Just been checking out our fixtures and, to be honest it could be a nightmare. Now I've always said that when the likes of SAF and Wenger moan about playing too many games that it's there own fault for being successful, now however I'm not so sure. Bear with me on this, if we beat Everton next Saturday and get to the semis we will play 1 game the semi on the 14th April. Then we will play Wolves at SOL possibly Tuesday/Wednesday, not great but doable. Then we have Villa away on the 21st where no doubt the lads will be a bit leggy and tired understandably. After that it all calms down a bit, then we have the big question if we get to the final when will we play Man Utd at SOL? a game which could decide the PL winners.
This is why I have doubts about the second tier european competition lots of games not a great deal of money from it to pay for a much bigger squad!
We cant play everyone in our squad as it is, so we are not far from having the strength in depth to cope with European competition imo. Meyler, Vaughan, Wickham, Ji etc would benefit from European games and MON rotating the squad
What a fantastic dilemma for us to have to contemplate though? This time last year all we had to worry about was making 40 points as we wearily slumped down the league. I know which place I prefer to be in.
Have to agree with Cestria. I'd rather have games coming thick and fast because we are having a good season rather than looking at the games coming up and hoping we can get enough points to escape the drop. I hope the fixture problem continues next season and the season after that and the season after that and............................
Point taken about its good to have lots of games, the problem being how it screws your league position or endangers the financial position of the club, I.e. Easy to do a Leeds, something I recall Bob Murray being concerned about.
My view is that no matter how much it stretches the squad and no matter what peoples opinion of the Europa League is, getting there is the single biggest way to grow the clubs exposure on a Europe and worldwide scale. The Mags are better known than us globally on the back of there years in Europe, we need to get in there, even if it means a difficult campaign through extra games. In the bigger picture, it's essential if we want the club to develop.
This with bells on. We need European competition to raise our profile which outside the UK, is minimal due to vietdaat we haven't played there for 38 years. We wouldn't be relegated because we were in the Europa cup and as has already been said, we already have a squad capable of coping, many of which can't get a game already. Imagine how much the likes of Wickham, Ji, noble, McClean and Campbell would develop in European football. I'd bloody love it too.
The Utd game has to start at the time and date specified as its our last league game of he season. Not sure about the rest - if we get to the cup final then we'll have to probably rearrange a game for the midweek By the way - is there an FA Cup omen - the final is on the 5th May...
