The Full English: London Dungeons

By Shane Evans

We had a big match last weekend. The same can be said for this one coming. You really have to love a good derby, don’t you? I’ll be honest, outside of Leicester-Notts Forest, the North London derby is easily my favorite. It should be frightfully good…(sorry, that’s the first and last Halloween reference I’ll make...I think).

Two sets of the most passionate fans in the business, Arsenal and Spurs always put on a show when they get together. Unlike the usually drab affairs we are subjected to when the ‘Big Four’ get together, this fixture is always a go-getter.

Not only do we get that great match, but we have the scrap between the two teams who think they should be in the league’s elite group...Everton and Aston Villa. Another always entertaining fixture, these two will be primed for a fight, with Everton in a much more dire position.

To round things out, I’ll quickly examine Manchester United’s match with Blackburn. Remember this one last year? Roque does. Time to dig in…

The Bacon (as in Bringing It Home)

Arsenal vs. Tottenham (Emirates Stadium, October 31st, 8:45 a.m. ET, ESPN2)

I’m really glad this one is on ESPN2. The coverage is the best and the match is actually broadcast in HD, unlike FSC’s high school TV production-esque camera usage. Is there such thing as FSC in HD? A wizard spoke of it once in a dream…

ANYWAY...Arsenal-Spurs. Emirates will be rocking for this one. Both clubs sit on 19 points and are wedged together in the table as the third and fourth teams. Brilliant. Not only will the winner get bragging rights, but they’ll be able to distance themselves from the loser, which is just what they want.

Arsenal are the in-form side in this one, having just beaten Liverpool in the Carling Cup, (with a b-team), and are currently on a five-match unbeaten run in league play. Spurs on the other hand are still trying to bounce back from their 1-0 defeat at the hands of Stoke last weekend, but a midweek cup win over the hapless Toffees has helped.

If we look back to last season and have a look at the corresponding fixture, we’ll find what I picked as the match of the year, if my memory serves me correctly. A 4-4 thriller, the two teams were playing with their foot on the gas the entire match.

David Bentley | …plays so infrequently, this is the most up-to-date picture we have.

The match could see the league return of a former Gunner favorite, enigmatic winger David Bentley, to the Spurs XI. With Aaron Lennon out with an ankle injury, the man once dubbed “David Beckham Jr.” will get his shot to impress ‘Ol Harry in front of 60,000 screaming Gooners.

His goal in the match last season was exceptional, but I wouldn’t expect him to replicate it in this match. To go along with their scary attack, Arsenal have played pretty well on defense this season, only allowing 13 goals. They have, like many of the big clubs, had issues with set pieces, which is simply beyond me.

If Harry really wants to take this one to the home side, he’d help his cause by starting Crouchinho up top. He’s got about a four-foot height advantage on Thomas Vermaelen and old Billy Bones. Don’t count out that pair though, as I have grown fond of the little connection that has grown between them. Once on his way out, Gallas has made pals with Vermaelen and they are doing some quality things season. If only they were a few inches taller. Cue Skee-Lo…

TFE Prediction: I’ve got the Gunners in this one. It’ll be a good match, but they show the league their true class, even after last week’s disappointment at Upton Park. Arsenal 3-2 Spurs.

Everton vs. Aston Villa (Goodison Park, October 31st, 11:00 a.m. ET)

Speaking of scary...just look at Everton this season. As inconsistent as one team can get, the Toffees are fading and fast. Aston Villa are finally showing signs of sustained promise and sit in a somewhat comfortable 7th place.

Again looking back, last year’s fixture was one of my favorites of the whole season. A shocking late winner by Ashley Young at the death, Villa triumphed 3-2. We could potentially see something similar in this match, though I feel like it could be a bit more subdued.

My problem with Everton this season is that they just appear to have lost their rhythm, something that kept them going all of last season. From the protracted departure of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named to some untimely injuries to finally depending on Luis Saha to supply your goals, the Toffees have had a mess of things this season.
Not entirely his fault, but David Moyes has to change something to get his team moving in what is becoming a crucial stage for them. Over the next six matches, not including this one, Everton face Manchester United, Liverpool, Tottenham and Chelsea. Just what Moyes needs. It’ll be crucial that he gets something out of this match or his team will just keep slipping down the table.
If Villa are able to come in and take the full three, as I so often put it, they could potentially find themselves as high as third position in the table. Not a bad jump. Though very unlikely, it will be motivation for Martin O’Neill’s boys. Scoring some goals would be nice, too, as they only have 13 on the year.

