The British & Irish Football Thread

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by gvortex7

We finally got our first home win in league play since November. Since NOVEMBER. Just wow. That's pathetic.

I wish we could play Newcastle more often, we've been dominating them the past few years.

Go Everton! . Well done Gvortex!

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by Penton-Man

Best I've seen Sunderland play all year. Congrats on the performance.

Thanks Penton Man. It has been a long time coming. Bloody shame we lost though!

[gvortex7]

Originally Posted by Steedeel

Go Everton! . Well done Gvortex!

Thanks Steedeel. I was really hoping you guys would win too. Such a shame.

[Geoff D]

Oh, for ****'s sake. Now Puncheon's out for four weeks with his hamstring and our rock in the defensive midfield, James McArthur, is out for the rest of the season with torn ankle ligaments. Just.....ugh. Pardew will have to go to plan B if he's got one now, there's no choice in the matter because we can't keep playing the way we have done and expect to get results, Premier League opposition is just too cute for that.

Pards said EXACTLY what I've been saying in his press conference today: two or three more bad results in a row and we really will be dragged into the relegation battle, he also said that he'd take a point - never mind a win - just to arrest this slump. On the other hand, two wins with other results going our way could see us shoot into the top half again so Palace's season is on a knife-edge, but with injuries to key players mounting by the day I don't think it's gonna turn out too rosy.

As long as Palace stop up, I'm golden.

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by Geoff D

Oh, for ****'s sake. Now Puncheon's out for four weeks with his hamstring and our rock in the defensive midfield, James McArthur, is out for the rest of the season with torn ankle ligaments. Just.....ugh. Pardew will have to go to plan B if he's got one now, there's no choice in the matter because we can't keep playing the way we have done and expect to get results, Premier League opposition is just too cute for that.

Pards said EXACTLY what I've been saying in his press conference today: two or three more bad results in a row and we really will be dragged into the relegation battle, he also said that he'd take a point - never mind a win - just to arrest this slump. On the other hand, two wins with other results going our way could see us shoot into the top half again so Palace's season is on a knife-edge, but with injuries to key players mounting by the day I don't think it's gonna turn out too rosy.

As long as Palace stop up, I'm golden.

Consider yourself golden then!

[Geoff D]

It's not a done deal Steed, Pards is running the players into the ground and we simply don't have the squad to keep up with it. These next few games will define how our season's gonna go.

[Pizzamorg]

So rumours are circulating that Schmeichel, Vardy, Mahrez and Ranieri all could move away in the summer, what do you think Leicester should do?

I think they'd be damned either way, it's one of those things. Vardy, Mahrez and Schmeichel are central pieces to our squad but if we do win the Premier League (or at least finish top four) we could be looking at getting about seventy to a hundred million between those three sales and could we really afford to turn down that kind of money money? And if they want to move, we block them, they flop next season and Leicester get relegated the players are gonna leave at the end of the season regardless and be worth peanuts so then no one wins.

I'm pretty sure signings like Kante, Gray, the choice to start giving Chillwell bench time with the chance of first team football is Ranieri testing out what a future Leicester might look like without them and if he's happy enough with the results and confident enough in his scouts (which he should be), I think they might all be gone.

I mean, it's just business, right? Leicester have proven they can get World Class players for 10 million or less, so between those sales, the prize money and rights of finishing top four or above, we'd have enough money to buy a whole new squad, a whole new set of staff and a whole new stadium at this rate haha.

Likewise with Ranieri, we're still effectively using Pearson's squad and staff, so how much of an impact has Ranieri even had? We're really just continuing what we did at the end of the last season before him, right? So I'd be interested to see how the picture looks without him.

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by Pizzamorg

So rumours are circulating that Schmeichel, Vardy, Mahrez and Ranieri all could move away in the summer, what do you think Leicester should do?

I think they'd be damned either way, it's one of those things. Vardy, Mahrez and Schmeichel are central pieces to our squad but if we do win the Premier League (or at least finish top four) we could be looking at getting about seventy to a hundred million between those three sales and could we really afford to turn down that kind of money money? And if they want to move, we block them, they flop next season and Leicester get relegated the players are gonna leave at the end of the season regardless and be worth peanuts so then no one wins.

I'm pretty sure signings like Kante, Gray, the choice to start giving Chillwell bench time with the chance of first team football is Ranieri testing out what a future Leicester might look like without them and if he's happy enough with the results and confident enough in his scouts (which he should be), I think they might all be gone.

I mean, it's just business, right? Leicester have proven they can get World Class players for 10 million or less, so between those sales, the prize money and rights of finishing top four or above, we'd have enough money to buy a whole new squad, a whole new set of staff and a whole new stadium at this rate haha.

Likewise with Ranieri, we're still effectively using Pearson's squad and staff, so how much of an impact has Ranieri even had? We're really just continuing what we did at the end of the last season before him, right? So I'd be interested to see how the picture looks without him.

Will it matter if they can win the league? The money should ensure they can attract some top targets.

[Lucian1]

I hope Leicester holds on and wins and I hope they don't get carved up for next season. I would think they would have a difficult time keeping everyone together, but definitely a win should help that and they won't have to start all over again. Regardless though, they've been an absolute joy to watch this year.

[Geoff D]

I was thinking about that too Pizza, that if they win the league and get champs league football it still won't be enough to keep certain people there because the glory side will be covered, but what about the fortune? I doubt that the stock of some players and indeed the manager will ever be higher than it is now (even if they don't win the league), so some may look to cash in.

Oh, and Palace's current form is the worst run of ANY team in Europe's top five divisions over the last six games, just in case people think I'm just being moany old defeatist Geoff with my posts above. At least I've got me a reason!

[Pizzamorg]

Funny looking table that, considering City and Leicester are so far behind West Ham and Spurs. I guess European Form has little relevance on action league form overall, Leicester just above avoided relegation last year but ended the season as the top formed team in Europe.

[Geoff D]

It IS just for the last 6 games though Pizza, not the whole season, so unless Leicester have won all 6 then it's conceivable that other teams may be ahead of you, no? I wouldn't call four places behind Wet Spam "so far behind" but then it's all about perspective*...



* waits for Steed to tell me again that I've got nothing to worry about compared to the Mackems

[Pizzamorg]

Well there is four places between us in the League table, and eleven points.

[eriaur]

Who is this Premier League flop?

[Steedeel]

Good luck tomorrow guys.

[Geoff D]

Originally Posted by Pizzamorg

Well there is four places between us in the League table, and eleven points.

But they've taken a point *more* than you over the last 6 games which is what that table is referencing (it's not much of a recent form table if it's across the whole season) and bear in mind that it's got a full 98 clubs featured in it, so a gap of four places in that is nothing compared to a 20-team table. Geddit?

Originally Posted by Steedeel

Good luck tomorrow guys.

Same to you, sir. We gon' need it, I think the Swansea revival will show no signs of slowing down.

[Pizzamorg]

I suppose.

We are gonna need it too, tomorrow! Clash of the top two, it kinda feels like everything will be decided after that game.

[Geoff D]

Best of luck Pizza!

[Pizzamorg]

Originally Posted by Geoff D

Best of luck Pizza!

If Mahrez and Vardy can deliver that one two punch again, I'm sure we'll be fine. Otherwise if Kasper can keep the sheet clean, I'd be happy to play to a goalless draw again. In such a tough run of games, as long as we don't drop points we'll be fine. One point each will keep our three point gap.

[Pizzamorg]

One nil up in the first TWO MINUTES.

IS THIS REAL LIFE.

AM I PLAYING FIFA?

WILL I WAKE UP?!