The "do they mean us?" thread pt 3

[goose2010]

10 minutes ago, An Sionnach said:

I refuse to slag any team off, no matter how bad their fans are. They always kick your arse if you do. I support Leicester and our squad., Arsenal are none of my business. All I said was their defence conceded the third fewest goals in the PL last season.

This was last season. They have nothing new this season that would pose any threat to at least the top 4 

[An Sionnach]

Just now, goose2010 said:

This was last season. They have nothing new this season that would pose any threat to at least the top 4 

That is a valid opinion, me, I hate predictions , anything can and probably will happen.

[turtmcfly]

2 minutes ago, goose2010 said:

This was last season. They have nothing new this season that would pose any threat to at least the top 4 

 

He didn't claim they did. He claimed that (yes, last season) 'If Aubamayang had scored his normal 20+ they would have been top four'

 

The had the third best defence in terms of goals conceded, and Aubameyang scoring 10 or more goals (not an outlandish proposition given he scored 22 in both the previous ones) would probably have made up the 6 point difference with Chelsea. 

 

The OP has posted his fair share of weird gear (and I've commented on it more than once) but I for one hadn't realised how well their defence had done - I found his comment to be an interesting angle. Certainly the 'click bait' comments are pretty low

 

 

[HighPeakFox]

43 minutes ago, turtmcfly said:

 

He didn't claim they did. He claimed that (yes, last season) 'If Aubamayang had scored his normal 20+ they would have been top four'

 

The had the third best defence in terms of goals conceded, and Aubameyang scoring 10 or more goals (not an outlandish proposition given he scored 22 in both the previous ones) would probably have made up the 6 point difference with Chelsea. 

 

The OP has posted his fair share of weird gear (and I've commented on it more than once) but I for one hadn't realised how well their defence had done - I found his comment to be an interesting angle. Certainly the 'click bait' comments are pretty low

But Turt, the 'if x had y' argument is the most pointless and redundant one in football, and indeed life. He didn't, so it's irrelevant.

[turtmcfly]

2 hours ago, HighPeakFox said:

But Turt, the 'if x had y' argument is the most pointless and redundant one in football, and indeed life. He didn't, so it's irrelevant.

 

We're going to have to a to d over counterfactuals, but then I've got two compendiums of them, so clearly a dweeb where they're concerned. 

 

And no, it wasn't 'might the UK have excused itself from WW1', but Arsenal being a 'normal Aubemayang season' off top four was an eye opener to me (which is really me saying he opened my eyes to how stingy their defence was last year).

 

Edited 20 August 2021 by turtmcfly

[NasPb]

Just saw someone with a leicester jersey in my city in Sevilla and the other day saw another in a small city of granada called salobreña. Pretty amazing 

[coolhandfox]

Wilfred Ndidi and Kelechi Iheanacho on Football Focus on Saturday, 21 August at 12:00 BST on BBC One, iPlayer, and the BBC Sport website and app.

[urban.spaceman]

1 hour ago, coolhandfox said:

Wilfred Ndidi and Kelechi Iheanacho on Football Focus on Saturday, 21 August at 12:00 BST on BBC One, iPlayer, and the BBC Sport website and app.

On now

[Vlad the Fox]

They’re so funny together  

[Webbo]

Quote

 

Jamie Vardy, if you didn’t already know, turns 35 in January. 

He’s only a year younger than Wayne Rooney, a man eight months into his retirement, and older than Edinson Cavani, the Manchester United striker who it seems Ole Gunnar Solksjaer has to regularly defrost.

It means the perennial question that follows Leicester City and Vardy every season gets asked again: how long can Vardy keep going?

 

That’s the thing. That’s not the right question. The question, more accurately, is how long can he keep improving.

It’s only a season ago that Vardy won the Golden Boot. He’s off the mark already this season, scoring the winner against Wolves and, true to character, howling in front of the rival fans.

In Leicester’s pre-season running tests, Vardy finished top alongside a team-mate in his early 20s. He’s still posting record low body-fat percentages of less than eight percent.

 

‘You only need to look at his physique, look at his torso, and look at everything about him, he is so fit,’ said Rodgers ahead of the game, with the tone not too far off that of a schoolboy describing their playground crush.

‘He is physically in a great place. Every time Jamie plays, you want him to be electric, you want him to be dynamic. You want him to be making runs. You know when he can do that he is such a threat. He’s a nightmare for defenders. So, that is going to be managing that over the course of the season.

‘You saw last weekend, he was so good. I just love watching him when he’s like that. He’s a joy to have in the team. He’s got that devilment that I love. He continues to defy everyone who thinks he is slowing down.’

If Vardy scores against West Ham on Monday, it will be his 120th Premier League goal. That puts him alongside Steven Gerrard. He’ll be three behind Dwight Yorke and five behind Nicolas Anelka.

