I Can See England Waving - Premier League Round 12 Preview: Stuck In Seven Sisters
The last international break of the year is over. Domestic play is locked in for the next four months. Now it's down to business.
That's two Wolf Alice references in one headline. And they tell me I'm not skilled. Anyway, to me, my X-men...
Game Of The Weekend: Arsenal vs. Spurs (Sunday, 11:30am ET)
Considering all the hysteria that usually accompanies Tottenham, it might be hard to realize that this is actually 1st vs 5th. Spurs have been a different thing away from home, where they've won four of five and drew the other. That includes a win at City and a comprehensive win at Everton, which no one else has managed. Slightly different beast traipsing across the neighborhood over to the Emirates, however. Tottenham are more built to sit and counter, which might help explain the away record. But Arsenal are specifically built to not be countered against, despite whatever Sunderland were able to muscle their way into last time around. It'll be noisy but has every chance of being a tough watch, given what each team does. Spurs are extremely banged up, which will only hamstring their already puttering attack even more. Even Mohammed Kudus, who is not equipped to carry a team's attack, is doubtful for this one.
The rest of the slate...
Burnley vs. Chelsea (Saturday, 7:30am)
Much like Spurs, despite most of the stories being about what Chelsea can't do and what they aren't and what they should be, a win here vaults them into second for at least a few hours. They are kind of the definition of "They don't ask how." Except when a club spends as much money as Chelsea has, they're always asking how.
Bournemouth vs. West Ham (Saturday, 10am)
Well, that was a fun Bournemouth story there for a minute. Now they're just a team that's gotten punked two games in a row that has a negative goal-difference and a negative expected goal-difference that's also pushing out there that they'd very much like to sell their best attacker this season in January. West Ham are apparently undergoing a revival because they beat Newcastle while they were performing an avant-garde dance interpretation of Plague Era England, and then Burnley, both at home. If Bournemouth can't get right here...
Brighton vs. Brentford (Saturday, 10am)
The analytic darlings that should probably be higher than they are in the table, both suffering some bad luck in the finishing against them (each have a higher goals allowed than their expected goals allowed). Or their keepers stink, either or. Something of a Nerd Bowl.
Fulham vs. Sunderland (Saturday, 10am)
How far are Fulham from a full-blown crisis? They're only a point above the relegation spots, their attack has gone completely flaccid, and everyone kind of looks like they'd rather be somewhere else. Their only win in the past two months is over Wolves. But hey, their owner not paying attention to what's going on at Craven Cottage is what makes AEW great, so...
Liverpool vs. Nottingham Forest (Saturday, 10am)
The last thing a Liverpool team that's had trouble figuring out a consistent attack and hasn't dealt with direct counters/long balls that's coming out of an international break with injury problems (Bradley and Wirtz are out) is a date with a Sean Dyche team. Your plans, God laughs, hootcha hootcha hootcha, lobster.
Wolves vs. Crystal Palace (Saturday, 10am)
Wolves trot out their new manager in Rob Edwards, who must've gotten some promises on how he'll get to remake the squad in the Championship next season. After he might watch the team he just left, Middlesbrough zoom past them back into the Premier League (they're 2nd in the Championship currently). It's an odd sport.
Newcastle vs. Manchester City (Saturday, 12:30pm)
The same question asked about Fulham can probably be asked about Newcastle, as they're only one point better off and went into the international break off the back of two horrible losses to West Ham and Brentford. Liverpool, Arsenal, and Barcelona have all won at St. James's Park this season, though none of them did so all that easily. City are certainly feeling it at the moment, and Jeremy Doku running at Kieran Trippier all evening should get a very adult rating slapped on it for viewing purposes.
Leeds vs. Aston Villa (Sunday, 9am)
Leeds's upcoming schedule: Villa, City, Chelsea, Liverpool, Brentford, Palace, Sunderland, Liverpool, Manchester United, Newcastle.
Manchester United vs. Everton (Monday, 3pm)
Everton's only away win so far this season is at Wolves. If United are frauds, and they very well might not be and I don't like it any more than you do, this probably isn't the side to find them out.