The margins for error are so small, we cant drop any points either. Just saying..
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The run in....
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Agree. I think I am right in saying that if LCFC lose tomorrow, then it is in our gift to take the title race to the last day of the season (by winning all our games).
However, if they win tomorrow and we lose on Monday they need just two points from their last three games, and we are powerless.
I think that is why Ranieri stepped up the rhetoric in his press conference.
not inevitable. If they think the appeal is completely without merit, or flippant, then you can get an increase.
Poch bans us from the PFA dindins on Sunday. Good.
Tottenham squad banned from PFA dinner and told to focus on West Brom
• Pochettino tells players to stay at home before Monday night game
• Spurs duo Kane and Alli could miss collecting prestigious PFA awards
Tottenham duo Dele Alli, right, and Harry Kane are nominated for the PFA’s major awards but will not be attending Sunday night’s dinner. Photograph: Nigel French/PA
David Hytner
@DaveHytner
Friday 22 April 2016 17.51 BSTLast modified on Saturday 23 April 2016 00.55 BST
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Mauricio Pochettino has banned his Tottenham Hotspur players from attending the Professional Footballers’ Association awards dinner on Sunday night, as he refuses to contemplate any distraction for them before their vital home game against West Bromwich Albion 24 hours later.
Harry Kane has been nominated for the union’s player of the year trophy, Dele Alli is on the shortlist for the young player award and four Tottenham players are in the PFA’s team of the season – Kane, Alli, Toby Alderweireld and Danny Rose.
The dinner will be held at London’s Grosvenor House hotel but Pochettino’s thoughts are fixed on Monday night’s West Brom game, in which Tottenham will attempt to increase the pressure on Leicester City. They sit five points behind the Premier League leaders with four matches to play. Leicester face Swansea City at home on Sunday afternoon.
Pochettino was asked where his players would be on Sunday night, when the dinner was taking place. “At home. At home. At home!” he said. “But this is normal and all people can understand. It’s a shame but we play Monday.
“It’s true that the players would like to go but I think the responsibility when you have a big game for us like West Brom on Monday – you need to stay at home, rest and focus on the game. After the game on Monday, we have time for a party or to congratulate the players – for everything!”
Pochettino is hoping that Leicester drop points against Swansea and when he discussed the impact of the suspension of Jamie Vardy, Leicester’s top scorer, it was possible to wonder whether he was making an attempt at mind games for the first time during the run-in. Vardy is banned after his sending-off in last Sunday’s 2-2 home draw with West Ham United.
“I think that it’s a big impact for Leicester because Vardy is one of the best players in the Premier League,” Pochettino said. “Sure, it’s a big impact for them. I think Leicester have very good players and are in a position that they deserve to be in, nobody gave them nothing for nothing. But he’s one of the best strikers in the Premier League. They will feel that, but I’m sure they have different players that can play the same way.”
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Vardy has also been shortlisted for the PFA’s player of the season award but Pochettino has no doubt that Kane ought to win it. He has 24 league goals to Vardy’s 22 but, in Pochettino’s opinion, a factor which ought to be considered is that this is Kane’s second prolific season in a row.
The view was expressed in some quarters last summer that Kane might struggle to reproduce the form of his breakthrough campaign, in which he scored 21 league goals; that he could prove to be a one-season wonder. But Kane has taken inspiration from the doubters and he has emphatically proved them wrong.
“The Premier League is the most competitive league in the world and for some periods, when you have a player like Harry Kane, people speak and they can doubt whether he can repeat the same season,” Pochettino said. “But Harry Kaneis one of the best strikers in the world and he has proved that it wasn’t only one season.
“We are now in the second season and he’s showed his real quality. We never had any doubts about him. From day one, we knew that he would achieve everything because his mentality, his passion and hunger are fantastic. He has showed fantastic skill and that he’s one of the best in the world.”
