Christmas football: The Verdict

SlickRic

The insane run of Premier League fixtures is almost over.

FA Cup at the weekend, then largely one league game a week until the end of the season.

Pep hates the fixture congestion.
As does José.
Klopp is on record as hating it.
West Brom are making a formal complaint.

There is also an argument that no break hurts the English national team. Some of the best players in the world, from other leagues, having been pictured over Christmas chilling out.

I love all the football over Christmas, but I think it should change. At least take one game out. Maybe just have St Stephen's Day and New Year's Day.

Are you for or against Christmas footie?

Mars Bar

Why is it so packed anyway? Is there a reason for it?

ERG89

I watched most of them (broadcast games obviously) & maybe it was the match selection but a lot of them were poor fare.
I don't know if that was down to the difference in quality or squad rotation, etc

Utopia Parkway

I love Christmas football but there is definitely at least one round of games too many. 2 games in 48 hours for many teams over the new year fixtures is ridiculous. One of those round of games should be removed and played either earlier or later in the season.

Iused2likebusts

Having 2 games in 48 hours is ridiculous if they just did away with new years day fixtures this year it would have been easier on everyone. A round of fixtures sat 30 and sun 31 and then another round Tues 2 and wed 3. Any team that played the Sunday doesn't play till the wed.

batistuta9

Mars Bar wrote: »

Why is it so packed anyway? Is there a reason for it?

Think they played an extra fixture because the seasons ending early for the world cup.
Then it's a tradition in england for games over that period.

---

I don't like, better things to be doing at that time of year tbh than watching football. The struggles of a barstooler hey

Alf Veedersane

2 cup competitions doesnt help.

theoneeyedman

Mars Bar wrote: »

Why is it so packed anyway? Is there a reason for it?

Money.

Traditionally, fans love it, and turn out in big numbers. Satellite TV and bookies love it, a captive audience at home with time to watch the games.

I think there is an extra game shoehorned in this year because the epl season finishes a week earlier due to the world Cup. The only problem I have this year is some inequity in the fixtures, eg Spurs had a Tuesday to Tuesday break while their opponents Swansea had two days.

I say keep it. Fvck the English team, most of the top players are not English and they can perform at the World Cups OK. Fvck the likes of Pep, Jose and Pep too, they can stay in the likes of Portugal or Spain on smaller money if they want, they are have not been kidnapped.

Jimbob1977

You'd have to trim the Premier League to 18 teams or axe the League Cup.

Having a winter break would move congestion to another part of the season.

blueser

Mars Bar wrote: »

Why is it so packed anyway? Is there a reason for it?

Is the season finishing earlier than normal due to the World Cup? Less time to cram the games in.

niallo27

What's wrong with playing 2 games in 48 hours though. Why can't players though it. Burnley played more or less the same team and looked good.

Skylinehead

Yes Christmas football, but maybe drop a few fixtures.

brevity

niallo27 wrote: »

What's wrong with playing 2 games in 48 hours though. Why can't players though it. Burnley played more or less the same team and looked good.

Injuries I guess

Guy:Incognito

If Christmas football was just brought in without consultation they might have a point. It was around long before them and they knew it was there before they took the job.

They all have plenty big squads. If they don't want to actually play the squad players or feel they aren't good enough, why have them?

If players need rest, they should skip training.


Must tell my boss I've worked 2 days in my physically demanding job already this week so I'm going to rest tomorrow instead of doing more.

Iused2likebusts

niallo27 wrote: »

What's wrong with playing 2 games in 48 hours though. Why can't players though it. Burnley played more or less the same team and looked good.

Would you tell Sean dyche you were feeling a little bit tired.

niallo27

brevity wrote: »

Injuries I guess

Are there any statistics to back it up though.

Guy:Incognito

Iused2likebusts wrote: »

Would you tell Sean dyche you were feeling a little bit tired.

My exact words would be "70 grand a week? How many matches would you like me to play a day"?

elefant

I don't care about the players really. It's entertainment, and I'm all for it.

J. Marston

Don't want any change.

Players are more than well compensated and have access to the world's top medical professionals if they do pick up an injury.

So I couldn't give a fiddler's if they feel a little tired.

Harry Palmr

The sheer numbers of games told, the "match day" we're in finally ends tomorrow (!) and it's yielded a lot of crappy scrappy tired football.

The schedule should be for no more than four games from the weekend before Christmas to FA Cup weekend - this year it's five. If they did it properly there would be three but in a well run world the international break schedule would make sense too.

Obviously SKY in particular would be appalled - they rely on the Chrimbo work break for boosting viewing figures.

Alf Veedersane

Burnley may well have fielded much the same team and not shown any particularill effects but that's not to say it won't further down the line. The likes of City shouldn'tbe complaining. Thats why they have a squad with lots of players they paid a lot of money for.

