The Race to the Title

[SpursDave88]

I understand exactly what you're saying but I'm not sure it's totally correct. I remember in the late 90's or early 2000's when we had Man U in the last game of the season at Old Trafford and arsenal needed us to win to give them a chance in winning the league. Les Ferdinand scored the opening goal for us and celebrated it like he really didn't want to be scoring it, especially when he heard the moot cheering from our fans. That was pretty much our only chance in the match and they went on to win 2-1 with us barely threatening thereafter (pretty typical for us at Old Trafford in those days mind you).

Even if the players were as professional as they should be there's still the fact the supporters will be up for the game against 100 times more than they will against Leicester which will transfer on to the pitch and ultimately affect the performance of the team.

It was at WHL

 

[Monkey boy]

what?

Asked @davidmatzdorf to post his opinion!

 

[nasescoba1985]

People seem to be forgetting that all the players will put a shift in until the end of the season in an attempt to impress Conte!

Saying they'll lose on purpose is absolute madness.

No one Is saying Chelsea are going to throw the game mate and just score a bunch of own goals but if you think for 1 second that the Chelsea crowd cheering on Leicester won't affect the Chelsea team then you are naïve mate. Chelsea supporters hate us and if we are in with a chance of the title on the last game of the season, Chelsea supporters will be ironically cheering Leicester and creating a weird atmosphere which will affect the Chelsea players. I'm telling you now if we manage to claw back the points and we are in with a shot of the title last game of the season then just forget it. Chelsea will not be doing us any favours and their supporters will make sure of that

 

[stonecolddeanaustin]

It was at WHL

No, it's this game that I'm on about. Sounds like we gave a better job of it than I remember to be honest.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sport/football/fa_carling_premiership/345445.stm

 

[ohtottenham!]

Others have already name-checked all of the points I would have made. Here's one in more detail:

My main disagreement is that it's a fan-based misunderstanding of how footballers think. No professional footballer at any level is going to to throw a match, unless they're on the take. For players who have achieved Premiership level, it would be a scarcely conceivable notion for them. Their whole careers are based around the intense desire to compete and win.

The idea that their fans' dislike for a specific club would lead them to throw a match is ridiculous. Most footballers pay lip-service to these intense rivalries to keep their fans happy. You can tell because of the way they comment upon rivalries before derby matches. They do it to keep the fans contented, because they don't need motivating.

And no owner or manager would insult his players by suggesting that they should throw a match to spite a rival.

Another point that someone else already made very pithily is that (if anything) Abramovich would be more aggravated by Ranieri (whom he sacked) winning the league with a smaller club, in a season when Chelsea won't even qualify for Europe, than he would be by Tottenham (who once refused to sell him a player) doing the same.

I could go on. But I think the whole idea is a fan's-eye fantasy.

None of this rules out the possibility that Chelsea might be less than intensely focused as a team, when they have nothing to play for. But they still have to play both Leicester and Tottenham, so that's a bit of a moot point.

Agree with this. But, think the last day of the PL is always a bit of a carnival! Just like the last day of school before the summer hols (from distant memory)! Chels have Leics on the last day, and we have Newcastle. I think if there's a title riding on the last game, both Chels and Newcastle will be motivated.

 

[mil1lion]

Seeing Barca go 39 games unbeaten to only get 1 point from their last 3 games gives me just that little bit of hope that Leicester slip up. I think King made a good point yesterday that if we find ourselves 4 points behind with 3 games to play, Leicester could get edgy.

 

[Lo Amo Speroni]

Oh fuckity fuck fucking for fucks sake fuckity fuck fuck.

Just realised I booked a weekend away months and months ago for the missus and myself that coincides with the last game of the season.

What an unbelievable mug.

Such a dickhead.

Just fucking cancel it you woos. Man up, tell her tough shit, Spurs are more important.

Go on, I dare you.

Go on, I bet you won't.

Fucking scaredy cat.

(At this point I think it's only fair to point out that I am twice divorced and totally skint)

Do you want me to tell her for you? I ain't scared of her. Not like you

 

[easley91]

Thinking more and more about shift swapping the afternoon to the morning on the final day if we're in with a shout.

 

[Giovanni]

Haha come on guys lets get there first!! We all have a dream but right now only thing im fixed on is leicester v spam on sunday.

 

[Mr Pink]

Its not over yet, but its hugely important West Ham take points off them this weekend, and then we'll see how they respond if we go can go out and manage to beat Stoke. Then the pressure becomes vastly different and the psychology begins to have a real impact. They see us closing in and then they look at those fixtures. Different ball game then.

However If they beat West Ham, I'll concede its over.

Fuck me, we're completely relying on West Ham to get something, that's the bad news. The good news is they're a much better side these days, and Leicester havn't faced a good side for several weeks (bar Southampton I suppose) - and more importantly West Ham have plenty to still to play for in the League, in fact its perfect that CL isn't likely for them but its still certainly possible. That in itself means they'll be taking it very seriously.

So in short, it rests on them if we're to get just one opportunity to exert some real pressure on Leicester just when their tougher fixtures kick in.

 

[ohtottenham!]

Its not over yet, but its hugely important West Ham take points off them this weekend, and then we'll see how they respond if we go can go out and manage to beat Stoke. Then the pressure becomes vastly different and the psychology begins to have a real impact. They see us closing in and then they look at those fixtures. Different ball game then.

However If they beat West Ham, I'll concede its over.

