EPL 2016/17 - Game Week 11

Three teams now at the top torn their opponents apart last week. Sunderland 1 Arsenal 4, WBA 0 Manchester City 4, Crystal Palace 2 Liverpool 4. Wait, one more but with less goals - Southampton 0 Chelsea 2. All highly impressive. Chelsea has finally settled, steady and clinical. Arsenal made it seemed easy late on, City were ruthless. Liverpool - ah simply breathtaking! Despite the usual silly blunders at the back. Tottenham are drawing too many games five out of ten. Are they missing Harry Kane even if he were not scoring as often. Leicester, crowned Champions last season are struggling a bit and just finding their feet but broke a Champion League defensive record in their first attempt by going the first four matches without conceding a goal! Then we have Manchester United - I saw a posting with typical British humour of a picture of a red lamp with the Manchester United emblem sitting in the middle of a table with a caption: Get a Manchester United lamp, it looks nice in the middle of the table. Ouch! 

Bournemouth v Sunderland - The Cherries on such a good run, surprisingly surrendered meekly at Middelsborough. A rare occurrence indeed. That is the beauty of soccer and the EPL. Hosting the Black Cats who have lost their last four matches, it will not be a stroll as Sunderland can be tough just not confident or lacking in motivation. In their last eight meetings, Bournemouth won just once with 3 draws and 4 losses. The best would be a draw but Bournemouth should win this one. 2-0.

Burnley v Crystal Palace - Like the above, Burnley have won just once against Palace in six meetings (D2 L3). Palace are on three straight losses before this visit to Turf Moor. The two goals they scored against Liverpool were gifted while the host are on form having beaten Everton 2-1 and holding Manchester United 0-0 at Old Trafford. Those are very good results and they should not fear Palace who are on the same eleven points. This match would be tight and Palace could get a point but I'll pick Burnley to win. 2-1.

Manchester City v Middlesborough - Middlesborough started well, declined badly and now have picked up the pieces. 0-0 at Arsenal and 2-0 over Bournemouth were excellent. Problem is they are facing a rampant Manchester City. Last year at the same venue City fell 0-2 to Boro. Never say never as City hosted Barcelona and their energy may be exhausted despite an impressive 3-1 win over them. Though Messi and Barca bossed the away tie, Pep, the master of many Barca triumphs in the past showed who is boss this time with an outstanding team performance where Kevin de Bruyne, Ilkay Gundogan and Sergio Aguero starred. Boro held their own against an equally rampant Arsenal previously and if Victor Valdes put on another strong showing City could be frustrated. From last showing, City should win this but not by 3 or 4 goals. I would say a win at 2-0.

West Ham v Stoke City - The Hammers overcame their early season setback with three straight wins including a 2-1 cup win over Chelsea. Stoke City were looking equally bad but have since turned the corner impressive displays. After holding Manchester United at Old Trafford, they recorded three wins in a row, 2-0, 2-0 and 3-1 while West Ham lost last week to Everton 0-2. West ham have also more often than not found Stoke not to be their flavour. Shaqiri starred for Stoke the previous week and is key but Payet could turn on the magic anytime for West Ham. Draw. 2-2.

Chelsea v Everton - 21, that is the number of unbeaten home games Chelsea could boast against Everton. This is Everton's longest without a win away from Goodison Park. EVerton have been solid this season under Ronald Koeman but Chelsea have found their feet. They are resolute resembling the old Chelsea under Mourinho but yet at the same time more liberated and clinical under Conte now. Diego Costa is leading the scoring chart and Eden Hazard has a new found zest. Everton are capable of containing them and have in Lukaku a fine striker in good form. That is why why even Manchester City could not beat them at the Etihad. Chelsea may be a bit too strong. 2-1.

Arsenal v Tottenham - The Gunners are on song and just back from Europe with another win this time away to Ludogorets (3-2) with Ozil scoring an outstanding goal! He was played through, controlled the ball with one touch, got near as the keeper rushed out, flicked the ball over the onrushing goalie, dummied a shot that fooled a sliding defender, and in one fell swoop, send another defender onto his backside and strolled the ball into a yawning net. Bravo! The last time I saw something like that was when our very own Dollah Kassim did that to Pahang with several defenders on their backside. Such an exquisite moment. But Arsenal are win-less in the last four North London Derby (D3L1). This is also Pochettino's record as well but no Spurs manager has stretched beyond four undefeated. 

