2015/2016 Premier League
-
<p>So the FA Cup is an EPL mid-table bunfight - Palace, Watford, Everton and West Ham/Man Utd. Appropriate really as it seems to be turning into the "can't win title, won't get relegated" consolation cup.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Meanwhile, City are surely to far behind now in the EPL after failing to beat Norwich and Spurs routine win over Villa puts the pressure back onto Leicester to beat Newcastle on Monday night (UK time). Newcastle with Rafa Benitez as the new manager (biggest fall from grace in management in one season, start at Real Madrid, end at Newcastle?) so maybe Leicester need to fear the new boss bounce.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Good article by Lineker on what this season means for a lifelong Leicester fan.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://www.theguardian.com/football/2016/mar/13/gary-lineker-leicester-city-premier-league-title'>http://www.theguardian.com/football/2016/mar/13/gary-lineker-leicester-city-premier-league-title</a></p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="KiwiPie" data-cid="564467" data-time="1457915048">
<div>
<p>S Newcastle with Rafa Benitez as the new manager (<strong><em>biggest fall from grace in management in one season, start at Real Madrid, end at Newcastle?)</em></strong></p>
</div>
</blockquote>
<p> </p>
<p>9 game contract, 3 year option that he can exercise & a <strong><em>£</em></strong><em><strong>3 million bonus if he keeps them up</strong></em>. I think he can live with the fall from grace. 9 games, 2 months. minimum 500k, max £3.5m. And he lives in Liverpool anyway</p> -
He's a good manager but was never going to work out at Real, not with his methods and those egos. <br><br>
But I don't think even he can save Newcastle -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="mariner4life" data-cid="564558" data-time="1457949116"><p>He's a good manager but was never going to work out at Real, not with his methods and those egos. <br>
But I don't think even he can save Newcastle</p></blockquote>As long as they get a good bounce and beat Leicester
-
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="mariner4life" data-cid="564558" data-time="1457949116">
<div>
<p>He's a good manager but was never going to work out at Real, not with his methods and those egos.<br><br>
But I don't think even he can save Newcastle</p>
</div>
</blockquote>
<p> </p>
<p>The issue he ran into at Real was more to do with the board. He wanted to play non "galactico" signings because they could win games - and did, but there was a lot of board presure to play guys like James when a no name was a lot better than him. So he'd play no-name, win ugly, the board would rant that James sells shirts, so he'd play James & lose.</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="gollum" data-cid="564552" data-time="1457948344">
<div>
<p>9 game contract, 3 year option that he can exercise & a <strong><em>£</em></strong><em><strong>3 million bonus if he keeps them up</strong></em>. I think he can live with the fall from grace. 9 games, 2 months. minimum 500k, max £3.5m. And he lives in Liverpool anyway</p>
</div>
</blockquote>
<p>Definitely - no poor managers on the "big name" merry-go-round that's for sure. Of the 3 contesting relegation actively (Villa are goneburger), Newcastle have the most star power and if he can find a way to harness that and get a couple of wins, that could be enough.</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="gollum" data-cid="564583" data-time="1457963720">
<div>
<p>The issue he ran into at Real was more to do with the board. He wanted to play non "galactico" signings because they could win games - and did, but there was a lot of board presure to play guys like James when a no name was a lot better than him. So he'd play no-name, win ugly, the board would rant that James sells shirts, so he'd play James & lose.</p>
</div>
</blockquote>
<p>yea that's pretty much what I was on about (egos was both players and board/chairman).</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Rafa is very pragmatic, and statistically driven, that shit is never going to fly in Madrid, at any level.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He improved Newcastle in half a week, only gave up one shot on target all game, and lost 1-0. They're players are still inept though</p> -
<p>fuck off</p>
-
-
<p>Looks like Leicester really ground out that win - their free-scoring seems to have stopped but has been replaced by a miserly defence. They have only conceded 6 goals in 12 games in 2016. Putting the pressure back on Spurs to win at home tomorrow against Bournemouth - which they should but if they don't, Leicester will have a point per game left lead.</p>
-
<p>Another great weekend for Leicester - another 1-0 win to them and Spurs drop 2 points at Liverpool. Now a 7 point lead with 6 games to go. 12 points guarantees then the title, realistically they will need fewer than that.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Nice graphic on the EPL top 6 in the calendar year since April 4, 2015</p>
<p> </p>
<p><img src="https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CfLw6XqUIAA8b9B.png" alt="CfLw6XqUIAA8b9B.png"></p> -
<p>Incredibly Leicester could lose all 6 of their remaining games and still make the top 3 and that means the group stage of the Champions League.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>On that note, Barca scraped past Athletico 2-1 in their home tie and Bayern scraped 1-0 past Benfica in theirs - so those 2 ties are still winnable for the under-dogs. Didn't see the games but Torres managed to cram a goal and a red card into 10 minutes and Suarez scored twice and apparently should have been red carded twice but only got a single yellow.</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="KiwiPie" data-cid="570076" data-time="1459912814">
<div>
<p>Incredibly Leicester could lose all 6 of their remaining games and still make the top 3 and that means the group stage of the Champions League.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>On that note, Barca scraped past Athletico 2-1 in their home tie and Bayern scraped 1-0 past Benfica in theirs - so those 2 ties are still winnable for the under-dogs. Didn't see the games but Torres managed to cram a goal and a red card into 10 minutes and Suarez scored twice and apparently should have been red carded twice but only got a single yellow.</p>
</div>
</blockquote>
<p> </p>
<p> Suarez must have been biting with a mouth guard this time. Not as serious.</p> -
<p>Leicester are getting very hard to run down. Another win this morning. And even with Spurs hammering Man U, the gap is still 7, now with 5 to play. Arsenal are a mile back in 3rd, and City are firming in 4th. West Ham, Man U, Southampton and Liverpool all around the late 40-early 50 mark chasing the Europa spots. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>At the bottom Villa are gone (lets face it, they've been gone all year), Palace seem to have got themselves to safety, leaving Norwich, Sunderland and Newcastle to fight for 17th</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Great season.</p>
