Starting XI
230
·
4.8K
·
almost 17 years
Starting XI
230
·
4.8K
·
almost 17 years
Just had this pointed out to me...
Leicester have used far and away the most players in the Championship. Just to give you an idea, they brought in something like 15 players during the summer. Then two managers later, they discarded a bunch of those players and brought in like 8 more in January. The main pair (at least for this week) is Barry Hayles and Steve Howard, both of whom were at other clubs a month ago. The problem is their midfield. Or lack there of.
 
But lest you think I'm exaggerating...
 
Last five matches: 14 shots on target, 2 goals scored
 
And nearly half of those 14 came in one match.
 
Zero shots on target in the last match... a match where the other team played 50 minutes with 10 men.
 
 
Marquee
37
·
5.8K
·
almost 17 years
Soccer's in trouble.
 
Time for the AFL to take over the world! Footballers of the world unite! You have nothing to lose but your sleeves!
WeeNix
0
·
740
·
almost 17 years
Leicester to go down with Preston and Scunny!!!
LG
Legend
5.5K
·
23K
·
over 16 years
Ollie does not believe in playing with a midfield. It's hoofball from the back and sprinting from up front. Midfield is bypassed. We had it for five seasons. It worked in Div. 1 but not in The Championship. Ollie is a nice guy but limited tactically. Kenny Jackett was the man that kept QPR tactically aware. together Ollie & Kenny got us promoted before Kenny went to Swansea and kick started their revival too! Lonegunmen2008-02-15 14:28:05
WeeNix
0
·
760
·
over 16 years
I like Holloways BBC column too much for him to be sacked!
LG
Legend
5.5K
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23K
·
over 16 years

I finally found a Leicester City thread. Well kind of. Now I know for a fact that there are two Phoenix season ticket holders whom are die hard Leicester city fans going back into the 60's and 70's. They live in Upper Hutt and they must be buzzing about their teams performances of late. Raineri has done really well there and the team look very very good. glad to see a new name challenging for the top spot. They may not last but with the style they are playing, they are certainly winning a lot of plaudits and probably 10k worth of Chelski fans as they show their true form.

Legend
1.8K
·
22K
·
over 15 years

From 4 minutes...

WeeNix
230
·
900
·
over 10 years

So, time for the press to start taking Leicester more seriously? So, so impressed with their season so far. 

Legend
3.6K
·
15K
·
almost 17 years

I thought they were beginning to fade out but that win against Spurs makes things very interesting. 21 games in and they're equal top, who would thunk it. 

WeeNix
230
·
900
·
over 10 years

paulm wrote:

I thought they were beginning to fade out but that win against Spurs makes things very interesting. 21 games in and they're equal top, who would thunk it. 

No one, I guess! 

Like Foal said in the gunners thread, 5000/1 at the bookies to be top at Christmas. I think everyone expects them to fade, but they aren't showing signs of it. ESPN had an article saying Sp*rs had a shot at the title. If they're going to go that far, they might as well say Leicester all but have it won. 

First Team Squad
500
·
1.9K
·
almost 17 years

Still at $10 to win the title. I think they are almost guaranteed to finish top 4 baring a collapse. 9 points ahead of Man U now.

Marquee
970
·
6.5K
·
over 11 years

Ryan54 wrote:

Still at $10 to win the title. I think they are almost guaranteed to finish top 4 baring a collapse. 9 points ahead of Man U now.

Wot price next year's European Cup Champs? Get in. Now.

Legend
6.8K
·
14K
·
over 16 years

paulm wrote:

I thought they were beginning to fade out but that win against Spurs makes things very interesting. 21 games in and they're equal top, who would thunk it. 

.

Also- from that line-up the goal scorer is....Huth!

Marquee
620
·
6.3K
·
over 16 years

ex Middlesbrough. 53(2)

LG
Legend
5.5K
·
23K
·
over 16 years

Still doing well and winning. A breath of fresh air and playing good football. Hope they win it!

WeeNix
230
·
900
·
over 10 years
Definitely my second choice!
Marquee
5.3K
·
9.5K
·
over 12 years

outright first!

WeeNix
230
·
900
·
over 10 years
Lawyerish
1.7K
·
4.8K
·
about 13 years

If they do win this has there ever been a bigger league upset?

LG
Legend
5.5K
·
23K
·
over 16 years

Not in the EPL as such. I know two Nix fans that are from Leicester and they are over the moon. After years of suffering, they have a team that actually looks good and is getting the results. 3-1 at Man City? How good is that?? 

Tegal
·
Head Sleuth
3K
·
19K
·
almost 17 years

they were bottom of the league at this time last year. 

Starting XI
2.1K
·
4.3K
·
over 11 years

Perfect example of what happens when you have a quality coach.

tradition and history
1.5K
·
9.9K
·
almost 17 years

ajc28 wrote:

Perfect example of what happens when you have a quality coach.

And change 11 of the squad.

Marquee
6.9K
·
9.3K
·
over 13 years

Wonder what their budget difference is a third of the big clubs?

tradition and history
1.5K
·
9.9K
·
almost 17 years

Ryan wrote:

Wonder what their budget difference is a third of the big clubs?

More like a fifth, but I am guessing.

