Is this some sort of f**king joke?

[redblood]

Cool, plenty of away games on the telly for me to just roll out of bed to watch.

****ing government employees

[Assassin]

Apologies if this has been noticed before but I can't actually believe it!

After feeling pretty down this weekend after Liverpool could not raise themselves to beating Pompey, it really bugged me and can really sympathise that Rafa has been moaning about the lack of time to prepare his teams after a midweek international (i.e. players come back to club late on Thurs, can’t do much with them, Fri morning, light work as they’re still not 100% and then travel in afternoon to away match and then play Sat midday!). No time to properly prepare and an advantage to teams playing later in the day, the Sunday or even just at home (all the other top teams on other words). I can really sympathise with Rafa and feel Liverpool are being penalised and understand why Rafa’s pissed with it.

This started at the last England Wednesday match against Germany when we were away against Sunderland Saturday midday, and happened this weekend.

So, I just thought I’d look forward to the next internationals and guess ****ing what?

Here is a list of Wednesday Internationals for England (obviously a day of full international fixtures) and Liverpool’s game afterwards:

Weds 22nd August – Eng v Germany - - - Sat 25th August – Sunderland v Liv – 12.45 ko.

Weds 12th Sept – Eng v Russia - - - Sat 15th Sept – Portsmouth v Liv – 12.45 ko.

Weds 17th Oct – Russia v Eng - - - Sat 20th Oct – Everton v Liv – 12.45 ko.

Weds 21st Nov – Eng v Croatia - - - Sat 24th Nov – Newcastle v Liv – 12.45 ko.

Does this strike anyone else as being slightly more than a coincidence and a little unfair. No wonder Rafa is fuming!!!!!! 4 tough early Sat ko away games after each set of internationals!!!!!!

Rafa......welcome to Est1892

[checkpoint]

It could be a blessing in disguise.

Wouldn't it be easier to withdraw certain players from the national squad now? I mean, as much as SG wants to play for England, even he now can see the amount of games and early KO's?

A slight cough and he stays at home....

Xabi is solving the matter in his own way for HIS country. Food for thought SG? One game in, three games out

[Ritchi3]

There's always some way of looking at the fixtures to have a raw deal. It's impossible to be happy with them all. Sh!t happens. Let's just get over it and deal with it. Our squad is big enough to deal with this.

[kev776]

The one which stands out is the Pompey one. Travelling down there for a 12:45 KO is a bit OTT.

The others are reasonable though, not too much travelling.

This shows just how good our away support is, they outsung pompey for most of the match even at this ungodly hour in the morning.

[Rowan]

It increases our exposure to The Asian Market as our games will be on at primetime. It seems crappy but from a long term perspective it has to be a good thing, although I'm sure the reason it's always us and the mancs is because we are the easiest for the prem to sell.

[Lynchyred]

It increases our exposure to The Asian Market as our games will be on at primetime. It seems crappy but from a long term perspective it has to be a good thing, although I'm sure the reason it's always us and the mancs is because we are the easiest for the prem to sell.

Must admit, hadn't thought of that. Ah well, Rafa will just have to get on with it and stop moaning like an old woman!

[Sarb]

To be fair it is bollox. However, the players need to use it to their advantage. It's where Mourinho and Fergiescum have done so well. Seige mentality. Obviously the FA don't want us to win the title but the players need to get on with it and win the games

We drew on Saturday. Yeah we could have won but at least we didn't lose. We're in contention and that's the main thing

People are forgetting due to Rafa's rotation we finish the season stronger than most teams. Therefore if we can stay in contention till March and with our fitter players we've got a real chance

I wish people would stop moaning about the Pompey result. It gets kinda depressing. Rafa knows if we're there or thereabouts come March, then hopefully we can kick on from there

[The Glove]

Can i ask, why is it obvious the FA dont want us to win the title?

[Shaggy]

People are forgetting due to Rafa's rotation we finish the season stronger than most teams. Therefore if we can stay in contention till March and with our fitter players we've got a real chance

I wish people would stop moaning about the Pompey result. It gets kinda depressing. Rafa knows if we're there or thereabouts come March, then hopefully we can kick on from there

People may laugh but it's true - it's no coincidence that we seem to suffer fewer injuries than most, especially in the latter stages of a season, and we always look fitter and stronger than most come the back end of the campaign.

[The Glove]

Id say we wouldnt have to wait until March. If we can hang on in there till about November we can carry on. Wasnt it the other season we'dve won the league if it started in October? Its always been the start that lets us down.

[Red Chilli]

People may laugh but it's true - it's no coincidence that we seem to suffer fewer injuries than most, especially in the latter stages of a season, and we always look fitter and stronger than most come the back end of the campaign.

Not disputing that, but equally you can't dispute that we have been out of the title race by January in each of Rafa's 3 seasons. So being good in March doesn't really help.

[Sarb]

Can i ask, why is it obvious the FA dont want us to win the title?

They never want us to do well. Didn't we have to play Everton away two days before the UEFA Cup Final against Alaves?

[andyinswinton]

The problem with the Sunderland and Portsmouth games are that they are away games, and long ones at that. Both didn't need to be televised either. They are hardly mouth watering fixtures.

Both United and Arsenal had away games this weekend and were early kick offs but were against local opposition, both of which would be more interesting games to a neutral.

The fixturing and television games is something that does need to be looked at. Games after internationals and at bank holidays should be the more local games leaving the long hauls for Saturday/Sunday afternoon kick offs.

[dom9]

I can't see a big problem with kicking off at 12.45 on Saturday as opposed to say 5.15 on Saturday. The preparation time is the same. You can't exactly have a training session on the morning of the match.

If they were to play on Sunday, that is a different matter. But surely whatever time you kick on Saturday will have the same net effect.