Fuck me, we're completely relying on West Ham to get something, that's the bad news. The good news is they're a much better side these days, and Leicester havn't faced a good side for several weeks (bar Southampton I suppose) - and more importantly West Ham have plenty to still to play for in the League, in fact its perfect that CL isn't likely for them but its still certainly possible. That in itself means they'll be taking it very seriously.

So in short, it rests on them if we're to get just one opportunity to exert some real pressure on Leicester just when their tougher fixtures kick in.

Don't know which West Ham will turn up after their Man U game. But, they'll have Bilic in their earhole prodding them...CL or EL place to play for. Plus, the pressure on Leics is growing with each game. Something's gotta give....a Huth or Drinkwater sending off, Mark Noble trips over his own feet and somehow gets a penalty, the doping agency checks Vardy's and Kante's milk! Just, f...ing something!

 

[davidmatzdorf]

I don't agree with much of that. We all know that players take a break towards the end of the season if nothing is important. We all know that players get up for derby matches and key games against rivals. And to say players don't need motivating is ridiculous.

The atmosphere in the stands has a direct impact on the team. The Chelsea fans will be bang up for their team to beat Spurs and that will transition onto the pitch. For the Leicester match it will be a bit of laugh and I suspect that the players will go through the motions.

I'm not saying they will roll over but with the Euros coming up are they really going to be giving it 100% just because Abromovich wants them to. I don't think so.

So basically you agree with me but say you don't. With the exception of the sentence I highlighted, which I didn't say, or say anything remotely like it, everything else you wrote is consistent with what I wrote (read my last paragraph again), but rather off he point.

The discussion was not about whether the Chelsea players would be motivated or would "go through the motions". It was about whether the Chelsea players would intentionally throw their match against Leicester in order to prevent Tottenham from winning the league. You haven't disagreed with anything I wrote about that, you've just commenrted on a semi-related topic and made out that we disagree.

 

[UpTownSpur]

I think Chelsea's dislike of us has mellowed during the Abramovich years. They'll play the game against Leicester the same as they'll play all their remaining games, however that may be. The crowd won't want Leicester to win at all. You don't throw away a winning mentality you've spent years building so easily.

 

[spursfan77]

Its not over yet, but its hugely important West Ham take points off them this weekend, and then we'll see how they respond if we go can go out and manage to beat Stoke. Then the pressure becomes vastly different and the psychology begins to have a real impact. They see us closing in and then they look at those fixtures. Different ball game then.

However If they beat West Ham, I'll concede its over.

Fuck me, we're completely relying on West Ham to get something, that's the bad news. The good news is they're a much better side these days, and Leicester havn't faced a good side for several weeks (bar Southampton I suppose) - and more importantly West Ham have plenty to still to play for in the League, in fact its perfect that CL isn't likely for them but its still certainly possible. That in itself means they'll be taking it very seriously.

So in short, it rests on them if we're to get just one opportunity to exert some real pressure on Leicester just when their tougher fixtures kick in.

I was convinced Sunderland were going to take something off of them this weekend but they didn't. From now on I'm not expecting anyone to do us any favours.

Waiting for them to drop points feels eerily like waiting for Chelsea to fall out of the champions league the year they won it.

 

[Annekcma]

I feel like I've been saying this for an age. But, if Leicester slip up and we follow it with 3 points. Who knows what effect that will have on them. But I do think it has the start this weekend if it's going to happen.

But 5 games to go, even if we win all remaining games, if they get 9 points the league is theirs. Sadly I can't see us having a 100% finish, so they will likely only need 6/7.

It's a hard ask. But pressure does crazy things to people.

 

[Mr Pink]

I was convinced Sunderland were going to take something off of them this weekend but they didn't. From now on I'm not expecting anyone to do us any favours.

Waiting for them to drop points feels eerily like waiting for Chelsea to fall out of the champions league the year they won it.

I wasn't convinced. I'd give West Ham more of a chance because they're simply a much better side than Sunderland.

 

[Adam456]

Anybody seen this. If the article has it straight then Leicester should never have been promoted. Wonder if this will be unsettling

http://www.theguardian.com/football...ball-league-financial-fair-play-investigation

 

[stokesy]

So basically you agree with me but say you don't. With the exception of the sentence I highlighted, which I didn't say, or say anything remotely like it, everything else you wrote is consistent with what I wrote (read my last paragraph again), but rather off he point.

The discussion was not about whether the Chelsea players would be motivated or would "go through the motions". It was about whether the Chelsea players would intentionally throw their match against Leicester in order to prevent Tottenham from winning the league. You haven't disagreed with anything I wrote about that, you've just commenrted on a semi-related topic and made out that we disagree.

you have a funny idea of what agreeing is. Your not my wife by any chance

 

[Luka Van der Bale]

They're not long ball. They don't have a tall striker to win those passes.

They are a counter attacking team and its Mahrez's skill and Vardy's pace/finishing that have put them at the top of the table.

We should add pace this summer.

Long ball doesn't necessarily mean a tall striker challenging for the long balls. They play long balls, Vardy chases them. Therefore long ball.

 

[spurs mental]

Anybody seen this. If the article has it straight then Leicester should never have been promoted. Wonder if this will be unsettling

http://www.theguardian.com/football...ball-league-financial-fair-play-investigation

Theres a thread in General Footy about it. Good read though. Two big stories in recent weeks showing them not to be so golden after all.