Leicester City is the biggest story of 2015.
Bottom of the table on Christmas Day 2014, Leicester are top on Christmas Day 2015 – and could even be champions.
Leicester and Watford, who both play 4-4-2, have surprised everybody.
Watford stuffed Liverpool 3-0 after left back Ake kicked the ball out of Bogdan’s hands in 3 minutes and ref Mark Clattenburg allowed the goal to stand.
Tottenham Hotspur don’t play 4-4-2 but have the key components of success: a keeper, a striker and a balanced team.
Harry Kane is a discovery at centre forward, a local boy who would cost £40m if they were trying to buy him now
Hugo Lloris is a big character who makes the key saves that can win games.
Balance can be elusive, sometimes a mirage, something just out of reach. You can find it, enjoy it, then lose it in a heartbeat and never quite get it back. Finding a blend of left and right, of front and back, of skill and forcefulness, of experience and youth, can be very difficult for managers.
Spurs looked impressive as they went to Southampton and won 2-0.
Last week I thought Spurs missed Dembele, 28, who is different to all their other midfielders and much more experienced. I slaughtered Dele Alli, told him how disgusted I was by his juvenile performance in the 2-1 defeat by Newcastle at White Hart Lane.
This week Dele Alli was very good again.
Dele supplied the pass from which Harry Kane took the Southampton “defence” apart, then tapped in for 2-0 at the far post after a tasty low cross.
The timing of those goals knocked the Saints out of the game : 40 and 43 minutes.
Little Watford, managed by Qique Sanchez Flores, are now seventh and one point off the Champions League places after 17 games, above Crystal Palace, Manchester United and Spurs.
At Vicarage Road, keeper Bogdan was as bad as Mignolet and Liverpool were thrashed 3-0.
Palace, United and Spurs all have 29 points.
It’s been a very competitive season so far.
If Arsenal win tonight they’ll still be two points behind Leicester.