Mails: Jurgen Klopp’s Bekloppt Army unite

Thank you for a good week’s mailboxes. Have a grand weekend but don’t forget to e-mail theeditor@football365.com

 

Now that’s a challenge…
I’m so sick of the bullsh*t in The Sun.

If Mourinho isn’t United manager next season then Custis should be made to live in Liverpool and only allowed out in public while wearing a United shirt and holding hands with Kelvin Mackenzie.

The shirt would have ‘Van Gaal’ on the back.

And be sponsored by Weightwatchers.
Tim Sutton

 

Sturridge/Klopp rift is a bleeding crisis
Liverpool due to circumstance are no longer a club that can buy world-cass players. Which means we are relegated to the status of speculators. We have to look for talent that we hope can step up and help us challenge for silverware.

This often means buying young players or foreign players. Both of these come with challenges. With young players heads get turned. With foreign players the lure of home can be too strong.

Sturridge is different. He’s been around the block. Rejected at City, not given the chance at Chelsea. At Liverpool he found a home, a place where he was given a chance to shine and as he always says he is now ‘#RedorDead’.

Sturridge is a truly world-class player in many regards, fantastic in tight spaces in the box, an eye and the technique for goal outside the box, one of the best players running in behind defences, brilliant making runs to get on the end of headers and wonderful and pulling defences out of position, enabling opportunities for other willing runners.

But it doesn’t stop there Sturridge is also one of our most dangerous creative players too. He has a wonderful eye for a final ball, people talk of his greed but his assists in that season when he played with Suarez were wonderful. Then with the ball he draws players to him and his technique is so good it’s hard to take the ball off him.

We play better when he plays, because he is by some distance our most complete player. A player who is here to stay. A player who is still young and hungry for success.

Thursday night left me in no doubt there is some issue that Klopp has with our guy.

I only hope our fans can let Sturridge know how much we value him. Because he is not an easily replaced figure.
Mo…Yorkshire Red…LFC

 

In Klopp we trust…
Despite it being a dream of mine…I am not a football manager.

Despite literally days wasted on FM and Champ Man, my knowledge of the art of football management is very limited, dwarfed in comparison to someone like Klopp…

That being said, I can see the game plan from last night:

– industrious front three with a false nine in Firmino
– solid midfield three, with two holding midfielders in Lucas and Allen and a hard working Milner
– Sturridge and Benteke on the bench, x2 impact subs

Villarreal build the majority of their attacks from short GK distribution as well as measured passing from the back four, to counteract this Klopp played three attacking midfielders.

Denis Suarez plays as a box-box playmaker, can take the ball of the back four and create or play in a traditional number 10 role and create in that space – he tends to start passages of play from deep then appear again higher up the pitch to affect play there. Klopp counteracted this with a midfield three focussed more on the defensive and covering side of things than attacking. Also, with a front two being played by the opposition in Soldado and Bakambu the normal pattern of play is one striker moves slightly deeper or ‘shows’ for the ball, allowing themselves to spin in behind or create space for their partner – the selection of Lucas nullified this threat.

Whereas the game was poised at 0-0 at the 75-80 minutes mark, the introduction of Sturridge/Benteke at this point would disrupt the above game plan which up to that point was working perfectly and potentially allow Villarreal to gain more dangerous/meaningful possession higher up the field, which they did with the late save from Mignolet and then the goal.

Also, with the home time to come and Sturridge made of glass, Benteke coming back off an injury and with Origi being out, the risks of bringing either on for a prolonged period of time were obvious. If for example Sturridge came on at 60 minutes, broken himself – Klopp is left with one, unfit and out of form striker.

All in all, Liverpool were a goal (for themselves or preventing Villarreal from scoring theirs) from a positive result, had Moreno squared the ball to Ibe, had Lallana been judged correctly onside or Firmino not been denied by a brilliant fingertip save then we would be hailing a different performance.

Such are the margins in European football.

Still half time in the tie but with us needing at least one goal, I don’t see Villarreal not scoring!
Jon Andrews, LFC

 

…I’m really disappointed with Matt Stead. Yes things could have gone better. But had Liverpool come out and tried to hammer Villareal and got caught on the counter-attack and we lost 3-1, then yes criticise tactics. Klopp attempted the textbook European performance, keep it tight at 0-0 and try and nick an away goal. Had it not been for Alberto Moreno, he could have done both. That was exactly what Rafa built a reputation on. And while I am far from a big Rafa fan, he won us a champions League doing it.

