10 Things We Learned From The English Premier League Football Weekend (15-17 September 2017)

4. The New Wembley Stadium *Is* Cursed

Manchester City's Sergio Aguero celebrates scoring their fourth goal
Andrew Matthews/PA Archive

Spurs stuttered to a draw over a steadfast Swansea side in Saturday's late kickoff. It was an anti-spectacle for the superstitious.

It was as if every last player yet again failed to consider the massive Wembley pitch; Son Heung-min misjudged the distance between himself and the goal line, as did, hilariously, Moussa Sissoko - though you could also make the argument that he misjudged where his own legs were as he ran the ball out of play on the flanks. It was a recurring theme throughout. The malaise affecting the national side since 2007 seems to have infected this awesome Tottenham team; Harry Kane travelled back in time to August in a performance to forget, though he came closest to breaking the deadlock upon cracking the crossbar in the second half. Dele Alli, often deadly in the air, squandered a late chance by heading the ball out for a throw-in late on. It typified a directionless Spurs performance.

In truth, and to apportion proper credit, Swansea defended with bravery and nous to underscore their sleeper credentials as a mid-table finishers. They swarmed the Spurs strike force in numbers and warmed the heart of Alan Shearer by sticking the head into the boot of danger, time and again, to ensure a well-earned clean sheet.

Contributor
Contributor

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 current Undisputed WWE 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!