What makes you believe this? I can't get my head round the opinion that they are going to run out of steam. It's not like they are a one man team. They are collectively playing very well.
Riyad Mahrez | Signed new contract at Leicester City
- Thread starter RedMachine03
- Start date
-
In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik (@Rood) and Imran (@Annihilate Now!) are here to discuss Amad saving our blushes in a win against Southampton as well as our now annual loss at home to Brighton. They discuss Amorim's post-match comments, revisit how mid-table we may or may not be, and discuss some transfer news.
- Status
They went from relegation fodder to title favorites in a year. They can easily go the other way, although maybe not as extreme. They are playing well collectively, but that could end at some point.
I think Mourinho likes players like Williams, so he could go for someone like Mane or Sane (hopefully). Even Valencia would be his type of right winger.
Mahrez could go to City to play with KDB and Sterling behind Agüero, mainly because Mahrez has a good technique and that's one of the characteristics of Guardiola's players. I think the same could happen with Gundogan. However, it would be nice if we can sign him.
Also it seems that Pep "steals" the best players of the league, like in the Bundesliga.
He's much better than Mane and I don't think his workrate is bad, plus with Darmian behind him I think he'd be fine.
This.
For every Mehraz, there are dozens and dozens that Benitez, Wenger and others have signed over the years.
The most obvious recent parallel is Montpellier. Promoted in 09/10, finished 3 points above the relegation zone in 10/11, won the title in 11/12 and since then have been a midtable team. The closest parallel in the PL is probably Ipswich at the turn of the century. Finished 5th in their promotion season, relegated the next.
In 09/10 Sampdoria finished 4th and then were relegated the following the season. In 06/07 Chievo finished 4th and were relegated the following season. Villareal finished 4th in 10/11 and were relegated the following season. Hertha dropped from 4th place in 08/09 to bottom of the table in 09/10. Werder Bremen dropped from 3rd place in 09/10 to just 3 places above the relegation zone in 10/11. Leeds went from 5th in 01/02 to 3 places above the relegation zone in 02/03.
Dramatic drop-offs do happen. It's just been a lot less common in England given the relative strangehold of the big PL teams over the past decade.
Great post but I don't particularly view football like that. Although history does repeat itself, a lot of irregular things happen in the game. One being Chelsea, the league holders, having a catastrophic season.
I think this Leicester team are more than just a one season wonder. We will have to see.
Confidence and momentum play a huge part in football. They're basically playing for their lives in every game because they know it's a chance to make history, and every game is like a cup final for them. Once they win the title, if they do of course, I'd almost guarantee that they would fall down to mid table next year. The motivation won't be there. They won't have players like Drinkwater and Huth and Vardy, who are decent at best players playing like their top class players. They'll have the champions tag and others will play differently against them. Basically everything changes. That's why it's been so rare to see a team that wasn't managed by Fergie win back to back league titles. Motivation and desire is just completely different now and what it will be next season. Mahrez of course does seem like a class player, but other then him, I think they're all just playing out of their skin and won't get even close to this level next season. Especially not if someone buys Mahrez.
But if they do win the league and qualify for the champions league, do you really think it will be the same team? They'll bring in new players who want to win the league and motivation will be high again.
We must remember, this is not a top 10 premier league team qualifying for the champions league. This is a team winning the league and qualifying for the champions league. They will be the champions of England if they pull it off. It will attract lots of stars and from what I've read, they're backed by a thai billionaire.
Yes, they could fall behind and not be the same team again but I'm betting that this will be a turning point in their clubs history if they win it. They will be a top 6 team at least.
Highly unlikely. Sure they'll strengthen in the summer, but still the calibre of player they can get is a lot lower then city, arsenal, Chelsea, united, Liverpool, spurs, etc.. Look at when Blackburn won the title back in the 90's. They came out of nowhere, had a great year then went back to being nothing special. This is a team who went from on the verge of relegation to on the verge of the title. These seasons are rare but do happen, and o can't think of a situation where they didn't revert back to the norm. In the long run, money always makes its impact and there are plenty of teams with more money then Leicester.
I just can't think of any other instances of this happening.
I think Everton went from 4th to 17th aswell.
You can't think of a team having a great season and then all of a sudden turning into a mid table team? Blackburn in the 90's? United post Fergie? Chelsea this year? Liverpool after they finished 2nd? Or all the other instances that Brwned mentioned, and plenty of others. This is like Greece winning the Euros. Huge upset, but doesn't suddenly mean they'll be good every year. Its brilliant what they're doing this year, but there's next to no chance it'll be even close to this next year, especially as everyone will poach the key players from them, or try to. They might hold on to them for a bit but not for too long.
I'm just saying its unlikely they'll stick around at the top. They just can't compete financially with the other top teams over a longer period of time.
I still think this entire season has been anomaly, I don't see Leicester necessarily plummeting but I think if they keep in the top 7 next season they'll have done well. I just don't see United or Chelsea being as bad and City and Spurs will improve as well.
Mahrez represents their likeliest sale, they will get £45M for him if they sell him within the PL, outside the PL it would be between £30-35M IMO, and from a business perspective, if they can get that money, invest it all back into deepening their squad while pocketing the TV money, it would make a lot of sense looking beyond romanticism at the reality of the football landscape.
