Steven Posted 3 February 2016 Posted 3 February 2016 Believe me despite how we are portrayed we are not a selling club but when the big teams start offering stupid money those players soon want to leave and there's not much you can do. If we are in the CL; then the difference between us and you is that we could offer CL football without that player having to go elsewhere to try and find it.
Wasyls Pec Deck Posted 3 February 2016 Posted 3 February 2016 Look at the run of fixtures after Man City and Arsenal, but before Utd, Everton and Chelsea (final 3) - there's a run of 9 very winnable fixtures. Close to maximum points in that run, and we can afford a few slip ups in the aforementioned fixtures? Norwich (H) WBA (H) Watford (A) Newcastle (H)Palace (A) Saints (H) Sunderland (A) West Ham (H) Swansea (H)
SonicBoom Posted 3 February 2016 Posted 3 February 2016 If we are in the CL; then the difference between us and you is that we could offer CL football without that player having to go elsewhere to try and find it. Good point well made and I hope you are right. I can certainly see Vardy staying for that reason. Don't underestimate the pull of the big clubs. United, Chelsea, City, Arsenal, etc expect to be in the Champions League every year and the players know that. With due respect to what you have, and can, achieve this year, do you think you can do it every year cos those guys are going to spend their way back in. I really hope so. Players love to go to these huge clubs. Would a foreign player with no allegiance choose you over City for example when you are both in the CL? Anyway bloody hell, that's an amazing problem for you to even have to consider! It would take a massive collapse for you NOT to qualify for the CL next year now. But don't be Arsenal ! Top four is OK but it's not as good as winning the league and there is absolutely no reason you can't do that.
Raw Dykes Posted 3 February 2016 Posted 3 February 2016 Saints fan here. Went to the trouble of registering to really just say good luck for your run in. We are teams of broadly similar size and I think that's why there is so much good will on the south coast towards you this season. We had a decent run last year and were in the top 4 until January so we know how hard it is to keep it up. You guys seem to be flying along. I was watching the Saints/Arsenal game last night in the pub and your score kept flashing up. There wasn't a person in there that didn't seem to want Leicester to go on and win the league. Vardy is obviously on fire (although he has done it for enough games in a row now for his form not to be considered a hot streak) but Mahrez seems to be the key ? He looks an incredible player and I hope you can keep him beyond this year. Believe me despite how we are portrayed we are not a selling club but when the big teams start offering stupid money those players soon want to leave and there's not much you can do. I guess you're probably aware that everyone outside the top 4 clubs are willing you to go on and finish the job. I think I would even go as far as to say I'd gladly lose to you if it means you stay on track for the title. Particularly if it meant that you stop Spurs from winning it because god knows, no one in football wants that! Thank you. I've always wanted to see a smaller club be involved at the top of the pile for once. I'm sure many football fans are sick and tired of seeing the same old names involved in the PL title race every damn year. Never in my wildest dreams did I ever think it would be my club. Even if we slip away, I'm sure this season has given a lot of people hope that maybe it isn't a closed shop anymore, and that maybe the PL is played on a more even playing field once again. We're top in February with a squad assembled for a tiny fraction of the budgets of the clubs below us. It can be done. It is possible to succeed by building a team with spirit, and it doesn't have to cost a king's ransom. Good luck to Southampton (apart from when we play you, obvs).
UPinCarolina Posted 3 February 2016 Posted 3 February 2016 Worried about Watford / Newcastle and West Ham in the fixtures above. Granted Newcastle is at the KP but they are a very different side now. Watford is also sneaky dangerous.
weller54 Posted 3 February 2016 Posted 3 February 2016 Saints fan here. Went to the trouble of registering to really just say good luck for your run in. We are teams of broadly similar size and I think that's why there is so much good will on the south coast towards you this season. We had a decent run last year and were in the top 4 until January so we know how hard it is to keep it up. You guys seem to be flying along. I was watching the Saints/Arsenal game last night in the pub and your score kept flashing up. There wasn't a person in there that didn't seem to want Leicester to go on and win the league. Vardy is obviously on fire (although he has done it for enough games in a row now for his form not to be considered a hot streak) but Mahrez seems to be the key ? He looks an incredible player and I hope you can keep him beyond this year. Believe me despite how we are portrayed we are not a selling club but when the big teams start offering stupid money those players soon want to leave and there's not much you can do. I guess you're probably aware that everyone outside the top 4 clubs are willing you to go on and finish the job. I think I would even go as far as to say I'd gladly lose to you if it means you stay on track for the title. Particularly if it meant that you stop Spurs from winning it because god knows, no one in football wants that! That's very nice! And good to see the hatred for Spurs is rife!!!
