, so there wasn't a huge capital outlay where you are sinking cost without a sell on at the end, just the wages for length of contract to cover

maybe okazaki and inler don't fit that mould so much, but most of the signings do

don't expect that to change. players like nathan redmond would be very much like leicester signings

Well 6/9 are currently in the bottom half.  It does look a favourable run though.

Probably been discussed before... What's mahrez's valuation in the current market if he was to be sold in the summer ?

I think 30-35

Yup, & now it's been revitalised.

It's like when I add Worcester Sauce to my Tesco tinned toms and a few pineapple chunks - adds a whole new dimension of excitement.  

Higher

more than one club will want him, new TV deals, transfer market will be barmy

24 years old so if you sign him you get two contracts out of him.

Am I clutching at straws in the hope that Leicester playing mostly mid table/bottom half teams might work against them to a degree?

Reasoning being that yesterday they played with absolutely no pressure on their shoulders, City were expected to win, and this showed on the pitch as they just casually out played us. When they are playing the likes of Swansea, Newcastle etc, the pressure will be on Leicester to perform and ultimately win, esp as we come up to the business end of the season and securing 3 points every week will be crucial.

Yes I am clutching at straws :)

I've been thinking along similar lines although I hope it is not the case!

genuinely no pressure at all being felt

I do agree that if you are playing clubs scrapping its tough. Can't imagine WBA, for example, doing anything other than defending their 18 yard box and trying not to let Vardy in behind, or allow us to play on the counter

One thing i remain staggered about is that teams continue to defend quite high against us, only Liverpool on boxing day played it as you should against us, defend quite deep, let us play in front and double press Mahrez.

We are not going to score goals if you put two banks of four in front of us and tell us to break you down. put Vardy or Mahrez on the ball in space on the counter and its goodnight defenders.

yesterday man c were continually caught, full backs bombing on as well, so when kante/drunkwater wins it in midfield there is acres of space

This bolded bit is why I think you'll enjoy the Champions League more than the Europa.

Watched a bit of that Kante yesterday as I'd seen him namechecked a few times. Looks more than decent! Doesn't half cover the pitch. Great engine on him too.

I'm sure the pressure will be there to get over the line. It all still feels a bit fairytale at the moment, but fast forward to April and you're still top of the league, then it should kick in.... We're quite good at chasing, less so at being chased. Clutching at straws again :)

It's a fair point.  Let's take Watford v Leicester which I'll be at.  Flores is pretty negative even at home and will likely show Leicester full respect in his approach.  Watford are certainly beatable at home (lost 4 times I think) and Leicester might feel under pressure to push on if 0-0 after 60 mins.  Might play into a Watford type team's hands in an awkward away game.  Of course Mahrez/Vardy might have them 2-0 up by then.

To be honest I'll be half cheering for Leicester in this match if Watford are pretty much safe as what they might achieve here shakes the league up and gives everyone belief for the next decade.

Haway the lads.

(http://pbs.twimg.com/media/CasTWbPW8AEznkS.png:large)

Small writing but interesting stuff

Basically when he arrived he soon realised the players were not interested in tactical nuances or variations.

its to his credit that he adapted so quickly and listened/watched and saw what they would and would not respond to

a very sage man indeed

love this picture

Mahrez beats Otamendi on the way to scoring

(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CasBaJTXEAUBW7s.jpg)

http://www.theguardian.com/football/2016/feb/09/arsenal-wrong-scout-leicester-gary-lineker

anyway thats wrigglesworth at arsenal and mckenzie at spurs now from our vanuted scouting team

no-one is going to read this but i will put it here anyway

outstanding long form report of the game at the etihad, tactics and the rest

http://www.zonalmarking.net/2016/02/10/manchester-city-1-3-leicester-early-goal-allows-leicester-to-play-on-the-break/

well said, odious man and a horrible pundit who gets work everywhere!

thoroughly on the bandwagon now, strangely enough

'You've changed your tune, Robbie Savage. And your badge-kissing allegiance'

http://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/Leicester-City-OPINION-Thanks-support-Robbie/story-28696406-detail/story.html#ixzz3zlBUFVG2

Odious, really?

Think that article just sums up why he is liked by some.
Honest, and not afraid to speak his mind.  At least he had the balls to state he didn't think they would win it, in the face of a weekly barrage of abuse from Fox's fans. 
Beating City has changed the opinion of nearly every football fan I know from "I would like them to win it" to "they can/will win it".  Not surprised that game changed his mind to be honest.

As a pundit/presenter I think he is good - his partnership on 606 is entertaining, he does not trot out the same old rubbish, he was very honest in respect to his allegiance to Mancini and how that shaped his views on Man City, and he has also been honest in stating he thought Leicester were lightweight in squad depth and it would catch up with them - it hasn't.

