Author Topic: Leicester City FC (Read 8571 times)

Navin R Johnson · « **on:** March 22, 2016, 12:35:52 pm »

So if they were able to hang on and win the Premier League, where does this rank in the most unbelievable championship in team sports history.

I really can't think of anything close to it in US sports history. Maybe the 1980 US Hockey team? Fresno State winning the college world series? 69 Mets? But none seem to be as unlikely as this Leicester City story.

For those who have followed soccer much longer than I, is there a precedent in European soccer for something like this happening?

Bench · « **Reply #1 on:** March 22, 2016, 02:30:50 pm »

I only very casually follow the Premier League and it is a perplexing and inexplicable turn of events. There have been plenty of worst-to-first scenarios, the '91 Twins spring to mind, but the Premiership is so top-heavy it seems even more extraordinary.

Navin R Johnson · « **Reply #2 on:** March 22, 2016, 03:28:15 pm »

Leic

Quote from: Bench on March 22, 2016, 02:30:50 pm

I only very casually follow the Premier League and it is a perplexing and inexplicable turn of events. There have been plenty of worst-to-first scenarios, the '91 Twins spring to mind, but the Premiership is so top-heavy it seems even more extraordinary.

According to this;
http://espn.go.com/espn/feature/story/_/id/14759409/why-leicester-city-become-biggest-long-shot-champion-sports-history

The Twins were 300-1 to win the World Series that year prior to the season starting, Leicester City was 5000-1 to win the Premier League this year.

Ebby Calvin · « **Reply #3 on:** March 22, 2016, 04:26:29 pm »

Quote from: Navin R Johnson on March 22, 2016, 03:28:15 pm

Leic
According to this;
http://espn.go.com/espn/feature/story/_/id/14759409/why-leicester-city-become-biggest-long-shot-champion-sports-history

The Twins were 300-1 to win the World Series that year prior to the season starting, Leicester City was 5000-1 to win the Premier League this year.

That's pretty interesting. I liked this part:

Quote

JUST HOW CRAZY IS 5,000-1?
Here are some other bets (legal in England, not the U.S.) offered at those odds by William Hill:

• Elvis is found alive.
• Yeti or Loch Ness Monster is proven to exist.
• Christmas is the warmest day of the year in England.
• Kanye West and Kim Kardashian name their next child Sinner.
• Kim Kardashian becomes the U.S. president in 2020.
• Barack Obama plays cricket for England after he leaves Oval Office.

chuck · « **Reply #4 on:** March 22, 2016, 08:40:15 pm »

Quote

• Kim Kardashian becomes the U.S. president in 2020.

I might risk $20 on that one.

Ebby Calvin · « **Reply #5 on:** March 22, 2016, 09:07:15 pm »

Quote from: chuck on March 22, 2016, 08:40:15 pm

I might risk $20 on that one.

No way Trump gets only one term.

chuck · « **Reply #6 on:** March 22, 2016, 10:35:43 pm »

Quote from: Ebby Calvin on March 22, 2016, 09:07:15 pm

No way Trump gets only one term.

Are you crazy? He'll get bored after four years and hand things over to his VP.

Ty in Tampa · « **Reply #7 on:** March 23, 2016, 05:48:25 am »

Quote from: chuck on March 22, 2016, 10:35:43 pm

Are you crazy? He'll get bored after ~~four years~~ a day and a half and hand things over to his VP.

MusicMan · « **Reply #8 on:** March 23, 2016, 09:52:40 am »

Quote from: chuck on March 22, 2016, 10:35:43 pm

Are you crazy? He'll get bored after four years and hand things over to his VP.

Are you crazy? He'll get impeached on his second day.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Limey · « **Reply #9 on:** March 23, 2016, 10:28:31 am »

Quote from: Navin R Johnson on March 22, 2016, 12:35:52 pm

For those who have followed soccer much longer than I, is there a precedent in European soccer for something like this happening?

What's really amazing is that it's basically the same players playing the same formation and tactics as last year when, at about this time, they were everyone's pick to be one of the three relegated teams.

So the story goes this year, when new coach Claudio Ranieri (a renown tinkerer), was introduced to the team, they all insisted that they weren't going to change anything that they did. He made an agreement with them that, if they keep running hard and winning games, he'll leave them alone. They have and he did. They are now 5 points clear with 8 games to go and the softest (on paper) schedule of any of the title-challenging teams.

austro · « **Reply #10 on:** March 23, 2016, 08:05:07 pm »

Meanwhile, City is playing like they don't give even half a shit.

drew corleone · « **Reply #11 on:** March 23, 2016, 11:35:27 pm »

Tell me about it. One point clear to hang onto a CL berth (ahead of West Ham and United). They have been terrible for more than a month. I am sure Pep is itching to manage them in Europa next season.

