S5MXmas

So for anyone who's going to read this - Merry Xmas and Happy Holidays. It's difficult to type when full of turkey. I feel like my fingers are full of stuffing.

Anywho, last weekend saw the shedending of the Jose weight, and Chelsea managed to play their best football of the season against a very compliant Sunderland side. Thereafter followed a sequence of 5 away wins in a row - all of which a surprise of some degree. Everton losing to Leicester at home was a cracking game, Norwich recording their first win at Old Trafford since the days of George Best or something was even more of a shocker. The speculation and pressure continues to mount for Van Gaal, but I for one hope he stays. Forever. Spurs winning away at Southampton was probably the least surprising given their respective forms this season, and I guess the Palace win at Stoke and Bournemouth's continued charge at WBA could be placed in the same category. 

The Villa fightback begun with an equaliser from Jordan Ayew - watch this space for some Remi magic. Then on Sunday, Watford played as everyone knew they would, and Klopp's labile Liverpool career continued, before we all caught our breaths with a bore-draw in Wales.

The Monday night game was brilliant. A cracking atmosphere....and a first half that was exciting without any real threat until the half hour. City really should have taken the lead through de Bruyne (or Silva), and the "2 goal swing" was compounded a minute later by a cracker from Walcott. I was sitting directly in line with that finish and it was delicious. Hart grasping fresh air like a man who uses his hands to knead that shampoo into his scalp. Giroud's first time finish just before half-time was also preceded by a City chance...and a 2 goal lead was there that didn't feel like a 2 goal game.

The second half was quite comfortable from an Arsenal perspective (if time didn't go so damn slowly) until Yaya decided he'd had enough of rolling around the floor like a small child, and recognised his diving wasn't going to win him friends nor penalties.

That lad can play. When he flicked the switch - and it was literally that fast - he plays a different sport to those around him. His finish - I mean he totally meant it, but I'm still not entirely sure what he did. Maybe someone offered him a birthday cake or something, but a squad full of players like him remain the reason why City are still favourites for the league in my view.

Anyway, let's get statty:

This week, 26 people played

Most popular predicted result: Man United WIN (24/26)

Most disputed result: WBA vs Bournemouth (9-9-8 split)

Highest odds: AFM 336,228/1 (I could cry but she beat me....)

Lowest odds: Yo Abbott: 5684/1 (it was a high odds week in fairness...but the above is ridiculous)

Average odds: 56,135/1 (including anomalies as I'm not entirely sure where I can draw the line) 

Best Predictor: Zoë Daniels (7/10)

Worst predictor: Loads of us (2/10)

Average score: 3.27/10 (season low)

Best predicted result: Chelsea & Arsenal WINS (19/26 - not one person went for a Man City win bizarrely)

Worst predicted result: Norwich WIN (1/26 - well done Mother Feneley)

Swing: Jordan Ayew's goal as above - 22 people foxed. 

Everyone's results:

Leaderboard (>2/3; 12/17)

This week's predos:

Boxing Day:

Stoke vs Man Utd - MAN UTD
Aston Villa vs West Ham - ASTON VILLA
Bournemouth vs Crystal Palace - BOURNEMOUTH
Chelsea vs Watford - CHELSEA
Liverpool vs Leicester  - LIVERPOOL
Man City vs Sunderland - MAN CITY
Swansea vs WBA - DRAW
Spurs vs Norwich  -SPURS
Newcastle vs Everton - EVERTON
Southampton vs Arsenal - DRAW

Midweek:

Crystal Palace vs Swansea - DRAW
Everton vs Stoke - EVERTON
Norwich vs Aston Villa - ASTON VILLA
Watford vs Spurs - DRAW
WBA vs Newcastle - NEWCASTLE
Arsenal vs Bournemouth - ARSENAL
Man Utd vs Chelsea - MAN UTD
West Ham vs Southampton - SOUTHAMPTON
Leicester vs Man City - MAN CITY
Sunderland vs Liverpool - LIVERPOOL

(Edit: 1431 27/12/15)

Good luck guys. Hope your festive seasons are merry and bright