The whatever footie that's going on (with actual fans) thread

pblakeney

tim wand wrote:

At the start of the season they were 2000 - 1 , Last December they were 5 points adrift at the bottom of the Prem, This January they are 6 points clear. I m just waiting for Adrian Durham to apologise for taking the wee-wee out of Ranieri's appointment. Don't suppose he ll do that Until they Beat us next week and he can continue to rip the ars* out of Wenger.

To be fair, everyone wondered about that appointment at the time.
Looks like a stroke of genius from both sides so far.

pinno

City Boy wrote:

Stevo 666 wrote:

TurboTommy wrote:

Leicester 6 points clear and 7-4 favourites to win the league. Nuts.

But always good to see some underdog teams like Leicester and Spurs coming through. Wouldn't want The Ar$e or Sh1tty winning it the season when we drop a bollock

Pellegrini's record against top six opposition is appalling. If he's not careful he's going to rule himself out of the Chelsea job!

I really really hope that doesn't happen.

Stevo_666

Pinno wrote:

City Boy wrote:

Stevo 666 wrote:

TurboTommy wrote:

Leicester 6 points clear and 7-4 favourites to win the league. Nuts.

But always good to see some underdog teams like Leicester and Spurs coming through. Wouldn't want The Ar$e or Sh1tty winning it the season when we drop a bollock

Pellegrini's record against top six opposition is appalling. If he's not careful he's going to rule himself out of the Chelsea job!

I really really hope that doesn't happen.

Unlikely to happen. City take our rejects, not the other way round.

Stevo_666

Also respect to Simon Mignolet yesterday for leaving the ground after 77 minutes along with most of the Liverpool fans.

pinno

Stevo 666 wrote:

Also respect to Simon Mignolet yesterday for leaving the ground after 77 minutes along with most of the Liverpool fans.

Imagine the scouse fans listening to the radio on the way home in their cars. Hang on, do you they own cars?

pblakeney

Pinno wrote:

Stevo 666 wrote:

Also respect to Simon Mignolet yesterday for leaving the ground after 77 minutes along with most of the Liverpool fans.

Imagine the scouse fans listening to the radio on the way home in their cars. Hang on, do you they own cars?

Doesn't have to be their cars.

chris_bass

arsenal didn't play well but got the win they needed.

my money is on a very dull draw now or chelsea to nick it 1-0.

verylonglegs

City Boy wrote:

Stevo 666 wrote:

TurboTommy wrote:

Leicester 6 points clear and 7-4 favourites to win the league. Nuts.

But always good to see some underdog teams like Leicester and Spurs coming through. Wouldn't want The Ar$e or Sh1tty winning it the season when we drop a bollock

City won't win anything this year. They'll do well to finish in the top 4.
Pellegrini's record against top six opposition is appalling. If he's not careful he's going to rule himself out of the Chelsea job!

Leicester were excellent today (as they have been all season). Best of luck to them, I hope they stay the course now and win it.

As an outsider I find your disdain of Pellegrini intriguing. I'm not really clued up on his overall record against top six opposition but looking at this season in isolation if Kompany had stayed fit then your team would've walked it, near enough holding the trophy by Easter. Is he responsible for the buying policy there or is someone else accountable for the squad not having enough depth to cope with him being injured?

pinno

Courtois reckons on a top 7 finish and getting to the CL final ?!? What's he smoking?

city_boy

verylonglegs wrote:

City Boy wrote:

Stevo 666 wrote:

TurboTommy wrote:

Leicester 6 points clear and 7-4 favourites to win the league. Nuts.

But always good to see some underdog teams like Leicester and Spurs coming through. Wouldn't want The Ar$e or Sh1tty winning it the season when we drop a bollock

City won't win anything this year. They'll do well to finish in the top 4.
Pellegrini's record against top six opposition is appalling. If he's not careful he's going to rule himself out of the Chelsea job!

Leicester were excellent today (as they have been all season). Best of luck to them, I hope they stay the course now and win it.

As an outsider I find your disdain of Pellegrini intriguing. I'm not really clued up on his overall record against top six opposition but looking at this season in isolation if Kompany had stayed fit then your team would've walked it, near enough holding the trophy by Easter. Is he responsible for the buying policy there or is someone else accountable for the squad not having enough depth to cope with him being injured?

So far this season, in 7 games against top 6 opposition he has 'managed', 3 draws and 4 defeats. IMHO he is one of City's worst ever managers. Given the talent in the squad, to witness the regression over the last 2/3 years has been so frustrating. His stubbornness and complete tactical incompetence is there for all to see. The injury to Kompany in no way exonerates him from the truly naive way in which he prepares for games and sets his teams up.