There was no focal point? So he brought on Benteke. Would Sturridge have helped defending set-pieces, where Villareal were beginning to find an edge? No. Similarly, late in the game as Villareal pressed on, we were getting less and less players up the pitch. Daniel Sturridge is absolutely useless in these situations. He needs numbers all over the show, or his flicks and tricks go nowhere. A focal point he is not.

As for Glenn, LFC this morning, we are 1-0 down at half time in a tie, going back to Anfield where in our last two Europa League games we dominated Man United, winning 2-0, and did the seemingly impossible against Dortmund to get to where we are. Gross negligence? Don’t be daft.

As an aside, I hope City fans now understand a tad more some of the criticism of their approach against Madrid. Coming home 1-0 down is significantly more mentally challenging than coming home at 0-0. But this is Villareal, not Real Madrid. We are more than in this tie. Another big performance and the big German brings us to a second final within six months of taking over. I’ll take that.

As for imagining the reaction had Rodgers done the same? Absolutely no one, for one second could possibly entertain the thought that Brodge would have us anywhere near this semi-final! Just stop with that nonsense, now.

The crazy celebrations at half time in the tie will come back to bite them. Come on you reds!
Adam, LFC, Belfast

 

…I wasn’t going to bother, but I’m in a bad mood and I can’t let the cacophony of bullsh*t on display this morning slide.

I am no Arrigo Sacchi but it seems pretty clear that Firmino was started for his defensive capabilities, and as Matt notes in his article he was very effective in disrupting Villareal’s attacking game. We had more possession and more shots, and for the first 90 minutes it didn’t seem like anything except a 0-0 was on the cards. Yes, it can be dangerous to play for a draw away from home, but when you’re facing a team that has progressed this far in the competition purely on the strength of its home form, it’s not a bad idea. And it would have been successful were it not for one late lapse in concentration – (co)incidentally, just seconds after Firmino had left the field.

Yet this is ‘gross negligence’ and ‘a personal disliking to Sturridge’ according to Captain Glenn Hindsight. Personally I suspect that, had we played Sturridge instead of Firmino, we’d have been significantly more open in midfield and Villareal would have had a lot more of the game and a lot more chances, and we’d likely be looking at a much harder task. But what do I (or multiple league winner and CL finalist Klopp) know that the good Captain couldn’t have condescendingly explained to us after the event.

Yes, Klopp could have brought on Sturridge for the last 15 against a tiring and hobbling defence, but then you lose both Firmino’s pressing and the out ball that Benteke provides. And let’s also not forget that Sturridge is still recovering from almost two years of serious injury; he is irreplaceable in our squad at the moment and key to our aspirations for the rest of the season, and he’s played more football in the last 10 days that in the previous 10 months combined.

Injury permitting (touch wood), Sturridge will start the home leg, and the final if we happen to make it there. Klopp has done alright so far, how about we stop losing our sh*t at the first sign of adversity and let him get on with it?
JG LFC

 

…Long time reader, (I measure the time I have been tuning into F365 by changes to its format and layout, so I have come to witness three generations of F365, but I digress..) first time writer to the mailbox, but the lead headline on the mailbox and Matt Stead’s article stirred me into defending Mr Klopp. So here goes…

Sturridge is a great individual footballer. His goalscoring record is fantastic for Liverpool; the lad is pure goals (when fit). These are things we know. However, despite this, I would hazard a guess that he doesn’t demonstrate (in Klopp’s eyes) enough of a willingness to put in the off the ball work that Klopp requires for his style of play to be effective. This, coupled with three first-choice players being missing through injury and stupidity, gives Klopp little choice but to go with Firmino, a player he knows will put in the hard work up top.

Look at the line-up yesterday, we are missing a first-choice centre-half, two first-choice midfielders and we have a left-back that we know is ill disciplined and loves to wander. With these problems presented to him, Jurgen, an experienced European manger, opted for staying in the tie, rather than going all ‘FIFA 16’ and picking the best XI individuals he could muster to go and try to outscore the opposition. That means he picks a side that can defend from the front most effectively, in the knowledge that he has holes and weaknesses in behind.

We all knew our manager had flaws. No sensible Liverpool fan believes he is perfect, but his approach is towards the collective attaining the highest heights it can and given the selection options he had available throughout the team, I thought he got his line-up spot on.
Phill, LFC

 

…A lot of people are saying ‘imagine if Brendan did that?’ It’s a fair enough question. The difference being Brendan made nonsensical decisions on an almost weekly basis and when they didn’t work out he’d bang on about character while looking a 45-year-old schoolboy potato.

