The Race to the Title

[greaves]

I was rewatching the 2nd half against Stoke. I realised when Alli was subbed off, he got a full stadium standing ovation - even Stoke fans clapped him off.

With Vardy's misdemeanour and our Stoke game, I am not so sure if all the neutrals are still completely supporting Leicester anymore. Surely the percentages should be different now....

Yep. The young lads in front of me who had been giving dog's abuse to Ali, Kane et al off and on throughout did exactly that - show's how complex reactions are (probably beuse he's in an England player tbf)

 

[TwoSaintsComeMarching]

This peice from the Telegraph has given me goosebumps:

How stunning Spurs can leapfrog Leicester with game to spare

• Sunday April 24
  Leicester v Swansea (4.15pm)
  Without the suspended Vardy, Leonardo Ulloa partners Shinji Okazaki in attack as Ranieri stands by his 4-4-2 formation but they draw a blank against Swansea’s resolute defence which bounces back from their 3-0 thrashing against Newcastle.
  
  As it stands: 1 Leicester P 35 Pts 74, 2 Tottenham P 34 Pts 68
  
  
• Monday April 25
  Tottenham v West Brom (8pm)
  Buoyed by Leicester’s dropped points at the King Power Stadium for the second match running, Spurs cut the deficit to three points as they romp past Tony Pulis’ wayward West Brom side 3-0 which includes another double from Harry Kane as he moves four-goals clear of Vardy in the race for the Golden Boot.
  
  As it stands: 1 Leicester P35 Pts 74, 2 Tottenham P 35 Pts 71
  
  
• Sunday May 1
  Man Utd v Leicester (2.05pm)
  Vardy can only watch on from the sidelines as he serves the second of his two-match ban for misconduct against West Ham in April. Riyad Mahrez puts Leicester 1-0 up with 20 minutes to go, but Marcus Rashford equalises at the death as United snatch a precious point in their hopes of overtaking Arsenal for the final Champions League spot. Leicester’s third successive draw moves them four-points clear of Spurs are they begin to stumble towards the finish line.
  
  As it stands: 1 Leicester P36 Pts 75, 2 Tottenham P35 Pts 71
  
  
• Monday May 2
  Chelsea v Tottenham (8pm)
  Spurs incredibly end a 26-year wait for their first win at Stamford Bridge with a smash-and-grab 2-1 victory. The last time Tottenham won at Chelsea, a certain Gary Lineker was on target as they ran out 2-1 winners in February 1990. The chances of Lineker donning his underpants for MOTD if Leicester are crowned champions is starting to look on shaky ground.
  
  As it stands: 1 Leicester P36 Pts 75, 2 Tottenham P36 Pts 74
  
  
• Saturday May 7
  Leicester v Everton (5.30pm)
  Vardy returns to Leicester’s starting line-up after serving his two-match ban and helps ease his side’s nerves with a goal midway through the second half. Everton, with nothing to play for following their FA Cup semi-final loss to Manchester United, dig deep for under-pressure manager Roberto Martinez with Ross Barkley snatching an equaliser late on. Despite Leicester’s late pressing, they can’t grab a winner.
  
  As it stands: 1 Leicester P37 Pts 76, 2 Tottenham P36 Pts 74
  
  
• Sunday May 8
  Tottenham v Southampton (1.30pm)
  Spurs stretch their unbeaten run over the Saints with to eight league games with a controlling 2-0 win. Southampton have now failed to beat the north Londoners since 2005. In the process Spurs climb above Leicester to top the table for the first time this season – and for the first time since late August 2014.
  
  As it stands: 1 Tottenham P37 Pts 77, 2 Leicester P37 Pts 76
  
  
• Sunday May 15
  Final day
  Chelsea v Leicester (3pm) Leicester end their four-game run without a win as they edge to a slender 1-0 win at Stamford Bridge with the hosts finishing outside the Europa League spots. All eyes are on events at St James’ Park where they can only hope that Newcastle can do them a favour.
  
