Premier League Round 17: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

Leicester City are on top of the Premier League for another week, but Arsenal are hot on their tails after beating Manchester City 2-1.

Can the Foxes shatter the norm and become the first club not named Manchester United, Manchester City, Chelsea or Arsenal to win the Premier League since 1995?

This guy thinks they can.

The Good

History favors … the Foxes?

Leicester City’s 3-2 victory away to Everton meant The Foxes would top the table on Christmas. What’s so important about topping the table on Christmas?

Five of the previous six sides to hold the lead at Christmas have gone on to win the Premier League. Claudio Ranieri’s side are on top of the table by two points over Arsenal.

Not only are they first place, but The Foxes are playing their best football right now. Since losing 5-2 at home to Arsenal on 26 September, Leicester City have won eight and drawn two in the Premier League.

They have outscored their opponents 22-10 during that span.

Leicester City are a legitimate threat to not just make the top four, but to win the Premier League.

On the other end of the spectrum, the outlook does not look so hot for title favorites Manchester City. Their 2-1 defeat away to Arsenal was their fifth league loss of the season.

No team has lost five games before Christmas and gone on to win the Premier League. The way to spin that positively is that the Premier League as a whole is changing dramatically. The influx of television money is making a big difference in the caliber of player middle and bottom tier clubs are signing these days.

There are no easy matches in the Premier League anymore. The fact that Manchester City can have five losses before Christmas and still be third, just six points behind the leaders, is a testament to that. Crystal Palace have lost six matches and are tied for fourth.

Times are changing in the Premier League and it is more competitive than ever. That is a good thing.

Continuing on the theme of parity

A few times during this season I have chronicled the struggles of home sides during particular weeks and I have usually mentioned it as something bad, but maybe it isn’t?

When home sides struggle during a particular week, it could be looked at as a further sign of the growing depth of the Premier League.

In a lot of cases, the home side can no longer be penciled in as favorites simply because they are playing at home. During the round of games on 19 December, the home sides went 1-1-5. They were outscored 13-9.

The biggest shock, obviously, was Manchester United’s 2-1 home loss to Norwich City. That match, perhaps, is the best example of the growing parity in the league.

Leicester City’s only loss is at home. Manchester United have lost just one home game, but it was to Norwich City, who were sitting in the bottom three.

Arsenal were stunned on opening day at home by West Ham. Liverpool have lost to Crystal Palace and West Ham at home too.

Stamford Bridge used to be the fortress of the Premier League, but the Blues have lost four home games already! The four teams that beat them? Crystal Palace, Southampton, Liverpool and Bournemouth.

What does all of this mean? It means that every match is worth watching, no matter who is playing and where the game is played.

You never know what is going to happen on a week-to-week basis in the Premier League and that is part of the reason as to why it is so exciting.

Next: The Bad