Klopp made some bad decisions last night, but only after months of good ones. And I don’t think anyone expected Firmino or Coutinho to be so utterly anonymous (I must say, I’m delighted for Joe Allen, who has really come on under Klopp).

So all in all, not brilliant, but not terrible.
Alan, Sevill

 

‘Gross negligence’: The reaction
Utter nonsense. A mistake perhaps, yes. ‘Negligence’? Get out of it.
Stu, Southampton

 

…Have a word with yourself, lad.
Michael McCarthy

 

…Glenn LFC is only the latest person to use it, but I have to draw attention to the misuse of the phrase “gross negligence” which has recently risen in popularity in sports commentary.

‘Gross negligence’ is a legal term that means a person has not only failed the ordinary standard of care, but they have been so careless as to appear vulgar or ‘gross’. It is perhaps best known for its application in situations concerning personal injury caused by recklessness, for example a person being found guilty of not maintaining a vehicle or equipment which subsequently leads to injury or death.

In the last mailbox, likening Klopp’s decision to choose to start Firmino (and stick with him) to ‘gross negligence’ is neither an accurate use of the term nor a reasonable analogy. For a start, it undermines the seriousness of actual gross negligence in action which often involves damage, injury or at the very least substantial financial loss. But more importantly, Klopp had good reason (which he has gone on to explain) for his decision:

“It was a very difficult decision. I thought about a lot of things, but in the end I decided for a little bit more stability…In the 4-3-3 we didn’t play with Daniel until now, and so we thought for today this 4-3-3, 4-5-1, sometimes a diamond this very flexible style, we played in a few games before…It makes sense that the players played it together before, that’s why we decided for this line-up.”

So he made a deliberate choice in the absence of his recent favourite starting striker Origi. He then went on to change the line-up by substituting Coutinho at half-time. In the 89th minute, when Klopp decided to hang on to the 0-0 draw, he swapped out Firmino for Benteke with the following reasoning:

“There were one or two situations with set pieces defensively that Christian could help us with. It was not really for attacking.”

Liverpool subsequently conceded as Villarreal counter-attacked a very high press and scored in the last minute.

Sh*t happens. Sometimes decisions prove wrong with the benefit of hindsight, and, despite having never won anything in professional football personally, we can debate whether we disagree with them. They don’t have to be labelled as negligence, gross or otherwise.

Sorry if I come across as a pedantic prat.
Rough Justice, Dublin

 

Jurgen Klopp’s ‘Bekloppt’ Army
At times I truly despair, I really do. Matt Stead writes a fairly even (as even as he ever can be being a United fan (erm, actually he supprts Mansfield – Ed)) piece on how, in his view, KloppMeister erred last night. For the most part I agree with Matt. I would be very surprised and dissapointed if Studge does not start in the return leg. As the ever excellent Minty, LFC observes Studge is our best player. Our only world-class player left and we are generally always much the weaker for his ommission.

But the comments section underneath is a graveyard for common sense. The general premise of Matt’s article seems to be that KloppMeister has gotten most things right in his short time at the helm but f**ked up last night. Seems fair to me. Why do so many people get so incensed!? Matt’s not suggesting he’s a charlatan in the mould of Mr Veneers. He is actually paying him something of a compliment that in having put nary a foot wrong you sometimes forget how new he is to the league and the players pulling on the famous red. Calm the f*ck down people!

Still I find his continuing faith in the muck that is Mignolet baffling. I pray that this weak link is removed in the Summer. But he has proven with Skrtel* that you mess with Jurgen and du bist fertig!

* Expect him to start in a second string against The Swans and give away three penos and get a red card. We’d be better off putting a cone out and drawing some sh*t tattoos on it…

Bekloppt is sometimes used instead of verrückt for crazy in German. So are we ‘Jurgen Klopp’s Bekloppt Army’…?
Gregory Whitehead, LFC

 

Klopp: Unprofessional
If a manager is aware that a certain decision will win him a match but goes out of his way say, because of a certain prejudice to make an irrational decision then safe to say the manager is unprofessional.

This summarises Klopp yesterday. The only way I can rationalise his handling of the Studge is that he hates him. It starts off with playing him for 60 mins then letting him sit out and then having a Brendan Rodgers moment with the media when questioned about Sturridge. Why shouldn’t the media focus on a match winner? You expect them to focus on Mignolet who had no influence in the game. I am surprised no one called him out on this really.

