Saying reigning champions might hve been useful for the hard of understanding. Hilarious to see Quill taking someone to task for imprecise language.
At first glance you would appear to be right, about Chelsea and Leicester, but I think you are off the mark regarding Leicester being seismic in their turnaround. Last season Leicester struggled to win, they played some good football but were constantly falling short; it was baffling at times, as there was obvious quality there. Then they won and won well, then again and then again, the confidence kicked in and they were pretty damn convincing - that was seismic. This season sees them top with 35 points on the 15th December, just 3 games from the half way mark of 18 games - they are only beaten on GD by Arsenal and Man City, Spurs match them but are 9 points adrift. This is consistency, it is not seismic, but accomplished football and a lesson in team building and how to release talent. This is all (sic) it takes to challenge and to transfer the inadequacy to teams without that belief and consistency.
I've read this thread with interest and I'm astounded to the point of perplexment that the Steve Walsh hasn't been mentioned once. Who do you think controls the transfers at Leicester? Who signed Brady, Chester and Rosey to mention a few whilst he was at City? The uneducated and naive will believe it was the Pearson/ Ranieri who call the shots with who comes in/ came in but trust me Walshy finds 'em and makes the final decision. By far the best in the business in his field and a great bloke too. It's truly refreshing to see Leicester upset the established big boys and long may it continue.
No it's a seismic shift if you look at them from last season to this for the first 30 games they were largely awful last season, the transition came in the last few games of last season when they strung that incredible winning sequence together and they haven't looked back. They have continued that form this season, I'm sure the consistency has been aided by Ranieri and a more reassuring style of management than the loose cannon style of Pearson. Last season they won 2 from the first 18 PL games Then a purple patch saw them win 4 from 6 Then another 7 games without a win Before going on to win 7 from the last 9 games That's a seismic shift, as regardless of how they were playing - they weren't getting the results or the points. We started them going on the purple patch of 4 wins from 6 games by letting them beat us at the KC - from memory we dominated that game and they won. There current league status could be very different if we hadn't lost that game. They may not have gone on to record 4 wins from 6. Fine lines and all that.
The rumours are that Walshy is on his way to Arsenal, which would arguably be a bigger loss than Vardy or Mahrez! I'm not surprised that Arsenal are after him though, like you say, he's one of the best in the business...
Perhaps we just see it differently. I thought them more unlucky than awful, I thought they had a latent quality that needed to break through and it did, in that incredible 9 game run and (as I have agreed) the seismic change of fortune. But this season is a deliberate change of events, something with a consistency and effectiveness that comes from a strategy and application not to be found in something as random as a seismic event. Credit where it is due, this is a result of deliberate actions by team and coaching staff. I hope Steve Bruce takes note.
I think it is easy - and fair - to mention Vardy and Mahrez, but Kante is a huge quality player in your system and will become a target for any top team. I hope you keep him and keep on rattling their cages.
Whatever the cause, it is still a seismic shift. Seismic can be planned and doesn't have to be accidental. Either way it is an incredible shift and it has made for an incredibly interesting PL season. It will be interesting to see if they can continue this form should they suffer any key injuries to players. The team seems driven by a core of Mahrez and Vardy.
I don't think it's even debatable. Leicester's long term future needs Steve Walsh far more than it needs Vardy or Mahrez. The bloke is untouchable when it comes to identifying proper talent at a cut price. Give it 6 to 12 months and if Walshy stays you'll have another Mahrez on your hands.
If they lose Walsh, maybe Sterling from here can pick up the slack for them, now he's into scouting. Or even Mr. Hat...
Not a guess. Went to see them play Tottenham in a top of the table clash soon after arriving to live in London for a year back in 1959. They had won the 1st Division Championship 2 seasons in a row and were going for the hat trick. Having won their previous match away 5-1 I went to see them score some goals. Tottenham beat them 5-1! They did finish runners up scoring over 100 goals for the third season in a row and made it 4 when they finished 3rd the following season. Similar colours to Hull City and we drew with them away earlier in the season. Now............... Name other teams who have scored 100 goals in consecutive seasons and name the second team to score 100 goals after the start of the English Football League competition.
...Walshy certainly identifies them but the final decision rests with the manager. .. there was a recent article by Walshy telling how he first saw Mahrez and also how he went to Ranieri to convince him to sign Kante ...Ranieri apparently took little persuading...
Bebe, Massimo Taibi? You can't it right every time. Maybe it's because I was a defensive midfielder but I didn't mind Harper. I liked Mc Kenna as well and most people thought he was ****e. Maybe I'm easily pleased.