  Newcastle v Tottenham (3pm) Newcastle needing a win to stave off relegation, take a first-half lead through old Spurs boy Andros Townsend. As news filters through that Leicester are winning and on course to win the title, Christian Eriksen scores an equaliser after the break and Kane rounds off another incredible solo season by scoring the winning goal which secures Spurs their first Premier League title.
  
  Final table: 1 Tottenham P38 Pts 80, 2 Leicester P38 Pts 79
  

 

[voxy28]

If it pans out this way, I think we deserve to be champions...lol

 

[zepstar]

I just need this all to be over now, please. I've already shat myself two times today.

 

[Riandor]

The WBA game is a banana skin we must overcome with patience.
Pulis knows how to set his teams up against us and will likely be playing very defensively, especially given the potential tiredness factor from having played Arsenal only a few days before hand.

However, we have seen with us that it can also be a positive, getting straight back out there, little time to dwell... certainly not taking them for granted.

 

[Garageman]

Any chance he can have an "Accident" before the game...I have full faith in you shady.

His luck's gotta change eventually.

 

[arunspurs]

I never understand why form suddenly means whether you win or not. Form changes - Constantly.

If a team loses the first three games of the year it doesn't suddenly mean they'll be relegated with zero wins.

Form is obviously an indicator. If you dont know about a football league & you were given 2 teams out of it and their form. 3 out of 4 times, you could pick the winner, especially when the 2 have forms at both end of spectrum.

Anyway I said "We should be beating WBA..." not "we will be..."

 

[Cavehillspur]

The WBA game is a banana skin we must overcome with patience.
Pulis knows how to set his teams up against us and will likely be playing very defensively, especially given the potential tiredness factor from having played Arsenal only a few days before hand.

However, we have seen with us that it can also be a positive, getting straight back out there, little time to dwell... certainly not taking them for granted.

I think it'll be a similar result to the Stoke game. We will be up for it massively, WBA will be safe and a few players will have one eye on their hols and the Euros, also as you say they play Arsenal tomorrow so some fatigue may set in. With the Lane rocking and us going for the title with the wind in our sails I cant see past a resounding win - although id also take a tight 1-0 win.

If Swansea take something from Leicester we will be in business!!!

 

[arunspurs]

I think it'll be a similar result to the Stoke game. We will be up for it massively, WBA will be safe and a few players will have one eye on their hols and the Euros, also as you say the play Arsenal tomorrow so some fatigue may set in. With the Lane rocking and us going for the title with the wind in our sails I cant see past a resounding win - although id also take a tight 1-0 win.

If Swansea take something from Leicester we will be cooking!!!

Agreed. The only thing that could potentially affect us, is if Leicester going to win convincingly against Swansea to sow seeds of doubt. If Leicester drop points, I just cant see our players playing < 100%. When we play 100% intentsity mode, not many teams can stand any chance - especially one like WBA who have nothing to play for

 

[Sweech]

Form is obviously an indicator. If you dont know about a football league & you were given 2 teams out of it and their form. 3 out of 4 times, you could pick the winner, especially when the 2 have forms at both end of spectrum.

Anyway I said "We should be beating WBA..." not "we will be..."

This is a pretty common sports fallacy that's not actually true.

 

[nailsy]

For anyone worried about Chelsea on the last day it looks like Chelsea against Leicester could be John Terry's last game for them (and possibly a few others as well). If he plays he is not going to want to sign off with a defeat and you can bet that he'll try and motivate the rest of the side to get a win for him.

I know people have picked up on Fabregas saying he wants Leicester to win it but if they had had Courtois or Hazard on there you might have had a different response.

After all do you not think that they might like to see their fellow countrymen win the league? Would potentially give the Belgian team a boost before the Euros having four Premier league champions in the squad.

