As the snow falls down in England and matches are delayed off and on, the English Premier League has invited a precarious situation upon itself. Not because of the matches but because of the way that the league has shaped up thus far. No one expected Manchester
United to be at the top of the English League table at Christmas due to their abysmal start to the season.
Not only that, with the start that Chelsea had to the season in which they lit the league alight with a dozen or so goals in their two matches against the likes of Wigan and West Bromwich Albion, the Blues were favourites to retain their English Premier
League title.
As the table reflects now, Chelsea are fourth in the league. Injuries have hurt the Champions as much as anything as they were devoid of the services provided by http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Frank-Lampard-c14097 for an extended period of the season from October to the end of
November. One of the most important encounters of the English Premier League takes place on 27 December, between Arsenal and Chelsea.
The tie is sure to be a make or break one for both the teams. After Arsenal failed to impress in their last match in the Premier League against Manchester United, the pressure is on Wenger’s men to prove their title credentials once again.
However, Squillaci and co. will not be relishing the fact that http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Didier-Drogba-c11044 will line-up against them at the Emirates Stadium on Monday. Ever since the Ivorian target man joined Chelsea, he has had a jolly time whenever his team play against their London
rivals. In total, Drogba has played Arsenal 13 times in the English Premier League and has an average goal count of one goal each against the Gunners.
Arsenal’s defence will be further deterred by the fact that Drogba has scored two goals in his last two appearances for http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Chelsea-c38786 despite the fact that the Ivorian missed a penalty against Tottenham in Chelsea’s last league game.
Arsenal have a serious build up job to do as they try to best their arch rivals, in Gunners’ last 18 games against Manchester United and Chelsea combined, Wenger’s men have lost a total of 14 games. A stat that is as embarrassing as it is humbling for a
team that claims to be challengers for Chelsea’s throne as the best team in http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/England-c749.
As heat builds up at the top of the English Premier League, things are really boiling up at the bottom of the league table as Wigan and West Ham United find themselves battling for survival. West Ham United drew their last league encounter against Blackburn
but it has made clear by the club before the match that Avram Grant had only three games to secure his job at Upton Park. The draw with Blackburn has given Grant some breathing space but the club’s owners are now just looking for excuses to part ways with
the Israeli national who led Chelsea to the 2008 UEFA Champions League final.
West Ham now face Fulham in their next league encounter at the Craven Cottage stadium. Fulham on their home turf are not as effective as last season thus Grant’s men do have a chance to capture all three points against Mark Hughes’s troops.
With the transfer window looming large, Avram Grant will be looking to make his mark on the West Ham squad which has looked mediocre at best in the 2010-11 season.
Fighting for relegation is a tough job, a job that Grant is not accustomed to yet. If the results do not go their way, West Ham might consider the cost-benefit analysis of a situation where losing a manager is far more viable than losing their place in the
English Premier League.
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