If I was Daniel Sturridge, I would ask to leave. Yesterday was the height of the insult. A rusty striker preferred to an in-form striker.

It is harder to take having waited for Sturridge to return to fitness. Yes admittedly he does not press and is selfish but he bangs in the goals which is all that should matter especially in a game where Villarreal looked vulnerable.
George, LFC, Barcelona

 

On Liverpool and punditry
It’s regularly observed on websites such as yours that Liverpool fans can display delusion, but I’ve noticed when following coverage of their games on TV, notably BT Sport, when they have ex-players doing the punditry, they have this misguided expectation that Liverpool will sweep all before them. Don’t get me wrong, the Klopp factor certainly means they should be taken more seriously nowadays, but listening to ‘Macca’ and an extra-small version of Michael Owen talk pre-, mid- and post-game, you’d have been surprised to realise they weren’t playing a League Two Italian team who’d already signed off the game on their betting slips. Even after they’d lost it was the usual “oh well, I expect them to win comfortably at the mighty Anfield cauldron”. Such as they have so many times this season.

Also, if you haven’t already done one of your people on TV features on Owen Hargreaves, please please do. I can’t help but think how hard it is to work out what accent is being applied to each word in his spoken sentences, and how much he slurs his speech in some strange attempt to speak quickly(?). He also seems amusingly angry about football/life in general.
Dan, London

 

Why does everybody think Anfield is magic?
What a deserved sucker punch that Liverpool received last night. They played horrible, lack of positivity, and deserved to lose.

However, one thing that worries me the most is that this mentality of Liverpool players, fans, and Jurgen Klopp seem to have. They think that they can finish the business by simply expecting the same spectacle against Dortmund in front of The Kop.

To be clear, that second-leg thriller against Dortmund was a joy to behold. Undoubtedly, the fans did their best part to keep the players going and achieved the improbable.

However, you cannot simply rely on supporters to win the match. Supporters can also be counter-productive if you don’t play good football, including fans like The Kop! Let’s not forget that in the end it’s still 11 vs 11 on the pitch, not exactly 45,000 spectators vs 11 away players.

Having said that, Klopp got it wrong in the first leg. I still hope we can pull it to the final in Basel. However, Liverpool need to do something special against this well-drilled Villareal team.

Why do Liverpool want to get it done in the hard way? I’d take boring but professional 0-0 away game and 1-0 home game anyday at this stage. But now, the only thing I hope is that we just get the business done at Anfield.
Vincentius, Cambridge
No love for Simeone
I hate to sound like a gruff old man hating on the new big thing but why the hell is there so much love for Diego Simeone on F365?

Simeone’s team is a disgusting, cheating, violent bunch who are also exceptionally good at defending. There are no depths that they won’t stoop to. They threw an extra ball on the field to stop a counter-attack in a Champions League semi-final! That’s not ‘tactical fouling’ that’s just plain breaking the rules and it’s disgusting.

Mourinho has always gotten stick for ‘dour’ football and playing outside of the rules and yet Simeone is heralded. Madness.
Calum (get off my lawn), MUFC, Bracknell

 

Bayern: The scummiest in all the lads
I’d like everyone to turn their attention towards Germany and the Bundesliga a moment where Bayern have, for the third time in almost as many years, prized away their one of closest rivals’ star men with the usual one year left on his contract so what are you going to do about it blackballing method. Yeah but that’s life, some of you might be thinking. Well. Hummels is the captain of a very good Dortmund side who, seemingly like every year, are the victims of their own success, with a succession of good performances an opportunity for all of Europe’s big teams and Stoke to do some easy scouting. The really galling thing is that his announcement was made three weeks ahead of the cup final where Dortmund will be coming up against – yep, that’s right – Bayern Munich. And unlike Gotze, we’re talking about a seasoned veteran who, whatever of his childhood links to Munich, has played with BVB for a number of years, and has come to embody the spirit of the club both under Klopp and his successor.

Now I’m a Manchester United fan so am more than understanding of anyone who may disagree, but given our new status as the people’s comedy club (500m fans don’t lie), I’m going to suggest that Munich are now the undisputed scummiest big club in Europe. Yes there’s your PSGs, your Chelseas and the Spanish duopoly all of whom are pretty adept scummers on their day, but the classless way Bayern psychologically manipulate their rivals ahead of big games is something else. Why do it? Because they can, is the only reason I can think of. It’s a shame as I’ve been to a few games in Germany and it really is a good laugh. At the same time you can’t but help wonder just how much Bayern singularly manipulate the league to their will, and hamstring the capacity of other clubs to really kick on.