Limey · « **Reply #12 on:** March 24, 2016, 10:48:59 am »

I am starting to shit myself more and more that Crystal Palace are going to add to their list of ignominious relegations from the Premier League. We're the most relegated team, the team relegated with the most points (46), the only team relegated finishing 4th from bottom (when they shrank the league from 22 to 20) and were the victims the only time the team bottom going into the last day leapt to safety (4th from bottom and dropped into the bottom three with a draw at the hated clowns of Charlton).

Now we have put together an amazing run of 13 games without a victory, and it's hard to see where the next point will come from. We are working on getting relegated while not winning a game from mid-December through to the season's end.

As a consequence of our dire run, the home game against Norwich is arguably the most important game we have played since the playoff final in 2013. Win and we are almost certain to stay up; lose and we are almost certain to go down.

Bench · « **Reply #13 on:** April 01, 2016, 11:25:04 pm »

Barnwell has a typically insightful statistical breakdown of the phenomenon with the addition of a top 10 unlikeliest champion list.

MusicMan · « **Reply #14 on:** April 03, 2016, 10:18:16 am »

And they extend to a 7 point lead today.

Matt · « **Reply #15 on:** April 18, 2016, 06:36:54 pm »

Leicester stumbles, Vardy gets suspended two matches, and Spurs eat Stoke for breakfast at the Britannia. This ain't over yet.

Navin R Johnson · « **Reply #16 on:** April 18, 2016, 07:05:12 pm »

Quote from: Matt on April 18, 2016, 06:36:54 pm

Leicester stumbles, Vardy gets suspended two matches, and Spurs eat Stoke for breakfast at the Britannia. This ain't over yet.

Has it been officially announced he will be out 2 matches?

What a load of crap.

Matt · « **Reply #17 on:** April 18, 2016, 07:16:53 pm »

Quote from: Navin R Johnson on April 18, 2016, 07:05:12 pm

Has it been officially announced he will be out 2 matches?

What a load of crap.

A time frame hasn't been made official but he has been officially charged with improper conduct.

Limey · « **Reply #18 on:** April 19, 2016, 10:25:47 am »

Quote from: Matt on April 18, 2016, 07:16:53 pm

A time frame hasn't been made official but he has been officially charged with improper conduct.

His dive was ridiculous. Even if his first yellow was soft (it was), once you have it, you have to keep yourself out of situations where you might collect a second. He created a situation where he deserved a second, and got sent off as a consequence. Gobbing off at the referee is how you get your ban extended.

Leicester have 4 games left, only one of which looks easy on paper (Swansea at home on Sunday). Their magic number to close out Spurs is 8, so they are going to have to work very hard to find another 5 points from Man Utd (A), Everton (H) and Chelsea (A). Admittedly, Chelsea appear to have finished their season already (rolling over to Man City at home) and Man Utd may have one eye on the FA Cup if they get past Everton this Saturday, but that's a tougher run-in than Spurs' fixtures of West Brom (H), Chelsea (A), Southampton (H) and Newcastle (A). I think Leicester are going to have to play their way to the title (as anyone should), because I can see Spurs picking up maximum points from here.

The Foxes have had an incredible run of fortune as regards injuries and suspensions, so Vardy missing for half those games is going to hurt because they have not had to see how Plan B functions at all this season. Vardy has started every game until now, Mahrez has missed 2, Kante 5, Drinkwater 2 and Huth 1. Ulloa - Vardy's likely replacement - has started only 5 games, yielding 1 goal - but he does have 4 other goals in 21 appearances as a sub. He doesn't lead the line and terrify defenses like Vardy, though.

Bench · « **Reply #19 on:** April 19, 2016, 10:32:03 am »

Quote from: Navin R Johnson on April 18, 2016, 07:05:12 pm

Has it been officially announced he will be out 2 matches?

What a load of crap.

He's automatically out one due to the red card. The charge could add the second.

Tottenham is in a weird run of Monday matches, but here's the remaining schedule:

TC: West Brom, @Chelsea, Southampton, @Newcastle
LC: Swansea, @ManU, Everton, @Chelsea

With a 5 point lead and 12 points available, Spurs need to win out and hope Leicester do no better than two wins and a draw. Spurs have a sizable goal differential lead which would determine a tie.

