It was a hell of a weekend here at The18. It's almost easy to forget that there was Premier League football what with the orange and blue haze of madness that descended upon the Rocky Mountain region after the Broncos won. Luckily, we didn't get too carried away yesterday. With the help of Ibuprofen, coffee and some much needed water, we compiled this list of the most intriguing events from Premier League Matchday 25.
5. Everybody's favorite fairytale goes from strength to strength.
Photo: @ArsenalFanTV | Twitter
Another week, another Leicester performance that refuses to adhere to the cynics. People have claimed that the bubble is going to burst before pretty much every Leicester match, and every week the Foxes answer with a performance that makes them look even more like champions.
Their performance against Manchester City on Premier League Matchday 25 was far from dominating, with the hosts enjoying the majority of possession and generally looking the more threatening team. Yet, it was Leicester's confidence that really caught the eye.
Against one of the most dangerous teams in the Premier League and away from home, Leicester always looked the more assured, despite not controlling the game at all. They had no doubt that they could soak up the pressure, and they had no doubt that they could score at the other end.
And that's exactly what happened. Robert Huth stole the show at both ends of the pitch, turning in a performance that Paolo Maldini would have been proud of, while Riyad Mahrez played Joe Hart and the Manchester City defense like a FIFA game on easy mode.
Yes, they are title favorites. After their performance on Premier League Matchday 25, it can't be denied. They can win in several different ways, they can win on the road, their team morale is arguably stronger than any other team in the top five leagues, they've fixed their porous defense and they have a much easier run-in compared to their rivals.
Yet, Ranieri has kept their feet firmly on the ground, and has kept their focus on the game that's in front of them, rather than the fantasy that they might achieve. There's still a long way to go, but this might actually happen.
4. Watford need to stick to what they are good at.
Photo: @TalkingTHFC | Twitter
Watford may not be reaching the heights of Leicester, but they are still enjoying a fantastic season. Many pundits had pegged them to be involved in a relegation battle, but after Premier League Matchday 25, the Hornets are sitting pretty in 10th place on 33 points, not too far off from the magic safety benchmark of 40.
Yet, Flores tried to change the 4-4-2 system that has worked so well for them this year by switching to a 4-2-3-1 at Tottenham. In theory it makes sense, in that it matched Spurs' formation to attempt to nullify them. In practice, it was a disaster.
Odion Ighalo was far too isolated, and the midfield trio of Mario Suarez, Ben Watson, and Etienne Capoue did nothing to stem the tide of Tottenham. Yes, the score was only 1-0, but it could have been so much worse, and if it wasn't for Heurelho Gomes, it would have been.
Tottenham out shot Watford 25-3, and had 64% possession as well. To his credit, Flores recognized this and brought Deeney on at half-time, switching to a 4-4-2, but it failed to help.
In Flores' defense, Tottenham were great again on Premier League Matchday 25. It was always going to be very difficult for Watford at White Hart Lane, but Flores effectively tied his hands behind his back by not starting with the system that has worked so well this season. Watford need to play to their strengths, namely, the partnership of Deeney and Ighalo. Every attempt to stray away from this has not worked out.
3. Liverpool continue to throw results away.
Photo: @premierleague | Twitter
Liverpool hosting a struggling Sunderland at Anfield should be a no-brainer. It should be three points in the bag. Yet, on Premier League Matchday 25, Liverpool somehow shot themselves in the foot again.
Granted, they were missing Jurgen Klopp, who was in the hospital with appendicitis, but that is not a good excuse. They are supposed to be chasing for a European place, and yet if they don't stop throwing results away, they're more likely to slide down to the foot of the table, with Stoke, Watford, Crystal Palace, and even Chelsea within reach of leaping over them.
The loss to Sunderland felt like the same old story. Liverpool started slow, with no real penetration, and a real lack of offensive threat. Yet, they showed much more eagerness in the second half, and were two goals up by the 70th minute.
Two-zero up with 20 minutes to go? Should be easy, right? Nope. A silly foul in the 82nd minute allowed Adam Johnson to score from the resulting free kick, which Mignolet might feel he should have done better with. And it got worse in the 89th minute, when Mamadou Sakho allowed Jermain Defoe to turn in the box, and the former Spurs man made no mistake in sinking the equalizer.
It's the sort of half-hearted defending that should make fans worry. Liverpool have committed the most defensive errors of any team this season with 24, seven of which have led to a goal. They also have some very tough fixtures coming up, including Manchester City and Tottenham.
If Liverpool keep throwing winnable games away, Klopp will have some serious housecleaning to do during the summer.
2. Too little, too late for Villa, Norwich in real danger.
Photo: @MirrorFootball | Twitter
In truth, Aston Villa have looked like a Championship side for months now. They have been far and away the worse team in the Premier League.
Yet, on Premier League Matchday 25, they secured a very important, morale-boosting win against Norwich, who sank into the relegation zone after Newcastle won against West Brom. Can Villa have their own great escape? All signs point to probably not.
The Villans have conceded 40 goals in 25 matches this season, while only scoring 20. They also failed to strengthen at all during the January transfer window, and it seems as if everyone involved with the club has resigned themselves to the inevitable.
It's a sad story for one of Britain's most famous clubs, but it is also a case example of how a club shouldn't be run. Bad choices in the transfer market, combined with the lack of a coherent vision has left the club in a bad shape for years, and it has finally caught up with them. Remi Garde may have finally got Aston Villa's engine running, but it is far too little and it is far too late.
Norwich, on the other hand, play some sensational football at times and they have a load of experienced, skillful players like Wes Hoolahan, Steven Naismith, Matt Jarvis, and Nathan Redmond.
Yet there they sit, in the relegation zone. That's because the glorious bits of play are flanked by schoolboy defending, and a general lack of discipline. Norwich have actually scored more goals than Watford, Crystal Palace and Newcastle, but they have conceded 48 goals. That's the second-most in the league behind Sunderland.
Unlike Villa, Norwich seem like they have some fight left in them, and with the caliber of players that they have, they should make a significant push. In order to do that though, Alex Neil needs to make sure that they are focused and are all pushing in the same direction. They need to put aside the fancy pieces of play, and start grinding out results...and quickly.
1. Tottenham are real contenders.
Photo: @HotspurLane | Twitter
If the Superbowl taught us anything this year, it's that defense wins championships. The Broncos won with a pretty mediocre offense, but an absolutely vicious defense, and that proved to be enough.
If we take those lessons to the Premier League, than Spurs have to be counted as a real contender for this year's title. They have the best defensive record in the league, and have for the most of the year, and they have scored only two less than Manchester City and Leicester (45).
The same people who say that Leicester won't win also like to say that Tottenham won't win, but the simple truth of the matter is that they have been the most consistent teams this season. Tottenham would be on top if they hadn't started the season slowly and if Leicester do lose momentum, it will be Spurs that will be waiting to pick up the slack.
Arsenal have put themselves back in the mix with their win against Bournemouth, but they seem equally as likely to fade away as they do to win it. Spurs have been consistent, and in this business, that's what wins you titles.
You can follow me on Twitter @J_Hansen_89
