tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6888117971000102875.comments2012-10-04T11:19:51.916+01:00the view from SK1simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17921481185114915640noreply@blogger.comBlogger41125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6888117971000102875.post-75587329605158228052012-10-04T11:19:51.916+01:002012-10-04T11:19:51.916+01:00Great piece! Great piece! Christophhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04414949613571375575noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6888117971000102875.post-29016423061686635472012-09-04T10:31:33.622+01:002012-09-04T10:31:33.622+01:00I'm surprised it has come this far again at Le...I'm surprised it has come this far again at Leicester City. Has the Blackpool game really bought some time for Nigel Pearson?Christophhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04414949613571375575noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6888117971000102875.post-70682875353240720782012-07-03T16:59:04.770+01:002012-07-03T16:59:04.770+01:00Hi Christoph,
Thanks for your comment. I think t...Hi Christoph,<br /><br />Thanks for your comment. I think that without say, this Spanish side playing the 1970 Brazil side, there's no real way of saying who is better. I think it would have to be based solely on success in major tournaments.simonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17921481185114915640noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6888117971000102875.post-64727338761165133482012-07-02T20:44:33.158+01:002012-07-02T20:44:33.158+01:00There is a minor mistake in there. If Spain win th...There is a minor mistake in there. If Spain win the World Cup in 2014, it would be Del Bosque's third trophy with Spain. He took over in July 2008 after they they've won Euro 2008.<br /><br />It is possibly true that Spain are the greatest team ever to grace international football. But how do we compare the teams from say 1970 and 2012?Christophhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04414949613571375575noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6888117971000102875.post-25102044905537199722012-06-21T14:11:50.102+01:002012-06-21T14:11:50.102+01:00Hi Simon,
A very reasoned article, very good.
I ...Hi Simon,<br /><br />A very reasoned article, very good.<br /><br />I like your England prediction as it will mean another England vs Germany semi-final.<br />However, i'm not so sure Portugal have it in them to overcome the Czechs. Portugal rely too much on Ronaldo and if he's taken out of the game, it's practically over. That's what the Czechs will do.<br />France, difficult to see them going anywhere. Even scoring might be beyong them. They looked dull against Sweden.<br />Germany - Greece? This will be a politically charged match for obvious reasons. It could go either way if Germany are as sloppy as they were against Denmark for some periods of the game.<br />We'll see, certainly some interesting matches to watch.Christophhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04414949613571375575noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6888117971000102875.post-63010897518933966722012-06-21T07:43:48.577+01:002012-06-21T07:43:48.577+01:00Hi Christoph,
Yes, I'm quite surprised - espe...Hi Christoph,<br /><br />Yes, I'm quite surprised - especially with Russia who really should have won that group. I've just finished a quarter-final preview - what do you think?simonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17921481185114915640noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6888117971000102875.post-86318039689285616692012-06-20T09:24:51.860+01:002012-06-20T09:24:51.860+01:00Hej Simon, Looks two of your dark horses could not...Hej Simon, Looks two of your dark horses could not fulfil their role and the least likely, England stepped up in quite some fashion.Christophhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04414949613571375575noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6888117971000102875.post-73771095043392211532012-06-05T16:40:21.790+01:002012-06-05T16:40:21.790+01:00Hi Simon,
I do agree to some extent with all three...Hi Simon,<br />I do agree to some extent with all three teams as dark horses at Euro 2012, most of all Croatia. They were the team with the bigger momentum against Turkey but got carried away four years ago and paid a bitter price. They have matured and will play for their manager, who is a great manager.<br /><br />Russia are for more difficult to judge and i guess in their group it is either them or Poland who will get knocked out.<br /><br />As for England, i doubt they have that same mentality like Robson's team had in 1990 when they were one game away from another World Cup Final. Their best midfielder Frank Lampard is missing due to injury as is Wayne Rooney due to his stupidity. And quite how the John Terry affair will affect the team i'm not so sure about. Nonetheless, France are no world class team yet. They are building for 2016 and this tournament is a test run for the World Cup 2014 and the Euro 2016.