TFE Prediction: I would like to see Villa keep up their good form and take this one, but Everton simply cannot allow it and will scrape out a 2-1 win.

Manchester United vs. Blackburn Rovers (Old Trafford, October 31st, 1:30 p.m. ET, Fox Soccer Channel)

I wouldn’t like to be Blackburn in this match. Not one bit. Fresh off a 5-0 whooping at the hands of Chelski last weekend, the Rovers come to Manchester, swine flu ridden and ready for another beat down.

United are still seething over their 2-0 loss to Liverpool at Anfield and will be primed to unleash some vengeful anger on the next team shoved their way. A solid win in the Carling Cup midweek has got the ball rolling, but that was won without many of the regulars. This match will feature the big guns, for sure.

Too add to Blackburn’s already low chances in this match, we again look back to last season and note that it was Roque Santa Cruz’s goal that ended United’s extended clean sheet mark. They won’t be happy. To make matters worse, RSC has flown away on his huge pay packet and now resides at Eastlands.

Outside of on-loan striker Franco Di Santo, Blackburn has few scoring options. David Dunn leads the team with four goals, from the midfield, but that won’t be enough. This is good news for Manchester United, and Rio Ferdinand in particular because he needs some ego boosting and if he plays, which I assume he will, shutting down a team like this will go a long way in regaining his mojo.

TFE Prediction: I’m going with United in a land slide...4-1.

The Toast (as in Of The EPL)

Phil Brown | Headset? Check. Bomber jacket? Check? Goatee? Drats!

Phil Brown, Hull: He’s been sacked, no he hasn’t, yes he has, has he? Who knows anymore. Does it even matter? Do I care? Should you care? What’s the point? I have no clue, obviously. Brown has become so insignificant, he’s now significant. That made sense in my head. I don’t even care if he stays or goes, I just care about my boy Jozy Altidore getting playing time. You hear that, Phil?! PLAY JOZY!

Sergio Aguero, Atletico Madrid: Star players do not like to lose. Star players do not like to be in 17th place. Star players need to be on the best teams. Sergio Aguero qualifies. The Atletico frontman is apparently displeased with his team’s performance and could be looking for a way out. Can you just see the drool dripping from the lips of the EPL big boys? This guy is like Lio Messi, but on a bad team. Put him with the likes of Chelsea or Manchester United, he’d be off to new heights. Speculation has linked the Argentine with both clubs before, could we see a move coming off in January? Very possible...for the non-embargoed Red Devils, anyway.

The Swine Flu, Everyone: I have had enough of this H1N1 bologna. Everyone is getting it! It’s the flu! That’s it! Now, it was fine when just regular people were getting it, people like my roommate. That’s fine. But when this nasty little virus spreads to football players, the people I care for most on this planet, well, then we have a problem. Luckily, no matches on my radar have been postponed yet, but if they do, you can be assured I’ll be throwing a little one-man hissy fit at my desk. Enough already.

Leicester Update

So Edgar Davids isn’t signing for the Foxes. Bah humbug, I say. We don’t need him. Another big win on Monday against Reading, we have a real test against Queens Park Rangers this afternoon. It’ll be on TV for those Fox fans out there who want to stream the match...you know I’ll be glued to the screen. Should we take three points from them, in what I just realized is a very weird fixture grouping (Monday and Friday league matches?), we could go second in the table. I like the sound of that. 

And Finally...The Black Pudding of the Week

Sir Alex | I'm not mad…just mad about you.

Sir Alex Ferguson, Manchester United: Simply put, he’s one of the greatest football managers of all time. He’s got more silver than Tiffany’s and is deserves the praise he gets. Unfortunately, he’s become a bit ill-tempered in his old age and thinks taking shots at anyone who disagrees with him is the way to go. For me, it’s getting a bit old. Then again, when I get a bit older, I’m sure my bitterness level will increase, by a dramatic amount. As with most things, only time will tell...

Shane Evans is an Associate Editor of Goal.com. His feature, "The Full English" appears every Friday morning. Contact Shane at shane.evans@goal.com with questions, comments and concerns or follow him on Twitter at https://www.twitter.com/shanevans

For more news on England, visit Goal.com's England section!