Tottenham squad banned from PFA dinner and told to focus on West Brom
• Pochettino tells players to stay at home before Monday night game
• Spurs duo Kane and Alli could miss collecting prestigious PFA awards
Tottenham duo Dele Alli, right, and Harry Kane are nominated for the PFA’s major awards but will not be attending Sunday night’s dinner. Photograph: Nigel French/PA
David Hytner
@DaveHytner
Friday 22 April 2016 17.51 BSTLast modified on Saturday 23 April 2016 00.55 BST
Shares
949
Mauricio Pochettino has banned his Tottenham Hotspur players from attending the Professional Footballers’ Association awards dinner on Sunday night, as he refuses to contemplate any distraction for them before their vital home game against West Bromwich Albion 24 hours later.
Harry Kane has been nominated for the union’s player of the year trophy, Dele Alli is on the shortlist for the young player award and four Tottenham players are in the PFA’s team of the season – Kane, Alli, Toby Alderweireld and Danny Rose.
The dinner will be held at London’s Grosvenor House hotel but Pochettino’s thoughts are fixed on Monday night’s West Brom game, in which Tottenham will attempt to increase the pressure on Leicester City. They sit five points behind the Premier League leaders with four matches to play. Leicester face Swansea City at home on Sunday afternoon.
Pochettino was asked where his players would be on Sunday night, when the dinner was taking place. “At home. At home. At home!” he said. “But this is normal and all people can understand. It’s a shame but we play Monday.
“It’s true that the players would like to go but I think the responsibility when you have a big game for us like West Brom on Monday – you need to stay at home, rest and focus on the game. After the game on Monday, we have time for a party or to congratulate the players – for everything!”
Pochettino is hoping that Leicester drop points against Swansea and when he discussed the impact of the suspension of Jamie Vardy, Leicester’s top scorer, it was possible to wonder whether he was making an attempt at mind games for the first time during the run-in. Vardy is banned after his sending-off in last Sunday’s 2-2 home draw with West Ham United.
“I think that it’s a big impact for Leicester because Vardy is one of the best players in the Premier League,” Pochettino said. “Sure, it’s a big impact for them. I think Leicester have very good players and are in a position that they deserve to be in, nobody gave them nothing for nothing. But he’s one of the best strikers in the Premier League. They will feel that, but I’m sure they have different players that can play the same way.”
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Vardy has also been shortlisted for the PFA’s player of the season award but Pochettino has no doubt that Kane ought to win it. He has 24 league goals to Vardy’s 22 but, in Pochettino’s opinion, a factor which ought to be considered is that this is Kane’s second prolific season in a row.
The view was expressed in some quarters last summer that Kane might struggle to reproduce the form of his breakthrough campaign, in which he scored 21 league goals; that he could prove to be a one-season wonder. But Kane has taken inspiration from the doubters and he has emphatically proved them wrong.
“The Premier League is the most competitive league in the world and for some periods, when you have a player like Harry Kane, people speak and they can doubt whether he can repeat the same season,” Pochettino said. “But Harry Kaneis one of the best strikers in the world and he has proved that it wasn’t only one season.
“We are now in the second season and he’s showed his real quality. We never had any doubts about him. From day one, we knew that he would achieve everything because his mentality, his passion and hunger are fantastic. He has showed fantastic skill and that he’s one of the best in the world.”
I would add that Ranieris reaction appears in contrast to earlier in the season when he purposley didn't refer to them as being in CL/title race, probably to keep the pressure off.
Odd he's changed tack now.
I'm sure this happened with us under Redknapp(or AVB?) a few years ago when we were about 3rd and within touching distance of 1st. After he said we were in the title race we went to absolute shite.
And one final point! I'd like to think Poch not allowing the lads to go to the PFA dinner shows true focus on one match at a time.
(The timing of which if we shared the mentality of some Leicester fans would be a conspiracy to get our players pissed before MNF and gift the title to the fairytale team).