Appreciate he is not everyone's cup of tea - but what do you want 3 Gareth Crooks clones on every football show?

odious might be the wrong word

Insincere, maybe

i don't mind him changing his mind on leicester, many have and no one saw it coming

the part many leicester fans object to is his behaviour on returning to leicester with away clubs, demonstrably being a cock and now claiming that "we" are going to win the league. There is no "we" about it Robbie, unlike the vast majority who left the club (and many like izzet, walsh, elliott, taggart from that era are are matches regularly now) who didn't go round slagging us off afterwards

Smply two-faced.

as a pundit i think he is utterly dreadful (merson is bad but entertaining, savage is bad and thinks he's entertaining, he's not), but at least he's not dreadful and boring like the horrendous garth crooks so i agree with you on that

Player Focus: Mahrez Essential in Leicester's Stunning Season

https://www.whoscored.com/Articles/_bybwmjhg0ac2er5bfrpfg/Show/Player-Focus-Mahrez-Essential-in-Leicesters-Stunning-Season

(https://cdn.whoscored.com/img/blog/2016%2f2%2fCAN.jpg)

The LCFC fan who bet £5 on his side to win the league is now offered £6,500 to cash out. http://bbc.in/1PxhhHY 

Leicester City's bonus structure for the season reveals how high in the league the club hoped they'd finish..

http://www.thesportbible.com/articles/leicester-city-bosses-were-never-prepared-for-title-push-110216

Leicester are now serious title contenders... but who's in the King Power bootroom? http://dailym.ai/1TbCOe3 

The miracle of Leicester: even more incredible than it first appears (By Brian Sears)

http://www.sportingintelligence.com/2016/02/12/the-miracle-of-leicester-more-incredible-than-it-first-appear-120102/

(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CbAeyU8W4AA03h5.jpg)

Did I read correctly that Leicester City have fielded an unchanged starting 11 for the last 5 games in a row?

If so, tinker tinkers no more.

Does give some food for thought to the all-powerful "squad rotation" lobby, too.

Times were perhaps different, but Derby County were similar in their early Clough days, and one of the better Liverpool Teams, might have been under Shankly, only used 15 different players all season when they won one of their titles. Plenty of "ever present" players around, too. No subs then, of course, which I preferred.   

been very fortunate with injuries, though one lobby would tell you that is skill in the sports science team that we haven't suffered many soft tissue injuries

we currently have 2 of the first team squad of 25 out, the lowest number in the league

that apart, we are also fortunate that we dont have many fixtures being out of both cups, so plenty of recovery time no need to rotate. that could be a big advantage once the champions league resumes and as others go deep in the fac cup too

and of course the form of the players is such that you don't want to change the team

i think, iirc, weve used the lowest number of players of any PL team this season.

some luck, some form, some judgement, some down to circumstances

In a weird piece of timing, just looked at today's Times, & they have a League Table of who has made least changes to their line up this season

Top 4 are;

Leicester 21

Watford 30

Stoke 33

Bournemouth 34

Bottom 4?

Villa 59

Southampton 60

Sunderland 64

Man City 66

the four down the bottom all make sense to me

villa started badly, lots of new players, then new manager...

southampton started early in the europa league, and were playing lots of midweeks, rotation inevitable

sunderland started badly, lots of new players, then new manager

man c have a strong squad with probably two starting xis minimum, playing in the champions league, plenty of rotation inevitable

Yep, loads of games plus loads of injuries means a fair bit of tinkering for us this season.

Off the top of my head, so far this season we've had Hart, Zabaleta, Mangala, Kompany, Kolarov, Clichy, Delph, Navas, Nasri, KDB, Silva, Toure, Fernando, Sterling, Aguero and Bony all on the sidelines. Some have been brief injuries (Sterling, Hart), others much more long term (Silva, Vinny, Sergio, Nasri).

We had a reasonably settled side for the first 5 games, and won 5/5 without conceding.....then things kinda went tits up :)

Just read Delph out for 7 weeks, marv.

Still pretty impressive that Leicester have only used 21 players.

this is all rather unnerving

Arsene is playing his little games, which despite the fact they will probably win tomorrow will have no impact on us as Ranieri doesn't give a toss

and now we are everyone's favourite team.

(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CbDEEy9W0AEzrVc.jpg)

(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CbDEE0PWcAA6PBK.jpg)

(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CbDEE1lWEAEX7k4.jpg)

(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CbFOC6PWcAAR-ZR.jpg)

(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CbFOC5TWwAAUSL-.jpg)

(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CbFOC4sWIAAebL6.jpg)

(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CbDEEzAWEAA0UsK.jpg)

(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CbC-7lsWEAEp9SS.jpg)

i like this one by Marcotti

"Past hardships inspire Leicester's unlikely Premier League title challenge "

http://www.espnfc.com/blog/marcotti-musings/62/post/2805232/leicester-unlikely-premier-league-title-push

 ;gobsmacked;

Whoever is keeping Kante out of the French national side must be some player, he's been immense again today.

Ugh.

Kante is a great player though. Interceptions, great engine.

the local newspaper report extract

"Kante: more than a tackler

A general theme occurred at the Emirates. Arsenal got the ball, N'Golo Kante won it back. Arsenal got the ball, Kante won it back. Arsenal got the ball, Kante won it back. Repeat.

He was everywhere. If the caused seemed lost, Kante resurrected it.

He is a constant, relentless, irrepressible tackler. Yet he is so much more than that too. To label him a 'tackler' is to do him a gross injustice. It just colours in the edges.

Yes, he tackles. But he also blocks, bites, battles and bruises; nicks, nabs, nips, snaps, steals, surges, sneaks, scampers, hassles, harangues, hampers, hurries and scurries. He sleuths, pesters, pinches, pickpockets, hustles, bustles, drives, reads, foresees and retrieves. And he does not stop."


reflecting, the sending off Ranieri didnt think either were a yellow but some you get some you don't. Thought simpson was a bit rash so soon after the first booking

the 95th minute challenge from wasilewski for the last free kick,daft

small margins.

Arsenal gave it large on winning, lap of honour, topless selfies from the changing room minutes after the final whistle and much joy. Shows how far we've come, we are still right in it

We have a week off now (and the players have been told to go away, Ranieri is off to Rome) whilst arsenal, man c play three games in the champions league and F A Cup.

that has to be a big help for us, Norwich at home next and hopefully back on track

I was beginning to think maybe I was just lacking in my knowledge of the game a little when people keep going on about players that do a similar role to Kante being good footballers and I think they're awful.