If Bayern do go out to Atletico, you also have to ask just what it is Pep has truly achieved in his three years there. I’m not understating his achievements, but, if you excuse me going off down a tangent for a moment, he really is facing the biggest challenge of his career. The Premiership now really is a bear pit. Illustrious clubs like ourselves – even £250m later – can’t expect a thing, the champions can self-combust in a big ball of clusterf*ck, relegation battlers can turn up 12 months later as league winners, and there is every chance some billionaire will pitch up and transform the fortunes of no-hopers (you mark my words – West Ham are about to do a Citeh). Bayern on the other hand have sustained their success through skulduggery and daylight robbery. They are the Bundesliga, and always have been. I’m starting to wonder what the better league model is after all.
Michael (MUFC)

 

Are Leicester fans losing touch with reality?
Some Leicester fans seem to be getting a bit of a big head aren’t they. Fair enough, their team has earned them the right for some time I guess.

But to answer the question of Kelly about why Kante or Mahrez would want to leave, I would say that it’s because one successful season doesn’t make you one of England’s top clubs let alone Europe’s. Kante and Mahrez will leave if clubs, who they feel offer a better chance of long-term success (both monetary and trophy wise) come calling. It’s the same reason that if a top player, say Marco Reus for example, would move to England next season, he would be more likely go to Chelsea even with no Champions League than to Leicester even if both the clubs offer the same money.

Because while we may consider footballers to be a little dense, even they would consider the long-term prospects of their potential clubs rather than just last year’s performance. And long-term prospects are a combination of the last few years (5-6 years not just the last) performance, financial stability, stature of current players of managers, reputation worldwide etc. And in all these criteria Leicester lag behind the other clubs of England let alone Europe considerably.

Sure your owners might be rich but if you think that’s enough to entice top players (and I am not even talking elite here) then just ask your friendly neighborhood Liverpool fans. And just because you have generated interest, doesn’t mean you suddenly will have a huge worldwide fan base that can be counted on for sustained income streams. Fanbase generation also takes long-term success. City and Chelsea are still behind Liverpool as far as worldwide fans goes for christ’s sake. You think in one season you can even come close to clubs who have been commercially way ahead of you for the past 2 decades.

Reality is that top players will still come to City, United, Chelsea and Arsenal with Spurs and Pool fighting over other good players not in demand by the bigger clubs (and thats just in England, Spanish,Italian, German clubs would also be competing) . Your transfer team will have to be really persuasive to convince players to join over the latter two however much money you may have. Its kind of a vicious cycle really, which is why the top clubs remain at the top generally barring a few seasons (sad and unfair that maybe). And just like it takes sustained success to really attract the top players, it takes sustained failure to make them disinterested. Thats why DiMaria still came to United last season, and why Chelsea will attract players this season. An exception could be City but they threw absolutely ridiculous amounts of money to break the status quo and I am not sure if Leicester’s owners are going to be able to do that.

Of course this doesn’t mean next season is doomed for failure, Leicester can and will still buy lesser know players from relatively smaller clubs with potential like they did this season, and go on to challenge. They would probably be more attractive than the likes of Everton, Southampton etc. But don’t kid yourself, if Real, Barca, Bayern or even City, Atletico or United come calling, Kante and Mahrez will leave. And it will be incredibly difficult to persuade top players to come before you prove you can sustain the success of this season.

Also, enjoy the title right now, it’s been an incredible season!
Apoorv (MUFC, New Delhi)

 

…It’s true that Leicester could probably improve the contracts of all their players with the extra income, and that they will be playing in the Champions League. However, I think it’s a bit foolish to suggest that the pull of playing for an established European club (let’s say Barcelona or Bayern, although not sure either of those would necessarily be looking at Mahrez/Kante) wouldn’t be significant.

– Leicester will be able to offer big contracts, but prudence around where they are likely to finish next season would dictate that they wouldn’t offer the mega money that can be found elsewhere.

– Playing for an established superclub will increase endorsements/player image earnings, which Leicester, despite their incredible on field success, could not match.

– Top players want to compete every year, and there are likely to be some doubts as to whether Leicester can do this (obviously this is just speculation, personally I lean towards the side that Leicester will be competitive again next year).