Navin R Johnson · « **Reply #20 on:** April 19, 2016, 10:37:34 am »

I see LC only getting 1 point out of their next 2 (if Vardy is out 2 matches), and Spurs winning their next 2 to draw even and ahead on GD, with 2 matches to go.

Bench · « **Reply #21 on:** April 19, 2016, 11:19:30 am »

Quote from: Navin R Johnson on April 19, 2016, 10:37:34 am

I see LC only getting 1 point out of their next 2 (if Vardy is out 2 matches), and Spurs winning their next 2 to draw even and ahead on GD, with 2 matches to go.

I don't know, Swansea is pretty bad. It would really be spitting the bit if they can't win that match. Man U and Everton are both tough, though one of those teams will be more focused on FA cup. On the other hand, if Everton gets past Man U, Man U will be extra motivated to hang on to the Europa cup spot. And if Everton doesn't advance to the FA Cup final they won't have much to play for beyond finishing well and being spoilers. Who fucking knows with Chelsea in the final game. They could show up wanting to play the spoiler in order to accomplish something this season, but they haven't shown that sort of backbone.

HudsonHawk · « **Reply #22 on:** April 19, 2016, 02:18:07 pm »

When do the playoffs start?

Navin R Johnson · « **Reply #23 on:** April 19, 2016, 02:40:52 pm »

They are going on right now, down to the final 4. Next matches are on April 26th/27th Bayern vs Athletico Madrid and Real Madrid vs Man City. Championship is on May 28th.

Bench · « **Reply #24 on:** April 19, 2016, 02:42:08 pm »

Quote from: HudsonHawk on April 19, 2016, 02:18:07 pm

When do the playoffs start?

Semi-finals are this weekend, but of course you know that as a die hard Crystal Palace fan.

HudsonHawk · « **Reply #25 on:** April 19, 2016, 07:10:43 pm »

Quote from: Bench on April 19, 2016, 02:42:08 pm

Semi-finals are this weekend, but of course you know that as a die hard Crystal Palace fan.

Fuck yeah!!! Palace!!!

WooHoo!

Matt · « **Reply #26 on:** April 19, 2016, 10:32:52 pm »

Quote from: Bench on April 19, 2016, 11:19:30 am

I don't know, Swansea is pretty bad. It would really be spitting the bit if they can't win that match. Man U and Everton are both tough, though one of those teams will be more focused on FA cup. On the other hand, if Everton gets past Man U, Man U will be extra motivated to hang on to the Europa cup spot. And if Everton doesn't advance to the FA Cup final they won't have much to play for beyond finishing well and being spoilers. Who fucking knows with Chelsea in the final game. They could show up wanting to play the spoiler in order to accomplish something this season, but they haven't shown that sort of backbone.

I don't really know if Man U would want that Europa League spot. It's kind of the ebola of European tournaments. Especially with English clubs.

Limey · « **Reply #27 on:** April 20, 2016, 11:48:35 am »

Quote from: HudsonHawk on April 19, 2016, 07:10:43 pm

Fuck yeah!!! Palace!!!

WooHoo!

Official Houston watch party is at The Phoenix on Westheimer. All are welcome (it's a pub, after all). I will be the gibbering wreck in the corner...

Palace play Watford, another of the Premier Leagues smaller clubs, despite Watford being in the Pozzo family of teams. Palace gained promotion to the Premier League in 2013 by beating Watford 1-0 at Wembley Stadium - the venue for this match. The two league meetings this season have gone against the home teams, with Watford's win at Palace being laced with controversy when they were awarded a penalty for a spot of grappling in the box - marking the first time such an incident had been punished in about a decade, despite occurring in multiples at every corner kick*. Not 3 minutes later, the same referee stopped a Palace corner to warn a Watford defender for holding, instead of following his own very recent precedent and awarding the reciprocal penalty. But I'm not bitter...

* All the shock and consternation at this happening to Leicester last weekend is kind of funny, considering the exact situation had come up already at the Palace-Watford game a few weeks ago.

Navin R Johnson · « **Reply #28 on:** April 25, 2016, 04:56:43 pm »

Leicester City wins without Vardy 4-0 meanwhile Spurs draw with awful West Brom. Game/Season Blouses.

With 3 matches remaining, Leicester needs 3 points to clinch to league. Vardy will be out for the ManU game this week, so Leicester probably wrap things up the following week.