That certainly wasn't the case today, thought he was easily the best player on the pitch. Today was the first full game I've watched Leicester play this season and he was hugely impressive.

Thought the 2nd yellow was extremely harsh, but as said was a silly mistake to make and shouldn't have gave the ref the chance to send him off.

Sighs at the end but 6/9 points would've been snapped up I expect. Still got a great shout, I'm starting to fancy Spurs to get it done but they have a lot of fixtures to play so gives you an edge there for sure. Also doesn't feel like there's any chance you'll take any of your so called easy games lightly so if pressure doesn't become an issue then very much still in with a big chance of winning the title, enjoy the ride.

Thought gray was naive for the first goal. Well just lacking defensive awareness not surprising for a player who has had a free role for most of his career at Birmingham.

He did track back well after that which is a good sign.

Kante very good obviously but matudi and pogba are rather good

I can't really bring myself to criticise Claudio but I thought the taking off of Mahrez was a strange move when essentially he was replacing him with Gray eventually.I Like the kid but under the circumstances he was brought into the game it's hardly surprising if he wasn't a bit rabbit in headlights. Mahrez looked a bit bewildered as well at the substitution. Appreciating the disappointment of being sent off I thought Simpson's clear expletive to one of the coaching staff was bang out of order and the first time I've witnessed any form of dissent in the team in a long long time.

Hopefully the two week break will give them all I me to settle down, regroup and march on.

Mahrez was taken off earlier in the season a couple of times as I think his defensive qualities were thought to be lacking.

In the last 8 games, Leicester have conceded 4 goals. How many goals have Leicester conceded when Mahrez was on the pitch in those 8 games (649 minutes)? Not a single one. They have conceded 4 goals in the 71 minutes he wasn't on the pitch!

now i know its not going to be easy to beat sides scrapping, but the run in could be worse

- 0 games left vs top 4 sides
- 2 away trips vs top 10 sides
- 8 games vs bottom half sides
- 2 points clear 

(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CbNNcT6XIAASGPh.jpg)


before we play again Arsenal have Hull and Barca, Tottenham have Fiorentina twice and Palace, City have Chelsea and Kiev away

Norwich at home next and hopefully back on track (Tighty)

regroup and march on. (Old father Tim)


Guess you are not used to losing games these days, but I don't think a narrow defeat at one of the best Clubs in the League is anything to be troubled by, or any "re-grouping" is necessary. It's not as if the wheels came off, or you played badly.

First time I've really watched Leicester yesterday. Incred how bad the league is this year that Leicester are top. Shirley only Kante and possibly Mahrez get a look in at any sizable European Club or Spurs

(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CbRzagqW8AEpOvj.png)

Updated Barclays Premier League title prices

15/8f Leicester City,
2/1 Tottenham,
11/4 Arsenal,
11/2 Man City,
80/1 Man Utd

incredible season, all round

by all acconts huffed and puffed yesterday against a stream that strung 5 across the 18 yard box and allowed no room in behind

got a late crucial goal

west brom at home tuesday, might see more of the same from the away side

Tbf Tighty Norwich came to play and could have had the game sown up quite early on. Our first shot on target was in the 60thish minute from a free kick. Klosse did a good just job nullifying Vardy, and Mahrez got the usual 2 on 1 treatment and really only came into it in the final half hour. As a game it was a non event for any neutral but if you have to win "ugly" who cares!

Spurs or Leicester. Who'dve thunk it?

Backed Leicester and Spurs when both 5/1 City to far behind now, but our trophy 🏆 cabinet is growing.

Losing Kante is not good for us, although WBA are not showing themselves as too aggressive in going forward. Watford might be a different matter on Saturday however. Definitely an interesting and unsettling development IMHO.

59% possession!!

so we played really well last night, some stunning football and west brom surprised me too, played a bit and despite vulnerabilities caused by playing 4 giant redwoods across the back with centre backs out of position on either flank scored two good goals

missed the norwich game

4 points out of 6 and lots and twists and turns ahead.

could do with spurs slipping up tonight or at the weekend.

Crucial week this week Tighty, Key games, City win tonight, Spurs loose which I doubt, Gooners win then pick a title winner, great suspense but still not sure who will be Champs. Don't think city will win as they struggle at Anfield usually. Pello may be focusing more on Champions League.

Just feels like destiny

Belting night for the Foxes tonight!

Looking forward to Saturday's game - will be interested to see how Ranieri approaches it if 0-0 after an hour.

We will be attacking. Gone for it all season in tight games. Not the worst of nights!

merry christmas

Bilic was tactically brilliant tonight. Poor pitch, closed spurs down at every opportunity, forced us inside and into traffic. Best team won, no question. 

Saturday should be rather interesting

very interesting Danny Drinkwater article

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-3475445/Danny-Drinkwater-one-unsung-Leicester-superheroes-proving-points-teamwork.html

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p03ljtt8

Destiny

ok now, come on lads

drive it home.

Deeney's gonna get ya.  :)

He's done it before. we tried to sign him just under two years ago too

Hope it's a good game at any rate.  Can't remember the last time I enjoyed a home game in terms of entertainment.  Man City back in December I guess - The FA Cup matches have been dreadful.

Boom. 5 points clear. Nine games to go. Brilliant tactical subs today and a bit of mahrez magic to win it.

And another dull as dishwater home performance for me to watch.

