Premier League 5-6 March.

Somebody should start a Newcastle 0-0 thread.

No chance if teams are allowed to score blatantly offside goals against us

How have Morgan and Huth become so darn good? I just don't get it.

I want Spurs to win the league

Luis wrote:How have Morgan and Huth become so darn good? I just don't get it.

It's about the balance of the team more than the individuals. They've got a backline that works, a midfield that works and a frontline that works. And crucially, they haven't had to make any significant changes all season.

It is an interesting feature that Leicester and Spurs have been the top 2 sides and both done so with an almost fixed first XI and just a handful of reserves who've featured much at all. The one big difference is with ages - 7 of Spurs XI are aged 25 or under and the oldest is 29, while for Leicester 7 are 29 or over and the youngest is 24. Almost symmetrical.

Huth has always had potential to work very well in the right setup. He's just also quite thuggish

christmasborocooper wrote:Huth has always had potential to work very well in the right setup. He's just also quite thuggish

Complete scumbag. He is the main downside of this Leicester thing. Hate to see nasty thugs succeed.

Kimbo wrote:I want Spurs to win the league

We are playing you on the final day of the season. You will soon change that opinion if a win for us secures us the title and sends you down (which I sincerely hope doesn't happen as would rather Newcastle stayed up and safe by then).

Isco Benny wrote:

Kimbo wrote:I want Spurs to win the league

We are playing you on the final day of the season. You will soon change that opinion if a win for us secures us the title and sends you down (which I sincerely hope doesn't happen as would rather Newcastle stayed up and safe by then).

Well of course. But Leicester are jammy as f**k, it's sickening how many decisions they get compared to us, we'll never get the number of penalties they've had this season.

They usually get their penalties because they not only find themselves in opposition penalty box aften enough, but their players are attacking with high pace and against opposition which didn't have time to settle their back 4 in this specific play. This makes more possible for their players to either get fouled or to look like they've  got fouled.

Just admit that you are jealous, it's no crime

christmasborocooper wrote:Huth has always had potential to work very well in the right setup. He's just also quite thuggish

True. And true.

Luis wrote:How have Morgan and Huth become so darn good? I just don't get it.

It's because you don't believe in making your team better through work during training sessions, drills, right tactic and all this boring stuff.

You only believe in "owners need to show their commitment and have to back our manager with more funds" kind of thinking.

And their players go down easy.

It's not jealously, I was rooting for them until last night.

I want to hate on Leicester but I just can't.

Well balanced, all the players attributes mesh together to get the most out of the team, and they've won games by playing open fast football or grinding out wins.

Yeah I know, poor quality league, blah, blah, blah, but whose fault is that? Certainly not theirs.

A contributory "fault" is Europe's. The PL is vastly more difficult now to juggle with European football. Nobody in England has managed to balance a European run with a title assault since probably United in 2011. Since then we've seen Everton, Southampton and Liverpool all have 'outlier' seasons by their standards during a season when they haven't had European competition to deal with vs the top of the league. Chelsea themselves won the CL the one season (beyond this one) when the league was no longer a priority for them as they were out of it very early on.

The Leicester story is certainly a fantastic one and absolutely give them kudos for taking this chance and going for it in this incredible manner they have done. I'm not holding my breath for them next season to come close to repeating it though simply because I'm convinced that with Europe they will struggle to balance the midweek-weekend routine just like Southampton, Everton and Liverpool did the following seasons after their recent magnificent runaway seasons.

Isco Benny wrote:A contributory "fault" is Europe's. The PL is vastly more difficult now to juggle with European football. Nobody in England has managed to balance a European run with a title assault since probably United in 2011. Since then we've seen Everton, Southampton and Liverpool all have 'outlier' seasons by their standards during a season when they haven't had European competition to deal with vs the top of the league. Chelsea themselves won the CL the one season (beyond this one) when the league was no longer a priority for them as they were out of it very early on.

The Leicester story is certainly a fantastic one and absolutely give them kudos for taking this chance and going for it in this incredible manner they have done. I'm not holding my breath for them next season to come close to repeating it though simply because I'm convinced that with Europe they will struggle to balance the midweek-weekend routine just like Southampton, Everton and Liverpool did the following seasons after their recent magnificent runaway seasons.

I've heard this excuse being branded about. Its a convenient makes-sense-so-it-must-be-true sorta way of excusing the PL clubs of poor squad building and player development. The reality is the vast majority of PL clubs have a poor record in transfer dealings in terms of building a balanced team with direction and intent. Never mind talent.

Look it it this way:
How many PL clubs have that always reliable beast of a defender? Never mind partnership. Not Chelsea anymore, Not ManU, Smalling isn't it. Not ManC, jokers or crock. Not Arsenal, Koscienly has no leadership or organisational qualities and the rest are meh. Liverpool are finding their feet...Only Spurs with Alderweireld have a genuine top quality boss of a defender. But Ranieri has got Huth playing like one with Morgan being a suitable partner. And he has the team set up to cover their limitations.

How many PL clubs have a high grade reliable deep lying distributer? Not Chelsea, Not Liverpool, Can might get there. Not ManC, Fernandinho is an all round CM. Not Spurs. Arsenal have Cazorla and Wilshere, but injured (of course). ManU have a past it Carrick and past it/unsuited/ not adjusted Schweinsteiger. But Drinkwater is playing the role very well for a limited counter attacking team. He doesn't' need to do much against average PL midfields.

And lastly, How many PL clubs have a high grade reliable he-da-man CF? Not ManU. Not Liverpool,Sturridge always injured. Not Arsenal. ManC have Aguero who's fitness is unreliable and Spurs have Kane who's getting there but not quite there. Vardy is very smart and reliable at doing what he does. Brilliant runner on the counter attack and very smart with his chances. The Leicester team is set up perfectly to get the best out of his limited attributes so he's delivering as if he is a star forward. I've read he even has a separate training regime to the rest of the team to focus on the multitude of sprints he does during the match. Great coaching.

When you add Kante and Okazaki, they have a really good spine for the PL. And then Mahrez gives them some magic with Albrighton providing balance on the other side. By design or chance, they've got a completely balanced team, covering each other limitations and enhancing each other's strength. Its what team sport is all about. Not football manager style buying highly rated players for their position and hoping it comes together.

So yeah, the richer PL have consistently failed to build balanced reliable teams. And Atletic Madrid keep showing, balance and focus > random spattering of talent. obviously if you get balance plus talent, you get Barcelona. That's not to say Atletico aren't a talented team.

Pards heading for 13 without a win