Match Threads Leicester vs Spurs - Match Thread

doctor stefan Freud said:

I didn’t see that comment. I can see it coming though- something really isn’t right with our squad and that’s a huge issue for a manager that’s better known for his ability to create cohesiveness rather than tactical nous

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Really not good how you can see our fans splitting for and against Poch. As soon as there was zero investment in the squad last year Poch was being set up to be shafted. I’m utterly pissed at the treatment against him whether by the club and now an increasing number of fans.

I thought we played well for much of today: fast, direct and threatening when attacking. I agree with Poch about our performance overall.

We are the victim of a very unusual fixture list this season. So many tough away games before Christmas. It means we could - should - see a lopsided points haul: more in second half of season than in first. We have struggled to pick up points at City, Arsenal, Leicester in many recent seasons and will be the same at Liverpool, Utd etc before the turn of the year.

This is why failing to beat Newcastle at home was the real sickener. We have to win our home games with such a tough away run.

We’re in fine position in Champions League and we should be grand getting out of that group. Result at home to Bayern would be big help.

Either way, we’re still where most of us expected. Not challenging for league, but - once things settle - in reasonably confident shape to be Top 4 again and to qualify for knockout stages of Champions League. 6 points against Southampton and Brighton before the next international break can soothe the pain.

Clear the heads. Read a book. Watch a movie. Play with your kids. We go again.

Spur4life said:

Bloody hate these early kick offs just going to feel pissed all weekend now ?? no sky sports news,no Twitter,no Facebook

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Media blackout until Tuesday.

Phomesy said:

Was Wanyama really that bad when he came on? Personally felt last 15 minutes it was Ndombele and Rose whose tired legs get losing us possession in bad areas.

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It was just the wrong decision, Wanyama is not capable anymore. Dier is sat on the bench waiting.

No!

Mourinho in!

?

Indeed, you could be onto something there x

We haven’t won away in the league since January 20th...

journeyman said:

I thought we played well for much of today: fast, direct and threatening when attacking. I agree with Poch about our performance overall.

We are the victim of a very unusual fixture list this season. So many tough away games before Christmas. It means we could - should - see a lopsided points haul: more in second half of season than in first. We have struggled to pick up points at City, Arsenal, Leicester in many recent seasons and will be the same at Liverpool, Utd etc before the turn of the year.

This is why failing to beat Newcastle at home was the real sickener. We have to win our home games with such a tough away run.

We’re in fine position in Champions League and we should be grand getting out of that group. Result at home to Bayern would be big help.

Either way, we’re still where most of us expected. Not challenging for league, but - once things settle - in reasonably confident shape to be Top 4 again and to qualify for knockout stages of Champions League. 6 points against Southampton and Brighton before the next international break can soothe the pain.

Clear the heads. Read a book. Watch a movie. Play with your kids. We go again.

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You want SC to get some perspective?

We got into the positions to score 3-4 without VAR anomalies but were far too wasteful (Son and Kane)

Thought our overall play was quite good, but still with too many individual errors.
Subs (decisions and performances) were bad though.

Well I thought it was a cracking game of football which could have gone either way and but for millimetres or milliseconds on a VAR decision it would have gone our way

I think so far this season may be giving me the conclusions about which players need replacing and not to be at the club next season.
Anyhow. Without being happy Clappy there was several occasions when the game should have been killed off. The VAR decision is the best example yet this season of the flaws. And ultimately it has robbed us of the game.
Anyone that has watched Leicester this season can vouch for how good they have been and I thought we were largely the better team by some way. Very annoyed.
Not sure what else to say. I wants us to win the Carabao cup this season and that starts on Tuesday and already I can’t wait

daryl hannah said:

The analysis on BT Sport quite rightly highlighted that Aurier was the problem in defense - he'd leave huge gaps so everyone would have to come across. He left our defence in the poop a couple of times - one of which lead to Ricardo's goal.

Think his head went after his goal was disallowed.

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Personally I felt BT’s criticism of Aurier was harsh and forced. Particularly by Joe Cole, who is an idiot and clearly unable to analyse a game he played professionally for over 15 years.

The issue for the goal was staring them blankly in the face; Victor Wanyama. Aurier had tucked in because we were in possession. It is not his fault that he was left exposed out of position because Wanyama inexplicably gave the ball away under no pressure.
I really like Aurier. He defends well and offers us something going forward that we probably haven’t seen since Walker played for us.

journeyman said:

I thought we played well for much of today: fast, direct and threatening when attacking. I agree with Poch about our performance overall.

We are the victim of a very unusual fixture list this season. So many tough away games before Christmas. It means we could - should - see a lopsided points haul: more in second half of season than in first. We have struggled to pick up points at City, Arsenal, Leicester in many recent seasons and will be the same at Liverpool, Utd etc before the turn of the year.