You play so narrow and no runners from midfield. That has to be the focus from here to threaten from more areas on the pitch

Brilliant result and very much in your hands now.

Tyler said during the game at 0-0 that Leicester fans would take a guaranteed 3rd place in the league right now. Foolish man IMO.

Hey Tighty - I've debriefed on the Watford form and got the negativity out.  Just wanted to wish you boys good luck for rest of season.  Shake it up lads!

Yup.  Every season ticket holder bemoans than every midfielder sticks in his defensive spot.  I'm worried about next season if we keep doing this.  We're great away from home but can it last when we are a known quantity?

82 points from the last 38 Premier League games for Leicester City.

W 24
D 10
L 4

GF 71 GA 38

It's already the most remarkable achievement in English (Welsh) top flight football. Best of luck for the rest of the season.

Amazing to think Tyler was not to long ago a superb commentator. Completely gone at the gig last few seasons but this season a new low

Leicester City fan cashes out £72k on Premier League bet

this was before the watford win, was worth £91,000 a few hours later....

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-coventry-warwickshire-35747633

The bookies must be loving all this free PR, doing my head in.

On bets like this do people not think about taking financial advice? Most of the "big bets" i have seen the bookies have been creaming tens of thousands in value of the bets.

Is this the first time this has been mentioned?

At the very least, there was some missed golden PR to snaffle here, surely?

Leicester's relegation odds next season against their title odds? Regardless of if they win it this year or not. Relegation still be shorter?

Was talking about it on the train home on Saturday, this betting talk has reminded me of said conversation.

lower, definitely

should be too, likely to have a lot more games and as we saw with hull, swansea and others european football on the smaller squads is a big drag

an actuary at Pinnacle worked out that the "fair value" of the cash out at the time was £117,000

i suppose its a bit like deal or no deal, once you get to "life changing money" it becomes less about EV and more about securing a return for most people, so the "banker" can adjust the offer accordingly

Leicester fans celebrate goal so loudly it was picked up as a quake on the Richter scale

http://thesun.uk/6012BeV9Y 

and another

William Hill ‏@sharpeangle

Leicester fan who bet £20ew at 2500/1 on them a week after first game & stood to collect £66,706.67 has cashed in his bet for £29,788

real ev over £40k!

I can't find any excuse for cashing out an EW bet with the place virtually assured.

Only two places Ralph ante post on EPL e/w bets.  Leics only a 1/2 shot to finish in the top 2 currently.  EV of the above bet at 1/3 1,2 place terms is roughly £33k.  Not the worst cash out at £29k (close to £30k actually) for a casual small stakes punter.  Very rare you get to cash out on DOND so close to the true value.  If the guy is pretty skint and uses the cash sensibly paying off any debts he will save well in advance of the £3k in ev lost in saved interest payments on debt/credit cards/mortgage and, more importantly, have zero variance on the biggest winning bet he/she will probably ever have in their life.  Easy cash out for the vast majority of small stakes punters imo.

Ah okay that explains it, I didn't realise it was only two places.

Christian Fuchs

No ordinary footballer

http://buff.ly/1XktdS0

Interesting little stat Sky just showed - Leicester have made just 25 changes to their starting lineup in the league this season, the team with the second least has made 39.

1. been either or both of a) very fortunate with injuries or b) brilliant sports science team that has really managed them well

eg kante tweaks a hamstring, is playing 90 minutes six days later

2. had no more than two of the 25 man squad out for any match this season

3. of course the form has been so good from 1-11 that there has been no need to change the team much

4. no european football, out of the fa cup in the third round so no need to rotate, plenty of recvoery time before each game

(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CdWRN_CXIAEkKrU.jpg)

Think I read somewhere that Leicester have only used 15 different (starting) players in the EPL this season?

18 i think

Kasper
RDL
Simpson
Amartey
Wes
Huth
wasyl
fuchs
schlupp
mahrez
albrighton
king
inler
danny d
kante
ulloa
vardy
okazaki


dyer
chilwell
gray

off the bench

schwarzer unused on the bench

Leicester tinkered with going odds on for the first time on betfair for the title as Man City draw away at Norwich.  The more you look at the price the more it looks too big right?  Evens with only Spurs and Arsenal chasing you? 

You've turned 180 regarding Leicester's title challenge Arbboy-did you lay them much earlier on in the season when you were convinced they'd drop off?

Yes i have laid them to lose a lot of money months ago at double figure prices.  Doesn't mean they can't be a cracking bet now at evens.  I don't worry about previous positions affecting future investments.  Spots like this normally create value because mugs get tied to bets and can't see the woods for the trees and their egos are too big to change their mind so to speak.  The mugs that backed them at huge prices cashing out now and happy to lay 'wrong' prices to green up create profitable betting spots long term.  You don't need to know nothing about soccer now to understand Leics are highly likely to be too big.  Just have an understanding of how wagons think and how markets work.  

I like laying number 32 on a roulette wheel at 20/1 now the price is 50/1 i want to be a backer.  It really is that simple.  All about price buddy.

Nice rub btw if you are reminding me that i am about to lose a fortune if Leics do hang on.  Appreciate it.  Amazing you can remember that far back given i assume you haven't got an interest yourself.  Never see many positives from yourself just the results orientated negative stuff after the event about my stuff.  Miss the bias stuff this morning and last night on tft?  Never see you comment about stuff like that when the going is good.  I take it you are not an arb fan which is fair enough.  There is a big fan club to join to be a member of that club.

Adz donk is in charge of membership details for the results orientated guessers (amazing how many members of this results orientated guessers club there are on here nowadays compared to 3 years ago.  Used to be a place for shrewdies in 2012 who could see the bigger picture and got the game) if you are interested. PM him for details.  

