Why are we playing the better teams over the festive period

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AshbySaint

AshbySaint

Well-Known Member
Feb 25, 2011
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Dale Abbey
Happy new year everyone.

Right. Why are we having to play Man united and Arsenal both home and away in barely more than a month over December and the festive period considering we are playing so many other games?
 
It's either a massive conspiracy to derail us, or it's something of a quirk of the (largely automated) scheduling system. The upshot is that we got a tonne of 'easier' games in September-November, which allowed us to put together a wonderful run of results early; we were always likely to take a step back in December-January, but the fact that said step back is likely to still find us 6th or better ain't bad.
 
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It always seems that way, but then every club will feel the same. Big clubs don't feel it as much as they can routinely pick up points on those games, whereas it represents the very real possibility that a team could lose 5 or 6 on the trot, and confidence may fall away.

Like others have said, we had it at the start of Nige's season in the PL, but it isn't any conspiracy.

Specifically around Xmas, I know that the fixtures are based more geographically, than usual. In other words, although in not all situations, teams will be playing teams that are less distance to travel around Xmas, and particularly on Boxing day and the 28th.
 
I'd rather play them like this anyways. Gets them out the way.
 
I read a couple of days ago that this is the sixth time in our last eight PL seasons that we've played Chelsea, home or away, during the festive week (so 26th, 28th or 1st).

As well as being a quirk in the fixture list generator, it is, as Beddy says, also because geography plays a big part at this time of the year - and unfortunately for us, that largely means London teams. It's the second time in three years that we've played Palace on Boxing Day, if I recall correctly.
 
Another thing. The OP was possibly motivated by the thought that having to play the top teams could possibly harm our league position more readily than playing lower teams. Well, the case has been put against Arsenal, every season that I can recall recently, that their record against other top teams is remarkably poor. And it is.

And yet, Arsenal reach the Champions League every season. The fact is, you can lose or draw [preferably draw] against the top most teams, but if you can win or draw [preferably win] against everyone else you make the Champions League. Interesting. And I'd be very surprised if Saints don't already know that.
 
More to the point, why do they have to play us? I doubt anyone is relishing a trip to St Mary's right now. Just ask Jose - if it weren't for City slipping up, he might think we'd just derailed Chelsea's title challenge.
 
You only play everyone twice. After the ManU game, our games become 'easier'. We are still in contention...it is all up to us. Last season, we had to not only do the same as the teams below us, but also do better than those above us to claw ourselves back into the top 5/6 (European places). It is in our own hands...if we deserve to qualify we will. If not, it has been a good season and we can build on it next season. Be interesting if we are end-of-season king makers and can decide the title when playing City.
 
The whole "you don't take points from the big teams" thing makes me chuckle. Perhaps we've only taken the one so far, but they're not taking the points from the teams we're beating, so who exactly is the "big team"? Looks to me like it's half way through the season, and we're in 4th position.
 
Le Tissier's Laces said:
The whole "you don't take points from the big teams" thing makes me chuckle. Perhaps we've only taken the one so far, but they're not taking the points from the teams we're beating, so who exactly is the "big team"? Looks to me like it's half way through the season, and we're in 4th position.
Click to expand...

If we're still in the top four in two games times, after we've played Arsenal and Man Utd, the neutrals might just have to stop banging that stick. Aside from a trip to Chelsea and a trip to Man City, our final 17 fixtures wouldn't look too difficult. I'd back an in form Saints, with no big players unavailable, to get results at home to Liverpool and Spurs.

Plus still being in the top four in two games time will mean that we've taken something from at least one of these two games.
 
I think the club have stepped back from publicly talking about Champions League to achieving European competition, simply to not disappoint Saints fans or look foolish. I'm fairly convinced that within the club they are gearing up for anything that's possible, short of winning the title [which isn't impossible, though it is obviously highly unlikely given the quality of the front runners] and that CL qualification is being targeted as an over-shoot achievement. The players occasionally let out a little jewel of info, during interviews, which is possibly the club mindset into what they want to achieve. Koeman himself said more a couple of months ago than he says now, but maybe he'll be clearer come mid-January.
 
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