This is why failing to beat Newcastle at home was the real sickener. We have to win our home games with such a tough away run.

We’re in fine position in Champions League and we should be grand getting out of that group. Result at home to Bayern would be big help.

Either way, we’re still where most of us expected. Not challenging for league, but - once things settle - in reasonably confident shape to be Top 4 again and to qualify for knockout stages of Champions League. 6 points against Southampton and Brighton before the next international break can soothe the pain.

Clear the heads. Read a book. Watch a movie. Play with your kids. We go again.

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So your now claiming that an unusual fixture list is causing the team to chuck away goals and games, what on earth made you come to that decision and I have seen some cracking excuses on here over the years but this is the daddy.
What are you going to claim next that you once sang with Elvis on stage or that you once entertained an alien in your conservatory, this are absurd claims but really the fixture list has fuck all to do with it.
This is down to poor decision making from player's and management along with rank shitty defending and predictable slow easy to play against football.

shelfboy68 said:

Because we are shit at defending and can't see games out.

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Well, we have been missing a proper quality DM (to protect our defence) since the days when Wanyama was at the top of his game.

ardiles said:

Well, we have been missing a proper quality DM (to protect our defence) since the days when Wanyama was at the top of his game.

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Well whose fault is that?

Davo99 said:

Give me Mourinho. I want us to be able to defend again.

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Hire Mourinho when we’re mental midgets? Yeah that has the ring of sanity to it

I saw that post A&C and thought it was disgusting.

SargeantMeatCurtains said:

Lol? Without VAR the goal would’ve stood because, you know, the referee and linesman had given it initially?

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And so would theirs, even though it was rightfully overruled by VAR after it had been given by the referee (conveniently forgotten now by most)
We gained momentum from that decision, just like they did from this one.

My view, dislike VAR decisions this tight (said so after the Sterling one first day up also), as technology not perfect. Although have to say it did look further offside during build-up so maybe that was the closest to being onside view they had.
As for penalty on Rose (what alternative universe are people watching). Rose committed the foul.
Yellow card offences for both Sissoko and Gray were fine in my book, both reckless challenges (and yes they were both checked again based on referee holding to his earpiece after both offences)

Nowadays even soton and brighton are not a given.

HW61 said:

Really not good how you can see our fans splitting for and against Poch. As soon as there was zero investment in the squad last year Poch was being set up to be shafted. I’m utterly pissed at the treatment against him whether by the club and now an increasing number of fans.

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I’m so conflicted.

You’re absolutely right about loyalty and fan frustration. I’m trying hard not to bang the Poch out drum yet but the signs are really worrying. The Wanyama substitution today was the most recent of a list of bizarre calls. Typically that type of behaviour is indicative of someone overwhelmed and desperate, incapable of assessing what’s in front of them in a reasoned, logical way. Worryingly it’s the type of behaviour that can increasingly isolate themselves, which is being confirmed by ITK in varying ways.

I actually think he needs a break to recover from the sources of his non characteristic behaviour. There’s a lovable, humane man in there who’s losing his way with people he’s nurtured positive relationships with over the last five years

There are a number of destabilizing factors making things hard which have been well documented. But if you have both fullbacks looking to leave the club in the summer and then they stay combined with Toby and Jan’s contract you have a destabilized defense. Add Eriksen to the mix who just looks like he is gone then things become more complex.

However for me it’s as if Poch is trying to self-sabotage. His team selections have been strange and his obsession with the diamond baffling. But for me it’s his game management and substitutions that tell the story. There Have been so many occasions when we are desperate for a change of either personnel or formation and it either comes way way too late or he brings off the wrong player and brings in the wrong player.

Now give him the benefit of the doubt due to all the goodwill he has banked over the years and say he gets mostly a free pass. But today bringing on WanYama was as terrible a decision as could be made. Wanayama is finsished as a top level footballer and it hurts to say it as he was so great for us at first. But we can all see it clear as day that he is shot and shouldn’t be anywhere near our first team let alone coming on at a pivotal point in a match. Wanyama Is almost running in slow motion and it’s painful to watch. How Skipp or Dier we’re not the choice in that instance is insane.

Finally add the negativity Poch is spouting to the press and I wonder if he really wants out without upright leaving. His comments yesterday about the quality of the squad just didn’t need to be made. And it’s been that way for a while in that he just comes across as miserable and negative.

Slow starters is one thing but this feels very very different to me. Things are not right for so many reasons and at present it’s creating the perfect storm. It’s very fixable for sure and I love Poch and hope he is the man to fix it. However I have been around too long to be surprisEd by anything in football. Should results and attitude not change in the next few weeks prior to the next international break I fear for what might happen.