You may find this incomprehensible, but 'no' I don't follow your tips. I regularly thank others who I follow in on their tips, and would have done the same for you, but hardly any of the short-odds/max bet/+ev ones I did from you came in.

Adz on the other hand, who you strangely target above, has a great record for finding winners for me so thumbs up to him!

No hard feelings, and im not looking to start a row as I imagine you'll be pretty Stella'd up by now  ;-)

You really think there's any discussion other than they've cllearly god moded with injuries ?

Quit with the Adz bashing and personal insults please Argue, I don't want to see any more of this.

clearly that is the most likely explanation

there is a view that the huge investment in sports science the club has made has made a real impact on lessening the number of muscle injuries

to quantify this the thai owner investment is now up at £170m, and has included not only buying the stadium, clearing off the debt, playing staff, management, scouting but it is is estimated over £40m on sports science teams, equipment etc. all of which has been FFP allowable/ an FFPoffset. 

i went on a training ground tour recently and its like walking round a small hospital, in parts

the club runs seminars on sports science, eg attended last summer by Arsenal, spurs amongst others and a fortnight ago on recovery times and individual training pans etc attended by clubs across Erope

clearly no back-room team can do anything about breaks, cruciates etc and clearly a lower number of games this season than the big boys is a factor allowing recovery plans etc but when you look at the incidence of muscle injuries at arsenal, united etc and compare to us, over three seasons since the big investment by the new owners on this, you might conclude there is something in it over and above the good fortune you allude to

That seems a ridiculously high investment on equipment Tighty when you think they could have used the money to buy Benteke  ;D ;D

predictions?

Nervy performance and as we know not very effective against sides that defend deep and narrow. Nice goal.kante brilliant. Win when playing poorly .Job done. Now the 45 min queue to get out of the car park!

Of course, the real person behind all this success isn't Mahrez, or Vardy, or Ranieri.

It's Philippa Langley (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philippa_Langley)

Since Richard III was reburied at Leicester Cathedral Leicester in the league have 25 wins, 10 draws and 4 defeats.

Well done Leicester, 99% of football fans want them to win the premier league, the rest are Spurs supporters!

Poor game but Winning ugly the sign of champions.

Destiny

Gave up a steak for that tonight

Did you still get the blowjob though?

Is this the lowest amount of injuries any team has ever received in the premiership. I think the real reason they are going to win the league is the physics, must be doing something amazingly well.

Next year so important to sign 6-7 players but that will potentially disrupt a lot of stuff.

Pre season will be intriguing.

first priority will be to keep mahrez if we can

second priority will be to get depth into the squad, not even the healing hands of baby jesus will keep us injury free if we are playing twice a week for some of next season

Ronald is a good judge

we have southampton after teh international break, which will be a tough game

"He's a great player" - Ronald Koeman was impressed with N'Golo Kante in Leicester's MNF win http://skysports.tv/6eRUNd 

Caley

he thinks W4 D2 L2 from here might do it

(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Cdi4SjWW8AAu-hl.jpg:large)

Kante could be he best in the world at what he does, seriously impressive.

If he doesn't go to euros and Sissoko does it's an absolute travesty.

“The more Leicester pass, the less Leicester score.”

interesting research

http://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2016/mar/13/leicester-city-outflanked-foxes-claudio-ranieri?CMP=share_btn_tw



you can see this watching matches. defending deep and narrow and saying "right play through us" is the way to stop us. Newcastle did, more or less

give us a high defensive line to play against, ball on the counter and away we go.

Until a fortnight ago we'd gone all season without teams trying to stop us, only Klopp/Liverpool set up to counter us rather than attack us

now the last few teams have set up as if we were a big team, the performances are poorer, we are scraping through etc etc

it was a serious piece of scouting, then a serious piece of persuasion to get him to come to us

Before i saw him, i read that he was like Makalele. You can see the similarity in style. Kante can spot a pass too and hopefully goes on to be as good as makalele.

Interestingly steve walsh the head of scouting too makalele to chelsea when he was there

Deschamps has just called him into the squad for two friendlies upcoming, hopefully he does well.

watching him live is something else, absolutely never stops running, wins a lot of tackles, shields the back four and then is found breaking forward too

Well done to Drinkwater for getting a call up.  We all know the visionary Hodgson will jettison him for the Euros if Wilshire manages 30 minutes for Arsenal but at least he is getting well deserved recognition.

8 points clear

not sure how as we were under pressure at times today, but we are.

fantastic, magnificent and wonderful


alan pardew's programme notes. lol, sour grapes united

(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Cd64GrKXEAA36ny.jpg)

Another great result. 1-0 sign of champions.

Leicester have now kept 9 clean sheets in their last 13 league games.

three 1-0 in a row

Schmeichel was absolutely magnificent today, but Huth has been just fantastic. turning circle of a cross channel ferry but very very clever, anticipates where to be match after match

I can't quite believe just how good Huth has been for you. He was a rock for us at CB for years, but after his injury he seemed a shell of his former self and that selling him onto you was a good piece of business. I love the bloke so I'm happy to see him doing well again, it's just a shame that with shawcross' present injury concerns we don't have him to play along side Wolly for a m efficiently German partnership.

Another great 3 points, keep it up.