Bench · « **Reply #29 on:** April 25, 2016, 06:09:52 pm »

Quote from: Navin R Johnson on April 25, 2016, 04:56:43 pm

Leicester City wins without Vardy 4-0 meanwhile Spurs draw with awful West Brom. Game/Season Blouses.

With 3 matches remaining, Leicester needs 3 points to clinch to league. Vardy will be out for the ManU game this week, so Leicester probably wrap things up the following week.

What a disaster for those spurs.

Limey · « **Reply #30 on:** April 26, 2016, 11:01:40 am »

Quote from: Bench on April 25, 2016, 06:09:52 pm

What a disaster for those spurs.

Rising star Deli Alli is likely to pick up a 3-match ban after throwing the most pathetic of sucker punches at a West Brom players midriff. And they play Chelsea next Monday at the Bridge. Of course, if Leicester beat Moan Utd on Sunday, it's all moot.

However, Utd still have an eye on Champions League qualification if they can chase down Arsenal or Man City. While Chelsea are already eliminated from anything worth playing for this season, except pride, of which they clearly have none.

Re: European qualification: some interesting quirks this year. Liverpool and Man City can earn a CL spot by winning their respective Europa League and Champions League titles (both competitions currently down to the last 4). If that happens, whichever team occupies what is a CL-earning slot in the league, will get bumped down to the Europa. So it's possible, if Man City fall out of the top 4, that the teams finishing 3rd and/or 4th will not get into the CL anyway.

Bench · « **Reply #31 on:** April 26, 2016, 11:28:14 am »

Quote from: Limey on April 26, 2016, 11:01:40 am

Rising star Deli Alli is likely to pick up a 3-match ban after throwing the most pathetic of sucker punches at a West Brom players midriff. And they play Chelsea next Monday at the Bridge. Of course, if Leicester beat Moan Utd on Sunday, it's all moot.

However, Utd still have an eye on Champions League qualification if they can chase down Arsenal or Man City. While Chelsea are already eliminated from anything worth playing for this season, except pride, of which they clearly have none.

Re: European qualification: some interesting quirks this year. Liverpool and Man City can earn a CL spot by winning their respective Europa League and Champions League titles (both competitions currently down to the last 4). If that happens, whichever team occupies what is a CL-earning slot in the league, will get bumped down to the Europa. So it's possible, if Man City fall out of the top 4, that the teams finishing 3rd and/or 4th will not get into the CL anyway.

I admire how you're just assuming that Man U won't qualify for the champions league by winning the FA Cup. Very confident.

Limey · « **Reply #32 on:** April 26, 2016, 12:34:12 pm »

Quote from: Bench on April 26, 2016, 11:28:14 am

I admire how you're just assuming that Man U won't qualify for the champions league by winning the FA Cup. Very confident.

You don't: you get a Europa League spot for winning the FA Cup.

Navin R Johnson · « **Reply #33 on:** April 26, 2016, 12:41:37 pm »

Cant see Man City beating Madrid and likely Bayern Munich. With Liverpools injuries they are not likely to win the Europa League either.

Navin R Johnson · « **Reply #34 on:** April 26, 2016, 01:32:18 pm »

Well, Ronaldo is out for the MCFC vs RM match... this could be interesting.

Bench · « **Reply #35 on:** April 26, 2016, 02:05:03 pm »

Quote from: Limey on April 26, 2016, 12:34:12 pm

You don't: you get a Europa League spot for winning the FA Cup.

Ah. One day I'll get all this straight.

Limey · « **Reply #36 on:** April 26, 2016, 04:21:52 pm »

Quote from: Navin R Johnson on April 26, 2016, 01:32:18 pm

Well, Ronaldo is out for the MCFC vs RM match... this could be interesting.

0-0 at the Emptihad, so at least Real didn't get the highly valuable away goal. If MC can nick a goal in Madrid, then it's definitely on.

Navin R Johnson · « **Reply #37 on:** April 26, 2016, 05:22:58 pm »

Limey, I am curious your thoughts on the "Men in Blazers"

assuming you have listened/watched them.

HudsonHawk · « **Reply #38 on:** April 26, 2016, 06:42:39 pm »

So what's a bigger deal, winning the Premier League or winning the FA Cup?

MusicMan · « **Reply #39 on:** April 26, 2016, 08:40:40 pm »

Quote from: HudsonHawk on April 26, 2016, 06:42:39 pm

So what's a bigger deal, winning the Premier League or winning the FA Cup?