 

It will be Vardy’s 247th game in the competition. Yorke played 375, Anelka 364. Of those players ahead of him, only Alan Shearer, Sergio Aguero, Thierry Henry, Harry Kane and Robin van Persie have scored their goals at a faster rate. Vardy’s hit rate is just below a goal every other game.

It’s a wonder, really, how he’s managed it. This is the same Vardy, after all, who as a teenager bought bread and dripping for 20p on his way to school. 

The same Vardy, who drank port from a Lucozade bottle the night before games and gobbled down cheese-and-ham toasties and baked beans on the morning of a match. The same one who still necks multiple cans of Red Bull and shots of double espresso on gameday.

Vardy, too, like many of us, spent his summer drinking beers on his sofa. No personal training regime. He relaxed with his wife Rebekah and their five children. He tinkered on his allotment.

 

Yet come the big game and there he was scoring in his fifth consecutive Premier League opener.

The rest was just what he needed after the end of a season that saw him suffer with a groin injury, score just four goals in the second half of the campaign and play the support act to Kelechi Iheanacho. One, it should be noted, he did excellently. His all-round play is another aspect of his game that has improved over the years.

Rodgers knows it’s about managing Vardy. He won’t be able to play every game, certainly not when the Europa League and cup competitions begin. He won’t train every day either.

The club are planning for life without him with the £23million arrival of Patson Daka from RB Salzburg. Iheanacho’s 11 goals in the final 12 games of last season proved he can help carry to baton. For now, though, it’s still about keeping their main man fresh.

 

All the talk of port and cheese toasties paints Vardy as more of a caricature than the dedicated professional he is. He understands his body. He had a cryotherapy chamber installed in his home to help with his recovery.

He’s helped, too, by the fact his Football League career didn’t start until he was 25. His retirement from international football allows added rest, even if his form in recent seasons led to calls for him to reconsider his decision.

‘He is a top-class professional,’ says Rodgers. ‘You don’t produce what he does if you are not. He is a fun-loving character but very professional in his work. He is in early every day. 

'He gets in about 9am, gets ready, gets prepared, eating the right things. He is still very hungry. Very focused. Also, he loves it. Look at the joy when he plays, the joy he has. He is just a great man to work with.’

On the pitch, Rodgers has encouraged Vardy to focus his press more. You won’t see Vardy hurtle from one side of the pitch to the other after a loose ball as much as he used to. ‘The king of lost causes,’ as Rodgers calls him. Now, he will focus his press on the centre-backs, to keep the fire and intensity.

 

West Ham boss David Moyes knows the trouble Vardy will cause his side. ‘I think you have to be collectively trying to look after Jamie Vardy,’ said Moyes. ‘He is a terrific player and looks as if he is getting better.’

It’s not just Rodgers who is planning for the future as well as enjoying the present. Vardy recently became co-owner of US team Rochester Rhinos, a venture that excites him and one he sees as a long-term project. Vardy finds co-owing a football club a more enticing option than coaching.

In the mean-time, Vardy has plenty more playing to do. He has two years left on his contract at Leicester. If he keeps fit, 150 Premier League goals is well within his sights. That would take him into the top 10 of all time.

‘At some point, which happens to all players, they will slow down and take a dip,’ says Rodgers. ‘But he’s not at this point yet.’

 

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-9915311/The-secrets-Jamie-Vardys-eternal-youth-Leicester-striker-continues-astonish.html

Edited 22 August 2021 by Webbo

[Phil Bowman]

From the Guardian’s live-bloggy match coverage thingy…

 

“…a title race which has the potential to be the most competitive of recent times and maybe of all-time. Yes, that’s an absolutely ridiculous thing to type – it’s been a brutal morning on the Sunny D – but Chelsea, Liverpool, Leicester, Man United and Man City are all good enough to challenge, not just the best teams in England but among the best teams anywhere.”

 

Spot the odd one out in that list of five clubs?

[Jacnah]

6 minutes ago, Phil Bowman said:

From the Guardian’s live-bloggy match coverage thingy…

 

“…a title race which has the potential to be the most competitive of recent times and maybe of all-time. Yes, that’s an absolutely ridiculous thing to type – it’s been a brutal morning on the Sunny D – but Chelsea, Liverpool, Leicester, Man United and Man City are all good enough to challenge, not just the best teams in England but among the best teams anywhere.”

 

Spot the odd one out in that list of five clubs?

We are witnessing days most of us never ever thought were possible. Every time I see this scene from Full Metal Jacket I think of us and Arsenal :-)

 

 

[FOXSE]

Jamie vardy is doing brilliant for his age. In the article posted, vardy bought bread and dripping on his way to school.  Considering he was born in the late 1940s, I can believe how well he is still playing!

