Post Match Swansea 0 Leicester 3

[fox58]

Happy days

 

[Brown Nose]

That was such a comfortable win. Remember the same fixture last season where we were utter shit and lost 2-0? We have come on miles over the last year. Six of the same starters from the equivalent fixture last season too.

Defensively, we're getting better. First five matches we conceded seven goals, next five matches we conceded ten goals. The last five matches we've conceded four goals. Our only two goals conceded in our last four matches are a penalty and a poorly defended corner. The addition of Simpson and Fuchs at full back have been a major improvement.

Our midfield in combative and increasingly dominant. Kante is undeniably a sensational player. Easily our best midfielder since Lennon. All the fuss about us getting Inler and he's fourth choice and probably surplus to requirements.

We are pacy, creative, technically excellent and clinical in attack. We have two attacking players that lead the goalscoring charts and are better than anything else in the league this season.

And finally we have a manager that knows what he's doing. We're well prepared for every game and we are tactically outstanding.

This is as good as it gets as a City fan. I think so anyway . . .

 

[Brown Nose]

The stats on our current position means we will break records whatever happens.

Over the last sixteen seasons, the team top after fifteen games have won the league ten times and finished top four every time.

The last time a team not part of the so-called 'elite' was at the top at this stage was in 1998/99 where Villa had 30 points and eventually finished sixth.

The only other occasion where a team like us were top at this stage was Norwich in the first Premier League season (1992/93). They eventually finished third.

Just to clarify, only once in twenty three Premier League seasons has a team failed to finish top four from being top after fifteen matches.

• 11/23 finished 1st
• 7/23 finished 2nd
• 3/23 finished 3rd
• 1/23 finished 4th
• 1/23 finished 6th

 

[camberwell fox]

Can I 'take' top or second now BN?

 

[Micky]

And here is me thinking top 10 would be an excellent season.

I see match of the day picked up on Kante. He will start to get a lot of attention now.

 

[camberwell fox]

And here is me thinking top 10 would be an excellent season.

I see match of the day picked up on Kante. He will start to get a lot of attention now.

Yep, as you say spent quite a bit of time talking about his overall game and the fact that he was miles ahead of the league table in turning the ball over with 64 occasions this season (I think). The next best was about 10 behind him.

This is one of those very rare occasions when not only are we very good as a unit but we also have incredible flair. If you then tag onto this the fact that a striker and a midfielder have 24 league goals between them and we have shored up the defense...

...a couple of additions in January and no leavers (of consequence) from the squad...

...you never know!

 

[Miles Away]

If Arsenal have any brains at all they will want Kante. He'd change their entire team.

That said, he'd cost as much as Vardy or Mahrez for me. In other words, jog on. If we are top 4 in January and offering these lads bumper contracts, I see no reason for them to leave.

If we drop off by the summer, different story.

Once we hit the 40 point mark I want Ranieri to come out and state our next goal: "we want to be champions".

 

[Lako42]

Holidays are on HOLD!!

 

[Volpone]

Watched the whole match on Sky's Game of the Day. Our fans sounded magnificent throughout. They deserve great credit for travelling so far and in such large numbers.

 

[TornadoShaunUK]

A number of our players will be targets for the 'top teams' (pfft - who's top again?) but I hope we learn from Southampton's mistakes and don't allow ourselves to get cherry picked. The new TV deal looms around the corner so inflated fees are becoming less important. If the owners are serious about European football we might well be good enough to achieve it this season, never mind within the next 2-3 seasons!

I would not entertain the idea of selling anyone involved with the first team.

 

[David Gwilliam]

.

And finally we have a manager that knows what he's doing. We're well prepared for every game and we are tactically outstanding.

This is as good as it gets as a City fan. I think so anyway . . .

An excellent post BN but I am not sure this is as good as it gets.

The players we brought in during the summer were no doubt targeted by Steve Walsh Sr but during the reign of Nigel Pearson. During the transfer window or more likely the close season Walsh will be looking for players to fit into Claudio's tactics.

I have not seen enough of Inler to spot where things have gone wrong but it may be that Walsh recruited the right player for Nigel but the wrong player for Claudio. Would Steve have gone for Shinji if he had known that our big striker would spend much of his time on the bench?

 

[Mike - True Blue Tinter]

Last season a friend said to me she Krameric was a waste of money as he stayed on the bench.

I told her that Krameric on the bench was why Vardy and Nugent were playing better on the field.

Inler is on the bench because Drinkwater is twice the player he was last year. I am sure that a lot of Drinky's improvement is down to what he learned from Cambiasso.

That is the point of a squad. Arsenal are in deep doo doo because Wenger has a First XI and then a Third XI. We have two First XIs.

 

[Borderfox]

An excellent post BN but I am not sure this is as good as it gets.

The players we brought in during the summer were no doubt targeted by Steve Walsh Sr but during the reign of Nigel Pearson. During the transfer window or more likely the close season Walsh will be looking for players to fit into Claudio's tactics.

I have not seen enough of Inler to spot where things have gone wrong but it may be that Walsh recruited the right player for Nigel but the wrong player for Claudio. Would Steve have gone for Shinji if he had known that our big striker would spend much of his time on the bench?[/QU

I think Ranieri would have played Inler far more often, but he recognised in the couple of games he did play that he was struggling with the general speed of the EPL, I'm not saying Inler is a bad player far from it but the transition from a tactical league to the premiership would be a shock to his system. I think you have a valid point about Okasaki, he reminds me of Tony Cottee full of energy lots of running feeding off scraps in and around the penalty area from deflections and knock downs from the bigger players. As you point out this type of player may have fitted into Pearsons grand plan with Ulloa as the target man but Ulloa is not a regular starter under Ranieri that leaves Okasaki somewhat isolated. I think you are correct the players identified for the Pearson plan are not necessarily the players that Ranieri would have wanted had been given a choice. Credit has to go to Ranieri for managing what could have been a difficult transition into an incredible success. ( Thus Far).

 

[camberwell fox]

Last season a friend said to me she Krameric was a waste of money as he stayed on the bench.

I told her that Krameric on the bench was why Vardy and Nugent were playing better on the field.

Inler is on the bench because Drinkwater is twice the player he was last year. I am sure that a lot of Drinky's improvement is down to what he learned from Cambiasso.

That is the point of a squad. Arsenal are in deep doo doo because Wenger has a First XI and then a Third XI. We have two First XIs.

Very good points TBT.

 

[camberwell fox]

I know money talks but it appears we may be able to pay big wages.

If you were playing for Leicester right now and you had our manager talking to you and telling you our club is going places and this is proven by our position in the table - why would you even consider leaving?

 

[Real Sharapova]

An enjoyable ( and long ) day out. I loved it when we were singing " We are staying up " - we know our place. I know Swansea were pants, but we were awesome at times.

 

[SJN-Fox]

The FA have asked for details from both clubs following the Mahrez/Williams incident(s).

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/35040396

 

[lazzer]

"Williams attempted to follow Mahrez onto the team bus but soon returned to the stadium " this would have been at the point he realised Mahrez was sat next to Big Was and Big Wes

 

[Profondo Rosso]

^ On that point, I must say - Wes is quietly having an absolutely outstanding season after struggling last time out.

He's looking as beastly now against Premier League attacks as he used to against Championship attacks.

 

[Fox Fan]

^ On that point, I must say - Wes is quietly having an absolutely outstanding season after struggling last time out.

He's looking as beastly now against Premier League attacks as he used to against Championship attacks.

Even better when you consider he played for Jamaica throughout the summer and has therefore had no break in 18 months or more.