... we never lost by more than two goals is true as the record shows ... but how important is that really? ... does it matter if we do lose a few games by such a margin if we actually win more overall than we lose come the end of the season? ... doesn't really does it? ... but it is a fact that you have now latched onto that you feel in some way justifies your 'Ranieri concerns' ... Ranieri isn't the first manager to adopt a 'score more than the opposition first and foremost' strategy ... Sir Alex Ferguson teams were very succesful with such an approach and whilst ultimately Keegan only finished second with Newcastle, the Geordies wstill wax lyrical about his time in charge and would more than welcome back such times now I'm sure ... .. but we were certainly not "in every game" as you suggest ... unless you mean a very literal interpretaion that we were on the same pitch at the same time ... away at Swansea I'm not even sure that we had a single attempt on goal ... a similar story away at Southampton ... ... by contrast this season we have indeed been "in every game" as the results attest .... we could easily have gone in with a half-time lead agaInst the Arse ... and whilst you will no doubt vehemntly disagree, my view is that we would have beaten most sides in the league with the attacking performance we put in on Saturday ... but Arsenal were exceptional in their counter attacking ... no shame admitting that we got beaten by such a class act on the day ... ... this time last season we had been dumped out of the cup by the mighty Shrews ... (but not by more than a 2 goal margin mind ) ... and would not be getting past 12 points for a very long time to come ... If you don't believe that this season is a hell of a lot better ... both to watch from an entertainment perspective (the manner of football) and also for where we are in the league ... then it is no surprise that we have conflicting views about where the club is right now.
Not comparable situations. This season our squad is stronger and our players have acclimated. If we stop conceding so many - no, actually, even if we just look more resilient as we did toward the end of last season, I'd be happy. Which makes you wonder why they suddenly looked so good against us. It's interesting that you're calling me blinkered, when it's I that see the faults in the thing I love. That expression usually applies to the opposite - people who refuse to see failings. Absolutely. But scoring a hat full at one end will be cancelled out if we concede a hatful at the other end. Our fixtures helped here. Most clubs would have come up against a top five club in their first six fixtures. We didn't. First time we did, we conceded a hatful.
Massively important. You can't get anything out of games if you're not in them. Keegan had one of the most expensively assembled squads in the world. Finishing second was more about his naivety as a manager than anything else. Keegan's is pretty much been a flop in every job, especially when he didn't have a world class war chest. In actual fact, I don't think Ranieri is necessarily taking that approach. He seems completely at a loss to explain why we're conceding so many. The fact that we're allowing the opposition to dominate games makes be think he is trying to play defensive, counter-attacking football, yet we don't have the personnel for that, or certainly, not those that have been taking the field in that formation. We have to keep chasing games to get back into them because plan A is a disaster every week. When you're only two down, you're always in a game, even if Swansea and Southampton were much better than us. I think you're in denial if you think we were in the game against Arsenal in the second half. I do actually agree that, if we'd carried on playing how we did in the first 20 minutes, we would have blown most sides away. However, we didn't did we? We made a bizarre, negative change which totally took us out of the game. Newly promoted side more concerned about survival than the League Cup shock. Where we are in the league - as I keep saying, if we'd have the same fixtures in the same order under Pearson, we'd be one point behind where we are now with a weaker squad. As regards quality football, as I keep saying, I think it's a continuation of the end of last season. As regards entertainment - if conceding five at home is great entertainment to you, well, I'm delighted for you.
Of course I'm delighted that my team has been receiving plaudits (almost universally ) for the part they played in the most thrilling game in the Premiership so far this season ... would I have preferred to have at least got a point from the game? yes of course ... but losses are part of football ....so I'm not going to start acting like a sulky schoolboy because we lost a game to a fabulous team ... As to your usual rambling philosophising ... how can you still be 'in a game' when you are a goal (or two) down and not remotely threatening to get one back? ... as at Swansea or Southampton last season ... the only thing in doubt was whether we'd concede again ... As to being 'in a game' ... only the blinkered wouldn't be able to see that we were certainly 'in the game' against the Arse for a prolonged period ... indeed we could easily have come in winning by 2 goals at half time ... But here is the thing ... personally I have far more faith that Ranieri will be able to manager us back to winning ways sooner rather than later ... what is indisputable is that Nigel Pearson was definitely a 'later' merchant when it came to getting back to winning ways ... no argument there as the stats demonstrate eh? ...
... so West Ham are not in the top 5 (and we've licked them twice) ... and Arsenal weren't in the top 5 until they beat us ... perhaps you mean last season's top 5 then? ... yes Chelsea would undoubtedly batter us ... like they have done everyone else this season .... Our run of fixtures at the end of last season were surely easier? ... lots of mid table teams with nothing to play for plus the already relegated QPR? ... the only 'top 5 side' we played in that run was Chelsea ... perhaps you can remind me of how we won that game under the marvellous tactician we had in charge? ... the reality is that we caused top 5 Arsenal far more problems on Saturday than we did to Chelsea then ...
Sorry Gangta ur point about newly promoted sides not being bothered about the league cup is absolute bollox, NP said prior to that debacle against Shrewsbury that he respected both them and the cup competition and would play his strongest available side because he wanted to win as it breeds confidence !
I'm more of the opinion that YES it was a fantastic end to the season but Gangsta you have to ask yourself who's tactics led us to the foot of the table and remain there for 140 days ?
Susan Wheelan , Top , John Rudkin ? Ffs take ur Nige glasses off or I'll banish you to Romania & those scary wolves but without a walking stick with nothing to eat but Pizza !
It was Ranieri's fault for not calling Nigel up and telling him to play a more open attractive, attacking game.
**** me I hope we get at least a point on Saturday cos I know there will be a couple of fans who will be bashing the bishop and drooling over a repeat of Nige appearing on Sky's Goals On Sunday .
My housemate pointed out to me earlier that I still go on about Cambiasso all the time even though he's gone!
Lol . I only saw the highlights but Cambiasso was everywhere and even in injury time made a crucial block. Fair play to him.
... amazing player ... was a privilege to have seen him in our colours ... but I put Arsenal's defeat squarely down to being completely knackered from having played us on Saturday ... plus the goalie dropping a bollock ... and finally Nigel Pearson's influence on Cambiasso that has undoubtedly turned him into a true Champions League player
My two bobs worth, I think its really cool how you can combine all those quotes from different posts into one. Other than that lost interest in this no win debate.