Exactly. An Ex-Arsenal player can never admit that they want us to win, but others in the Chelsea squad won't feel the same. Hazard admits he would have signed for us if we had Champions League football when he moved clubs so he's not in the same camp as Fabregas for a start. And I doubt the manager will start a player who he thinks won't give 100%.

I'm really not worried about what motivates the other teams. It's down to us and Leicester to sort out who finishes where.

 

[arunspurs]

This is a pretty common sports fallacy that's not actually true.

Tell this to numerous bookies who make billions on making such predictions make on form + other factors....Who would ofcourse disagree with you & show their bank account.

Lets agree to disagree.

 

[hughy]

My mate has been to WHL this season on 4 separate occasions this season

Newcastle
Leicester
Palace (Fa Cup)
Dortmund

He's got a ticket for Monday

Somethings got to give then, the league games I've been to this season are:

Sunderland 4-1
Swansea 2-1
Bournemouth 3-0
United 3-0

And I'm going on Monday!

 

[arunspurs]

For anyone worried about Chelsea on the last day it looks like Chelsea against Leicester could be John Terry's last game for them (and possibly a few others as well). If he plays he is not going to want to sign off with a defeat and you can bet that he'll try and motivate the rest of the side to get a win for him.

Actually, if he signs off with a win, no Chelsea fan would remember that. If he throws away the game & deny us the title (if we are still in running),from Chelski fans eyes that will be a better legacy than first scenario.

 

[Riandor]

I think it'll be a similar result to the Stoke game. We will be up for it massively, WBA will be safe and a few players will have one eye on their hols and the Euros, also as you say they play Arsenal tomorrow so some fatigue may set in. With the Lane rocking and us going for the title with the wind in our sails I cant see past a resounding win - although id also take a tight 1-0 win.

If Swansea take something from Leicester we will be in business!!!

I agree the Swansea result could have a huge bearing, but that could equally work both ways and all we can do is speculate and discuss.

Imagine if Leicester drop more points vs Swansea and WBA frustrate us, the nervousness of the crowd could easily become a factor on the pitch. OR we could blow them away... I hope for the latter, but stay mindful of the former.

 

[Lighty64]

My mate has been to WHL this season on 4 separate occasions this season

Newcastle
Leicester
Palace (Fa Cup)
Dortmund

He's got a ticket for Monday

any chance you can trip him over putting him in A&E for the night? nothing serious, just enough damage

I took my children (more grown up now) to their very 1st game against Stevenage in the FA Cup replay. we then had membership for 2-3 seasons mainly watching Europa games. they have only ever been to 1 premier match WBA on boxing day 1-1, that was 1 of 3 draws Basel, and Hull CoC, but all other results have been wins.

 

[Lighty64]

That is so true, I feel dirty for how many times I've googled "Vardy" over the past 2 days waiting for the news on his ban!

won't know till Thursday save your energy for other things till then, then just visit SC to find the news

 

[Lighty64]

Bloody Newcastle winning a point last night v City

I'd rather they got 0 or 3 consistently they need to be safe or relegated by the last game ideally

the good thing though is it makes clinching a top3 spot closer

 

[danielneeds]

The WBA game is a banana skin we must overcome with patience.
Pulis knows how to set his teams up against us and will likely be playing very defensively, especially given the potential tiredness factor from having played Arsenal only a few days before hand.

However, we have seen with us that it can also be a positive, getting straight back out there, little time to dwell... certainly not taking them for granted.

As is so so often the case with a Pulis type side, an early goal is so important to open the game out a bit. It was what Liverpool did so often the "Gerrard: No slip ups" season. They always got that early goal, a lot of times through a set play. And then when teams came out against them, the SSS killed them on the break.

 

[JollyHappy]

Just spoke to a Chelsea fan (don't worry not a friend!) and he says that Chelsea actually really dislike Leicester. Something to do with a female fan being stabbed or injured at the old Filbert Street. So he says no way will they take it lightly even if it hands us the league.

I'll clutch at that straw in hope!