Rival watch

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I'm struggling to see where Leicester will drop points from now on in. It speaks volumes that their hardest remaining game is probably West Ham at home. Chelsea away could be tricky but the prima donnas from West London will have nothing to play for by then.

The secret to their success is that they literally risk nothing. I've seen them play 6 times this season (3 against us) and they really have perfected the art of forcing the unforced error whilst committing none themselves. Yes, it is tedious and uninspiring (unless you work as a journalist or a pundit, in which case you've apparently been barreling through the kleenex all season), but the bottom line is that no-one has worked out how to deal with it.
 
littleDinosaurLuke said:
No need to take the moral high ground yet. They may be 5 points clear, but there are 8 games left. They only have 63 points from 30 games.

If they win it, then you'll be entitled to say that actually they were a load of crap anyway. Nah nah nah nah nah. It's not fair.
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If that team was mid table fodder, You would not make that remark....and if we were not Spurs fans...you would not make that remark.

Think we are entitled to use our eyes too Luke.
 
Games are running out.

In praise of Leicester. the away results against Spurs and Citeh has probably
won it for them. Similarly, the results of last week have probably done for Spurs.
 
Leicester are seriously starting to annoy me. One shot on target (again), one goal (just like against us). It appears the goal may even have been offisde! Pundits will say that's skill I say that's luck. If you have less chances than the second bottom club at home, and consistently have less possession and less chances than the opposition then you can't rely on always scoring the few chances you have. They could easily win the league this season and be mid table or lower next season playing exactly the same way. But no pundit is going to be honest about them now they are a fairy story, and if a Spurs supporter calls into TalkShite or similar saying how crap Leicesters game is, they would simply be dismissed as jealous or having sour grapes. But according to the BBC they "show no sign of wavering". I disagree, and they most certainly don't have an "easy run in" as others have argued, simply because they are no better than most of the teams they are going to play.

Edit: just remembered their 1-0 win over Norwich in the 89th minute - total 3 shots on target that game. Their 1-0 win at Watford was more decisive though - 4 shots on target.
 
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vimhawk said:
Leicester are seriously starting to annoy me. One shot on target (again), one goal (just like against us). It appears the goal may even have been offisde! Pundits will say that's skill I say that's luck. If you have less chances than the second bottom club at home, and consistently have less possession and less chances than the opposition then you can't rely on always scoring the few chances you have. They could easily win the league this season and be mid table or lower next season playing exactly the same way. But no pundit is going to be honest about them now they are a fairy story, and if a Spurs supporter calls into TalkShite or similar saying how crap Leicesters game is, they would simply be dismissed as jealous or having sour grapes. But according to the BBC they "show no sign of wavering". I disagree, and they most certainly don't have an "easy run in" as others have argued, simply because they are no better than most of the teams they are going to play.
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Twists and turns yet for sure. No easy games. Enjoy the ride
 
I hate to break it to you Vim, but there have been plenty of games this year where we've been limited to 3 or 4 shots on target all game. The only games that spring to mind where we truly battered the opposition goal were Arsenal and Swansea, plus maybe a couple more (first half against Everton?). Being limited to that is normal for the PL nowadays as games get much tighter and tactics become more conservative. The only big difference is really how a team goes about setting up that handful of chances which they must take advantage of.
 
I'm a massive MMA fan and recently the UFC held an invent in which their poster boy, Conor McGregor fought Nate Diaz at a weight class well beyond his frame (he's the 145lb champ and fought at 170lbs, though Diaz took the fight on 10 days notice due to Conor's previous opponent pulling out where the fight was scheduled at 155lbs). He started off well but eventually the height and reach advantage of Diaz inevitably took it's toll and Diaz's boxing wobbled Conor and finally his superior BJJ skills on the ground made Conor tap in the second round. In his post fight interview, McGregor stated he was inefficient with his shots and that Nate was, which is what he felt got Nate the victory, sounds a little obvious but it was a correct and factual statement if you'd watched the fight as Conor went for a number of wheel kicks and hayemakers which just weren't connecting due to the reach advantage and thus no doubt fatigued him.

That statement right there is exactly what I think of Leicester at the moment, while I haven't seen every game of theirs, I can't think of a side who's been so efficient when in scoring positions despite having few chances. Last night, from what I remember, they had one true shot on target and that was the goal, then against us, Huth scored from the corner after we dominated for 89 minutes, even though they lost they scored against Arsenal having had only 2 or 3 shots on target whereas they had a similar amount against Norwich but got the win. That sort of efficiency has been what I believe to be the defining factor in them leading the race for the title. I've watched Spurs at times dominate the play, have 10+ solid attempts on target and leave with just one or two goals, albeit many have still resulted in a number of victories, there have been games in which our inefficiency has cost us.

It's going to be a fantastic finale to the season, if Leicester manage to maintain this efficiency for say another 5 games then I'd say the title truly is theirs, we've both got some tough games coming up, with a mix of sides desperate to stay in the top flight and those still chasing the European spots so it'll be great to see who can keep a cool head and cope under pressure, just ****ing hope it's us!
 
Citizen Kane said:
I hate to break it to you Vim, but there have been plenty of games this year where we've been limited to 3 or 4 shots on target all game. The only games that spring to mind where we truly battered the opposition goal were Arsenal and Swansea, plus maybe a couple more (first half against Everton?). Being limited to that is normal for the PL nowadays as games get much tighter and tactics become more conservative. The only big difference is really how a team goes about setting up that handful of chances which they must take advantage of.
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I think the point is not how many shots we or the opposition have had but domination overall. How many games this season have Spurs looked second best? IMO only one and that was against Dortmund.Leicester on the other hand play a different game entirely and one I can only describe as pure Italian. They can look second best for most of the game but they miss chances far less than anybody else in the league and their organisation and therefore defence is second to none.
Italy are one of the worlds most successful national teams and they have achieved this success in the same way that Leicester are leading the PL atm. It's annoying for the opposition because they often look like they 'don't deserve' their wins and you can mistakenly think it's luck. It's not luck it's called playing to your strengths and minimising the oppositions, and Leicester are easily the best at it in this seasons PL.
 