<br /><br />As for the favourites, you're right, Spain, Holland and Germany are the usual suspects and yet the expectations are almost unbearable for Germany. Holland-France is my secret final prediction.Christophhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04414949613571375575noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6888117971000102875.post-85854455877782201162012-05-19T15:33:40.048+01:002012-05-19T15:33:40.048+01:00Quo vadis Leicester? Another year in the champions...Quo vadis Leicester? Another year in the championship when many hoped for the play-offs and secretly for the first division. So, what's happening at the Walkers?Christophhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04414949613571375575noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6888117971000102875.post-52855767668581572562012-03-31T11:45:37.377+01:002012-03-31T11:45:37.377+01:00Hi there, awesome site. I thought the topics you p...Hi there, awesome site. I thought the topics you posted on were very interesting.<br /> I tried to add your RSS to my feed reader and it a few. take a look at it, hopefully I can add you and follow.<br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://www.bestpropertyworld.com/property-to-rent-in-leicester.html" rel="nofollow">Property for Rent in Leicester</a>arumugamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03474668921039249230noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6888117971000102875.post-37136114733674381612012-03-31T11:33:46.993+01:002012-03-31T11:33:46.993+01:00Heya¡my very first comment on your site. ,I have ...Heya¡my very first comment on your site. ,I have been reading your blog for a while and thought I would completely pop in and drop a friendly note. <br />. It is great stuff indeed. I also wanted to ask..is there a way to subscribe to your site via email?<br /><br /><a href="http://www.bestpropertyworld.com/property-for-sale-in-leicester.html" rel="nofollow">Flats for Sale in Leicester</a>sornahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17557060311661510045noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6888117971000102875.post-72263945196454385292012-03-04T20:04:40.807+00:002012-03-04T20:04:40.807+00:00Good read. Don't think they'll make the pl...Good read. Don't think they'll make the play-off this season.Christophhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04414949613571375575noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6888117971000102875.post-85143571245058437212011-06-16T14:44:09.379+01:002011-06-16T14:44:09.379+01:00A very good piece and a very daring one at the sam...A very good piece and a very daring one at the same time! Predicting the table for the season lying ahead of us, just after the end of one season.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6888117971000102875.post-37522226944816633402011-05-28T16:41:02.713+01:002011-05-28T16:41:02.713+01:00Great piece Si! I think a very appropriate especia...Great piece Si! I think a very appropriate especially with the impending final tonight! I would have to say that out of the teams you have mentioned I would argue that Man Utd are the only team guaranteed Champions league qualification; with the stability at the club at the moment and the possibility for all those around them to lose players and their respected managers if things don’t go the way the fans and owners desire. However I think with the emergence of Spurs and Man City, the top four places have really been shaken up, and looks like it could be a changing of the guard. <br /><br />Liverpool out of the current 6 would be the outfit most likely to struggle next year, having failed to qualify for even the UEFA cup they will struggle to bring in the quality players needed to compete at the higher echelons of the Premier League. Saying that, Spurs will struggle to mount a successful campaign in the League with the distractions of the seemingly awkward UEFA cup and its insane Thursday night fixtures. In addition to this, the extra revenue and the prestige of the Champions League will mean the other 4 teams ahead of them will be able to lure the superior players who want to play in the Champions League.<br /><br />With Man City the possibility of imploding seems all too possible, I don’t think Mancini has full control of his squad (the best example being Ballotelli) and already this season just passed it seemed as though he was only one game away from getting the sack. Now Arsenal and Chelsea are the more thoroughbred out of the remaining teams, depending on who Chelsea get to take over (with my money on Hiddink) they could possibly be the team to challenge United for the title, or if Abramovich continues with his infatuation of the Champions League as he did this season, they could end up dropping places.<br /><br />The most settled of the challengers would have to be Arsenal, with Arsene Wenger in charge of the club for 14 years and a contract until 2014 they are unlikely to experience many dramas. Nevertheless, with a sustained run without silverware rumblings around the Emirates last year could again re-emerge with a poor start and a lack of top quality signings over the summer. Table for me 1. Man Utd, 2. Aresenal, 3. Chelsea, 4. Man City, 5. Liverpool, 6. Spurs.JDixon88https://www.blogger.com/profile/00090147859916643253noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6888117971000102875.post-36919771529282259402011-05-10T05:02:38.713+01:002011-05-10T05:02:38.713+01:00Nice write up. I pretty much agree with all of tha...Nice write up. I pretty much agree with all of that.