One more week gone and the situation at the top is no more clear. Perhaps ill start at the bottom then… Bob Bradley’s Swansea (that still sounds weird to say) collected their first points since the American took charge. They were helped out a bit by Lukaku not being able to use his testicles to steer in a fast cross in the first half and then helped out again by Jagielka’s career going down the shitter. He gave away his third penalty of the season and looks about as clumsy as a giraffe on roller skates.

A clash of bottom table giants ended in an emphatic Sunderland win. It was about as chippy and rough as you’d expect. Both these clubs eye each other in the schedule when they look at when they’ll get their points for the season and Sunderland dominated in a 3-0 victory.

Strange old time for Leicester City, isn’t it? You rise from the ashes to win the Premier League one year and the next you’re slain by the King Arthur’s sword that is Watford. Truthfully Leicester never really looked in this one. Nowadays, they turn their noses up to the likes of Watford like an ex-girlfriend and prefer to flirt with their new hubby the Champions League.

Of course we started out the weekend with two sides who looked to get points for very different reasons. Manchester look to keep getting points to avoid Mourinho’s sacking at the moment and Arsenal look to keep pace at the top. But it was United who took the lead through a Juan Mata goal that it looked like Arsenal couldn’t be bothered defending. Arsenal sees your title winning projections and raises you indifference in big games. They do sit near the top however and they showed exactly why they’re in striking distance. The North Londoners have very conflicted feelings towards the French and unfairly maligned substitute Olivier Giroud added to their Frankish conundrum. Arsenal are always criticized when they don’t win but I see this as a very good point as Arsenal tends to clean up the bottom half of the table anyways; they’ll get their points in places other teams overlook.

Title Race. A term some fans fear (Liverpool) and others look forward to (Chelsea). In that sense all is right in the table after week 12. Liverpool never want to be favourites and they showed why this week. They missed opportunity after opportunity as Southampton parked a Mourinho sized bus in front of their goal. It was a game that had a Sturridge sized hole in it and his appearance wasn’t until late. In fairness the game should’ve been wrapped up by then as Liverpool had many clear cut chances to tap it through the pressurized bus doors. Liverpool will see this a chance to remain second and pick up their points without title pressure. They also fulfill their habit of being able to score a lot or keep a clean sheet. However the scientific laws of the universe dictate that both cannot occur at once. Oh well. Chelsea took command of the table with 1-0 win over Middlesbrough. The scoreline looks kind to Middlesbrough as Chelsea looked dominate and hit the post while missing their share of chances. Even when things don’t completely go their way this Chelsea team seems to get their points. That combined with the talent they’ve acquired on the team are why Chelsea will be favourites throughout the season.

Week 11

  Week 11 and an extraordinary run of draws (oxymoron?) saw Liverpool finish top of the league table. Both Man City and Arsenal had chances to go top but both were held. Lets start at the Etihad where a less than convincing Citeh took the lead through the only piece of brilliance in the match through Kevin De Bruyne. It was a goal as precisely timed as Luke’s deft blow to the Deathstar with De Bruyne the set up man and Aguero timing his run perfectly. The team that beat Barcelona this week left it all late though as Middlesbrough earned a late equalizer in stoppage time. This cemented Middlesbrough’s status as better than Barcelona, perhaps now known as Middleslona.

Burnley! Is it possible to not love this team? They continue to confound with their play and their seemingly computer generated crest. If you like slick possession football and talent abound then maybe Burnley FC aren’t for you. This week we saw them beat Crystal Palace on not one, not two, but three counter attack goals! It like you’re a kid and a friendly man on the corner is selling candy out of his van, you’re lured in. And then, BOOM! Just as you’re the victim of a strange man’s carnal delights Burnley have taken it all the way back and it’s in the back of the net.

Poor, poor Everton. The first two goals they conceded could have easily been disallowed as a man offsides was impeding the goalie’s line of sight. But the three that followed they will shoulder the blame for. For the man that was born looking like a 40 year old, Diego Costa’s goal scoring continues to tick higher to 9, leading the league. The only thing that stops this dynamic Chelsea team’s lead of the lead is a poor Watford.

Liverpool leap top of the table with an emphatic crushing of Watford at home. For this team challenging for the title is the easy part. Keeping a clean sheet however has proven much more elusive. It appears the American owners are displaying a true American spirit in their ‘attack fist’ mentality.

Speaking of Americans, Bob Bradley has done little in his short tenure to stop the Swansea bleeding. Struggling United swept aside Swansea as Ibrahimovic and Pogba got on the score sheet. At this point any result is good for the Welsh side as it would provide them something to build on. I wouldn’t bet on it though.