Premier League Thread 2015-16

Leicester's December is very ****ty.

 

Good post

We can't quite believe what is happening either!
Combined with our results at the back end of last season, our form has been incredible (see the table below!)
I understand that we have had a "favourable" run over those games... You would look at most of those and think "yeh Leicester could get something from that"... But the fact that we actually have got something from the vast majority of those games is fantastic.

I do keep thinking that soon, Vardy/Mahrez and our style of football will be "worked out"... But 13 different teams haven't managed it yet...
I do agree that perhaps we still aren't being shown much respect, I do get the feeling (to a certain extent at least) that the opinion is "it is only Leicester, they just happen to be on a good run", rather than realising that we might actually be a decent team after all...
But I'm happy for it to stay that way, we play a fast-paced brand of counter-attacking football, I'm not sure how we'll react if a team were patient, did sit deep, and didn't even allow us the chance to counter.

As also pointed out on this thread, we do have a very tough run coming up:

Man Utd (H)
Swansea (A)
Chelsea (H)
Everton (A)
Liverpool (A)
Man City (H)

That will be the real test of where we are!

We acknowledge that we are conceding a lot of goals, but whilst the approach of "we'll score more goals than you" seems to be working, it seems crazy to try and change it.
Once the goals (inevitably) dry up, we may have to change our approach, and look to tighten up at the back... But that's not beyond us, we did well defensively in our run at the end of last season, and we do have an Italian manager after all

We also have the money to spend in January, so we may look to strengthen our defence either way...

Just to confirm, not for one second do I think that we even have a sniff of finishing top 4... We would all still be happy with a top-half finish!

 

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We are very familiar with that feeling on here...

I wish you all the best; any team that plays as entertaining football as you do gets my vote. I also think your support is some of the best I've ever heard. When we played you at the end of last season that sodding drummer of yours stopped us being able to get any rhythm going for our songs. And the ground being full of those paper clacker things meant that there were times when the entire stadium was going. We could try that at Saints but it might mean waking up the people having a quiet doze in our Chapel End, which would never do; we'd probably find out that half of them died two seasons ago but no-one noticed.

Betfair has you with an implied 11% chance of finishing top four (8/1). Pessimistic as that sounds, I bet you'd have been happy with that at the start of the season...

Vin

 

The thing with teams "trying to work out" how to play Leicester is that it is difficult. Hey play a super quick, fairly direct (not hoof), counter attacking brand of football. So what would teams do, sit back? That's ok until the mind of a footballer, manager and fans suddenly gets to the point when yo think you're in the game. You have sat back and let them have it, keeping men behind the ball, when suddenly you start to tiptoe forward. That's when the bang happens! They counter and you're in trouble.

 

Leicester play their counter-attacking game very well indeed. Although not to the same standard, it reminds me of Germany in the 2010 World Cup. Their side was considered the weakest it had been for some time, yet they got to the semi-finals by playing to their strengths of pace and speed of attack. It actually made them very exciting to watch too.

 

Manchester City v Southampton

Referee: Roger East (Bollocks )
Assistants: R West and A Nunn
4th Official: Anthony Taylor

So the good ref is the 4th official and the crap one is in the middle.

 

I thought all referees were infallible, Tom?

Vin

 

Some referees have produced such dire performances even I have deemed them ****e. East, Friend, Mason should be refereeing in the Championship. Madley saved himself with a good second half at Chelsea after a terrible first half.

 

Just answered to phone to my Arsenal (sorry) supporting sister in law. I say "supporting" but, well, you know, a game a season if the wind's right. Anyway, she spent ten minutes whining about how appallingly they are playing and how badly they are doing. In fourth place, two points from the top.

It's not just Saints fans...

Vin

 

Is that name hyphenated (Roger East-Bollocks), as in David Cameron-Tosser?

 

Not Roger East again!!

Just as well Graziano isn't playing then - they'd be kicking him up in the air and Mr East would wave play on .......... Pillock.

I reckon we've got very little chance of getting anything then ........ and, knowing our luck, Kompany will be back and they won't have a gigantic hole in defence ....

 

The Big Sam great escape act is under way again. Palace 0-1 Sunderland Defoe.

 

FT Crystal Palace 0-1 Sunderland.

 

Fantastic result for Sunderland, for their sakes hope Defoe isn't too badly injured.

 

I thought it would be good, bust just wow

 

And thank you all at Sunderland for stopping Crystal Palace leap frogging Saints. CP are a very good team and I was subsequently as certain of their winning as I was certain that we'd beat Stoke last Saturday. There you go, the competitive Premier League takes another twist. To be honest, I never thought I'd see the day when any team could beat any other in this league. It's not the ultra competitive Championship yet but it's a start.

 

Just had a quick look at Betfair. Someone's got £6 at 400/1 for Leicester to finish top four. I think he has a few squeaky bum afternoons to look forward to.

Vin

 

Six pounds not much to risk though for a return like that