Nalis Posted 3 February 2016 Posted 3 February 2016 I would honesty take 2 of the most boring 0-0s you'll ever see. Then back to normal for Norwich at home
DJ Barry Hammond Posted 3 February 2016 Posted 3 February 2016 Look at the run of fixtures after Man City and Arsenal, but before Utd, Everton and Chelsea (final 3) - there's a run of 9 very winnable fixtures. Close to maximum points in that run, and we can afford a few slip ups in the aforementioned fixtures? Norwich (H) - ok currently crap WBA (H) - same as above, but frustratingly Pulis Watford (A) - signs of a wobble, but could be back firing come our visit. Not an easy place to go. Newcastle (H) - could be seen in a much better light by this time. Hoping 'new signings' impact has warn off Palace (A) - could do with playing them now as they are doggo. Might have recovered by this time? Saints (H) - looking a lot better now Sunderland (A) - much better than when we played them at the start of the season. Big Sam will have these guys scrapping you'd think by this point, which will make it a much tougher place to visit. West Ham (H) - real Jekyll and Hyde team Swansea (H) - who knows what these will be like when we come to play them? Ideally wanted to play them again immediately after we stuffed them 3-0 at their place Careful now - see above... True, a simplistic look at these and you think "we should win a majority of these" especially the home games, but life is never that straight forward. 27 points available though - so I suppose, we're wanting 14+ at least from these (5 wins from 9) depending on how ambitious your looking. If say the next two games we draw a blank, them maybe that increases to 18+ .... which would leave us on 68 points with an extra 9 available from the final 3 games. Naturally any hail above those figures would put us in serious title contention... Even more serious then we are now!
Wasyls Pec Deck Posted 3 February 2016 Posted 3 February 2016 Careful now - see above... True, a simplistic look at these and you think "we should win a majority of these" especially the home games, but life is never that straight forward. 27 points available though - so I suppose, we're wanting 14+ at least from these (5 wins from 9) depending on how ambitious your looking. If say the next two games we draw a blank, them maybe that increases to 18+ .... which would leave us on 68 points with an extra 9 available from the final 3 games. Naturally any hail above those figures would put us in serious title contention... Even more serious then we are now! No easy games in this league I agree. I think minimum we need to look at 2 points per game - so that would be 18. Anything less might not be good enough if we have title ambitions - haha just realised how mad that sounds. Also, your figures (i.e. 68 points, with additional 9 from the last 3 games) doesn't take into account the next two games - or are you assuming we'll be nil points? What would 76 points get us? That's 2 draws in next two, 18 from the next 9 and two wins from last 3.
weller54 Posted 3 February 2016 Posted 3 February 2016 I don't fancy Arsenal's trip to Bournemouth on Saturday! ...and neither will they! 1-0 Bournemouth!
foxes21 Posted 3 February 2016 Posted 3 February 2016 We need to get as many points as possible, whoever we are playing. People have been blinded by the idea we only have 'easy' games after these 2 fixtures. In the premier league their are NO easy games and as it gets to the pinch, teams in these 'easier' games will step up and make it hard for us because they will be fighting for their lives! We WILL drop points after these two games, there is no question. So yes, these next two games, and the 12 after that, are all equally important and all equally DIFFICULT.
Captain... Posted 3 February 2016 Posted 3 February 2016 We need to get as many points as possible, whoever we are playing. People have been blinded by the idea we only have 'easy' games after these 2 fixtures. In the premier league their are NO easy games and as it gets to the pinch, teams in these 'easier' games will step up and make it hard for us because they will be fighting for their lives! We WILL drop points after these two games, there is no question. So yes, these next two games, and the 12 after that, are all equally important and all equally DIFFICULT. Every game is vital, but when you look at that run after Arsenal you think there are 9 teams there that we can beat if we get our heads right and don't get any injuries, don't make any mistakes, don't get any dodgy decisions. If we are at the top of our game we can win all 9 of those. That doesn't mean we will, but it means we should be going into each game full of confidence, full of desire and full of that winning never say die attitude, we should also be fresh with no other distractions. The opposition will not be feeling the same we they will look at us and shit themselves, make plans change their style and not be 100% focussed mentally. That is the aura we need to create and that is the feeling the big boys normally bring, but don't any more because they have shown themselves to be fallible, whereas we have shown that we can be irresistible. Vardy's goal and that tiki taka move is everywhere everyone will have seen it and nobody will know how to stop that kind of play. We approach these 9 games correctly then we could be taking 20+ points from them.
ramboacdc Posted 3 February 2016 Posted 3 February 2016 14 cup finals is how I see it oh god! where's the cliche thread?!
billyfox1 Posted 3 February 2016 Posted 3 February 2016 Also is we win them both Aston Villa are mathematically out of the title race! This would happen on Saturday if we win and Villa lose.