Mahrez represents their likeliest sale, they will get £45M for him if they sell him within the PL, outside the PL it would be between £30-35M IMO, and from a business perspective, if they can get that money, invest it all back into deepening their squad while pocketing the TV money, it would make a lot of sense looking beyond romanticism at the reality of the football landscape.
Honestly, all of those are completely incomparable to Leicester. United, Chelsea and Liverpool type can happen (i.e, a team that usually does well doesn't do that well) but teams that usually do crap, not only do well but actually win and that too over a course of a season? I've never seen it.
Greece cannot be compared. Winning around 6 matches in a cup competition has happened many times. Blackburn in the 90's - I wasn't following football back then, so I can't speak for it but I'm sure someone can back me up on it not being as impressive as Leicester if they win the league.
Remember, this is a season of winning. You can't call it a fluke. Again, maybe they wont quite be the same but I'm willing to bet anything if they win the league they'll be a top 6 side next season. I cannot recall anything like this happening before. It would be monumental.
I thought this was an interesting read. Ranieri explaining the current season:
I dont see how they can replicate that beyond this season.
I dont see how they can replicate that beyond this season.
Brilliant read. He's the anti-LVG.I thought this was an interesting read. Ranieri explaining the current season:
I dont see how they can replicate that beyond this season.
I thought this was an interesting read. Ranieri explaining the current season:
I dont see how they can replicate that beyond this season.
Interview above suggests to me that it's extremely unlikely that Leicester will have the same season or even close to it next year around. Having European midweek fixtures will feck up their training routine.
I think getting to Champions League, which seems inevitable for them, will spur them on to make good signings and spend significant amount in the Summer. I think long term this season will make them much stronger even if they're not going to be top 4 team year in year out obviously.
Looks like they have a healthy mentality there, this sentence speaks volumes to me:
If Toure plays like shit again for example, I doubt he'll get much fuss over it from his teammates.
If Toure plays like shit again for example, I doubt he'll get much fuss over it from his teammates.
Interesting how relaxed it seems. It's like he's torn up the "football science" handbook and just allowed them to enjoy training and playing.
One of their top scouts has just left.
Apparently he wasn't the real brains behind the operation though.
Really hope he stays at Leicester.
Nothing worse than seeing a good team being dismantled.
Nothing worse than seeing a good team being dismantled.
Have to agree with this. He makes them worth watching. How would it be if all the flair players were at one club? Then mostly warming it?
This happens so often. Remember that Porto team back in 2000-2004? But heck if a team is going to be dismantled I wouldn't say no to taking Marhrez. He's exceptional.
Wow, that is an absolutely terrific read, and a very refreshing relief from the scientific approach that has permeated football throughout the past couple of decades.I thought this was an interesting read. Ranieri explaining the current season:
I dont see how they can replicate that beyond this season.
A few of the things he points out reminds me so much about when I played football myself, at a very low level, and had the time of my life doing it. Especially the part where he says that "Leicester is a group of friends who live together." We were all students at that point, and quite a few of us actually lived together in what eventually became known as "the club house". It created an exceptional team spirit, and we were promoted twice in a couple of years, and probably played in a division higher than the sum of our collective skills should have allowed us.
Just amazing to see that the same principles can lift a team so much at the highest level. Inspiring, even!
What an absolute steal he's been.
Oops!
Sorry, I thought this was the Mahrez thread.
Sorry, I thought this was the Mahrez thread.
For some reason I can't see it happening. I strongly doubt they'll be title contenders again next season or even anywhere near, but they have the platform to settle comfortably somewhere in the top half of the table and build from there. The aftermath of this season will give them an enormous financial boost, and the money involved in the PL is crazy as it is, so they'll have no real incentive to sell players. The core of the team should remain intact and they'll have the opportunity to add to it. They have every chance to really establish themselves in the PL.
Even Mahrez is their most talented player, I am also impressed with Kante. He looks like a young Makelele. I hope Schneiderlin can be that kind of defensive midfielder for us.
He looks like Makelele but is at the same time a crazier full of run version of him too.
Made Monreal look average. No easy feat.
Should have had a penalty.
He did? I thought it was 50/50, perhaps Mahrez slightly coming out on top but you can't dive like that expecting another easy penalty, he beat Monreal with skill and should have done better after that.
It seems that Ranieri wouldn't have problems selling Mahrez:
"We want to keep all our players. We believe in them. But if a player comes to me and says: 'Boss, I want to go there because it's my ambition to go there.' I'll say: 'Go and enjoy and have good luck.'
"Because I only want players who are happy to stay here, because sooner or later we grow up a lot. Of course, not like Barcelona or Real Madrid, but Leicester will be a very good team."
http://www.skysports.com/football/n...icesters-riyad-mahrez-to-ignore-transfer-talk
"We want to keep all our players. We believe in them. But if a player comes to me and says: 'Boss, I want to go there because it's my ambition to go there.' I'll say: 'Go and enjoy and have good luck.'
"Because I only want players who are happy to stay here, because sooner or later we grow up a lot. Of course, not like Barcelona or Real Madrid, but Leicester will be a very good team."
http://www.skysports.com/football/n...icesters-riyad-mahrez-to-ignore-transfer-talk
Don't think he's been that great today. He's played well but the flick back to King was class
Last edited:
- Status