That said, I don't agree with 'the poor rich players need to harden up'. Money doesn't make someone more resistance to the accumulation of fatigue nor their tendons, ligaments etc more resistant to fatigue which can cause injuries. Having access to doctors is irrelevant.

It's great.

On holiday's and a game on almost every night. What's not to like.

Arghus

If it wasn't for the people watching the players wouldn't be half as rich.

Christmas football all the way.

Turtwig

Games within 72 hours: no problem. Games within 48 hours: kind of uneasy. The latter is just not enough recovery and prep time imo. As a result the quality of the overall play diminishes.

StringerBell

The quality of football on display noticeably drops over the Christmas period. I'd rather they cut one of the games, the two in 48 hours was a bit ridiculous.

vicwatson

StringerBell wrote: »

The quality of football on display noticeably drops over the Christmas period. I'd rather they cut one of the games, the two in 48 hours was a bit ridiculous.

As does the standard of refereeing. Some seriously deplorable decisions made/not made in the last 10 days or so.

HalloweenJack

I'm not too bothered one way or the other. I appreciate both sides of the argument and I don't fall on one side or the other.

If the FA really wanted to limit congestion, they'd scrap the League Cup or bring the PL down to 18 teams. I don't see why 20 has to be an unmoveable, magic number. But the FA/Sky are desperate to milk their product as much as possible.

irelandrover

Keep the Christmas schedule as it is inbuilt into English football at this point. Give the players 2-3 weeks off in January to recover.

callaway92

ERG89 wrote: »

I watched most of them (broadcast games obviously) & maybe it was the match selection but a lot of them were poor fare.
I don't know if that was down to the difference in quality or squad rotation, etc

The matches on around Christmas/New Years are all Category 2 or 3 matches, meaning you won't have a North London Derby, Arsenal v Man United, Liverpool v Everton etc.

All of the fixtures were your United v Southampton type matches

greendom

I love the Christmas fixture list but it does need looking at.

I think there should be a minimum rest period between games of 3 days. Expecting teams to play 2 games in 3 days affects the performance level and increases the risk of injury. It becomes blatantly unfair when the opposition have had 2 or 3 more days recovery time

Benimar

Definitely play the fixtures, but I would try remove some of the 'inequity'. Either all teams play twice in 48 hours, or none do.

If they wanted games on 30th, 31st, 1st and the 2nd then just 'pair off' teams. Have 10 teams play on the 30th and 1st and the other 10 play on the 31st and the 2nd.

I really don't see the issue with 2 games in 48 hours once a season. Obviously, constantly doing it would wear on players, but as a once off (with most getting 10 days rest straight after as they won't play in the cup) I don't see the problem.

Minderbinder

I don’t get the issue because it’s not really any more than they usually play. It’s four games in two weeks, isn’t it? There was no need to play twice in 48 hours though as there was space to spread them out better; they just didn’t.

You could say the tight schedule of league games favours the bigger teams but the teams not in Europe have that advantage much of the time.

Arsenal & Chelsea had a 3 day gap between all their games I think
Grand for them, ****e for other teams

Great for us watching Footie though, more games tonight and tomorrow
When it slows down I'm going to have football withdrawal symptoms

Deise Vu

All the major leagues have 20 teams in them. La Liga has no league cup but the Copa del Rey starts in November and is Home and Away until the final. With no Christmas fixture lists there is huge fixture congestion from now on. Last year how many more games did Ronaldo and Messi play versus Harry Kane?

I have a certain sympathy for the players having to 'work' over the Christmas period but they are in the entertainment business and are, by far, the best paid entertainers working over the Christmas and I think pretty much everyone would swap places with them in a heartbeat. Managers love to moan and it is a ready made excuse for their inadequacies. The irony is that the biggest moaners, José, Pep and Klopp also have the biggest squads and are able to rotate quality in and out so fixture congestion is actually a huge advantage to them.

Esse85

100% for it.

I'm off over Xmas and love nothing better than having plenty of soccer to watch.

Do I feel sorry for the player? Absolutely not. They are paid huge wages, drive flash cars, have the best of everything. If the players/managers have a major issue with the fixture pile up then don't come to England or go elsewhere.

Retail/service staff over xmas get my sympathy, long unsociable hours with little better than minimum wage, that's a tough job.

rob316

I love it, real part of the Christmas experience for me. Lets be honest its about the only original/not ****e thing on the TV at that time.
I generally wouldn't get to watch much of anyone outside of Liverpool so I've really enjoyed watching pretty much every team this Christmas.

They are asked to play 2 games in 48 hours once a year, its not over the top IMO. Well paid, and most teams have large squads to rotate.

citytillidie

Mars Bar wrote: »

Why is it so packed anyway? Is there a reason for it?

Tradition when Christmas time was the only real breaks the working class got through out the year so they had more games on to allow those with time off work to attend games

murpho999

I think it needs to change. Sport at this level cannot be sustained with a one day recovery between games, it’s simply too much.

