10 Things We Learned From The English Premier League Football Weekend (23-25 Sept 2017)

1. Pencil In St. Totteringham's Day

Manchester City v AFC Bournemouth - Premier League Leroy Sane
arsenal fc

Arsenal laboured to a 2-0 win over West Brom in what was, in a word, an atypical performance - the second in as many weeks, ironically enough.

The Baggies failed to heed the warning fired by Alexis Sanchez and his dangerous set piece delivery; having narrowly missed a free kick attempt early in the first half, he assisted Alexandre Lacazette's opener with a devastating delivery, which Ben Foster could only palm out. This is why clubs - right-thinking ones, anyway - fork out extortionate fees for recognised, excellent strikers. Lacazette demonstrated his striker's instinct by sensing the opportunity and converting it. West Brom had several chances to make up the deficit - the best of which saw Nacho Monreal somehow contrive to not score an own goal with a sensational goal line clearance - but were unable to capitalise.

There was no trademark intricate shoelace pattern build-up play for Arsenal's second; a clumsy challenge on Aaron Ramsey allowed Lacazette to coolly dispatch the resultant penalty. For a side supposedly defined by a mental fragility, this was a performance of not inconsiderable steel.

If the old cliche rings true, and that good home form dictates the success of any given season - not strictly true, given Newcastle United's nervy St. James' Park showings last year - then ring the bells for St. Totteringham's Day.

 
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Michael Sidgwick is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over seven years of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential institution that was Power Slam magazine, and specialises in providing insights into All Elite Wrestling - so much so that he wrote a book about the subject. You can order Becoming All Elite: The Rise Of AEW on Amazon. Possessing a deep knowledge also of WWE, WCW, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael’s work has been publicly praised by former AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and surefire Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Cody Rhodes. When he isn’t putting your finger on why things are the way they are in the endlessly fascinating world of professional wrestling, Michael wraps his own around a hand grinder to explore the world of specialty coffee. Follow Michael on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSidgwick for more!