Wow at Pardew notes is he fkn serious? Hhaha

Before yesterday's game James Weller cashed out his 5000/1 £10 bet on Leicester to win the league for £21k

(weep, i think 5 points clear and Palace away i would have run it, but who knows)

FFS as much as i want you guys to win the league i cant have you beating the saints in the next match

i hate games like that where you want both teams to win for different reasons

its going to be a very difficult match, great comeback yesterday

in our favour, i sense you might come out and play a bit, so we might have some space. if i am watching correctly, southampton tend to play quite a high line.

in your favour, pelle/mane etc will be the biggest test our back four have seen in a while


for now, we have 16 (times have changed!) players on international duty so hoping they all come back fit. apart from perhaps spurs and kane, there is no single player more important to his team than mahrez for us, since Xmas he has won us games we would have drawn without his goals from nowhere, and he's off to ANC qualifiers.

moving up inthe world

Leicester City will face Barcelona in Stockholm as part of the International Champions Cup, it has been announced.

City will face the European champions on Wednesday, August 3 in the Swedish capital, just four days after they take on Paris Saint-Germain in Los Angeles.

City will also face Scottish champions Celtic in Glasgow on Saturday, July 23, it was announced at a press conference in New York today.

City have been invited to take part in the lucrative pre-season friendly tournament because of their phenomenal rise to the summit of the Premier League this season.

lol. hopefully lucrative for us.

(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CeKNhu4UsAALYpU.jpg:large)

Playing fast and loose with the word champions there.

agreed, much like the champions league itself

whole thing is up its own backside, but might as well be inside the tent than outside looking in

meh, the toon have got a 46 game championship lined up.

Does show how far Leicester have come and that's a helluva line up from the rest of Europe, not sure how they'd view being lumped in the English tier 2 with Chelsea & Liverpool

even though the mere mention of it is putting the cart before the horse, this is ridiculous.

Leicester to be placed in top Champions League pot if they win the Premier League. More: http://skysports.tv/Cx1Ou7 

(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CeKpOpIW8AEiT7B.jpg)

Good. Win league get in pot 1.  Arsenal can go in pot 4.  What's not to like?

Ha, get you.

Enjoy, I know all of football will share the journey.

Best thing that's happened in the Premier League for many a moon, the Old Order is in tatters, with Spurs, West Ham, Southampton & Stoke all in the Top 10, & starting to threaten.   

I'm about 17 weeks too late, but I'm finally gonna transfer in Kasper and Huth into my fantasy team.

I was running away with my league, now I'm 4th. If only I didn't announce in February that I was intending to change my team name next season.

Fuchs not Huth please

cheaper, plenty of assists and he is going to score a free kick any game now

I really wasn't enjoying it - was brought up singing 'We all follow the Arsenal, over land and sea (and Leicester)' -  seems no dignity in finishing behind Leicester :-)

But I'm coming round. Heard some lazy pundits the other day talking about how big Arsenal, City et al had to spend in the summer to win the league next year and it fair had me steaming. Literally shouting, ffs, Leicester are about to win the farkin league and we all have to spend big ?

How about buying/developing better players, how about solid tactics and a decent dose of desire. Premier league Football is just beyond ridiculous with the money, expectation and entitlement feelings and so I got a grip of myself (have shed my sense of entitlement) and decided to enjoy Leicester winning if they do and stick one in the eye of the fatter cats.

^^^^^

Amen to that.

Just because some teams are awash with cash does not mean they have to spend it on transfer fees or that it will guarantee success.

Plenty of evidence around to support this.

Agreed there are going to be some shocking 15 million pound players next season I reckon.

i went and dropped kasper so i could put Huth into my team (only 3 players per team) so brought in forster just when kasper started scoring points and forster start letting goals in

dont you just hate fantasy

tighty why fuchs and not huth?

we have had 9 clean sheets in 13 games so a lot of teams are going to have 1 or 2 leicester defenders in them. i think i would have 1 not 2 from here as southampton, west ham etc doesn't compare too favourably to the recent run of norwich, west brom, palace, newcastle etc

kasper is popular in teams

Huth also because he pops up with set piece goals

but i want to be a bit contrarian and score points when other teams aren't

Fuchs last time i looked was cheaper than huth and at schalke was a free kick specialist.

he takes corners and gets up for crosses so assists are a possibility 

not many will have him, so if he comes off one game you'll have a point of difference relative to other teams

someone like Dazzler is better at this than me, but i have Fuchs when my main oppo all have kasper/huth

just looked

fuchs £5m owned by 5%

huth £4.9m owned by 15%

ergo if fuchs come off you stand a chance of making progress relative to others, need to fade huth at set pieces

Kasper £4.7m owned by 12%

Hadn't considered Fuchs, food for thought. Is Morgan not a decent shout as well, assuming he's significantly less popular than Huth? Less of a set piece threat but offset by his lack of popularity.

fml what has my life come to.

Morgan also only selected by 5%

significantly less chance of attacking points though, same as Danny Smpson

against that £700k cheaper

Fuchs is a bonus point magnet as well. Havne't seen much of Leicester this season that isn't match of the day, but he must put himself about a  bit.

Very much this.
I have a big problem with the bonus points system but as it stands, Fuchs is the best Leicester defender to have.
Having said that, you probably shouldn't be buying any Leicester players at all at the moment. With the double gameweeks (DGW) coming up, you should probably be loading up on DGW players.
But that's another story........:)

I love that. It would look even better if Kiev were replaced by the CL winner if Real Madrid, Atletico or, with a miracle, City won it.

Totally rooting for Leicester to win the league now  and, whilst City are at risk,  a top 4 of  Leicester, Spurs, City and West Ham would be brilliant with none of the original Big 4 making it through :)

The important question is how do you FEEL right now?

