Soccer Sunday: Chelsea vs. Arsenal, Tottenham vs. Man United
By Ty Duffy
Arsenal have added Theo Walcott to their stable of young English players who have signed contract extensions. That’s the new selling point. English players. Arsenal’s management let things stew for four months, risked losing the 23-year-old on a free transfer only to sign him to the exact contract he wanted in August. Shrewd.
Arsenal are not desperate yet – they are six points off fourth with a game in hand – though picking up points against the clubs they are trying to catch would help.
This purports to be a list of Arsenal fines for the 2012-13 season. Stay hydrated, gents. Non production of urine for two-straight weeks is a biggie.
Tottenham vs. Man United: Spurs beat United 3-2 at Old Trafford in September, ending their 27-match winless streak there. Beating Man U again at home would give them six points over the Red Devils for the first time since 1990. That may be a tough ask though as Man U have been surging. Sir Alex Ferguson’s team has taken 28 of its last 30 points in the EPL. With a win United can extend their lead at the top back to seven points.
Tottenham gets Scott Parker (and his auburn coif) back from injury, but that coincides with Sandro being out for the season. The Spuds are also down to just one striker, Jermain Defoe, with Emanuelle Adebayor departing for the Africa Cup of Nations. Adebayor was not called up by Togo’s coach for the tournament, though the Federation’s president overruled him on the roster selection. The striker had quit playing internationally after Togo’s bus was attacked in 2010.
Sir Alex believes clubs should clamp down on diving, especially when the best player at a rival club is embroiled in a diving controversy.