This is just a theory because we actually had quite good results against top six sides,but of course most sides don't.So the first six games of the season are critical.I do think that getting that first win of the season is important and teams that start off with a tough fixture run are possibly disadvantaged in this respect.On the other hand promoted sides sometimes start off well and then tail off. Any views?
I think that you have a point Cruyff although it might not be a straight forward analogy. Newly promoted teams are best avoided early doors as they are inclined to treat the first three or four games like cup finals and over-perform, if possible it is good to play these teams around end of September / early October when the gloss has gone. the most advantageous fixtures imo would be the Champions League and Europa sides the week of their European ties, particularly if theya re focusing on those matches. Going abck to one of your points though I think we probably did as well against the top 4 of any other club as we took 9 points (should have been 10 or possibly 12)
I'd hope for a similar shape to last year - we didn't have a particularly difficult starting 6 (although we made it difficult for ourselves with two big canings against us) and we actually had a much kinder run-in at the end than many of the clubs around us. Saints had a nightmare starting 6 last season and came on strong later on so it can be overcome if you have a poor start but it certainly helps confidence and morale if you can get a good start. There's no easy game in the PL as we know and we've got to face everyone else at sometime in the season but for me, I'd be happy with a similar feel to the fixture list as last season with fixtures against the "big six" evenly spaced throughout the term.
Why is it that years ago when a man sat behind a desk with pen and paper, all the fixtures were home, away, home, away etc. etc. but now when they are produced by a computer we have blocks of home and away games ?? As a side issue, now Crystal palace have been promoted we can now all look forward to the wonderful journey to Selhurst Park on Boxing day !
The Guy who arranged the fixtures before computers etc was affectionately known as Albert. He took into account such things as "derby games for holiday weekends,short travel times for mid week games" etc etc. He did not have to contend with European qames played on Thurs and TV's dictate as to when games are scheduled. Life was so much simpler and easier in those days
Those were the days when you used to do the Pools and not the Lottery and the Littlewoods bloke would come round your house on a Thursday night to collect your sheets and stake - ah - the memories.
always nice to start with a 'winnable' home game. perfect first three games for me would include one of the top teams away as they often make a slow start, and promoted teams often get an initial lift but by game three that sometimes goes, so something like this: sunderland (h) arsenal (a) palace (h)
It's impossible to say regarding fixtures. Last season, I thought Fulham away was a winnable match on paper (unlike, say, Manchester Citeh away) and we all know how that one soon went pear-shaped. Maybe coming up against a 'big' name to open the campaign would avoid any complacency and ensure the lads have the right competitive mindset from the first whistle of the season onwards?
Last season we were home to QPR and West Ham early on - both of which I had as home wins in my forecast of where 40 points would come from and both we drew. At the time my concern was the lack of wins we had in our pre-season games and that poor run would continue in the season. Some of that was understandable as Hughton was still getting to know the team and he did not complete his squd building until August. Hopefully this Summer we can revert to getting the players in early so the squad gels, we get win our pre-season games and carry that momentum forward getting points from the start.
I am a bit more optimistic than last season.After the disruption of losing Lambert I thought that it was always going to be an uphill fight and after those first seven games yielded just three points I thought that the second season syndrome was going to turn out to be more than a headline grabber for the back pages of the redtops. I must admit though that once we gained the momentum of that long unbeaten run I never thought relegation was anything more than a distant and remote possibility.Reading and QPR never looked like making it and to be honest I thought Wigan were dead in the water too.
anyone know when the fixtures are out - it's usually the end of June? as for the OT, would like to get a big team out of the way early doors, away if poss, as the teams in the bottom half are usually pretty close together for the first ten games so we wouldn't lose too much ground. Also a home fixture first would be very nice! fulham, sunderland or newcastle at home?
Southampton had the start from hell last season - first 8 or 10 games were shockers (on paper) as they had the big teams at home and then some hard looking away days thrown in. They didn't do brilliantly but did okay and recovered better in the new year. As your OP title says - Lottery
Same thing happened to Bolton the previous season, they had a horrible first 6 games and never recovered - the only 'easy' game in that run was against us, which we won. Re the 'Albert' point - there are a million factors taken into account when the fixtures are compiled e.g. other nearby teams being at home, local events that might draw a crowd, travelling times for midweek games etc. As a case in point, I am fully expecting the Bournemouth vs Leeds fixture to appear as a midweek game, probably in November or January. Some of you may recall the violence and destruction that accompanied the last fixture between the sides in the old Division 2 when Bournemouth were having their only previous season in the second tier. The game was scheduled for May bank holiday weekend, Leeds needed to win for promotion and needless to say they brought thousands of 'fans' who proceeded to do their level best to destroy the town. As for my wishes - I think an even spread of top and bottom end teams is probably best - I wouldn't be too disappointed to get a top 4 side first up. Have to say, I'm hoping that somehow the fixtures come out and we don't have to play Liverpool at all!!
All I'd ask for is to finish with a home game against a mid table side like WBA or Fulham(usually) just in case.
