So, in just 24 days time... (Fixture List)

[Craig_H]

The new fixtures are out for next season's Premier League.

Obviously there'll be plenty of rescheduling and tweaking, but in 3 and a half weeks, we'll know what next season's diary holds for us.

Everyone plays everyone twice, and it's about as balanced as it can be, but there's still a lot to be said for the timing of the fixtures.

For example, take Arsenal as an example.

When we played them at Anfield, they were still looking to secure 4th place and the game had some meaning for them.

United, on the other hand, played Arsenal when the Gunners had nothing left to play for.

Likewise, newly promoted teams, like we found with Hull and Stoke, arent great to play in the early weeks of the season, with the euphoria of promotion still going strong and in some cases, providing the extra boost and confidence that can make a difference in a game.

You've also got the 'new manager' factor, which bizarrely stung us at Spurs, despite the hammering we gave them. This particular danger isnt one that even the 'fixture computer' can help us with. But it does play some part too.

The congested parts of the season also play a part, as with some of the lesser sides having weaker and smaller squads, the busy Christmas period is an ideal time to face such sides. So many games in a short space of time can often call for some rotation and intelligent team selections, and smaller clubs like Hull, Stoke and Everton cannot afford to chop and change too many, meaning that tiredness during busy spells can cause them problems.

All in all, the season has just finished, but i'm already looking forward to the various stages that will make the buildup to the new year and the publication of the new fixtures is the first part of this, along with all the transfer stories, deals, signings and non-signings. Then you have the pre-season campaigns, with various competitions, tours and frendlies. New signings to keep an eye on, new kits to admire and hopefully for us, a new sense of genuine belief, as we enter the new campaign.

So roll up your sleeves, out with the old and in with the new before too long.

The current season may have only just ended, but get ready because once he's finished his holidays, Mr Ferguson will be compiling the fixtures for next year and we'll have another exciting new campaign to look forward to.

Onward!

[pondus]

The new fixtures are out for next season's Premier League.

Obviously there'll be plenty of rescheduling and tweaking, but in 3 and a half weeks, we'll know what next season's diary holds for us.

Everyone plays everyone twice, and it's about as balanced as it can be, but there's still a lot to be said for the timing of the fixtures.

For example, take Arsenal as an example.

When we played them at Anfield, they were still looking to secure 4th place and the game had some meaning for them.

United, on the other hand, played Arsenal when the Gunners had nothing left to play for.

Likewise, newly promoted teams, like we found with Hull and Stoke, arent great to play in the early weeks of the season, with the euphoria of promotion still going strong and in some cases, providing the extra boost and confidence that can make a difference in a game.

You've also got the 'new manager' factor, which bizarrely stung us at Spurs, despite the hammering we gave them. This particular danger isnt one that even the 'fixture computer' can help us with. But it does play some part too.

The congested parts of the season also play a part, as with some of the lesser sides having weaker and smaller squads, the busy Christmas period is an ideal time to face such sides. So many games in a short space of time can often call for some rotation and intelligent team selections, and smaller clubs like Hull, Stoke and Everton cannot afford to chop and change too many, meaning that tiredness during busy spells can cause them problems.

All in all, the season has just finished, but i'm already looking forward to the various stages will make the buildup to the new year and the publication of the new fixtures is the first part of this, along with all the transfer stories, deals, signings and non-signings. Then you have the pre-season campaigns, with various competitions, tours and frendlies. New signings to keep an eye on, new kits to admire and hopefully for us, a new sense of genuine belief, as we enter the new campaign.

So roll up your sleeves, out with the old and in with the new before too long.

The current season may have only just ended, but get ready because once he's finished his holidays, Mr Ferguson will be compiling the fixtures for next year and we'll have another exciting new campaign to look forward to.

Onward!

Looking forward to it already, summers are boring.

[Joe King]

Personally, TV should only tweak those matches within that week. By that I mean, if Liverpool - United was scheduled for a midweek game then it stays as a midweek game rather than shifting it to a Saturday or Sunday lunchtime on either side to suit their needs. The problem is that Sky and Setanta have far too much power and the Premier League can't control them. The point about Ferguson is valid too. A lot of non-United fans that I know hold the point that he has far too much control within football especially within the media.

[Craig_H]

Personally, TV should only tweak those matches within that week. By that I mean, if Liverpool - United was scheduled for a midweek game then it stays as a midweek game rather than shifting it to a Saturday or Sunday lunchtime on either side to suit their needs. The problem is that Sky and Setanta have far too much power and the Premier League can't control them. The point about Ferguson is valid too. A lot of non-United fans that I know hold the point that he has far too much control within football especially within the media.

The big games will always get shifted for TV purposes though, that goes with the territory. What i'd like to see is a more even balance of who plays first, out of the title contenders. One week us, then them and so on.

