Leicester

[King Binny]

Kind of agree with Keown there:
[article]
"Mahrez last year was sensational in a one-v-one situation," Keown said on Sunday night's Match of the Day 2.
"Take your opponent on, punish him, he would have done that last year. There is a laziness in his play this year, he doesn’t really want to make it happen.
"He just plays a sloppy pass to Simpson, which he is never going to get to," he continued as he pointed to one of the Foxes' many failed passages of play against the Swans.
[/article]

Obvious decline in his defensive actions (tackles and blocks), take ons and ball retention rate.

 

[Tinto]

Wasn't Ranieri just awarded a "Coach of the year" award in Europe or something?

Yep at the Laureus World Sports Awards in Monte Carlo.

Actually don't know exactly what he won but he did win something.

 

[mom]

R

Surely this is the summer when Mahrez decides he's had enough at Leicester? We should be all over that if he does.

He's not exactly hit the highs of last season though has he? Vardy was impressive last season too. Folk are saying we shouldn't buy him as he's been far from great this season. Why would Mahrez be any more likely to bounce back?

 

[keniget]

I've not seen Mahrez loads.

Is he genuinely good or is he going to end up a bit of a one-season wonder?

 

[jexykrodic]

Both having had good seasons have been recognized and are now nullified. Good players adapt, they haven't been able to step up.

 

[Frogfish]

I've not seen Mahrez loads.

Is he genuinely good or is he going to end up a bit of a one-season wonder?

He's a very high quality player. Sorry but no player who can do what he can with the ball is just average. I think that was said about Lallana and he's proving the nay-sayers wrong.

Will Mahrez be a PL leading player? Maybe yes, maybe never again. However his stats this season have as much to do with Leicester's decline as a team as they do with him as an individual.

He's definitely worth a slot in our side and would strengthen the team considerably, and we really really need a decent FK taker - we lose out so much because we are simply crap at them. Only doubt for me is whether he'd be up for the gegenpressing, not with his ability or whether he can recover last season's form.

 

[Jack D Rips]

The Echo are saying that if Leicester draw with Millwall in the FA cup this weekend, our visit to Leicester may be brought forward two days to the 25th Feb at 12.30PM

 

[the count]

The Echo are saying that if Leicester draw with Millwall in the FA cup this weekend, our visit to Leicester may be brought forward two days to the 25th Feb at 12.30PM

Would suit us better I reckon as Leicester would have played in Seville just over sixty hours before hand.
Though Leicester might ditch the Champions league in their pursuit of Premiership survival.
And yes, we should be beating Leicester regardless off all this.
but, you know....................

 

[mom]

lost again today. to ten man Millwall. i'll be fuming if we don't absolutely smash these.

 

[Brizzle]

Whilst they are being hammered in all comps, we are now in a position of playing them when they have nothing else to play for and will realise they are in a relegation battle. Hopefully we go in hard to punish.

 

[Hansern]

Whilst they are being hammered in all comps, we are now in a position of playing them when they have nothing else to play for and will realise they are in a relegation battle. Hopefully we go in hard to punish.

They're still in the CL though. They play us between the two games against Sevilla.
Hopfully they wont realise this until after they're knocked out of the CL.

 

[Brizzle]

They're still in the CL though. They play us between the two games against Sevilla.
Hopfully they wont realise this until after they're knocked out of the CL.

There is a chance they'll take a hammering like Arsenal

 

[mom]

so was last season a "fluke"?

 

[Portly]

so was last season a "fluke"?

I think all fans were pleased that Leicester won the Premier League, because it showed that it's still not just a contest as to which club has the most money. Leicester played great football and deserved to be champions.

BUT they were very lucky that their core of key players all stayed injury-free throughout the season.

I believe that if Liverpool's squad had been injury-free this season, we would be up there challenging Chelsea.,

 

[tombrown]

BUT they were very lucky that their core of key players all stayed injury-free throughout the season.

And that most of the normal top teams were having a year off.

It's been just our luck that in the few seasons we have had a credible challenge we caught Utd, city and perhaps Chelsea in really good form. If any of those challenges had been last year we would be champions now

 

[Ryan]

I've not seen Mahrez loads.

Is he genuinely good or is he going to end up a bit of a one-season wonder?

He's incredibly talented, but he seems like he doesn't give a fuck. He's got the look of someone who knows he should have cashed in last summer.

I'd take him in a heartbeat.

 

[keniget]

Late developer then?

He's 25 with one stand out season in top flight football.

 

[Hansern]

There is a chance they'll take a hammering like Arsenal

Thats true. Lets hope they're in with a chance before the second leg.

 

[Frogfish]

Late developer then?

He's 25 with one stand out season in top flight football.

He's only been in top-flight football for two seasons hasn't he ? He was one that went under the radar.

 

[Vlads Quiff]

Late developer then?

He's 25 with one stand out season in top flight football.

Exactly, which is the same that could be said for 2/3 of that Leicester team last year. All the stars aligned and the one season wonders were in the same place at the same time

 

[Hansern]

Klopp knows:

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has warned his players that they could potentially face a "new" Leicester City in next Monday's match at the King Power Stadium.
The Premier League champions are a point above the relegation zone and were knocked out of the FA Cup by League One Millwall on Saturday.
Liverpool won the reverse fixture 4-1 in September, but Klopp stressed that they could not afford to underestimate Leicester.
"Of course it's a difficult situation for them," he said. "They're fighting for the league 100 percent now.
"Maybe this is the moment they recognise that there's really nothing else to do this season other than to stay in the league and be really concentrated.
"So we, if you want, could be the first team to face this 'new' Leicester. But it's possible [to win].
"And then Arsenal is coming [to Anfield on March 4] and we all know how good they are, so it's difficult but it's possible [to win] and as long as it's possible let's try to do it. For this, we need everybody in the best mood."

 

[keniget]

Aren't they still in the CL?

 

[LeTallecWiz]

Aren't they still in the CL?

They are sir.

 

[Hansern]

Lee Mason will referee Leicester vs Liverpool. His last two #LFC games: defeats at Burnley and Hull.

Greeeaaat...

 

[Aidan O' Neill]

Lee Mason will referee Leicester vs Liverpool. His last two #LFC games: defeats at Burnley and Hull.

Greeeaaat...

I'm not a fan of the fat man, but I don't think we can pin much on him there.

 

[Judge Jules]

Agreed. Mason's a twerp of the first order but we had only ourselves to blame for those results.

 

[Hansern]

I'm not a fan of the fat man, but I don't think we can pin much on him there.

It was more the two results he was involved in, in all honesty. But he certainly isnt a good ref either.

 

[jexykrodic]

I admire the likes of Mason et al for doing a thankless task. Those calling them out ought to volunteer to join their ranks to show them how it's done.

 

[Judge Jules]

It's a difficult job all right (I did it at amateur level for a long time while I was still playing, to help keep fit between games) but far from thankless at his level. Mason and his colleagues are very well rewarded.

 

[Frogfish]

It's a difficult job all right (I did it at amateur level for a long time while I was still playing, to help keep fit between games) but far from thankless at his level. Mason and his colleagues are very well rewarded.

Are they ? To my mind they should be paid around the average salary of the players in the league they are reffing in. Bet they are not anywhere close.