In which we catch you up on the weekend in Barclays Premier League action across the pond.
Hey, that Arsenal-Tottenham game was pretty good, but you didn’t mention they could tie!
Of course they can tie! Unfortunately for both, while the game itself was pretty even in chances and a 1-1 draw was probably the fairest result, both teams have to be feeling disappointed they couldn’t get more. With Manchester City struggling to a 0-0 draw against Aston Villa (that’s currently-in-last-place Aston Villa, in case you thought I must mean somebody else), this was a golden chance for either team to steal three points and get clear at the top of the table.
Arsenal are racked with injuries, so while their ability to come back from a goal down to scratch out a point will look better in the morning light, they still had their first-choice striker in Olivier Giroud, who missed a couple clear sitters. As for Spurs, they’ll rue the fact that this was likely their best chance to earn a second away win at Arsenal in more than 20 years. With a weakened opponent and an early lead, they know they should have done better.
Like I said, likely a fair result, but not one either team is particularly happy about.
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How in the world did Villa hold Manchester City scoreless?!
By the grace of American goalkeeper Brad Guzan’s face, that’s how!
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What else?
Kudos on a job well done by Remi Garde, the new manager at Aston Villa. It’s a tough assignment when you’re hired to right a sinking ship and your first opponent is Moby Dick, but somehow Garde made the right changes to the lineup to save a point against the best team in the league and maybe, just maybe, save this tortured metaphor.
Leicester City beat Watford 2-1, keeping them in third place in the table, which means skeptical bloggers like myself will have to actually consider the fact that they’re Champions League material sooner rather than later.
Is Mourinho gone?
Yes! But as far as what you mean, no. Chelsea lost 1-0 to Stoke this weekend, their third league loss in a row, but technically, you could say this one ain’t Mourinho’s fault, because he was banned from the stadium for one game after challenging the referees in their changing room the week before. But yeah, it’s still totally on him, and the pressure grows for a change.
Who earned their meat-pie(s) this weekend?
Leicester City’s Jamie Vardy! Yes, he only scored one goal, and yes, it was a penalty kick, but he was a menace all over the pitch in their win against Watford, but it was his ninth game in a row scoring a goal. He’s a big reason they look for real this season.
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But I presume there were better goals than spot kicks this weekend, yes?
Right here!
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Excellent. What’s up next?
It’s another FIFA fixture date! That means, again, that national teams have games going on next weekend, so clubs are forced to release their players and the leagues take a weekend off. If you’re a red-blooded American, that means you’ll want to catch the U.S. Men’s National Team play St. Vincent and the Grenadines on Friday at 6:30 EST on ESPN2. It’s technically the very first game of World Cup 2018 qualifying for the U.S.! (Yes, it starts this early.) Just don’t plan to take a shot or finish your drink for every U.S. goal, as the U.S. can sometimes put six or more away on these tiny little Caribbean nations. Goals ahoy!