Just to take the Leicester game for example. He plays his slowest possible back four against probably the fastest counter attacking team in the EPL, despite having two much quicker and mobile defenders fit and sat on the bench! He then offers them no protection whatsoever by playing Yaya in a midfield two (which has proven to be a failure on almost every time he has employed this tactic), whilst at the same time keeps a more mobile DM on the bench and plays the other one on the left wing FFS :evil:

Yes, City have had lots of injuries to key players this year, but so has everyone else. A decent manager would then adjust the set up and tactics to accommodate and get the best out of the players at his disposal and to nullify the opposition you are up against. Not Pellegrini though, he just plays the wrong players in the wrong position so that he can stick rigidly to his 'all out attacking' style irrespective of the continued failure of this approach.

We are now in a desperate battle to achieve CL football next season, and with this muppet in charge, I'm not too confident we'll do it :?

pinno

I am sure City will be in the Top 4. Manyoo aren't playing well enough to threaten anybody. It will be (in no particular order):
City
Arsenal
Spurs
Leicester.

That all out attacking style needs De Bruyne - he's such a brilliant prospect.

With the attacking creativity available, City have to go down the road of scoring more goals than the opposition. That's how they won the league.

Stevo_666

Pinno wrote:

With the attacking creativity available, City have to go down the road of scoring more goals than the opposition. That's how they won the league.

Apart from this being a flash of the blindingly obvious, it didn't work last year

verylonglegs

I think your fears over a top 4 finish are just down to a natural pessimism some supporters seem ingrained with. As Pinno says Man. Utd aren't pulling up any trees and they also begin Thursday night football soon in the Europa which seems to unsettle sides sometimes. I can't see the top 4 changing now although the other sides have a chance to catch up a little next weekend with them playing each other.

mr_goo

It's refreshing to see that Wenger's myopia is still deteriorating.

http://metro.co.uk/2016/02/07/arsene-wenger-says-mathieu-flamini-two-footer-should-have-been-free-kick-to-arsenal-5667853/?

nochekmate

What a time to be a Leicester City season ticket holder? For me (Leicester born and bred) and two of my sons, all long-term supporters - it's been an absolute privilege to watch this lot perform this season (and in fact from April onwards last season). Unfortunately I never have a bet on positions at the beginning of the season but I don't think we'll ever see odds of 5000-1 quoted again in the Premiership as a result of Leicester's efforts this season.

The team ethic is what has taken them this far, along with a handful of players who could be mixing it with the very best in the Premiership, namely Vardy, Kante & Mahrez. No 'big-time Charlie's', no lazy players (yes Toure that's you), just 11 players who give their all every Saturday.

After Arsenal on Sunday (I think we'll get at least a draw), LCFC have an 'easy' run-in on paper. Given that their sole focus is on the Premiership, with no distractions of the FA Cup, League Cup, Champions League, Europa Cup etc the stars are all aligned for this to be the best thing to happen to football in this country for many a year. The dream may become a reality.

For me, Spurs are the danger - an all-round good outfit (but one we've more than matched this season in our respective games). Arsenal & Man City will both drop many more points yet.

It's all going to be exciting anyway!

tim_wand

For me, Spurs are the danger - an all-round good outfit (but one we've more than matched this season in our respective games). Arsenal & Man City will both drop many more points yet.

It's all going to be exciting anyway!

Nice to have a foxes fan on board. I share your thoughts with regards to Spurs, there is no real weakness in their team this season and they appear to be scrapping out wins against opposition that others, Citee and Arsenal would struggle to get a result from.

Hopefully the resumption of the Europa league will prove a distraction to them. I m really hoping that the return to fitness of some Arsenal players ( Coquelin/ Welbeck and Sanchez ) will give us a much needed push to the end of the season.

Sundays game is a tricky one but I am confident well edge it, Think Wenger will set up like we did at Citee last year and not allow the counter attacking space. Hopefully this will mean that Gabriel will play instead of Mertersacker, and that with consecutive games behind him he will have ironed out his at least one error a game spell.

Really hope Coquelin is playing as Flamini is a red card waiting to happen against a team with Leicesters pace in Midfield and up front.

If Wenger has any sense, Hell play the Coq, Drop Flamini. And bolster the flanks by Playing Gibbs as well or at least Cambell and not even look at Theo.

pinno

Mr Goo wrote:

It's refreshing to see that Wenger's myopia is still deteriorating.

http://metro.co.uk/2016/02/07/arsene-wenger-says-mathieu-flamini-two-footer-should-have-been-free-kick-to-arsenal-5667853/?