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No argument about how well they play to their strengths, they are excellent at it. I take your point about the style of play making it appear that some of their victories were lucky. But I still think some of their victories were. For example, if the one or two shots on target keep going in then most people see a pattern (humans love to do this, even where there is none) and conclude it must be skill. Yet how can you guarantee that your one shot on target will go in? An overhead kick goes in? Their one good chance against Watford in the 89th minute goes in - particularly since I believe Vardy was about to hit it and missed, and someone else ended up putting it in.... not to mention their win against us with one shot on target. There is a lot of luck involved in more goals then we would like to admit, and I think on other days more of our shots on target go in, and less of theirs.

Mind you, I'm very happy for Leicester to finish in the top four if it keeps one of the Sky 5 out. I'd even be happy for Wet Spam to do so if it means Citeh not making it!
 
vimhawk said:
No argument about how well they play to their strengths, they are excellent at it. I take your point about the style of play making it appear that some of their victories were lucky. But I still think some of their victories were. For example, if the one or two shots on target keep going in then most people see a pattern (humans love to do this, even where there is none) and conclude it must be skill. Yet how can you guarantee that your one shot on target will go in? An overhead kick goes in? Their one good chance against Watford in the 89th minute goes in - particularly since I believe Vardy was about to hit it and missed, and someone else ended up putting it in.... not to mention their win against us with one shot on target. There is a lot of luck involved in more goals then we would like to admit, and I think on other days more of our shots on target go in, and less of theirs.

Mind you, I'm very happy for Leicester to finish in the top four if it keeps one of the Sky 5 out. I'd even be happy for Wet Spam to do so if it means Citeh not making it!
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Football is such a great game BECAUSE there is an element of luck playing a part. It mirrors life, you have to have a level of skills to be in a position to 'get the luck' and when it appears you have to have nouce to take it. It's often called being 'street wise' and Leicester are slightly more street wise than Spurs IMO. Having said that Spurs have been more street wise this season than for many past. Deli Alli is so good because he is so street wise at such a young age.
 
The remarkable thing is how they've developed their style over the season. From free scoring and quite open to the exact opposite.

In the first half of this season they conceded and scored far more goals (Leicester scores first whether H or A):

4-2; 2-1; 1-1,1-1; 3-2; 2-2, 2-5; 2-1, 2-2, 1-0; 3-2; 2-1; 3-0; 1-1; 3-0; 2-1; 3-2; 0-1; 0-0 (19 games - 25 conceded; 37 scored)

In the second half the goals against dry up and they're scoring less too:

0-0;1-0; 1-1; 3-0; 2-0; 3-1; 1-2; 1-0; 2-2; 1-0; 1- 0 (11 games - 6 conceded; 16 scored)
 
"Thanks for that Brian" said:
The remarkable thing is how they've developed their style over the season. From free scoring and quite open to the exact opposite.

In the first half of this season they conceded and scored far more goals (Leicester scores first whether H or A):

4-2; 2-1; 1-1,1-1; 3-2; 2-2, 2-5; 2-1, 2-2, 1-0; 3-2; 2-1; 3-0; 1-1; 3-0; 2-1; 3-2; 0-1; 0-0 (19 games - 25 conceded; 37 scored)

In the second half the goals against dry up and they're scoring less too:

0-0;1-0; 1-1; 3-0; 2-0; 3-1; 1-2; 1-0; 2-2; 1-0; 1- 0 (11 games - 6 conceded; 16 scored)
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The more they have to lose the harder they are to beat. I thought Newcastle might get something from them with a new manager and players trying to prove them selves, but no. They are now so hard to beat I think they'll win the whole thing.
 
"Thanks for that Brian" said:
The remarkable thing is how they've developed their style over the season. From free scoring and quite open to the exact opposite.

In the first half of this season they conceded and scored far more goals (Leicester scores first whether H or A):

4-2; 2-1; 1-1,1-1; 3-2; 2-2, 2-5; 2-1, 2-2, 1-0; 3-2; 2-1; 3-0; 1-1; 3-0; 2-1; 3-2; 0-1; 0-0 (19 games - 25 conceded; 37 scored)

In the second half the goals against dry up and they're scoring less too:

0-0;1-0; 1-1; 3-0; 2-0; 3-1; 1-2; 1-0; 2-2; 1-0; 1- 0 (11 games - 6 conceded; 16 scored)
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I think a lot of that comes down to the opposition's mentality. First half of the season teams clearly didn't take them seriously, having just survived relegation last season, everyone saw them as pretty much a three pointer and thus weren't expecting Vardy - who only got about 4 Prem goals in 14/15 - and Mahrez to tear teams a new arsehole.

Now, being top of the Prem, having two attacking players in superb form, teams will now be more cautious at containing those guys rather than leaving themselves open constantly. It's still just about working for Leicester, as I said in my comment about efficiency, they've been incredibly efficient in the chances they've had despite not dominating the opposition, so it's now going to be a real test as all teams begin to play well at the business end in order to survive relegation/ aim for Europa/ Champions League/ title push.
 
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Spurf said:
The more they have to lose the harder they are to beat. I thought Newcastle might get something from them with a new manager and players trying to prove them selves, but no. They are now so hard to beat I think they'll win the whole thing.
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It looks that way but as others have said, there's a healthy dose of luck involved in football. We just need to win games and let others worry about their own form. If we can win all of our remaining games....
 
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