Rayvin

CT is going to love that...

Haha you have to love rawk.

One of the Norwich fans I was speaking to said that the 6-2 against us unravelled their season. Apparently they were more about attacking prior to that (and during it) and the experience resulted in a fundamental shift to defensive strength rather than attacking prowess. They were doing better when they were attacking though. And that's that anyway. Norwich get a point. Well played to them but City fucking suck.

I dunno what it is, but I still don't see Leicester as a team of worldbeaters. As has been said, they have one good tactic that no one takes seriously enough, and it's got them into such a good position this season. They also work hard and have a high level of determination. That said, they're still a bunch of players around the same level as Danny Simpson at the end of the day. For me, we'll lose unless it turns out that McClaren was the problem all along. If the squad was in any way culpable (highly likely) then Benitez won't have been able to effect any meaningful change in time to do anything about this.

Hopefully City will be this shit against us...

It's gonna be a draw... City just can't get into the box, there's too many Norwich players in there. Good defending in fairness.

Do City ever do us a favour?

Any idea why? That seems bizarre, they're doing well after all so shouldn't have any of the usual crap causing arguments.

I've been with Spurs for a while. If Leicester win it it's just going to make our utter failure to move on all the more depressing. Would rather the fairy tale doesn't come to pass.

I actually reckon this was driven by Ashley. Charnley never would have gone for this, especially with what they're paying, without Ashley putting the fear into him if we go down. He won't have handpicked Benitez, but he will have made it clear to Charnley that he can't fuck up again.

That interview - apart from being devoid of the usual irritating platitudes and soundbites (I was listening out for the phrase 'ten cup finals' but it never came, mercifully), seemed to highlight that Benitez reckons our issue is a confidence one. He spent quite a bit of time stating that we shouldn't get on the team's back if they make a mistake, or if he does, etc. I think he'll actually get a lot more slack than he thinks he will with the fans, I suspect that most will be genuinely behind this appointment. I guess the main message then is about the players... I think at the same time though, that has to come from them. Benitez's arrival gives them a prime opportunity to shake off all the negativity, as everyone will be behind the team again to start with - but if people like Sissoko continue to be ineffectual and lazy, I wonder if that negativity is going to come back in. Personally, I'm content that the club has now done everything it can (while not excusing the horrendous mistakes made to get us to this point which should be reviewed at the end of the season) to turn this around as of this moment, so there seems little point in any negativity now.

Not like you to be negative, troops.

This is either a turning point for the club or a cruel 'what might have been' style kick in the nuts. Knowing this club...

I love how excited CT is about this

Yeah that's a fair statement. A dignified response. Doesn't make me think he's a decent manager but at least it's ended with a modicum of professionalism on his side, which has been lacking on ours.

Absolutely fantastic. I'm going to disregard all misgivings and just get behind him until the season end. This should get the fans on side, the team motivated, and the game plan in place. I guess even a stopped clock like charnley is right occasionally.

Fucking finally.

dear me...

He had Suarez though... I'm not sure how much we can look into that performance as being indicative of his overall quality as a manager. I guess you could argue that all top teams have good players though.

tbf, if not for the craic on here I woulda chucked the towel in with this club ages ago. It's the gallows humour and shared suffering that keeps me hooked.

Do you reckon this is all simply because Charnley can't make up his mind? I'm really starting to hate the guy. He's paid a lot more than all (most?) of us and yet seems utterly incapable of making a meaningful decision. I would have made a decision by now, I know that. He's opened the door for constructive dismissal, morale falling, even potential sabotage in terms of what McClarens got the players doing in training with this shit show going on in the background. It's crazy. He's acting like a junior manager.

... So we're having McClaren train them for a game he won't be overseeing. Genius.

Charnley man. Fucking Charnley. If he fucks this up now...

As usual, no one has a fucking clue what's going on. And I fully include Charnley in that.