I think at the heart of it is Flamini's lack of form. It smacks of frustration and he did it before Sunday quite recently. Having been out for a while wouldn't play him at all, he's not giving any extra value at the moment.

Yep TW, forget Theo and Mertesacker.

Stevo_666

Stevo 666 wrote:

Come on you Foxes

pinno

I don't think that the game will make much difference if Arsenal win. Leicester's next game will be at home with a 2 point advantage to Norwich which I think is a certain win.
Arsenal would be on a roll from 3 home fixtures, Leicester- PL, Hull - FA cup and then Barcelona, if it weren't for the latter - just before facing MU away at Old Truffle in the league.
It is a key game because if Arsenal loose, I can't see them beating MU away but I can see Norwich disintegrating against Leicester at home and then there will be an 11 point difference with 11 to play.
Unless of course, we go to Old Truffle and play like we did in the FA cup fixture... Either way, we need to show some mettle. A win against Leicester, is a must.

Personally, if Leicester have a wobble, then I think we can do it if the wobble isn't too late for us. Blackburn had a horrendous wobble in their last 6 games when they won but it was too late for the rest to capitalise on it.

tim_wand

Leicester's lack of Distractions elsewhere will definitely play a part.

Wenger's vanity will mean he will throw everything at The F.A cup game with Hull ( as we are holders ) and again at the Barca game ( which over two legs will have the inevitable outcome ).

I didn't realise that if Leicester beat us Sunday and then we didn't get the result at Manure that would give them an 11 point lead over us with 11 to go, that sounds both scary and probable.

The only solace is that the Media are now starting to blow hot air up their arses , but I think that their original pouring scorn on Ranieri's appointment , will play to Leicester's advantage and they will hold their nerve.

Spurs are definitely the dark horse in this race.

Sundays game probably wont determine much for Leicester ( Unless of course they win ) but it will definitely tell us a lot about Arsenal's character.

verylonglegs

I think the key for Leicester is how long they keep playing with the mindset that they are still the big underdogs just playing for fun with nothing to lose. The moment they realise it really is possible and they feel the pressure will be the deciding factor, as it really does play a massive part in sport, Blackburn limping over the line as Pinno cited is one example.

Spurs I guess kept an iron in the fire regarding the Europa as it is another route to the Champions League but given their position in the league now I wonder if playing their reserves in it and letting it go would be prudent.

turbotommy

I think some of you guys may be overestimating Leicester's advantage at this point. Maybe they are favourites for the league but it's only marginal.

I think you can still make a good case for any of the top four winning the league. Yes Leicester will have to keep their nerve as the games run out but just as importantly they'll have to keep a very small band of key players fit.

If Arsenal win this weekend I put them favourites for the league. But again, only marginally.

finchy

One big advantage that Leicester hold is that there are quite a few clashes between the other teams in the top 4 as well as local derbies before the season's out, whereas Leicester only have to play Arsenal, so all the other top teams could easily drop 3-6 points in those games.

chris_bass

finchy wrote:

One big advantage that Leicester hold is that there are quite a few clashes between the other teams in the top 4 as well as local derbies before the season's out, whereas Leicester only have to play Arsenal, so all the other top teams could easily drop 3-6 points in those games.

That's a good point. And Chelsea play Man City and Spurs at home, I know they are having a bad season but they don't seem to lose too many these days.

pinno

Leicester play West Brom at home following the Norwich game; at home. They are going to have the opportunity re-gain momentum pretty quickly after the Arsenal game even if they do loose.

They play Man U away on the 30th of April and Chelsea away on the last day of the season...

chris_bass

Liverpool and everton are both 12 points off champions league and 12 points off relegation! wonder which way they'll go!

pinno

Chris Bass wrote:

Liverpool and everton are both 12 points off champions league and 12 points off relegation! wonder which way they'll go!

Ever the stats man.

13 games = 13 draws and 13 points. Where would 48 points leave them?

chris_bass

Pinno wrote:

Chris Bass wrote:

Liverpool and everton are both 12 points off champions league and 12 points off relegation! wonder which way they'll go!

Ever the stats man.

13 games = 13 draws and 13 points. Where would 48 points leave them?

9th, 10th or 11th based on the last few seasons

Matthewfalle

Well, its heresay gossip but waddya say:

https://uk.sports.yahoo.com/news/manche ... 05355.html

pinno

Matthewfalle wrote:

Well, its heresay gossip but waddya say:

https://uk.sports.yahoo.com/news/manche ... 05355.html

he should have completed his therapy by the time he takes over.