It just leads to rotation and lower quality games. We all want to see the best players play don’t we?
I don’t get why one round of games cannot not be played midweek earlier or later in the year.

Ironically, despite being off work, for me I get to see less games over Christmas than other times of year due to social commitments or other demands on the TV at home.

murpho999

Guy:Incognito wrote: »

If Christmas football was just brought in without consultation they might have a point. It was around long before them and they knew it was there before they took the job.

They all have plenty big squads. If they don't want to actually play the squad players or feel they aren't good enough, why have them?

If players need rest, they should skip training.


Must tell my boss I've worked 2 days in my physically demanding job already this week so I'm going to rest tomorrow instead of doing more.

Really don't see the point in comparing a normal job to an elite athlete's one. They are completely different with different demands on the body.

PhuckHugh

Players and managers are paid ridiculous amounts of money - fcuk out there and play as many games as you are told. I'd be in favour of more games - Sports over Christmas is great - This year - NFL Christmas eve and NYE - Premier League throughout the period and the return of Hurling on the 29th of December.... What a great time to be alive and the owner of endless boxes of celebrations.

Benimar

murpho999 wrote: »

I think it needs to change. Sport at this level cannot be sustained with a one day recovery between games, it’s simply too much.

But it is literally a once off, its not like they do this constantly.

Take Liverpool as an example. Played Friday 22nd, followed by 3 full days rest. Played Tuesday 26th followed by 3 full days rest. Then play twice in 48 hours, followed by 3 full days rest before the cup game on Friday night. Oh, they then have 8 full days rest before they play again.

Its hardly excessive to play twice in 48 hours once a year.

Knex*

irelandrover wrote: »

Keep the Christmas schedule as it is inbuilt into English football at this point. Give the players 2-3 weeks off in January to recover.

Could help with January Transfer window too.

GavRedKing

Just weighing in late to this, the London based teams usually have an easier run of it during christmas, they make up nearly 25% of the teams in the league so chances are you'll be playing a team or two from London in that period and have less travelling as a result.

Guy:Incognito

murpho999 wrote: »

Really don't see the point in comparing a normal job to an elite athlete's one. They are completely different with different demands on the body.

I agree. 40 years of back breaking physical labour for a fraction in a year compared to some footballers weekly wage is much worse

ArmaniJeanss

GavRedKing wrote: »

Just weighing in late to this, the London based teams usually have an easier run of it during christmas, they make up nearly 25% of the teams in the league so chances are you'll be playing a team or two from London in that period and have less travelling as a result.

But that applies over the whole season, depending on the makeup of the league the London teams are going to play as many as 26/27 of their 38 league games within the M25. So the same will apply to any subset of their games.

*****
As an overall point this year was probably the most extreme it could be with Boxing Day (as they call it) being a Tuesday and New Years Day being a Monday.

Next year these days will be Wednesday and Tuesday so it'll just be like 2 sets of midweek fixtures after 2 sets of weekend fixtures. Still tough but should really be no 48 hour turnarounds.

smileyj1987

I think it needs to change , less games over Christmas would be a good thing for the PL. If the title race was close this season between the current top 4 imagine 2 of the teams loosing a few of their best players from injuries caused by burn out it would be a hateful thing to see happen if you supported one of these clubs.

citytillidie

theoneeyedman wrote: »

Money.

Traditionally, fans love it, and turn out in big numbers. Satellite TV and bookies love it, a captive audience at home with time to watch the games.

I think there is an extra game shoehorned in this year because the epl season finishes a week earlier due to the world Cup. The only problem I have this year is some inequity in the fixtures, eg Spurs had a Tuesday to Tuesday break while their opponents Swansea had two days.

I say keep it. Fvck the English team, most of the top players are not English and they can perform at the World Cups OK. Fvck the likes of Pep, Jose and Pep too, they can stay in the likes of Portugal or Spain on smaller money if they want, they are have not been kidnapped.

Only reason Spurs had a Tuesday to Tuesday break was because the police would not let more than a 41K crowd on NYE.

Spurs after having their Tuesday to Tuesday break then play Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday.

LuckyLloyd

Dance Monkey, dance.

Tom Mann Centuria

League One and Two players have to endure runs of games like that throughout the season, so the ridiculously well paid Premier League players, Managers etc. can suck it for the Christmas period.

Wheety

I was thinking about this the other day. I think they should play up until 31st December and then a 2 week break. The January transfer window should only be open for these 2 weeks. Then start back with the FA Cup.

Perhaps drop the League Cup for Premier League teams.

Guy:Incognito

Wheety wrote: »

.

Perhaps drop the League Cup for Premier League teams.

The cups are the only time some players actually get a game. If clubs want then there's no affect on their first team at all. If they choose to play first team players then so be it, that's their choice.

Clubs have huge money and plenty of players. If they cant rotate a bit then that's the problem of their managers and they need to learn to actually manage the squad.