A bit late but we're entering the last legs of the European Leagues. I only follow the English Premier League, anybody who follow the La Liga, Bundesliga, Serie A (*snicker*), J-League feel free to add to the chat. Leicester Hope they win it this season and give the middle finger to the sugar daddy clubs on their buy-to-win policy. Sure, Leicester bought players too but how many people have heard of Riyad Mahrez before the last two years? Vardy knows where the net is and is pretty good at sticking the ball in it, his partnership with Kane for England may augur well for the Euros. Man Utd, Chelsea, Man City Pretty sure unless you're "diehard" supporters of the aforementioned clubs, I'd gather that the general consensus of watching them struggle this season has been pretty entertaining. Arsenal Same ol' every year, by March you could almost predict it like clockwork. Play like world beaters when the pressure is off, bottles it when the chance appears. Provided that they were playing the best team in the world before getting unceremoniously kicked out of the Champions League, you'd imagine they'd give Leicester and cross city rivals Spurs a fight in a pretty chaotic league where everybody is kicking the stuffing out of everybody else. I am of the idea that the owners would be happy with the status quo - CL football every year, making lots of money - but there is quite a bit of pressure from the fans on either of them or Wenger himself. Liverpool My bias would be telling so let's get that out of the way. Herr Klopp is doing an incredible job with the dysfunctional squad inherited from Brendan Rodgers. To be fair there are good players in there, just that BR had no idea how to use them properly, more so when he had to compromise so much from his original footballing philosophy - watch Swansea under Rodgers, that's the real Rodgers team, 'Death by Football'. It'll be Jekyll & Hyde football until he can construct a team in his image, hopefully more of the delightful type that put the likes of Man City and Dortmund to the sword than the imploding one vs Southampton. This week's 2nd Leg vs Dortmund at Anfield is going to be an electrifying match. Aston Villa Haven't replaced Benteke, are struggling without him. Good luck in the Championship next season. You lot can have him back for 20 million. Newcastle Appointing Rafa is like calling for the fire department when half the house is already burnt down. This may prove to be a blessing to the Geordies if it forces Mike Ashley's hand to offload the team to another owner but he's no way hurting for money though. Everton Saving the best for last. I have been following the sentiments of the Toffees via a proxy thread on RAWK and the overall atmosphere at Goodison is of great hope following Iranian billionaire Moshiri's 49% acquisition of the club, speaking of the awakening of the sleeping giant (more of a coma, really). Too much to speak of in here, so lemme know if you wanna ready more - the 100+ pages on the affairs of the greatest Everton squad in decades is good entertainment during the slower weeks.
In the meanwhile that 2nd leg did turn out to be electrifying. A 3-3 draw to save face and Dortmund going on to win the cup I could already live with but it got even better . Idk if Villareal is a better draw than Sevilla at this stage, they've looked pretty impressive.(and unceremoniously losing to Shakhtar in the semi's would've undone almost the whole vibe of the win over Dortmund) La Liga Valencia - Lim - Neville ... enough said (they were pretty impressive early in the season with the previous manager in their win over Monaco)
Five life lessons we can learn from Leicester City’s EPL title triumph http://www.todayonline.com/sports/f...e-can-learn-leicester-citys-epl-title-triumph Leicester City fans celebrate winning the Premier League. Photo: Reuters By Stanley Ho stanleyho@mediacorp.com.sg - Published: 7:41 AM, May 3, 2016 Updated: 12:41 AM, May 4, 2016 SINGAPORE — Leicester City’s Premier League title dream became reality on Tuesday morning (May 3, Singapore time) as their only remaining challengers Tottenham Hotspur drew 2-2 at Chelsea handing the underdogs the trophy in one of the greatest sporting achievements of modern times. Here are five life lessons you can takeaway from Leicester’s success: 1. NEVER STOP BELIEVING IN YOURSELF People can say whatever they want, but it is you yourself who determines whether you will be a success. If Leicester City had listened to all the noise around them from the start, they would never have achieved the impossible. Never mind that the team were tipped for relegation even before a ball was kicked in anger, critics were eager to write off the Foxes’ title chances when the team topped the league at Christmas. Did Claudio Ranieri’s men listen? Of course not. 2. TALENT WITHOUT HARD WORK IS NOTHING Leicester’s success is proof that even if you are not the most talented man in the room, you can make up for it through pure hard work. The Foxes’ title-winning squad is made up of a motley crew of Premiership rejects and lower league journeymen, built on a shoestring budget. Compared to the likes of Sergio Aguero, Eden Hazard or Mesut Ozil, the Foxes are not better players but they will run anyone to the ground, and then some. 3. BE YOURSELF Everyone has different strengths and weaknesses, so don’t try to be something that you are not. Leicester know they are not the most technically gifted group of players, so they do not harbour the false hope that they can play the slick passing, possession football made fashionable by Barcelona and Bayern Munich. But what they have are speed and stamina in abundance. Boasting five of the fastest players in the league, they use their sheer pace to tear opponents apart, from the first minute to the last. And they don’t stop running. 4. MONEY IS NOT EVERYTHING A lack of resources is not an excuse for not giving it your best shot. You may have a small wallet but, to succeed, what you need is a big heart and a well thought-out plan. Leicester City’s budget is only a fraction of their EPL rivals but, through meticulous planning and smart recruitment, they make every single penny work and are able to punch well above their weight. 5. GRAB YOUR OPPORTUNITY If a good opportunity is presented to you, take it as it won’t come around twice. Leicester City are not the most impressive of champions. In fact, based on goal difference, their current +30 marks them as the worst in EPL history. But the Foxes won the league because they were there to pounce when all the other big guns fell. Chelsea crumbled early in the season, Manchester United continued to struggle post-Alex Ferguson, Manchester City were left in a spin over managerial instability, and Arsenal were, well, just Arsenal. Knowing that such “alignment of stars” will never come around again, Leicester grabbed that chance and never looked back.
For those not into football. Leicester winning the premier league is like Mauritius winning the Sudirman cup.
I read somewhere that Leicester's squad cost less than 55 million pounds, less than Rahim Sterling's transfer. CMIIAW.
I believe anyone supported Leicester city after 2015 would be called gloryhunters (like MU fans after 1999). be prepared for some serious banter guys. Thing gonna get hard in few years.