Pretty sure it's the Premier League.

Navin R Johnson · « **Reply #40 on:** April 26, 2016, 10:17:53 pm »

Quote from: HudsonHawk on April 26, 2016, 06:42:39 pm

So what's a bigger deal, winning the Premier League or winning the FA Cup?

Winning the Premier league comes with a $100 million pay day. Winning the FA cup nets the winning team about 2 million.

Limey · « **Reply #41 on:** April 27, 2016, 12:09:21 pm »

Quote from: Navin R Johnson on April 26, 2016, 05:22:58 pm

Limey, I am curious your thoughts on the "Men in Blazers"

assuming you have listened/watched them.

I watched one episode, because it looked like the sort of thing that's right in my wheelhouse. Never really took to it though. Maybe I need to give them a second chance, but I haven't had the time (or inclination) to do so.

Limey · « **Reply #42 on:** April 27, 2016, 01:39:31 pm »

Quote from: HudsonHawk on April 26, 2016, 06:42:39 pm

So what's a bigger deal, winning the Premier League or winning the FA Cup?

MM and Navin are quite correct.

The league and FA Cup used to have roughly equal status; the league being the hard slog while the cup considered to be more glamourous / romantic. There used to be bifurcated European tournaments for to the winners too.

But with the formation of the Premier League, and the money fountain it engendered, the FA Cup slowly has shrunk into being a pure consolation trophy that many of the big clubs - with their bloated rosters - will use to "give a run out to" their peripheral players. Also, the FA didn't help by allowing it to be subordinated to the Premier League - the semi-finals, for example, used to have a day to themselves without any league action programmed.

Winning the FA Cup still gets you into ~~Europe's consolation bracket~~ the Europa League, so there is that. But the big teams focus on the Premier League because that's big money itself, plus potential qualification into the even bigger money - and increasingly misnamed - champions league.

Another boon of the champions league is that qualified teams get the pick of free agents over the summer, as players want the exposure of that tournament so they can earn even bigger contracts and more endorsements.

Lastly, FIFA's Financial Fair Play rules put a limit on transfer spending based on your revenue. If you do well in the Premier League and also in Europe (e.g. Man City), your revenue is going to be much higher than teams with whom you compete who do not do either (e.g. Crystal Palace), so you get to spend more without falling foul of FFP. That means you can use your bigger spending allowance to outbid lesser clubs for the better players (which they then stockpile in their reserve squads and "give them a run out" in the FA Cup).

Basically, is completely rigged so that the rich get richer. It's if Trump ruled soccer - which he sort of did.

Limey · « **Reply #43 on:** May 02, 2016, 04:01:41 pm »

FWIW, Leicester just won the Premier League.

Spurs needed to win out and hope that Leicester tripped up, but Spurs just imploded at Chelsea. They were 2-0 in a testy game, and got pegged back to 2-2, handing the title to the Foxes. Congrats to them!

Bench · « **Reply #44 on:** May 02, 2016, 04:09:38 pm »

What a stunning championship run! Very exciting.

I'm looking forward to the cheeky list compiled of everything that Ladbrokes et al gave shorter odds on occurring than this. I saw yesterday that the odds on Leicester winning before the season were longer than Elvis still being alive.

Limey · « **Reply #45 on:** May 02, 2016, 04:20:08 pm »

Quote from: Bench on May 02, 2016, 04:09:38 pm

What a stunning championship run! Very exciting.

I'm looking forward to the cheeky list compiled of everything that Ladbrokes et al gave shorter odds on occurring than this. I saw yesterday that the odds on Leicester winning before the season were longer than Elvis still being alive.

The bookies will take a caning. They've been trying to buy out such bets for a while, but nowhere near enough of the punters have cashed out. Oof!

Limey · « **Reply #46 on:** May 02, 2016, 04:22:21 pm »

A video explaining how ridiculous this is:
http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/video/2016/may/02/walt-disney-wouldnt-script-this-leicester-city-the-peoples-champion

Navin R Johnson · « **Reply #47 on:** May 02, 2016, 04:49:07 pm »

Simply amazing. Sure wish they could have won at home, but what a fantastic story.

Duke · « **Reply #48 on:** May 03, 2016, 07:11:01 am »

Quote from: Bench on May 02, 2016, 04:09:38 pm

I saw yesterday that the odds on Leicester winning before the season were longer than Elvis still being alive.

5000-1 before the season started.