🥋 The North London Derby

IN-THE-INBOX: A 2-MIN READ

The North London Derby is just the tonic after a two week Premier League drought. 🥃

Arsenal’s injury issues make this a fascinating match-up, with Kai Havertz potentially heading back into midfield… and back into the referee’s book?

As for Noni Madueke, we are reloading after he missed two sitters to open the scoring against Palace.

This week you’ve got two free tips, or SIX if you’re subscribed to Premium (plus a bumper Champions League edition next Tuesday).

Here’s the updated Profit/Loss.

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🗓️ 13th September 2024

1. Two free tips this week ✍️

2. The Angel Gabriel Gomes 😇

3. Fashun takes over the NLD 🇵🇸

THE BIG FACTS

Pub Ammo

🇫🇷 Angel Gomes became the first player to start for England while playing for a French club since 1992.

🏆 Leicester City have played the exact same number of Premier League games as Gareth Barry. They both have one title.

🔵 Nicolas Jackson has the same number of non-penalty goals as Saka and Rashford combined (16) since the start of the 2023/24 season.

🍒 Everton were leading 2-0 in the 87th minute vs Bournemouth – the latest a team has ever been 2+ goals ahead in a game and gone on to lose in the Premier League.

🟥 Since 2019, Arteta’s Arsenal have received the most red cards of any team in the Premier League (16) – three more than the next side.

🇳🇴 Haaland has only been offside 15 times in 69 Premier League games. Even Rodri was offside more times than the Norwegian last season.

THE BIG TIPS

Kai carded?

THE BIG DEAL

Todd one out

After spending £2.5bn on the club and half that on players, Todd Boehly and Behdad Eghbali have fallen out. And it looks like the club are going to put all their eggs in the, ahem, Eghbali basket.

A Boehly buyout now looks inevitable.

But contrary to popular wisdom, could the US Dodger actually be the lesser of two evils?

Eghbali is apparently the one who has led the strategy of stockpiling unproven talent on risky, long contracts. And it was he who allegedly wanted to relieve Poch of his duties, against Boehly’s wishes.

Yes, Todd did go transfer mad – but at least with a blend of experience (Sterling, Auba, Koulibaly) and sought-after youth (Enzo and Mudryk). It didn’t work. But it wasn’t necessarily the wrong thing.

Chelsea would do well to lean on history. You only have to look at the Usmanov-Kroenke wilderness years at Arsenal to see why.

The sooner there is one owner, the better.

And maybe it should be Todd?

THE BIG OPINION

Chasing Cars

Lee Carsley was harangued for not singing the national anthem earlier this week, despite the fact that neither Capello nor Sven sang it either.

And if you’re thinking it’s because they were foreign and he isn’t, then you should check his background. He grew up in Birmingham but went on to represent the Republic of Ireland as a player.

So he’s not much of a patriot.

But he’s clearly very shrewd.

Having straddled the path of dual nationality himself, he was quick to give four players their first call-up – with Angel Gomes’ selection almost certainly a case of tying down a player to England when other countries were on the table.

But beyond all the noise of anthems and selections, one thing was very clear against Finland: he wants his players to play short, sharp passes with plenty of movement and terrier-like pressing.

It was unbelievably refreshing to see the players playing the ball in tight spaces, taking risks and expressing themselves.

So here’s a hot-take. Either, he’ll get the job.

Or… he’s prepping the players for an out-of-contract Pep in the summer. 👀

BIG SIX ENERGY

Colour coding

Anyone like incredibly silly conspiracy theories?

Ok, great. There’s an outside chance that Arsenal’s kit designer has been up to some shenanigans…

Arsenal aren’t allowed to wear their home kit in the North London Derby for the first time in 38 years. Apparently, it was designed with too much white. Fine.

Best put on their traditional yellow second kit, then?

Oh wait. No. Sorry, guys. They’ve only got the famous Arsenal red, green, and… black. 🤔

Nothing to do with the Palestine flag. Absolutely nothing. See below.

The Spurs-Arsenal colour clash at 1:30pm on Sunday will look very familiar.

THE BIG FANTASY

Start fantasising

Rock The Goats have put up yet another £10,000 prize.

It’s their Premier League Survivor game: £10 to enter and you’ve got until 12:30pm tomorrow.

You just have to pick a team to win each weekend until you run out of luck. Or… win!

Arguably not that hard? And if you get to Round 5 you’ll share 50% of the pot. 🤷‍♂️

THE BIG QUOTE

Erik the Red

THE SOFA SCHEDULE

North London is ___

Saturday
12:30 Southampton vs Man United TNT Sports
17:30 Aston Villa  vs Everton Sky Sports
20:00 Bournemouth vs Chelsea Sky Sports

Sunday
13:30 Spurs vs Arsenal Sky Sports
16:30 Wolves vs Newcastle Sky Sports

If you want to receive all the tips AND regular Champions League editions, you can upgrade to The Big Six Club for just £3.99 a month.

That’s an afternoon latte you don’t need. 😉

All the best,
The Big Six