[Carl the Llama]

1 hour ago, Phil Bowman said:

From the Guardian’s live-bloggy match coverage thingy…

 

“…a title race which has the potential to be the most competitive of recent times and maybe of all-time. Yes, that’s an absolutely ridiculous thing to type – it’s been a brutal morning on the Sunny D – but Chelsea, Liverpool, Leicester, Man United and Man City are all good enough to challenge, not just the best teams in England but among the best teams anywhere.”

 

Spot the odd one out in that list of five clubs?

Is it Liverpool because none of their kit options this season are blue?

[Spudulike]

 

[don_danbury]

1 hour ago, Spudulike said:

 

let's be real, was chilwell even a key player?

[lcfc_forever]

A few stories have been released with the same message about us retaining our best players, looks like quotes that were embargoed from the press conference: 

 

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2021/08/22/leicester-city-kept-stars-summer-high-can-finish/amp/

 

https://www.skysports.com/amp/football/news/11712/12388414/leicester-manager-brendan-rodgers-says-star-players-opting-to-stay-is-a-sign-of-the-clubs-progress

 

https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/harvey-barnes-brendan-rodgers-leicester-youri-tielemans-foxes-b1906906.html%3famp
 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/58297658
 

Great to see! 

[Les-TA-Jon]

10 hours ago, Spudulike said:

 

Our defender injury crisis aside, I might think Top 4 could be doable this season. But with Fofana out for much/all of the season and Evans becoming more of a Morgan style backup I just don't see it. I think we'll drop too many points. 

 

And of course, Man City, Man Utd, Chelsea all have improved squads. I really can't see us finishing above any of them. Maybe we can finish above Liverpool or win the Europa. 

[walkerleeds]

4 minutes ago, Les-TA-Jon said:

Our defender injury crisis aside, I might think Top 4 could be doable this season. But with Fofana out for much/all of the season and Evans becoming more of a Morgan style backup I just don't see it. I think we'll drop too many points. 

 

And of course, Man City, Man Utd, Chelsea all have improved squads. I really can't see us finishing above any of them. Maybe we can finish above Liverpool or win the Europa. 

 

I think we're going to go all out to win that, even if it means putting out weaker teams for the PL in the latter stage of the season (provided we're well out the race for the top 4 obviously).

[Kingleicester]

8 minutes ago, Les-TA-Jon said:

Our defender injury crisis aside, I might think Top 4 could be doable this season. But with Fofana out for much/all of the season and Evans becoming more of a Morgan style backup I just don't see it. I think we'll drop too many points. 

 

And of course, Man City, Man Utd, Chelsea all have improved squads. I really can't see us finishing above any of them. Maybe we can finish above Liverpool or win the Europa. 

I think top 4 is going to be to tough this season, without being negative the last 2 seasons throwing it away will be all the more bitter pill to swallow, I think Chelsea Man City, Liverpool and even untied will be easy 10 points ahead going into the last 3 games 

[Spudulike]

1 hour ago, walkerleeds said:

 

I think we're going to go all out to win that, even if it means putting out weaker teams for the PL in the latter stage of the season (provided we're well out the race for the top 4 obviously).

I think as fans that's what we'd like to see. However, each Premier League place is worth big money so will be prioritised. 

[FoxesWalk]

We have lost key players though. Fofana is out for the season. We have one fit first team quality centre back. 
 

Feels like the deeper the squad gets, the worse the injury list gets 😔

 

**** Villareal. 

[walkerleeds]

6 minutes ago, Spudulike said:

I think as fans that's what we'd like to see. However, each Premier League place is worth big money so will be prioritised. 

 

This is true, I definitely what I want us to prioritise Europe, so hard it's hard to be particularly balanced on this one for me. However, is the prize money between 5th and 8th huge though? According to the below article qualifying for the group stage earns 15mill euro (plus extras dependant on performance). Not to mention the prestige of King Power having their club in the most prestigious competition of club football.

 

https://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/how-much-prize-money-champions-league-2020-21-winners-get/1hkpcgs22bt851tusgowvd71rn 

 

 

[TiffToff88]

14 hours ago, don_danbury said:

let's be real, was chilwell even a key player?

Yes. Of course he was. First choice left back by a long way, England international. When he was fit he played every second he was available. How was he not a key player?

 

Never understood the criticism he got from our fans while he was at here.

[fuchsntf]

6 hours ago, Kingleicester said:

I think top 4 is going to be to tough this season, without being negative the last 2 seasons throwing it away will be all the more bitter pill to swallow, I think Chelsea Man City, Liverpool and even untied will be easy 10 points ahead going into the last 3 games 

Every Time someone says we threw Top 4 away...I will return with no we didnt...!!