OT: Leicester City

[famousbill19]

An amazing story in the works in the English Premier League, Leicester are currently on top of the table 5 points clear with a favorable schedule. This point last year they were on the bottom of the table, 7 points from relegation safety. Only two years ago they were in the Championship (second tier English league). And it is not like someone came along with a ton of money (see Manchester City). Hard to draw a comparison to anything in major league sports.

 

[RUMcMahon]

An amazing story in the works in the English Premier League, Leicester are currently on top of the table 5 points clear with a favorable schedule. This point last year they were on the bottom of the table, 7 points from relegation safety. Only two years ago they were in the Championship (second tier English league). And it is not like someone came along with a ton of money (see Manchester City). Hard to draw a comparison to anything in major league sports.

Play and remind me of the KC Royals. Come on you Spurs!

 

[famousbill19]

Another crazy stat:

2015-2016 EPL Salaries (out of 20 teams):

1. Chelsea: 215.6 million pounds
2. Manchester United: 203
3. Manchester City: 193.8
4. Arsenal: 192
17. Leicester City: 48.2

 

[mdh2003]

Play and remind me of the KC Royals. Come on you Spurs!

That's so spursy!

 

[Fishky]

Playing well together really have owned the pitch during league play.

 

[ArminRU]

Shows how powerful team chemistry, player character and coaching can be.

 

[BigBlockR]

Wasn't it about two years ago they hired coach Ted Lasso?

 

[e5fdny]

Blues! Blues! Blues! Blues!

 

[MadRU]

Great story, I just want my spurs to hang on for a top 4 spot.

 

[Saint Puppy]

Awesome story!

 

[RU848789]

An amazing story in the works in the English Premier League, Leicester are currently on top of the table 5 points clear with a favorable schedule. This point last year they were on the bottom of the table, 7 points from relegation safety. Only two years ago they were in the Championship (second tier English league). And it is not like someone came along with a ton of money (see Manchester City). Hard to draw a comparison to anything in major league sports.

Great post, have loved watching their meteoric, surprise rise to the top. So refreshing seeing a true team, sans superstars, outworking and outplaying much more highly paid and regarded teams. As McMahon said, reminds me of the Royals. Story of the modern era in high level club soccer.

 

[ruready07]

An amazing story in the works in the English Premier League, Leicester are currently on top of the table 5 points clear with a favorable schedule. This point last year they were on the bottom of the table, 7 points from relegation safety. Only two years ago they were in the Championship (second tier English league). And it is not like someone came along with a ton of money (see Manchester City). Hard to draw a comparison to anything in major league sports.

Rutgers has a shot to draw that comparison. Check back later in time for the answer.

 

[vkj91]

I'm new to soccer but aren't they very young? Won't half their team jump to the clubs you guys are railing on?

 

[tychicus]

Tottenham fd that up so bad yesterday!
arsensal was a man down for majority of second half

Tottenham should have been tied for first before Leicester even kicked off

 

[krup]

Play and remind me of the KC Royals. Come on you Spurs!

The difference with KC is that the Royals showed incremental improvement over several years. The Leicester story is as if the 2006 Royals with 100 losses made the WS the next year.

The best example of how bad Leicester was expected to be this year is that in a league with only 20 teams some English bookmakers had them as 5000-1 to win the championship.

 

[MadRU]

Tottenham fd that up so bad yesterday!
arsensal was a man down for majority of second half

Tottenham should have been tied for first before Leicester even kicked off

I was hoping for 4 points from the West Ham and Arsenal games, at least 3, but to only get 1 point hurts. Have to make up those points. Still have big game vs Man U. Need West Ham to falter too.

 

[famousbill19]

I was hoping for 4 points from the West Ham and Arsenal games, at least 3, but to only get 1 point hurts. Have to make up those points. Still have big game vs Man U. Need West Ham to falter too.

My Hammers are only going to improve over the rest of the year once their center backs get healthy. COYI!

 

[krup]

My Hammers are only going to improve over the rest of the year once their center backs get healthy. COYI!

I gravitated to the Hammers when I started following the Premier League more seriously 6-7 years ago. It is great to watch a team that can spend smaller amounts on good players that get ignored by the big clubs before they don't have a big enough reputation. Payet is better than anyone United, City, Chelsea, etc. signed for a lot more money.

If teams like West Ham can keep the same spending attitude while getting the huge increase in revenue from the new TV contracts, I think years like this one (where some big clubs miss Europe) will be a lot more common.

 

[famousbill19]

With West Ham's move to the Olympic Stadium next year it will mean even more cash. Payet has been a revelation, but so too has been Antonio, Lanzini, etc. If not for Leicester Bilic would be a shoe in for Manager of the Year. Good time to be a Hammers fan.