The other thing is the message this gives to Leicester players, and the other teams we'll be facing. They will be at the PFA awards on Sunday, having played their game there is no reason why not (except perhaps shame?) and even WBA players may well be there because Monday's game doesn't mean as much to them as it does us. Leicester players in particular will look round the room and see that not a single Spurs player is there. The only club not showing up. That's because we are different, we are going to win each of our games because they matter to us more than even these awards (which no doubt matter an awful lot to Leicester players who are unlikely to ever have a chance again) and this despite the fact Alli is nailed on to win the Young player award and Kane is in the running for the main award. They have future awards to look forward to. Then we smash WBA on Monday. You can sense the pressure increasing on Leicester.
They should employ you in the dressing room as motivational speaker!
8 of the last 10 Premier League winners, have been the team with the highest GD.
The People that decide on Vardy's punishment will have a very difficult decision. Like the way the media scrutinised the ref's decision against WH, everyone will have an opinion because it could make such a big impact on the title. It is a shame Fergie is not around to put pressure on them to ban him for the MU match. If Leicester drop points tomorrow and Vardy's gets any sort of ban the pressure will be on. However if Leicester win tomorrow which they should and then Vardy's gets off with a warning it will give them confidence everything is going their way again.
Massive decision and could go either way
Massive decision and could go either way
The fact we're even IN a position to win the Title with FOUR games left (whether it's in our hands or not) is beyond my comprehension... and i've been on this planet for a while!
If we 'have to settle' for 2nd... second ...then we can safely say that
and we all know who said that!
I'm sure he'll be very pleased with our progress, wherever he's looking on from!
Yes it does, but technically, this isn't an appeal - he's accepted the charge and he wants a hearing to plead mitigating circumstances. What they could be I have no idea. Sent off for cheating, and then gave the ref a volley.
I don't think there is any way he'll get off scot-free. He had until Thursday to appeal against being cited, and he chose not to do so. That is in effect an admission of guilt.
Joe Clash
makes the case that it's either one, or quite possibly two games that will be added to the one for the red card. He's as guilty as a puppy sitting next to a pile of poo...
Maybe 'Woy' will put in an appearance as a 'character' witness?
He shd have kept out of it but now he's seen to be publicly backing a cheating, racist, pointy chinned little hobbit!
I'm hopeful he'll get a 3 match ban!
Personally I'm already bricking it for the Chavs game although I shouldn't as we're clearly the better side but old habits die hard
:walkercry:
They didn't appeal though, did they? This is supposed to be a hearing, not an appeal. The appeal deadline was Thursday. Not sure what the hearing is supposed to achieve tbh.
Mitigating circumstances I would think.
FIXED!
This 'hearing' business is such a load of shite. Simply a way of having an appeal (of sorts) without the danger of officially appealing and extending the ban. I can't see what he could possibly say to help the situation - in fact, I'd have thought it would have been wise to keep Vardy away from the FA panel at all costs. He's hardly an eloquent gentleman, is he?
Here's how it should go:
FA panelist: Okay Mr. Vardy, before we decide on your punishment, you requested this hearing.
Oh, but before you start, here's the written testimony from the referee documenting your outburst, here is video footage of the incident, and here are images of the incident. What would you like to say on the matter?
*Vardy gathers his belongings and leaves*
Perhaps he just wanted to get some use out of that suit he's previously worn in court. Thrifty.
Here's how it should go:
FA panelist: Okay Mr. Vardy, before we decide on your punishment, you requested this hearing.
Oh, but before you start, here's the written testimony from the referee documenting your outburst, here is video footage of the incident, and here are images of the incident. What would you like to say on the matter?
*Vardy gathers his belongings and leaves*
Perhaps he just wanted to get some use out of that suit he's previously worn in court. Thrifty.
It can only go 1 way surely?
He didn't appeal the card, so that is done. Then if they don't add a game they are saying the way he talked to Moss is OK. He is getting 2 games.
Some one posted earlier saying they felt generally, the mood had changed, in favour of us-i agree.
The FA do not have to make a decision with added pressure form outside. Im hoping they stick with whatever punishment he is entitled to and ask him to leave.