The mancs game at Wigan was a pisstake because if it had gone ahead near to the time it was originally meant to, Wigan's season wouldnt have hit the bottom of the ocean by then, and they might've got something.

There's no completely 100% fair way of doing it, but it's ****ed up that games which could potentially have a defining impact on the destination of the title, end up being meaningless and a formality, because they've been shifted to such a late stage of the season, that one of the sides has simply stopped playing.

[Joe King]

The big games will always get shifted for TV purposes though, that goes with the territory. What i'd like to see is a more even balance of who plays first, out of the title contenders. One week us, then them and so on.

The mancs game at Wigan was a pisstake because if it had gone ahead near to the time it was originally meant to, Wigan's season wouldnt have hit the bottom of the ocean by then, and they might've got something.

There's no completely 100% fair way of doing it, but it's ****ed up that games which could potentially have a defining impact on the destination of the title, end up being meaningless and a formality, because they've been shifted to such a late stage of the season, that one of the sides has simply stopped playing.

I would like to see a symmetrical system implemented like the one in Spain whereby no one has control over fixture movement and TV has to simply stay put. This shifting is an absolute joke, all it had done especially this season was favour United. What we did see this season was top four clashes one week after the other which doesn't help. They should be spread out. Arsenal played Liverpool, United and Chelsea in a space of a month. Not quite fair is it?

[Craig_H]

How's it different in spain Joe? They have their Sunday 4pm games, which is the norm, but a couple of games get shifted to Saturday nights or the Sunday night, for TV.

Is that much different to what happens here?

[DannyMan2006]

I think added to the key fixtures should be the ones coming on the back of CL games.

If you have Everton away for example after playing Barcelona away it isn't exactly easy. Or for instance we play in the old Eastern block on a Wednesday then travel to Stamford Bridge, after they've just played Brondby at home on a Tuesday(for example).

big differences that can be key come the end of the season.

Just the luck of the draw I guess.

[Craig_H]

I think added to the key fixtures should be the ones coming on the back of CL games.

If you have Everton away for example after playing Barcelona away it isn't exactly easy. Or for instance we play in the old Eastern block on a Wednesday then travel to Stamford Bridge, after they've just played Brondby at home on a Tuesday(for example).

big differences that can be key come the end of the season.

Just the luck of the draw I guess.

Good point, forgot about that one. Partly luck of the draw, but everyone knows when the CL dates will be, and if the English FA want their clubs to have the best chance possible, it could easily be done.

[Joe King]

How's it different in spain Joe? They have their Sunday 4pm games, which is the norm, but a couple of games get shifted to Saturday nights or the Sunday night, for TV.

Is that much different to what happens here?

How is it different? Here the fixtures are subject to change depending on Ferguson. I'm sure games have been shifted around to different weeks whereas you know what you are getting in Spain.

[Craig_H]

How is it different? Here the fixtures are subject to change depending on Ferguson. I'm sure games have been shifted around to different weeks whereas you know what you are getting in Spain.

Isnt that because the cup games in Spain are given separate weekends or midweeks to be played, so they dont end up clashing with league games?

How would the Spanish have dealt with the world club cup? If Barca play it next year, what will happen to their league game? Surely it'd have to be rescheduled to later in the season? Or not?

[Joe King]

Isnt that because the cup games in Spain are given separate weekends or midweeks to be played, so they dont end up clashing with league games?

How would the Spanish have dealt with the world club cup? If Barca play it next year, what will happen to their league game? Surely it'd have to be rescheduled to later in the season? Or not?

Cup games in midweek - but that argument can be balanced with that we have league games following on that exact week.

We'll see how the Spanish deal with the World Club Champ. Hopefully!

[Craig_H]

I dont get what you're saying there, how do the Spanish do it?

[Joe King]

I dont get what you're saying there, how do the Spanish do it?

Spanish have a symmetrical system - the teams you play in the first eighteen games, in the same order, you will play again in the second half of the season.

Cup games in Spain are played in midweek. This doesn't affect the schedule of league games.

I'm not too sure about the rescheduling with the World Club Championship although it might not matter as much since Spain have a two week winter break.

[Craig_H]

Isnt the english league originally scheduled in the same way, before things get moved and such like?

We also have the league cup, which messes it up a lot.

I dont see why it needs to be so different here. When you look at their system, it seems very symmetrical and barely gets moved about. Yet, ours does. Why?

[Joe King]

Isnt the english league originally scheduled in the same way, before things get moved and such like?

We also have the league cup, which messes it up a lot.

I dont see why it needs to be so different here. When you look at their system, it seems very symmetrical and barely gets moved about. Yet, ours does. Why?

Its not symmetrical at all. We don't play the same teams in the same order.

It helps in Spain with one less cup.