Thracian Posted 3 February 2016 Posted 3 February 2016 Exactly. 2 draws and I'd be delighted. Just got to hope Spurs drop some points too. You can forget the post penalty Villa Park-style stand off approach for me...because is was a two point donation not just to Villa but to everyone chasing us. I'd take two wins...and exactly the same commitment and fast-break football for the games to follow.
Thracian Posted 3 February 2016 Posted 3 February 2016 Look at the run of fixtures after Man City and Arsenal, but before Utd, Everton and Chelsea (final 3) - there's a run of 9 very winnable fixtures. Close to maximum points in that run, and we can afford a few slip ups in the aforementioned fixtures? Norwich (H) WBA (H) Watford (A) Newcastle (H) Palace (A) Saints (H) Sunderland (A) West Ham (H) Swansea (H) Don't you ever bet on football? If you do you'll know they're all winable and all loseable and any slackening of our attitude will cost us as dearly if we're playing the supposedly poorer teams as it would against the European regulars. "One game at a time," is a laboured cliche but for good reason because winning the game before they're played is a fast-track to disappointment.
ARM1968 Posted 3 February 2016 Posted 3 February 2016 All the games are potentially massive due to our position. Teams fighting relegation will battle like we did last year. No easy games. Obviously Saturday is our next massive hurdle. A definite 6 pointer.
biggs Posted 3 February 2016 Posted 3 February 2016 I'm nervous before every match but always optimistically confident we'll get something from each game. If behind, I believe we'll get back in it and if ahead, I hate the last 10 minutes of every match till the final whistle. All games are huge and at this point we should expect points from every game
suffolk fox Posted 3 February 2016 Posted 3 February 2016 Fourteen cup finals. Play as we have been fearing noone, high intensity, pressing from the front we have nothing to fear.
The Year Of The Fox Posted 3 February 2016 Posted 3 February 2016 oh god! where's the cliche thread?! It's true though. Win the rest of our games and its elementary what happens. Won't happen though
fuchsntf Posted 3 February 2016 Posted 3 February 2016 Good point well made and I hope you are right. I can certainly see Vardy staying for that reason. Don't underestimate the pull of the big clubs. United, Chelsea, City, Arsenal, etc expect to be in the Champions League every year and the players know that. With due respect to what you have, and can, achieve this year, do you think you can do it every year cos those guys are going to spend their way back in. I really hope so. Players love to go to these huge clubs. Would a foreign player with no allegiance choose you over City for example when you are both in the CL? Anyway bloody hell, that's an amazing problem for you to even have to consider! It would take a massive collapse for you NOT to qualify for the CL next year now. But don't be Arsenal ! Top four is OK but it's not as good as winning the league and there is absolutely no reason you can't do that. The points you mention are true, but in our position (as a club) in the CL. We dont need the considered best players, we can afford and risk , to dip into the excellent rest, that Ranieri and his staff will fit.With Mahrez and Kante, youth is on their side, so pushing with a CL position to back us up, we can , sorry Ranieri could well get them to give 1-2 seasons more to the cause. 1st choice with still a top wage, playing in CL, is still tempting. Then with stronger squad, they can go to get their earned top-club stamp, Barca, RM, Manu. Look at the guys, who left Southampton, they are not exactly bursting the headlines. They havent made their new team special either. Mahrez in a french interview, even stated he is in no rush, and would prefer to play.
fuchsntf Posted 3 February 2016 Posted 3 February 2016 Don't you ever bet on football? If you do you'll know they're all winable and all loseable and any slackening of our attitude will cost us as dearly if we're playing the supposedly poorer teams as it would against the European regulars. "One game at a time," is a laboured cliche but for good reason because winning the game before they're played is a fast-track to disappointment. Smack on the button..matey. Too many ticking the so called easy games already... The dodos never ask themselves why they dont win the pools or the Lotto!! Winning or losing these 2 games wont give us top 4 or title. 6 teams are still in the race, and will be playing and fighting it out on the field, not on fans or pundits pieces of paper.
WesMorganGod Posted 4 February 2016 Posted 4 February 2016 Man city and Arsenal matches will NOT define where we finish. even if we lose both.. its not the end of everything, we have many winnable games afterwards and Arsenal and Man City and Spurs still all have to play eachother so they have to drop points.
shen Posted 4 February 2016 Posted 4 February 2016 We should be brimming with confidence going into these games. If Huth and Morgan can contain Aguero, we will have as good s chance as any to nick it. Arsenal will be vulnerable and we should look to emulate our Spurs or Man Utd performances to get a good result there. They are obviously huge games for mathematical reasons but maybe even more so for psychological reasons. If we win one or both, I would weirdly worry about complacency or nerves setting in. But that's just me being extremely speculative.
Guest Posted 4 February 2016 Posted 4 February 2016 14 cup finals is how I see it I was thinking the same thing this morning. Every match will have a buzz of excitement about it. It will be agonising if we duff it on some of the easy matches.
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