Are there too many games?

[ChicagoLion]

Yes there are too many games, without doubt the likelihood of injuries  increases because of the number , speed of the game but more importantly the state of the pitches they play on.
Also it’s boring.

[cdbearsfan]

You've lost me with the "state of the pitches" comment. It's basically a carpet nowadays.

[cdbearsfan]

When Man City won Champions League, League and FA Cup the other year, the most appearances anyone made was Rodri with 56. Russell Osman played 66 games for Ipswich in 1980/81. And still found time to present "House of Games".

No Man City first team players play in every FA Cup and League Cup game and never get rested in the league.

So, yes, there are probably more games, but players don't play in as many as before.

The moaning about too many games is just the entitled clubs not wanting to have to bother slumming it in domestic cups, so they can spend more time cashing in with Saudi and US tours. Don't fall for it.

[john e]

You've lost me with the "state of the pitches" comment. It's basically a carpet nowadays.

Carpet burns mate, it’s a problem

[cdbearsfan]

You've lost me with the "state of the pitches" comment. It's basically a carpet nowadays.

Carpet burns mate, it’s a problem

That Carlos will use any excuse. ☹️

[paul_e]

To be fair we know first hand that it is possible to have a player injure themselves on a sprinkler so lets not dismiss the risks of playing on modern pitches too quickly (ok it was Jenas who could've been injured by a strong breeze but still).

[ChicagoLion]

You've lost me with the "state of the pitches" comment. It's basically a carpet nowadays.

That is the problem, the impact on joints and the fact that studs or blades often stick.

[paul_e]

You've lost me with the "state of the pitches" comment. It's basically a carpet nowadays.

That is the problem, the impact on joints and the fact that studs or blades often stick.

There's also a lot more water on the pitches than there used to be.

[cdbearsfan]

I still reckon you'd get injured less often now than on the quagmires of the olden days, but I could be convinced otherwise if anyone has evidence.

[cdbearsfan]

To be fair we know first hand that it is possible to have a player injure themselves on a sprinkler so lets not dismiss the risks of playing on modern pitches too quickly (ok it was Jenas who could've been injured by a strong breeze but still).

Out for three months with a groin injury after texting.

[LeeB]

To be fair we know first hand that it is possible to have a player injure themselves on a sprinkler so lets not dismiss the risks of playing on modern pitches too quickly (ok it was Jenas who could've been injured by a strong breeze but still).

Out for three months with a groin injury after texting.

He only got the move here by sexting, McLeish was flattered to be getting any kind of attention.

On the pitches, the few times I've gone onto our pitch it felt rock hard, more like an old astro turf pitch than grass.

[ChicagoLion]

I still reckon you'd get injured less often now than on the quagmires of the olden days, but I could be convinced otherwise if anyone has evidence.

Quagmires not great for skill but low impact, soft landings, studs slip through the surface.
I used to love very wet pitches, hated hard ones , astro turf awful and the modern pitches are energy sapping.

[LeeB]

I still reckon you'd get injured less often now than on the quagmires of the olden days, but I could be convinced otherwise if anyone has evidence.

Quagmires not great for skill but low impact, soft landings, studs slip through the surface.
I used to love very wet pitches, hated hard ones , astro turf awful and the modern pitches are energy sapping.

I loved the old astro turf to play on, though I think along with loving the North Stand I might be the only person that did.

[ChicagoLion]

I still reckon you'd get injured less often now than on the quagmires of the olden days, but I could be convinced otherwise if anyone has evidence.

Quagmires not great for skill but low impact, soft landings, studs slip through the surface.
I used to love very wet pitches, hated hard ones , astro turf awful and the modern pitches are energy sapping.

I loved the old astro turf to play on, though I think along with loving the North Stand I might be the only person that did.

I played on shale pitches up north, if you scraped your knee you had to scrub out the red dirt.

[rob_bridge]

I just looked and in the 81-82 season we played 65 games including the European Cup final.  We played 65 games last season.

Squad sizes were a lot smaller 40 years ago, pitches were a lot worse so had to take more out of the players.

Really interesting looking at the schedule of 81/82 season. The first league game didn't take place until Sat 29th August.

Then two midweek league rounds in September along with European cup which of course was straight knock out in those times.

We played nine european games to win the tournament whereas now we play one fewer just in an endless group stage so that's straight away the first problem.

All the league cup games are listed for some reason as Sat 30th Jan 1982 so not sure what the timeline was for that season.

Xmas matches were 19th December and then 28th Dec so I presume Weather was disruptive that season.

The biggest issue of course was in those times you'd have one international on a Wednesday perhaps every other month and then straight back into club action on the Saturday. You lose so many weekends in a season playing two internationals every month and the nations league has to be the most pointless tournament around, lose three weekends up to December having to play that and all it really leads to is some nations getting a backdoor route into play offs if they need it.

Season ended on Fri 21st May (I presume put forward 24 hours to help us for the European final which was nice of the authorities) and then European cup final was 26th May.

That's the ideal schedule to me.

Midweek used to be for internationals as well. Hence the week blackout now for 2 matches.

Weather was wretched in Dec 1981 - first time I recall a White Christmas