The other teams that have challenged the top 4 at times have always dropped the following season, mainly due to having their best players poached and 'needing' to sell, but clubs are able to say 'no' now, and that's mid-table clubs. the fairly even distribution of wealth across the EPL thanks to the TV deal has changed the status-quo. Leicester City will be awash with cash, they'll have no need to sell, but if they do it won't be for a paltry 45m, Bale was 26 when he scrapped a CL place with what was already a strong side, Mahrez looks like winning the league
yeah, but I wasn't the one gobbing off about my teams long-term success, that was one of your lot, as usual
I guess that depends on your definition of 'struggle' ... our owners stated aim following our promotion was to be challenging for European football within 5 years and a committment to spending £180 m to acheive that aim ... we are obviously way ahead of the game and have only spent a fraction of that war chest ... Do I expect to challenge for top 4 next season? I think it is unlikely if (but that's a big if) the likes of Citeh, Chelski, Arsenal and United spending (likely to be considerable) over the summer results in settled, consistent teams ,,, less worried about what Spurs or Liverpool do tbf - think both will take longer than next season to truly compete if the Big 4 spending plans really come off ... What I do expect is that ourselves, West Ham and possibly Everton and Saints will build on the quality in our ciurrent squads due to the huge influx of TV money (and also our success this season) and should be capable of challenging for top 8 ... why would any of us fall further down than that logically? ... who will come past that bunch? So I don't expect to struggle - we won't be involved in any relegation fight - and I don't expect any key players to leave next season (so we won't be in Liverpool's position post Suarez) ... Only time will tell of course ...
Fair enough. However, don't underestimate expectations either. Saying you are well ahead of schedule is great, make decision in that mindset is a very different thing. For example, when Brod took over at Liverpool, we knew it would be a three or four year project. Suarez, Studge and Sterling being on fire took us close in Brod's second year. Come the third year, Brod got dog's abuse from some quarters because that second season had risen expectations. You can plan to get somewhere over a period of time but people don't like going backwards.
of course, and it's his dream (I imagine that wearing the shirt is a sign of where he wants to go, much like Ronaldo and RM), but he won't go yet, and I doubt Barca will make much of an effort (are they allowed yet?) this season, they'll wait to see if he can do it consistently the 2nd season. maybe over next winter they'll go for him but then he has to ask himself "am I good enough to displace Messi", because that's what he'll have to do to get a game. that's a big ask.
... so you think Spurs will progress from this season but Leicester City will not ... but not through any logical argument ... just a hunch? .. because frankly there is very little difference between where the two clubs are right now ...in fact, currently, you are behind ... don't need any smilies to substantiate that ... it is a fact ...
Real Madrid have a transfer ban so they're not buying anyone for a while. Mahrez would be stupid to join Barca right now imo. There is no way he's getting into the side with Messi, Suarez and Neymadge there. Mahrez has said he wants to stay at Leicester anyway hasn't he? something about not having been playing football for very long and he's still learning the game.
Leicester are in a win / win situation here if it is true. They either get to keep a very highly rated player or make tens of millions from Barcelona which I think will be invested back in the team and not pocketed. If you'd offered that to their fans last season they would have jumped at it.
Spurs are better placed to cope because they're used to playing both domestic and european football, they also have a bigger squad. However, I don't think Spurs are likely to repeat this season either.
All those Leicester players should stay and play for Leicester in the Champions League it would be good to see how they do.
ah, ofc, it's Madrid this time, always one or the other of them cheating the finances and the system, Barca's was last year. the thing is, you can never tell what motivates people, all players have different things driving them on, it could be the fame, the glory, the money, the adulation, the challenge, a sense of pride, a sense of honour, or maybe just to feel secure and content. Without knowing any of that you can't guess, for example Bale left to play in the CL because he couldn't get it at, self-proclaimed 'big successful', Trotterham. Suarez, maybe the money, lure of it being Barca, or maybe something simple yet totally unconnected, the subconscious thought of being surrounded by people speaking his native language could've been the deciding factor.
All fair .. but it's different expectations ... Liverpool fans certainly 'expected' that a corner had been turned during the year that you finished second and that it would mean a sustained period of challenging and a resurgence as a major force ... sadly not (for them)... Leicester fans are merely enjoying the thrill of the ride ..and with a wry smile on our faces because the 'bound to struggle next season' comments from opposing fans and, indeed, press and pundits were also in abundance at the end of last season ... but we haven't done too bad have we? Our ambitions compared to some others are quite modest - we will in due course increase our stadium capacity to bewteen 42k-45k ... it won't cost us much ... our youth academy is phenomenal and churning out considerable talent (last season we lost out in the cup semi to CITEH - who went on to win it) ... our scouting network is the envy of the Prem ... we made a £26 m profit last season!!! - we have no debt ... we have owners prepared to invest ... we have a wonderful charming manager that knows his stuff ... we have some very talented players. Personally I believe that our team is likely to be even better next season (despite the naysayers) because we have many young layers who will benefit from the experience of this - that doesn't mean we'll finish as high because of what others do - particularly in terms of spend - but nevertheless I can see no logical reason why we will struggle to maintain a healthy position in the league ... ... and that's about it.
... am I being dull .. I thought all Prem squads were the same size? - also we've only recently come up from the Championship where the number of games is far more than the Prem and the physical demands probably exceed it ... big Red Herring as far as I'm concerned ... if your squad stays fit you can cope with such demands ... end of.
At the start of the 2013-14 season, most Liverpool fans were simply hopeful of a top four challenge, not many expected us to achieve that goal. So what do you think expectations will be for Leicester next season? Obviously, you're not expecting a relegation battle, that much is obvious. Is it as low as top half? Top six? CL places again?
Personally I'll be happy with top 8 and a good run in a cup ... anything more is a bonus ... would consider finishing below top 10 a disappointment...suspect the vast majority of Leicester fans would concur.
Considering the rest of you comment, yes Having the same squad numbers is one thing but you know full well that isn't what I was getting at. If i said man City have a bigger squad than Villa, I'm pretty sure you wouldn't have thought I was talking about numbers! Spurs have a better squad of players than Leicester currently have. They have more strength in depth. However, Leicester have two stand out 2015-16 PL players in their ranks.
