Unbelievable JEFF football TONIGHT

[Bombadier Botty]

Penalties in Milan

Life's far too short to be wasting it watching Italian football.

 

[Simster]

Brings back some of the old magic of football the unfancied teams doing well.
Stoke seem to be sneaking up on the inside lane as well.

God yes, just seen this for myself. Such is the form of Man City and Arsenal, every team from Chelsea and Everton in 10th and 11th (with a game in hand) can realistically finish in the top four if they hit some form consistently. That includes Stoke and Southampton as provincial clubs we would look at and say "that could be us".

Who'd have thought a point at home to West Brom would strengthen Leicester's position?

What is the reason behind this season? I can only think it has simply been the perfect storm of Man Utd still in dire need of rebuilding, Mourinho losing his dressing room, a massive Man City error in announcing Pep at the business end of the season and Arsenal being their now usual bottling selves.

I think West Ham's success might not come as an incredible surprise but you have to say Bilic has recruited superbly and got them playing as a unit very quickly. But Leicester? That's insane.

 

[ROSM]

Ranieri clearly understands English football and without having to manage egos at chelsea even pre abramovich is able to have a more settled team. As of early Jan he had used 16 different players as starters and only 20 different including subs. So not so much a tinkerman perhaps

 

[Bombadier Botty]

God yes, just seen this for myself. Such is the form of Man City and Arsenal, every team from Chelsea and Everton in 10th and 11th (with a game in hand) can realistically finish in the top four if they hit some form consistently. That includes Stoke and Southampton as provincial clubs we would look at and say "that could be us".

Who'd have thought a point at home to West Brom would strengthen Leicester's position?

What is the reason behind this season? I can only think it has simply been the perfect storm of Man Utd still in dire need of rebuilding, Mourinho losing his dressing room, a massive Man City error in announcing Pep at the business end of the season and Arsenal being their now usual bottling selves.

I think West Ham's success might not come as an incredible surprise but you have to say Bilic has recruited superbly and got them playing as a unit very quickly. But Leicester? That's insane.

Leicester have a relatively sane and humble manager with charisma (attributes that can't necessarily be levelled at Van Gaal, Wenger, Pellegrini, Klopp, or the man who built this Leicester side - Nigel Pearson) and that must help nuture the unity and team spirit in the Leicester dressing room. With that in mind, we are very lucky to have CH in charge, a sane/humble man with understated charisma, and Newcastle and Norwich might rue the day they parted company with him should we pass them going in the opposite direction at season's end.

 

[Stumpy Tim]

Leicester have a relatively sane and humble manager with charisma (attributes that can't necessarily be levelled at Van Gaal, Wenger, Pellegrini, Klopp, or the man who built this Leicester side - Nigel Pearson) and that must help nuture the unity and team spirit in the Leicester dressing room. With that in mind, we are very lucky to have CH in charge, a sane/humble man with understated charisma, and Newcastle and Norwich might rue the day they parted company with him should we pass them going in the opposite direction at season's end.

I think that's unfair. Granted, managers will come out in the press and seem arrogant & dishonest, but I very much doubt they're like that behind closed doors. It's well known for example, that the players love Wenger - yet he comes across as an ar-se in interviews. Successful managers can't possibly succeed these days if they're not good at managing people.

 

[Gwylan]

I think that's unfair. Granted, managers will come out in the press and seem arrogant & dishonest, but I very much doubt they're like that behind closed doors. It's well known for example, that the players love Wenger - yet he comes across as an ar-se in interviews. Successful managers can't possibly succeed these days if they're not good at managing people.

And it's very unfair in Pellegrini who doesn't even come across as obnoxious in interviews. He seems honest, fair-minded and level-headed, even after being stabbed in the back by the City board.

 

[Simster]

And it's very unfair in Pellegrini who doesn't even come across as obnoxious in interviews. He seems honest, fair-minded and level-headed, even after being stabbed in the back by the City board.

We don't know for a fact that he has been stabbed in the back. I was under the impression that whilst Pep had been a manager in waiting, Pellegrini was happy enough to go, having won a title, FA Cup, League Cup and now a decent stab at the Champions League. He walks out with his reputation in rude health and 3 years is quite a decent length of time to have stayed in Manchester. I think Ranieri was treated far worse when he was undermined at Chelsea.

 

[LlcoolJ]

Not forgetting that he's earned about £10m from City in those three years. I'd be happy to be magnanimous in his situation! Does come across as one of the good guys though.

 

[LlcoolJ]

Less Possession, less shots, less corners, how did they batter them exactly?

Did you follow the game? Stats don't always tell the whole story. Watford should have been at least 3-0 up at half time but for poor finishing by Ighalo / De Gea being brilliant.

 

[Easy 10]

Ranieri clearly understands English football and without having to manage egos at chelsea even pre abramovich is able to have a more settled team. As of early Jan he had used 16 different players as starters and only 20 different including subs. So not so much a tinkerman perhaps

After his horrific spell with Greece, and having only ever managed one of the Big Boys over here with an open chequebook, I honestly thought he'd be a complete disaster at Leicester and fully expected them to be relegated.

Shows what I know.

 

[LlcoolJ]

Ranieri has a good record of leaving clubs in a better state than when he took over. But nobody can say they expected this.

 

[pasty]

I love seeing Arsenal lose. Not because of any hatred of them but just to see what Arsene Whinger comes up with as an excuse. I really can't stand the bloke. People sing that "It's never your fault" song at Liverpool, but I think it should be reserved for Wenger.

 

[Postman Pat]

On a slightly different note, anyone else think that the Malaga keeper had them down in his goals galore last night?

 

[5mins-from-amex]

Did you follow the game? Stats don't always tell the whole story. Watford should have been at least 3-0 up at half time but for poor finishing by Ighalo / De Gea being brilliant.

I agree, watched MOTD and Watford should have been out of sight in the first half. like you say stats don't always tell the whole story.

 

[Albumen]

Watford absolutely BATTERED the scum at Old Trafford and have LOST. I hate that spawny bunch of TWATS.

Less Possession, less shots, less corners, how did they batter them exactly?

Did you follow the game? Stats don't always tell the whole story. Watford should have been at least 3-0 up at half time but for poor finishing by Ighalo / De Gea being brilliant.

I agree, watched MOTD and Watford should have been out of sight in the first half. like you say stats don't always tell the whole story.

If Ighalo had passed instead of hogged for at least two of his chances, United would have lost. The is NO WAY United will finish in the top 4.