The Race to the Title

[CJMurray]

Incorrect. We've got a decent GD so likely to only need to match, not better their point tally.

I never said we needed to better their total tally. We're 8 behind so we only need 8 more than them. As i stated.

 

[kitchen]

But they didn't and they are still top and there are 38 games in the season and any team that is top at the end of that deserves to be champions. You can't be lucky for a whole season. Don't let sour grapes cloud the fact that what Leicester have done this season is phenomanel whether they win the title or not. This time last year they were odds on to be relegated and at the start of the season were 5,000-1 to win the title. All title winning teams have their fair share of luck during a season and Leicester have had theirs but not that much that has given them the title as a lot on here seem to think.
The reason I will be pissed if they win the title is not because I don't think they deserve it, it's because it could have been us this year with all the usual suspects dropping away and the opportunity may not come around for a long time.

You don't need to be lucky the whole season. You need to be consistently good (which they have been) and then lucky enough to gain undeserved points on several occasions (which they have been). Ultimately we've drawn or lost too many games we deserved to win and they've won several games they deserved to lose/draw. Hence they're 5 points ahead of us...

Them's the breaks.

 

[Martinhotspur]

When Southampton and Sunderland turn them over the wobble will well and truly be on

 

[nssmuckers]

I'm not sure Leicester have been "lucky" the whole season, but they have certainly thrown a wrench into any sort of logic or metrics for Premier League winners. What they're doing is fucking impossible...it probably won't happen again in my lifetime, and will anyone be surprised if they keep the exact same squad together and then finish mid table next season?

Even the "defensive" teams that win this league tend to have an average possession over 38 games of over 50% -- usually closer to 54-55. Leicester are probably going to win the league with 44%. You do not win the league by not imposing yourself on teams at all over 38 games, yet here we are.

I'm unsure if "luck" is the right word for it, but they've somehow won every decisive moment and taken advantage of every single mistake from an opponent or fortunate bounce of the ball over 31 games. Usually things like performance and run of play matter a hell of a lot, but it just doesn't for them. It's like some bullshit sports movie where this scrappy little team finds a way to win each week and achieves the impossible.

It sucks that it had to happen the one year the league was weak enough for US to also challenge for the title, but it's fucking lunacy. It's quite possibly the most impossible season in the history of professional team sport. Christ, if you look at American sports, I don't even think the framework exists for something this remarkable to happen. You'd have to fundamentally change the structure to produce something this ridiculous.

 

[haydsmith]

I think most people still think Leicester will drop points. It's more an assumption that we won't win traditionally harder fixtures. Would be a shame if we let them walk away with it. Just need to try and stay close for as long as possible. It only needs one weekend to turn to put us within a win of them.

 

[ebzrascal]

leicester dont usually give teams a one goal start like we do and id say they have been lucky with injuries. But im not sure we really did all we could to give ourselves the best chance of winning the title. Pochetinho refusing additions to the squad in January is criminal and I know he is thinking long term but Kane was never going to be enough. To have no alternative striking options just baffles me!! I know there is a long term plan but if you see a chance to win the league surely you adjust the plan and just go for it. We may never get a better chance and to be second to leicester would be really really depressing!!

 

[shelfboy68]

leicester dont usually give teams a one goal start like we do and id say they have been lucky with injuries. But im not sure we really did all we could to give ourselves the best chance of winning the title. Pochetinho refusing additions to the squad in January is criminal and I know he is thinking long term but Kane was never going to be enough. To have no alternative striking options just baffles me!! I know there is a long term plan but if you see a chance to win the league surely you adjust the plan and just go for it. We may never get a better chance and to be second to leicester would be really really depressing!!

Not buying in Jan as you say was criminal but at the end of most Windows we leave ourselves short so in reality it was no suprise.

 

[Spurger King]

leicester dont usually give teams a one goal start like we do and id say they have been lucky with injuries. But im not sure we really did all we could to give ourselves the best chance of winning the title. Pochetinho refusing additions to the squad in January is criminal and I know he is thinking long term but Kane was never going to be enough. To have no alternative striking options just baffles me!! I know there is a long term plan but if you see a chance to win the league surely you adjust the plan and just go for it. We may never get a better chance and to be second to leicester would be really really depressing!!

We didn't even know we were in a title race until a few weeks ago. The squad has been maturing before our eyes, and with it has come the consistency that has lifted us to second.

I wouldn't point to the January window as being the reason we may miss out on the title. We've been superb in 2016, and I doubt one or two additions would make too much of a difference at this stage. Pochettino probably saw a squad in a state of genuine harmony, and was reluctant to potentially rock the boat.

Win tomorrow and we're still very much in this.

 

[Ghost Hardware]

I can 100% see Leicester loosing points in their remaining games, but at the same time I can see us dropping points and at this point I would be amazed if we finish above them.

The most we can hope for is that they loose sooner rather then later and their confidence starts to dip. But in all truth I think we had our chance and missed it.

 

[beats1]

I feel like we need to win every match to win the title and I cant see that happening tbh

 

[Spurger King]

I feel like we need to win every match to win the title and I cant see that happening tbh

Beat Bournemouth, Liverpool, and United, and I'd make us slight favourites.

That would be very tough to do though.

We're still firmly in the title race, and Leicester will drop points (if they don't, we'd all just have to applaud them for their achievement).

What gives me confidence is that we're fighting on two fronts - chasing the title, and trying to stay ahead of our rivals in the CL places. It will keep us focussed on playing at our best (instead of over-playing), because there's as much to lose as to gain. We're as driven to stay ahead of Arsenal and Oil Money as we are to try and catch Leicester. As some on here like to say, it 'keeps us honest' in terms of 3 points being vital for our fight for a CL place, rather than purely about the dream of a title.