Is putting the top seeds as league winners a bit of an up yours to the clubs talking about wildcards for big clubs?

It was introduced for the first time this season and pre-dates the current wildcard nonsense. UEFA gave these reasons:

Infantino said before it ws introduced “People had difficulties in understanding how the champion of a country is in a lower pot than the third-ranked in that country.

“This will give another dynamic with the draw and in the way the groups are composed. It will be approved with the regulations at the start of next year.

“The club committee felt that there should be somehow an additional award given to the winners of the different national competitions.”

If the league finishes Leicester, Spurs, City, Arsenal  then under the old system Arsenal would go through the qualifying game to get to the group stage and then because their coefficient is still good they would be seeded in Pot 1. City would be Pot 2, Spurs Pot 3 and Leciester Pot 4. Strikes me that the new system is better!

I think when we got drawn in the 'group of champions' a few years ago (City, Madrid, Ajax and Dortmund) kinda brought it home how archaic the seeding system was. I think if you win the league then you deserve top billing.

I think it is driven by Arsenal consistently coming 4th in the league, getting dirt easy group as number 1 seed and then being anihilated as soon as they play anything of merit in the knockout round.  Arsenal were a poster child for champions league mediocrity, a complete waste of space,  so thankfully they have made a change.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/35885067

Could be worth a listen.  Especially as we are all Foxes fans now  ;)

ok i will stick with huth as i need the regular points for the H2H league

What Tom said. Fuchs in a bonus points magnet - says the man who benched him against Palace - below is a link to a spreadsheet (not my work) that has the baseline BPS for every defender in the game. By baseline that means it doesn't take into account any positive actions (goals, assists etc) or negative actions (yellow cards, red cards etc). It's a good indicator of which defenders are likely to pick up bonus points in 1-0/2-0 wins and also those that will pick up three or two BPS should they score/assist.

Note how far Fuchs is ahead of his Leicester counterparts, how Williams - who has the most BPS of any defender - crushes at Swansea etc. https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1WN7wHzk8VeoCdPEZM40uFi0UVUVM81RU9dNl5R1GlBc/pubhtml#

Tighty did you listen to the Leicester: The Impossible Team documentary on Radio 5 tonight? I caught the first half live and thought it was very good. Will catch up with the second half via iplayer/podcast.

i have the podcast bookmarked to listen to asap, thanks

 Leicester City: How Thailand is falling in love with the Foxes http://bbc.in/1Sp5KOq

lol I used to support Liverpool :)

I'm going Thailand in October, wonder how much it will have changed in the 2 years since I've been? Was almost 100% united, Chelsea and dippers shirts, with a smattering of arsenal/spuds/city gear (plus the usual Messi/Ronaldo bits), genuinely don't remember seeing a single Leicester shirt/item.

This was pre racist sex orgy video though, maybe their profile went through the roof after that?

the profile went through the roof when we were bought by thai billionaires

they own the king power duty free business, a huge company

so when you go into bangkok airport you'll find a leicester city club shop in arrivals, one in departures....

Was in Perth, Australia last week and saw my first ever Leicester shirt outside of England. Kid of about 14 wearing it. Can't imagine he was a fan during the Yuki Abe years.

I'll have to keep my eyes peeled better next time as I didn't see them last time I went and flew in/out of Bangkok.

I just wanna see a big cardboard cut out of Vardy.

It's in the newer airport. If you went through the old one then you wouldn't have seen it.

Something like that anyway, I remember reading about it before Leicester were cool to support.

I flew to/from the main airport in Bangkok (BKK), didn't use the more regional airport DMK thats also in Bangkok. Was only back end of 2014 so fairly recent. Tbf when I flew home I had some extreme (to me) food poisoning and the whole journey back to Manchester is a blur, so I easy could've missed a Leicester shop in departures.

I hope to be in peak physical condition when I pass through this time.

Right, off to buy some reduced Easter eggs.

Tighty/Leicester fans. Do you want Vardy and/or Drinkwater to start for England tommorow?

I would love to see Drinky get a game - he's earned it. Vardy should be in there also but I fear Roy won't use him as he should. After all he wouldn't want him to have a great game and then have to choose Vardy over Welbeck, Sturridge or Rooney as they were such a lethal combination in Rio!!

I more meant to injuries.

I always thought it was great to see our Sunderland players get a game for England (not that weve had many) but we never really had anything to play for when Kevin Phillips was getting a game.

Slightly different for the Leicester boys. Although you could argue the league is already over....

Yes.

I would like to see Vardy start up top, and play for an hour. Looks like Sturridge does though.

Vardy's main skill, pace off the last man and balls in behind, not utilised too effectively if he's playing wide in an attacking three behind a single striker. Until he played up front with Kane when chasing the game in Berlin, he'd only been used out wide in his previous four caps

Drinkwater has to start if you want to get a good look at him. hopefully he will. if he doesn't make it to the euros fair enough, but need to take a proper look to know

If the league is already over I wish somebody would tell my butt - it's been going half a crown sixpence for weeks now!!

Naturally we would hope to see all our "ships" return unharmed and it would be tragic having to lose a player at this stage because of a friendly but that's a sad fact of being a success. I've spent the last few days scanning games all over the world to keep up with how the various players have performed, but more to ensure all are well.

Timmy.

Being such a massive Leicester fan(take that how you like.x), and a gambler, i assume you are clutching a ticket with ridic odds on your team winning the title? :)

Your next million?

Best regards

Adz

 "Big" adz (take that how you like X) the answer is no!

Why else do you think they are doing so well?

You of all people should know a £ from me is a bullet in the head!