<br /><br />Naughton for me should be the priority - though i'm sure that is unanimous. Mee as well I think particularly as we could have a fair chance of getting him on a permanent, he still has alot to learn but very solid as well. Not good enough for City with their aspirations so might be a good buy.<br /><br />Vitor would be great too but i've heard benfica rate him quite highly so there seems to be a bit of contention as to whether we can afford him?<br /><br />Bruma is the only one i probably disagree with. I've actually quite liked him and PVA, they've both put in some woeful performances but also some great ones. They're both young and improving but i don't think Chelsea would let go of either on a permanent, and unlike Vitor i don't think either are reliable enough for us to just take them on as loanees if there is no chance of signing them.<br /><br /><br />Yakubu splits people right down the middle but i think he's been great for us. Personally i think he does alot of work that goes unnoticed. I think with Yakubu it's as much about getting the balance right with who he plays for - when Kamara has been lively running around him we have looked devastating. The problem to me seems to be that he is innefective when the movement around him isn't any good. Admittedly it is a flaw in his game but without it he'd be at as top premieship club, and despite it if we can get the balance right he is lethal.<br /><br />I've seen little of Kamara but what I have seen makes me think he could form a very good partnership with Yak.Benhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10123572760240626027noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6888117971000102875.post-52739583732638188862011-05-04T11:03:54.130+01:002011-05-04T11:03:54.130+01:00A good summary of a difficult season for the Foxes...A good summary of a difficult season for the Foxes.<br /><br />However, i'm always critical of the high hopes already placed on the club and the manager with regards to next season. City might go up but maybe not and this will be regarded as a failure which could cost the manager his job and will eventually see a new man take over who has different views of how to play football and he will re-structure the squad again, which will cost time and money in their want for promotion.<br /><br />In all fairness, the Premier League might bring a lot of money to Leicester in terms of marketing, match day revenue and most of all TV. But it could come at a cost, too. And i'm not sure if people then will not turn against the manager and the players and thus the downward spiral will start again.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6888117971000102875.post-55135999952184027252010-12-30T00:47:06.241+00:002010-12-30T00:47:06.241+00:00Thanks for your comments both.
Dave, I'd agre...Thanks for your comments both.<br /><br />Dave, I'd agree with Scott Parker, but I'd also say that Nasri has done a fantastic job for Arsenal of filling that midfield role played by Fabregas so often. They have the depth and quality not to suffer so much without him. <br /><br />I think there are a few teams in the Premier League that if they lost one player, they would necessarily struggle. But there are also those who wouldn't. I agree that this sort of reliance is not great management.<br /><br />Bruce, you're spot on about some of the teams you've mentioned (Man Utd, Arsenal and Chelsea). Those teams don't, in my opinion, rely overly on one player. Man Utd have huge strength throughout their squad, and when players like Rooney aren't hitting top form, or when Scholes and Nani are injured, they still find ways to win and put out good performances. I'd say Chelsea's struggles have been down to several key losses over the early stages of the season (Terry, Alex, Lampard). <br /><br />In terms of defensive players, like you've mentioned - Vidic is so important to Man Utd. But you've also got Huth and Shawcross for Stoke, or Onuoha for Sunderland - good players, and their loss would be detrimental, but not season defining. I think the loss of players like Cahill and Carroll would cause their respective sides to struggle.simonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17921481185114915640noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6888117971000102875.post-87137680171940077542010-12-29T23:43:13.056+00:002010-12-29T23:43:13.056+00:00Take a teams top goalscorer out and alot will stru...Take a teams top goalscorer out and alot will struggle, that's what these players bring to their teams! Hence why they are dependable. Can you think of any defensive ones? The spine of liverpool's team is reina, carragher, gerrard and torres. Arsenal, fabregas. Manchester united, vidic, berbatov and rooney. Terry is key to Chelsea but they rely on lampard and drogba too. Joe Murphy, the firstmchoice goalkeeper at scunthorpe united is a dependable. Without him they would be a lot worse of then where they are un the league. He makes great save after great save and must save scunthorpe a lot of points over a season. Can you think of any more?chrisbrucehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10522393779506368347noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6888117971000102875.post-91923957122631250722010-12-29T23:17:16.289+00:002010-12-29T23:17:16.289+00:00To an extent, could we also include...
