Champions League - PSG

[jwarry]

Townley just posted this, it’s a crazy schedule!

#AVFC only have nine rest days within the period of their next five matches before then playing two UCL R16 legs either side of facing Brentford away.

The schedule is ridiculous...

[cdbearsfan]

Given that the alternative is being knocked out of the Champions League and/or FA Cup, I'm quite happy having fixture congestion. We have lots of players, too. Expecially when some defenders return from injury.

[AV84]

It's mad that finishing top 8 was supposed to give us a break. If it was still the old format and we'd qualified out of our group, would we have such a busy schedule? We wouldn't have had January CL games, right?

[Chris Smith]

It's mad that finishing top 8 was supposed to give us a break. If it was still the old format and we'd qualified out of our group, would we have such a busy schedule? We wouldn't have had January CL games, right?

It has given us a break, we’d have played qualifiers in mid-week and then again next week otherwise.

[cdbearsfan]

Yes, it gives us a break compared to what we would have had if we finished 9th-24th, and won a qualifying game, but not compared to if we had qualified last season.

[paul_e]

the rescheduled game against Liverpool and the shift of the FA cup game to Friday evening are the problem.

[cdbearsfan]

I'd say the shift of the FA Cup game lessens the problem, slightly. Disasi will get the FA Cup off and Malen and Garcia won't play in the Champions League so there's a bit of natural rotation, anyway. We don't really have any outfield player who absolutely has to play every game, and Emery generally uses at least four subs.

[Dave]

I'd say the shift of the FA Cup game lessens the problem, slightly. Disasi will get the FA Cup off and Malen and Garcia won't play in the Champions League so there's a bit of natural rotation, anyway. We don't really have any outfield player who absolutely has to play every game, and Emery generally uses at least four subs.

Yup. As you say above, it's great having fixture congestion. Shit teams that get knocked out things never have to worry about it. The more the merrier.

[cdbearsfan]

Yeah, and only three free alternative midweeks remaining. If we get to the FA Cup Final that's two gone, so we'd have no wriggle room at all if Liverpool moved into one of them. Even more so as we play Tottenham FA Cup Final week, and it's the Europa League Final in the "free" midweek after that. So, potentially problematic if we both make finals.

I'd rather play Liverpool next week than risk having to play something ridiculous like Saturday-Tuesday-Thursday-Sunday later on. (Potentially even worse if the king dies during the season like his selfish football-hating mother).

[paul_e]

True but I think I'd have preferred to have a run like this when we don't have so many defenders injured.

[cdbearsfan]

This is Villa. By the time a couple of defenders are back, the entire midfield will be injured.

[Lsvilla]

Yes, it gives us a break compared to what we would have had if we finished 9th-24th, and won a qualifying game, but not compared to if we had qualified last season.

Only one match though as Liverpool is now when the second leg of a play-off match would be. The problem is two-fold - the premier league should be 18 teams max so 4 less fixtures a season (but that will never happen) - and the international break in March means we have 3 weeks without a game after this ridiculous cramming of fixtures this month.

[Dave]

Yes, it gives us a break compared to what we would have had if we finished 9th-24th, and won a qualifying game, but not compared to if we had qualified last season.

Only one match though as Liverpool is now when the second leg of a play-off match would be. The problem is two-fold - the premier league should be 18 teams max so 4 less fixtures a season (but that will never happen) - and the international break in March means we have 3 weeks without a game after this ridiculous cramming of fixtures this month.

Hopefully though that will be a good opportunity for lots of the squad to get a rest before another hectic two months to finish the season.

Run the likes of Rashford et al into the ground over the next few weeks and then they get a nice couple of weeks to get recuperate, either having a break from matches or mostly pottering around the fringes of their international squads. Then go again.

[cdbearsfan]

The Premier League should absolutely not be eighteen teams max. We were at the bottom not so long ago, let's not turn into one of those twatty arrogant clubs that thinks the whole league should be based around their needs.

[dave.woodhall]

The Premier League should absolutely not be eighteen teams max. We were at the bottom not so long ago, let's not turn into one of those twatty arrogant clubs that thinks the whole league should be based around their needs.

In our case it should.