LG
Legend
5.5K
·
23K
·
over 16 years

Chris Wood sold to Leeds - coincidence or not?

Spelling error corrected

First Team Squad
500
·
1.9K
·
almost 17 years

Leicester have a lot less games to play than everyone else. Still the pressure will be hard to cope with.

Marquee
970
·
6.5K
·
over 11 years

If they do win this has there ever been a bigger league upset?

Blackburn?

tradition and history
1.5K
·
9.9K
·
almost 17 years

Jerzy Merino wrote:

If they do win this has there ever been a bigger league upset?

Blackburn?

Blackburn had a few more better known players.

valeo
·
Legend
4.6K
·
18K
·
almost 17 years

Too bad Wood isnt still sitting on the pine for Leicester.

it will be interesting to see in the run in against teams who drop deep against them - they are masters at dropping deep and countering against teams who try to be assertive.

Starting XI
2.1K
·
4.3K
·
over 11 years

Blackburn was in the days before the oligarchs and the super clubs etc, and they had the richest owner who spent a then world record fee on Alan Shearer didn't they?

Legend
2.3K
·
17K
·
almost 17 years

ajc28 wrote:

Blackburn was in the days before the oligarchs and the super clubs etc, and they had the richest owner who spent a then world record fee on Alan Shearer didn't they?

What Leicester are doing is nothing like what Blackburn did. Blackburn spent lots (comparatively) to give them a shot at the title. Only difference being it was a local businessman who funded it rather than some Arab or Russian billionaire.

Leicester have taken virtually the same squad that were bottom for most of last season to being genuine title contenders. It is ridiculous.

Marquee
1.3K
·
5.3K
·
over 16 years

ajc28 wrote:

Blackburn was in the days before the oligarchs and the super clubs etc, and they had the richest owner who spent a then world record fee on Alan Shearer didn't they?

British record to Blackburn, world record to Newcastle
tradition and history
1.5K
·
9.9K
·
almost 17 years

Buffon II wrote:

ajc28 wrote:

Blackburn was in the days before the oligarchs and the super clubs etc, and they had the richest owner who spent a then world record fee on Alan Shearer didn't they?

What Leicester are doing is nothing like what Blackburn did. Blackburn spent lots (comparatively) to give them a shot at the title. Only difference being it was a local businessman who funded it rather than some Arab or Russian billionaire.

Leicester have taken virtually the same squad that were bottom for most of last season to being genuine title contenders. It is ridiculous.

As already mentioned Buffy, they changed 11 players from last years squad.

Starting XI
2.1K
·
4.3K
·
over 11 years

Though most of the regular team on the field are the same. Main difference is a top quality coach.

Legend
2.3K
·
17K
·
almost 17 years

Leggy wrote:

Buffon II wrote:

ajc28 wrote:

Blackburn was in the days before the oligarchs and the super clubs etc, and they had the richest owner who spent a then world record fee on Alan Shearer didn't they?

What Leicester are doing is nothing like what Blackburn did. Blackburn spent lots (comparatively) to give them a shot at the title. Only difference being it was a local businessman who funded it rather than some Arab or Russian billionaire.

Leicester have taken virtually the same squad that were bottom for most of last season to being genuine title contenders. It is ridiculous.

As already mentioned Buffy, they changed 11 players from last years squad.

I said virtually the same squad.

Of the players they have brought in only Fuchs, Huth and Kante have started over 20 games for them in the league. Okazaki have played a bit but made quite a few sub appearances. Other than that the rest of the signings have barely featured.

They're still using the same core of players such as Schmeichel, Morgan, Drinkwater, Albrighton, Vardy and Mahrez that were an almost dead cert for relegation this time last season. In fact, a lot of their current squad were still together when they missed out on promotion in that epic playoff semi-final defeat to Watford back in 2012/13.

For ages i've kept thinking they'll fade away eventually, but here we are 25 games in and they're 5 points top, and have been the best team so far this season. There's plenty of time for them to still drop off, but after playing us on the weekend they have a piss easy run till the end of April.

Legend
6.8K
·
14K
·
over 16 years

Lonegunmen wrote:

Chris Woods sold to Leeds - coincidence or not?

Well, no one wants a 56 year old as a keeping prospect in the PL to be fair

Legend
2.3K
·
17K
·
almost 17 years

ajc28 wrote:

Though most of the regular team on the field are the same. Main difference is a top quality coach.

It's weird though. Ranieri has held jobs at top clubs in England, Spain, Italy and France, failed to win anything apart from one or two domestic cups, and yet he may finally end up with a top flight league title in the most extraordinary circumstances.

Legend
6.8K
·
14K
·
over 16 years

This Leicester team plays a bit like the United of (recently) old. They've got pacey British strikers, players who've been with them from the youth team, Kante, a left footed wizard of the counter and other attack, the Great Dane and they have got the imagination of the public.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2015%E2%80%9316_Leic...

Inler and Dyer would have perhaps been expected to kick on better and it looks like they got other CB in case Huth wasn't quite up to it.

They've covered their bases well- the same team augmented and supported with Fuchs, Kante, Huth and Okazaki. 

Still, they are working from a base of zero expectation and pressure which surely makes it easier to succeed from. 

Schlupp and King Leicester youth products!

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