On the other hand, Leicester won't be worried about CL qualification now. They're in a position where they have everything to lose. It's a different kind of pressure that comes with a different kind of ambition. They're the favourites with 99% of the country behind them, and despite back to back wins they're looking shaky. They certainly don't look like a side full of confidence.

 

[Matthew Wyatt]

Sounds to me like Poch is starting to let us down easy, bigging up what we've done so far. And quite right too -- we've had our best ever PL season. My teeth are gritted as I type this, but that's ok, it was one of my practise faces anyway.

http://gu.com/p/4hy6p?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

"We need to realise that our target was to try to reduce the gap to the top four but we are second in the table now, and we have played one tie more than last season in the Europa League."

"I feel very proud and happy of all the players and the way we have improved in these eight months."

 

[beats1]

Beat Bournemouth, Liverpool, and United, and I'd make us slight favourites.

That would be very tough to do though.

We're still firmly in the title race, and Leicester will drop points (if they don't, we'd all just have to applaud them for their achievement).

What gives me confidence is that we're fighting on two fronts - chasing the title, and trying to stay ahead of our rivals in the CL places. It will keep us focussed on playing at our best (instead of over-playing), because there's as much to lose as to gain. We're as driven to stay ahead of Arsenal and Oil Money as we are to try and catch Leicester. As some on here like to say, it 'keeps us honest' in terms of 3 points being vital for our fight for a CL place, rather than purely about the dream of a title.

On the other hand, Leicester won't be worried about CL qualification now. They're in a position where they have everything to lose. It's a different kind of pressure that comes with a different kind of ambition. They're the favourites with 99% of the country behind them, and despite back to back wins they're looking shaky. They certainly don't look like a side full of confidence.

Had we held out against Arsenal, I would have us as favourites but not now

I think Leicester having that 5 point gap takes off the pressure for them whereas we have more pressure with the chasing pack catching and keeping Leicester within distance

 

[shelfboy68]

We didn't even know we were in a title race until a few weeks ago. The squad has been maturing before our eyes, and with it has come the consistency that has lifted us to second.

I wouldn't point to the January window as being the reason we may miss out on the title. We've been superb in 2016, and I doubt one or two additions would make too much of a difference at this stage. Pochettino probably saw a squad in a state of genuine harmony, and was reluctant to potentially rock the boat.

Win tomorrow and we're still very much in this.

Mate we might win tomorrow but were not in it now its leicesters and good luck to them they deserve it for the way they have played all season cant take nothing away from them.
As for us we have done better than what we expected at the start but as for incomings in january nobody will ever know how it might have panned out with one or two additions.
I can see what he tried to do keeping team harmony but we really did need another spark up front, but alas not to be he must though be a dream for levy to work with.
The future is bright and although we may never get this close to winning the league again things do look good.

 

[SPURSLIFE]

You don't need to be lucky the whole season. You need to be consistently good (which they have been) and then lucky enough to gain undeserved points on several occasions (which they have been). Ultimately we've drawn or lost too many games we deserved to win and they've won several games they deserved to lose/draw. Hence they're 5 points ahead of us...

Them's the breaks.

You win some you lose some it happens to every team in the league but over 38 games the best and most consistent team wins and that's what Leicester have done.

 

[shelfboy68]

Sounds to me like Poch is starting to let us down easy, bigging up what we've done so far. And quite right too -- we've had our best ever PL season. My teeth are gritted as I type this, but that's ok, it was one of my practise faces anyway.

http://gu.com/p/4hy6p?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

"We need to realise that our target was to try to reduce the gap to the top four but we are second in the table now, and we have played one tie more than last season in the Europa League."

"I feel very proud and happy of all the players and the way we have improved in these eight months."

He didnt need to let us down slowly as we knew it anyway but it was a nice gesture.

 

[CJMurray]

You win some you lose some it happens to every team in the league but over 38 games the best and most consistent team wins and that's what Leicester have done.

Can't agree that the best team always win.

I think we've been the best team in the league this season but Leicester have had no european football to distract them. We've played 10 midweek games (5 of which all around europe) whilst they've been training and resting.

Dier commented that now we're out of europe we'll have time to work on stuff on the training ground that we'd not been able to do since before christmas. That's huge.

If Leicester had european football to deal with as well then theres no doubt in my mind that we'd be top of the league.

 

[Snarfalicious]

Can't agree that the best team always win.

I think we've been the best team in the league this season but Leicester have had no european football to distract them. We've played 10 midweek games (5 of which all around europe) whilst they've been training and resting.

Dier commented that now we're out of europe we'll have time to work on stuff on the training ground that we'd not been able to do since before christmas. That's huge.

If Leicester had european football to deal with as well then theres no doubt in my mind that we'd be top of the league.

I agree. It's a team that lacks any real depth. But then again, like I've said just about all season, only about 3 of their players could really improve a Starting XI of the "typical" top clubs in the league.

They've done it in what I would view as a generally unappealing style of football. But, I can't blame them for finding what's worked for them and executed it damn-near perfectly over an entire season.

 

[Garageman]

At eight points behind and Leicester's continuing good results, the title may be beyond us. But we still have to go out and win matches. Secure second place, and maybe if we're lucky, Leicester will drop points. But don't count on that.

 

[DiamondLites]

Leicester's name is on the trophy, the amount of luck they have had lately has made that abundantly clear

We need to keep getting results and consolidate 2nd, which would still be a fantastic achievement albeit slightly frustrating that we will have finished runner up to bloody Leicester of all teams