The British & Irish Football Thread

[Geoff D]

Point, clean sheet, I'll take that thankyouverymuch. Swansea at home next, that'll be another toughie.

[David LFC]

Happy with the win but another injury, we have been badly hit with injuries this season, we need Sturridge back ASAP paying him 130k a week and he never plays if he breaks down again the club needs to look at a pay as u play deal.

Booked my flights for the Chelsea game in March.

[Pizzamorg]

I know I shouldn't let it get to me, but the press has pissed me off again with their slanted, bias, reporting. "Leicester's bubble has burst" apparently, in a one nil defeat to Liverpool on a very very good day. Are we ignoring then that none of the big teams that played on the same day, bar Man City, won their matches? Chelsea played Watford to a draw while United and Arsenal were turned over by teams you'd expect them to beat. So far Leicester have only been turned over once this season, and even though Liverpool outclassed us utterly a great shift from our defensive half managed to keep the goal down to one. The defeats like the one Arsenal and United have have been numerous this campaign, so whose bubble has burst sorry?

Interestingly Ranieri has backtracked a little about not signing any players. While I think Leicester have a great squad, as evidenced in the Liverpool game Vardy and Mahrez are in a whole other level and we are lost without them. The other issue perhaps is that Ranieri has been the opposite of his previous Tinker Man self so new members of the squad aren't getting the chance to develop. Kramaric was a record signing for Leicester at the time, but he's hardly been played and when we do bring him on we seem to only do it in dire situations so the poor lad doesn't have a chance.

Oddly enough though Ranieri has been linked with a bunch of defenders, which doesn't make sense to me. We have loads of options at back, and the likes of Fuch's and Huth has made us look stronger at the back than we have done in years. I appreciate that we have conceded a lot of goals this campaign, but if you remember last season they seemed to get reds, give away penalties and make mistakes that lead to own goals every couple of games, I'm honestly surprised Morgan was allowed to keep his job and captaincy.

If anything the one thing we need to be looking at I think is attacking options. While we have great attacking midfielders, and a list of strikers as long as our arms, few of them are particularly prolific in front of goal. Ulloa's goals usually come from him being at the right place at the right time, or simply because he's so much taller than everyone else, rather than him deliberately netting balls at the back of the net. Okazaki hasn't impressed me at all, despite being a player Leicester has chased for what feels like decades. Like I say, when does Kramaric ever get a proper chance to show what he's made of? And outside of The Streak, Vardy has always seemed more at home as a winger or midfielder than necessarily a striker for me.

[Geoff D]

You knew it was coming, Pizza old chap. As soon as Leicester lose that's it, they're done, stick a fork in them - never mind that their nearest rivals for the title got their arses handed to them by Southampton (4-0, bloody hell).

This season could see a record low for a winning points tally, ditto for the champs league spots.

[Penton-Man]

Originally Posted by Geoff D

their nearest rivals for the title got their arses handed to them by Southampton (4-0, bloody hell).

I wasn't surprised given how flat we were from the get-go, but a 4-0 scoreline was a bit difficult for me to swallow last night.

[tob]

Originally Posted by Penton-Man

I wasn't surprised given how flat we were from the get-go, but a 4-0 scoreline was a bit difficult for me to swallow last night.

Same here.

[Penton-Man]

Originally Posted by tob

Same here.

At least Costa received another yellow card which I think precludes him from playing in thee upcoming ManU match.

[Pizzamorg]

Transfer window opens this weekend, any interesting and likely to come true rumours bouncing about?

[tob]

Originally Posted by Pizzamorg

Transfer window opens this weekend, any interesting and likely to come true rumours bouncing about?

http://www.skysports.com/transfer-centre

[Pizzamorg]

Wow all the news seems to be out the players that could leave Leicester, not join it. Also funny amongst those names is Inler, didn't we just sign him? I feel sorry for him, he never got any ball time, he's a good player as well.

[Bucky]

Originally Posted by Geoff D

Point, clean sheet, I'll take that thankyouverymuch. Swansea at home next, that'll be another toughie.

That was not a very exciting first half.

A much better second half. Both teams had their chances.

[Geoff D]

Another bore draw but another point and another clean sheet, excellent. Unusually for Palace it's been an unbeaten December.

[tob]

Top of the table much better today.

[Pizzamorg]

Originally Posted by tob

Top of the table much better today.

A titanic victory over... newly promoted Bournemouth. Putting you a whole... one point above assumed relegated Leicester... with a game in hand.

Not going too well over there at the Arsenal camp at the minute, is it?

[tob]

Originally Posted by Pizzamorg

A titanic victory over... newly promoted Bournemouth. Putting you a whole... one point above assumed relegated Leicester... with a game in hand.

Not going too well over there at the Arsenal camp at the minute, is it?

Still upset after your loss to Liverpool Pizzamorg lets see how you handle Man.City next.

[Pizzamorg]

Originally Posted by tob

Still upset after your loss to Liverpool Pizzamorg lets see how you handle Man.City next.

To be fair I'm not upset, Liverpool played really really well.

Yeah the Man City game will be interesting, similar to Liverpool in fact City's season has been made up of big wins and shocking loses with little in-between. They've only had two draws all season as I remember. So tomorrow we either lose four nil or win four nil, that is my prediction.

[tob]

Pavel Srnicek R.I.P
http://www.skysports.com/football/ne...s-at-age-of-47

[Pizzamorg]

Interesting first half against Man City, not so much in the football played, it was quite boring at times but I'm just amazed how far Leicester have come. We completely cancelled City out for that half, and whenever we went on the attack City just couldn't handle us. Kolarov dived what, four times in that first half because of how little options we left him? I mean that really speaks volumes. I also loved hearing him get booed every time he got the ball. I'm feeling a 2 - 1 to Leicester by the end.

[Pizzamorg]

What a bad second half for Leicester, just as we shifted into our more familiar attack gears, it was like we fell off the map. I know I should be happy with a draw but I feel more frustrated because we could have and SHOULD have won that.

[David LFC]

Originally Posted by tob

Pavel Srnicek R.I.P
http://www.skysports.com/football/ne...s-at-age-of-47

Sad news only 47 as well RIP.


Big game for us tonight we need to go on a run of 4-5 wins on the spin. Always extra spice coming up against Fat Sam can't stand him.

Hopefully the goal against Leicester gives Benteke a boast, pretty poor since he signed fcuk all movement in the box and rarely closes anyone down and in a Klopp team that's what he wants.