Surely you haven't forgot Phantom Whisper yet? Lol

How could I ever forget bud! Hope you are well, and enjoying the ride. Fingers firmly crossed for you.

Only found out this season that Tim was a footy fan  ;scarymoment;

Yeah fine Adam - we keep saying it -  but must meet up soon!

Marky, only the Man U fans aren't talking about football this season lol. You of all people should know how Joe rekindled my love with the Vardy is crap post ha ha!

Drinkwater starts.

drinkwater and vardy start

fingers crossed, eyes shut, prod me if we have a problem at 10pm

Not all of us ;D

I'm still talking about footy, and this is the best season I can remember!

Joe probably wishes he knew how to delete threads, given some of the pearlers he has started on Football :D

kante starts for france

(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Ceu-zPDWAAIszVd.jpg)

Kante scores!  He hasn't managed that in premier league since the Gomes gaff!?

Steady first half from Drinky (apart from when he mistook Milner for Vardy) but apart from the goal all this tippy tappy don't suit Vardy's game and the pace we have upfront IMHO

the dutch have everyone behind the ball and defending on 18 yard box

vardy likes to go against a high line and balls in behind, no chance of that

going to be a very good sub in france.

Drinkwater's ok. never going to shine too much at the base of the diamond. competing with delph as back up to henderson/dier in the squad. probably misses out if jack wilshere is fit

this is a fabulous report

details the lcfc finances, strategy and sustainability of the model

also lots of things discussed as to why the PL is becoming more competitive for example flat prize money in the tv deal, limits in squad sizes/FFP to top clubs buying all the talent, why mid ranking clubs don't need to sell players etc etc

http://swissramble.blogspot.co.uk/2016/03/leicester-city-sweet-dreams-are-made-of.html

^^ superb find and read Sir!

vardy on rooney's backs

https://twitter.com/itvfootball/status/714886729077895169?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

Very good piece, ty

Does Jamie Vardy have to spit so many times?

Get in

Another lucky 1-0 win, that's 13 lucky 1-0 wins now

As soon as you scored the overhead kick against us I had the feeling of I can see why you're going to win the league lol

Not saying it's luck but my god the stars seem to be aligning :)

It really is a miracle, especially regarding the injuries. Movie will surely be made of this.

Not the most pleasant of individuals

"Boring Boring Leicester"


 rotflmfao rotflmfao

Destiny

please teach england how to defend before the euros.

In the last 12 months, Leicester City have won 91 points, 18 more than any other club (Spurs & Arsenal 73).

(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CfItRUCXIAEzMzr.png)

Why Leicester City are so hard to beat this season http://bbc.in/25F8Y7D 

(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CfJnHxmXIAAiqyN.jpg)

(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CfJlHvrWQAACmdz.jpg)

Leicester's run of shut out's coincides with my decision to take Kasper out my dream team.   I deserve some credit. 

snap

The new chef who specializes in lasagna is en route from London.

I work in financial education and a while ago I did a presentation at a conference to show how ridiculously unlikely/impossible(!) it was to pass one of our multiple-choice exams by guessing, as I worked out the odds were 7,500-1. At the time, these were the odds quoted for Gibraltar winning the World Cup...but now we see a 5000-1 shot is likely to land.

Some bookies are saying that they have never seen such a long-shot win (http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p03pzsqw), but can anyone here remember anything that's done so? There must have been tens of thousands of 5000-1 priced events quoted from bookies in the past, so it's about time one is going to win!

I really hope there are some left who will hold their nerve.......the tabloids will need that front page picture of said fan with his Leicester shirt on, thumb up and £10 e/w bet slip in hand.

So these doping claims against Leicester players (and other teams). I've seen a list of the Leicester players that the Doctor says he gave the PEDs to. This comes from an incredibly reliable source. I really hope it's not true and though I won't name specific players, there are five in total and it's essentially every single key Leicester player this season bar the GK and Mahrez.

Really hope it's not true.

they had an unannounced visit from the doping authorities three weeks ago. nothing found. two players are tested at random from each side after every PL game too. nothing found. of course this in itself proves nothing, but i do find the time of this very odd

i thought the allegations in the sunday times were from six years ago? not the current squad? leicester, arsenal, chelsea and birmingham players?

and this doctor isnt exactly a reliable witness is he?

or are we talking about something/someone else?

lets hope there is nothing in it.

I knew for sure of a problem with recreational drugs in football. Know of two PL "injuries" this season where teams haven't been able to play players because they'd fail a drugs test for coke. Obviously PEDs is something else entirely

Rich, not sure if we're talking about different stories or not. The one I'm referencing is the one the Sunday Times broke on Sunday involving Dr Mark Bonar and is about current EPL players. First I've heard of the six years ago but you may be right on that, the list I've seen suggests it's from this season though. I'm not sure how realiable or otherwise he is as a source nor why this story has broke at this time.

As you say let's hope there's nothing in it.

thanks, the same thing

i though the list was six years old, which the Doping authority dismissed on investigating two years ago (which probably means very little given how behind the curve they are), but may be wrong on that

LOL birmingham must be due a refund.

:D

(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CfTKojYWEAAW88-.jpg)

Claudio Raneiri's open letter

Stirring Stuff

http://www.theplayerstribune.com/claudio-ranieri-leicester-city-premier-league/

john terry's ballot form, pfa player of the year, which he instagrammed

(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Cfcyl7RWAAE72VA.jpg)

Looks like he is preparing the ground to get himself a deal at Leicester City.

Looks like he got a woman to fill in the sheet for him.
I can't see him writing that neatly.