Arsenal an...To an extent, could we also include...<br /><br />Arsenal and Fabregas? <br />Liverpool and Gerrard? <br />West Ham and Scott Parker?<br /><br />The problem is, too many managers form the way their side plays around one player. This means that they're highlighted in the way they play and without them, they struggle greatly.<br /><br />Everton, even with Cahill, look toothless. <br />When he's gone with Australia for the month of January, I'm worried for their progress.<br /><br />I don't think the same would happen with Man City and Newcastle, but those players' absence is certainly noticeable!mrtaylorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13399786209885543565noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6888117971000102875.post-20616167212747158202010-12-21T13:45:37.357+00:002010-12-21T13:45:37.357+00:00This is very good writing! Looking forward to read...This is very good writing! Looking forward to read more of this next year.<br /><br />While i believe that Leicester City supporters are happy that their club is going forward, i still have my thoughts about Eriksson. First and foremost, the players he has brought in. Are they dis-balancing the wage structure at the club? I remember a few years back, that the club could not sign decent enough players, simply because haven't had the means to do so. The new owners should be very careful not to overstretch their budget and think about the realistic aims for this club. Has he really got what it takes to take Leicester to the next level, i.e. the Premier League?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6888117971000102875.post-21164508182522179682010-11-21T16:35:24.681+00:002010-11-21T16:35:24.681+00:00Sounds City got away with it.Sounds City got away with it.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6888117971000102875.post-9554316984067927142010-10-29T11:58:15.498+01:002010-10-29T11:58:15.498+01:00Considering Albion's form recently i think the...Considering Albion's form recently i think the result doesn't really come as a shock. However, everybody guessed on a cup upset to happen.<br /><br />good work!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6888117971000102875.post-20887942077260477962010-10-09T09:21:41.706+01:002010-10-09T09:21:41.706+01:00I think i saw it coming that Sousa had to leave so...I think i saw it coming that Sousa had to leave sooner or later. The results weren't right and it is questionable whether or not he had the squad on his side or not and with Mandaric of a rather impatient nature when it comes to managers.<br /><br />With the aim of the club to get to the Premier League asap it was bound to happen that Sousa would be sacked if the club were to be found at the bottom end of the table a few months into the season.<br /><br />Bringing in Eriksson - i'm not sure that it will work. He is a very different manager compared to Sousa first of all. More importantly though is the feeling that he is past his best. After the 2006 World Cup he became somewhat of a journeyman: Mexico, ManCity and Notts County. And almost always he's left prematurely, whether or not it was his fault or not doesn't matter.<br /><br />With Eriksson being a big gun and with the club aiming for success in the Premier League it is an obvious choice made by Mandaric but i doubt that it will do any good for the club in the long run.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6888117971000102875.post-41774629795294696912010-09-20T16:27:52.797+01:002010-09-20T16:27:52.797+01:00Christoph, this is true to some extent. We domina...Christoph, this is true to some extent. We dominated the match in terms of creating goal scoring opportunities, but as has been the story of the season to date, there simply has been no end product. We could have drawn, or even won, but QPR frustrated us.simonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17921481185114915640noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6888117971000102875.post-49899794372513810002010-09-20T15:56:51.214+01:002010-09-20T15:56:51.214+01:00The Guardian match report said that Leicester domi...The Guardian match report said that Leicester dominated possession? Is that correct?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com