Premier League: What I’m Thankful (and Not-So-Thankful) For

Photo Credit: Twitter @premierleague

Mid Table Teams Fighting Above Their Weight Class

West Ham, Swansea, Newcastle and Southampton have all done excellently this year; especially Southampton.  Maybe it’s the good teams sucking, or maybe these sides are truly playing well.  But the season is a marathon, not a sprint.  If history repeats itself, then there is a good chance that these Cinderella teams will see their carriage turned into a pumpkin right around New Year’s Day.    So we should enjoy the success while it lasts, and pray that they keep up the good fortune and prove the nay-sayers wrong.

Photo Credit: Twitter @SI_Wire

The Americans That ARE Getting Playing Time

More from Premier League

• Manchester City suffer but come away with win over West Ham
• Premier League match preview: Aston Villa v Crystal Palace
• Jadon Sancho refutes Erik Ten Hag’s comments
• Arsenal win in added time drama as United suffer last-minute agony
• Rudderless Chelsea lose to Nottingham Forest

True, this really only applies to like three players as the number of Americans in England’s top flight have dwindled in recent years.  But with reinforcements in the form of DeAndre Yedlin arriving hopefully in January, Americans look to regain a bit of a foothold and set an example for other players looking to move across the pond.  As of now, there are three active American players on BPL rosters.  Tim Howard, Brad Guzan, and Geoff Cameron.  I guess Brad Friedel too, but he’s like 80 years old and has been retired from the USMNT since 2005.  Howard and Guzan have become the first choice keepers for their respective clubs, and since recovering from injury Geoff Cameron has fit in nicely for Stoke.  He’s played well in the defensive midfield role, a position he’s expressed interest to continue playing in.

PS I’m simply ignoring Jozy Altidore.