Still the only team that remains undefeated in the EPL, Tottenham has drawn too many games as well. More worrying is that they have now not won in six matches in all competition and have just lost their European home tie against Bayer Leverkusen. I think they have been missing the presence of Harry Kane. You see, even when Kane was not scoring, he was a constant threat to their opponents with his sheer presence but with their high pressing style they would not be easily beaten. However, the Gunners have been irresistible of late and in the last two matches Oliver Giroud was magnifigue! Historically this tie was often very close. A draw can be quite likely but Arsenal have been just way too good. This could be Spurs first defeat to spur them as a tonic but Arsenal have to be careful as they seemed to be cursed in November for umpteen years. They just usually crumble at this time. 2-1.

Watch this amazing goal from magician Ozil:
http://www.90min.com/posts/4043078-video-mesut-ozil-destroys-goalkeeper-and-two-defenders-with-outrageous-skill-to-put-arsenal-3-2-up

Hull v Southampton - The Tigers have lost their last five league matches while the Saints have been doing really well until they met defeat at home by Chelsea last week. Hull have lost all their last five meetings with Southampton who are their greatest nemesis. Hull are fighting for survival as early as now and will try to make things difficult but Southampton will build up patiently for the odd goal or more to win. They have just beaten Inter Milan so Hull is not problem. 0-2.

Liverpool v Watford - The Reds are the most exciting team in the EPL. They are back to the time where from everywhere they could score. Their defenders have notched in seven goals the same number as Manchester United's strike force. When attacking they are irresistible but their defence can leave you dumbfounded. You wonder how Dejan Lovren could make that kind of mistake at this level, went to score a goal and then made another to allow another headed goal conceded. Meanwhile, Moreno as usual was good going forward but a liability in defence. To be champions, this needed to be fixed as while your attack could bail you out, you should not count on that all the time. 

As a home game, Liverpool must make full use of Anfield. The Hornet do not like visiting Anfield, worse do not like playing Liverpool. In this tie they do not do draw as out of 18 times there was only one draw. In their last five fact-to-face, Liverpool won four and Watford once. Liverpool are on 23 points level with both City and Arsenal. They are joint top scorers as City at 24 goals but third on goal difference. This is a chance to keep pace with City and go one over the Gunners or in case of surprises to go top and their defence had better not surprise themselves. 3-1.

Swansea v Manchester United - The Swans are in relegation form and zone. The Red Devils by their high profile are in equally discomfort zone - 8th. At this point previously, David Moyes and Louis van Gaal teams were doing better. It is interesting to note that Swansea are United's bogey team. The last four times they have met in the league, Swansea won three and United one. Their last two visits to Swansea were 1-2 losses. This tie have often been close. United have been thrashed 4-0 by Chelsea followed by a home 0-0 draw with Burnley. Worse, they have just their Europa tie against Fenerbahce. Some fans are baying for Mourinho's blood. On paper, they still look much better than Swansea but are low on confidence. Will Mourinho face more slack? Pity him soon if he does not get a result here. Draw. 1-1.

Look at this winder goal from Moussa Sow and a hapless de Gea:
http://www.90min.com/posts/4053469-video-football-fans-rejoice-as-fenerbahce-score-stunning-overhead-kick-against-hapless-man-utd?a_aid=35370

Leicester City v WBA - Bad new for the Foxes as they have not won any of the last six homes games against the Baggies. The tables have turned only in 2015 when Leicester won 3-2 both times at the Hawthorns. WBA lost their last two matches but to fine opposition 1-2 to Liverpool away and 0-4 at home to Man City. While Leicester have not been themselves of last season, lately they have a revival. They have not lost in four matches and started winning and just created a Champions League defensive record of not conceding a goal in the first four matches. All they need to do is to translate their focus and form here in the league. 2-1.