Can understand confounding Grealish and Maddison - both cunts.
Euros also probably impacting.
But Grealish plays for Villa.
Yes, apologies. I meant Maddison.
No Evans is a massive blow by all accounts
They’ve more chance of getting @ZinedineBiscan
Notch this up as the cynical, cannot praise anyone attitude, but one thing that is important to understand about Leicester’s recent “success” is that it has come in the context of an overall down year in the league. Both this year and last year the race for 4th was way off historical norms. Leicester have put themselves in the race by sustaining a pace that most years would see them miss out on Europa league football and only being in otuching distance because the big boys couldnt get their shit together.
It is creditable to elevate Leicester to the best of the rest and to, even temporarily, surpass clubs who “should” be beating them, but I think it is context to understand their ceiling. How much of that is Leicester per se and how much is Rodgers is up for debate.
I think that these are good points. In Brendan’s defence, I would say he has them playing better football than some of those managers before him, and Leicester are relatively consistent, so I think he has added something to the mix. But they also seem somewhat prone to momentum shifts that he is unable to control, similar to when he was with us.
I say both @Limiescouse and @redfanman are right. There was certainly a vacuum in the league hierarchy which Brendon optimized (but didn’t grab with both hands). While Leicester played some pleasing football, the inability to capitalize on those opportunities do ask questions about their pedigree, or in Brendon’s own word, character. .
They began playing better immediately after he arrived and won a major trophy two years later. They’ll be at least fifth for two years running with markedly inferior talent to most of the other Top Six clubs. Brendan is the goods. People may not like his personality, but no one should be questioning his ability to prepare a football side.
Not taking anything away from Brendan but I think his squad is inferior to only that of City, United, Liverpool and Chelsea.
He is a motivator similar to say Keegan (the polar opposite to a Rafa Benitez). That’s what stops him being a top manager.
In big games motivation and an established philosophy are typically not enough. You get exposed in European games (or managers like Ancelotti) motivation takes on a different dynamic when the pressure is on.
He takes teams on good runs but ultimately falls short (except Scotland which was a 1 horse race). Despite multiple opportunities he has always been exposed in European football.
I can see him being the England manager one day and I think the same issues will occur.
Tottenham, with their squad and atmosphere, does not have the pull factor to get names like Zenedine Zidane (or so I strongly think).
Besides the point this, but my great worry this season when we were lower in the table, was that we were really losing “pull factor” to get big names even if we had cash for by them and that the likes of Mbappe and Haaland, whom @cynicaloldgit and me fantasise about, were becoming far out of reach not only for monetary reasons.
When did we last make that kind of signing? Who was the last global superstar that we signed?
Maybe VVD? But were Barca and Real circling?
Speak for yourself, mate. My fantasies involve sexy young brunettes… I mean, the missus.
Definitely the missus.
wishes it was possible to just post an emoji and not write an unnecessary sentence void of meaning
VVD, aye; he was a super star in the making much like Haaland. But sure, we have no such recent history, but after the Champions League win followed by the Prem win, we had immense Pull-Factor at the beginning of this season (probably a bit less now, but if we manage CL, it won’t be so bad).
I didn’t say it would happen, Mbappe probably too expensive, and now Haaland looks too expensive for us to in any case, as his value is getting obscene.
My point is, we never make those kind of signings. We sign players who have potential, like Salah, or Mane, but who are not yet established superstars. They establish themselves with us.
Agreed, although VVD of course. Allison too considered amongst the best in the world when we bought him when I come to think of it. Haaland is only 20 years old though. Just saying. Not that we will probably buy him, but it’s my fantasy and I want to keep it for some time
I loathe Chelsea so much. Probably as much as City. They don’t deserve CL football. But Leicester folded, Chelsea backed into a spot, and here we are.
Fuck Chelsea, this post is about Leicester. I’m genuinely sorry for BR and his players, I thought they were going to do it. I really wanted them to make it over Chelsea and I believed they would finish top 4. Still a great season for them, but getting CL football would have been a phenomenal season.
They missed the fish again, but this time round at least they managed to snag a prawn. A good improvement.