– The prestige of playing for a European giant cannot be found at Leicester (although maybe this is counterbalanced by the joy of being part of such an incredible story?) – City had to pay elite level wages/fees to less than stellar players for a couple of seasons to get them moving in the right direction because, despite having a bottomless pit of cash, players didn’t want to play for them just yet. Leicester might find that despite being able to offer more money, players desire to leave and play in a massive stadium at a club steeped in history more successful than Leicester’s etc.

This isn’t to say that these players won’t decide to leave because there are some legitimate reasons to stay, and personally I think it would be great if they did, but don’t pretend there aren’t valid reasons to leave as well. While we’re at it though, listen to Michael, Basel and let Leicester enjoy their moment, they thoroughly deserve it.
Jack (As long as they lose this weekend!) Manchester

 

…What has happened to football in the past year? Because it seems that, contrary to the evidence of the past 423,521 years, footballers are now loyal pros who want nothing more than to settle down at a club they have no real association with, for ever and ever. Poch won’t move, Kante won’t move, Vardy won’t move, Mahrez won’t move, in fact it seems no one is going to move. Ignoring that fact that Poch did move, Kante did move, Vardy did move and Mahrez did move, why do people think that things are different now?

Over the years, players who decided to stay when offered more money, more prestige, more opportunities are a rare breed. Matt Le Tissier? Alan Shearer choosing Newcastle United over the Manchester variety? There were the Juve players who followed the team down. But in reality, the vast majority move on. Many of those who stick with clubs who get relegated do so because they wouldn’t get paid anywhere near the same anywhere else.

Some players stay at clubs for decades, but they are usualy successful clubs already. Steven Gerrard may not have a league title to his name, but he still racked up seven meaningful titles at Liverpool. Maybe the Leicester players will stay – perhaps for a year of CL footy and to see if they can replicate things. But if they can’t repeat the once-in-a-generation trick they have pulled off this year, the players will go. If they are given the chance to move to a bigger CL club this year, I think some of them will move this summer. Because all the evidence suggests they will. Leicester may dig their heels in and make them stay, putting that fabled team spirit in danger, but chances are at some stage in the next year or two the team will be dismantled and they will move on.

Football is a very short career, something you don’t believe in your 20s until you blink and the captain of the team you support is younger than you and you realise that an ‘old’ footballer looks younger than you in a TV studio. Form can turn you from the best young defender in England to that liability John Stones. Injuries can turn you from England’s left back for the next 15 years to someone screaming in agony on the floor with your ankle snapped and hopes, but only hopes, of getting back to where you were.

Which is why footballers have, are and probably will be people who move on when they can to what they perceive as better opportunities, better pay and better pay. Sometimes with better pay. And the money cannot be ignored. Why would someone bother moving for only £10k a week extra when they could stay at the club they joined all of two years ago? Because that is £520,000 a year. Kelly from this morning begs to differ, seemingly based on nothing and certainly not based on the actual evidence.

I hope that the new-found belief in the loyalty of footballers is well placed. It would benefit pretty much everyone in the game, apart from the players and agents, which is why I suspect it won’t change. It would be good to see Leicester stick together and give it a go next season and I hope that as the transfer window is closed with the traditional slamming in about four months time I can be proved wrong. But I doubt I will be.
Andreas Hunter, St Albans

 

They haven’t won the title yet…
I find assumptions really bloody annoying.

Everyone is pretty much handing Leicester the Premier League title already with three games left to play. Yes they only require three points so all they have to do is not lose. But for people like Kelly in this morning’s mailbox to say things like ‘Leicester will win the title this season, no doubt about that’.

Yes there is doubt. Plenty of doubt. They have to go Manchester United (who are chasing table position, Champions League football and inter city rivalry) this weekend. They then have two more matches to play against teams that may or may not roll over and have their belly tickled to suit the narrative.

The point is, in sports you can take nothing for granted. I play sports at a competitive national level and I absolutely cannot stand it when team mates or opponents assume that all they need to do is turn up and they’ll get the win. I’m a Spurs fan and I’ve already written in before to say that coming behind this Leicester team is not a bad thing and we’ve had a hell of a season. But wait for the title to be secured before we break out the bunting at least.

Anyway, I have a game this weekend so I must prepare. Happy Friday all!
Ethan, (American Football if you must know. Solent Thrashers vs Hertfordshire Cheetahs this weekend), Portsmouth