I think it's partly because nearly all of them wrote Leicester off after Ranieri was appointed. After that they want to be seen as fully on the bandwagon and frankly I don't think half of them even watch games properly. Mark Lawrensen called Leicester a pressing team last month! Some teams just become fashionable to be talked up. Palace at the beginning of the season were being given a lot of praise and I think Merson said he could see them finishing top 4. They're now with no wins in their last 5 and as close to 16th as they 4th. That could change if they beat us on Saturday, however. We've been in this fashionable group for a couple of months now too. It's a bit annoying really, they spend so much time trying to predict how team's will do throughout the season that they forget to actually watch the games and make interesting observations. Our chances, for example are easy to sum up and haven't changed for awhile. Can we win the title? Yeah but it's an outside chance. Can we challenge for the title? Yeah, if we improve our form slightly we can stay in the mix. Can we get top 4? Yeah but it won't be easy unless we improve. Simple, yet every week we have the same questions asked each week rather than talking about something more interesting. I guess it beats having them speculate every week about whether we can keep hold of our players, although that subject is never far away from discussion either. It's the same with players too. Kane's human, he can have bad games, yet anytime he doesn't meet expectations they think it's because he's tired. Gerrard was getting praised through the roof in Liverpool's title challenge season for playing 30-40 yard passes in behind the defence for Suarez, Sturridge and Sterling to run onto. Good passes but nothing that special, Alderweireld's doing the same for us with far less space to play it in behind. Maybe it's Alderweireld that should be getting the Gerrard comparisons rather than Alli. Rant over.
Anyway. I'd like to see Bentaleb start in midfield and Son start upfront. It would be great to progress in the FA Cup but I don't feel it's there for the taking, like in the last 2 seasons where Arsenal had semi-finals and finals against Championship fodder and Villa. No one decent's likely to go out in the next round, the only significant teams missing will be us or Leicester. I'd far rather we saved our best players for Palace on Saturday as I think the league's much more important at the moment. We might not get a better chance of top 4 than we do now with Chelsea out of the picture, Liverpool very inconsistent and United looking disjointed. I want to see a competitive side out there but with Kane, Alderweireld, Dier and Dembele rested.
Team I'd go for would be: Lloris, Walker, Wimmer, Jan, Davies Bentaleb, Carroll Lamela, Onomah, Chadli Son If Nabs isn't fit then it'll have to be Dier, although I'd rather he got a rest. Gives a few a another run out to keep them as fit as possible should they be required to step in at any time in the league.
Off to see the 'Book of Morman'. Tickets bought months ago. Will try to do a 'Likely Lads' and watch it delayed at midnight. "Tottenham F..." had better not be the start of "Foxed up the Arse." Please no penalties! COYS!
Team news Leicester v Tottenham (19:45 GMT) Posted at18:52 Leicester make nine changes from the XI that started in the 1-1 draw against Aston Villa. Leading scorer Jamie Vardy is named as a substitute, as is midfielder Riyad Mahrez. Tottenham striker Harry Kane starts on the bench, alongside in-form attacking midfielder Dele Alli. The London club make a total of eight changes from the XI that started in the 4-1 win over Sunderland at the weekend. Leicester XI: Schmeichel, De Laet, Wasilewski, Benalouane, Chilwell, Dyer, King, Inler, Drinkwater, Gray, Ulloa. Tottenham XI: Vorm, Walker, Dier, Wimmer, Davies, Carroll, Bentaleb, Lamela, Eriksen, Chadli, Son.
We make all of those changes, start Bentaleb and Carroll in the middle and still don't rest Dier! Can we get rid of Fazio and bring in his replacement now, please?
Vorm; Walker (c), Dier, Wimmer, Davies; Carroll, Bentaleb; Lamela, Eriksen, Chadli; Son Subs: Lloris, Trippier, Vertonghen, Alli, Onomah, Winks, Kane The obvious gripe is Vorm over Lloris, given the cheap goals he always manages to concede, but there's a couple of other ones that spring to mind: - Dier should be paired with either Bentaleb or Carroll in the pivot - As Leicester will sit back, we could've done with Trippier's deliveries from out wide - We'll probably win a few corners during the match, yet Dier's the only player in the starting lineup with decent heading ability
Does this mean he has one eye on Saturdays match at Palace and is going to prioritise the EL? Not griping ... just curious.
I'm not going to lie, seeing (c) next to Walker's name did make me chuckle. I love him dearly but the lad can barely string a sentence together. Funnily enough, I would've given it to Lamela. Very interesting line up. Poor old Dier can't get a break for love or money but I assume the thinking is that against a team more or less happy to spend 80 minutes in their own half, our CB's won't have much running to do. The Bentaleb-Carroll pivot should get the ball forward very quickly, although I do worry that Nabs isn't good enough defensively to protect our pint-sized creator. Chadli needs a big game tonight as I personally would've started Onomah if we're making mass changes as it is.
In terms of the Dier/Wimmer pairing, hopefully they're starting in response to how poor Vertoweireled have looked when defending high balls this season rather than just resting the pair of them. Hopefully one of them can replicate Alderweireld's chipped balls through the middle, as those have proven to be an effective backup plan in recent weeks.
Welcome to the King Power stadium, Thermopylae. Expect a shield formation near the net, with Leovardy at its apex.
