Wenger bemoans fixture list

[Jumpers For Goalposts]

It's been said many times before but this sums up why I get pissed off with Arsene and Arsenal despite being second in the league.

Arsene Wenger has bemoaned the club's end-of-season fixture list and feels it has hampered their title challenge. This coming weekend, Arsenal will again play after United with their match at Blackpool on Sunday - indeed Wenger's men will not play on a Saturday again this term.

Wenger has not hidden his displeasure at their games being moved, saying: "There are a lot of things going on which I don't want to talk about. I have been here for 15 years, I know how things work, I want to be completely neutral, like I have to be. I am not involved in any decision. I do not do the schedule. I look when do we play? It is on Sunday until the end of the season.

"But I do not want to speak about anything else like we look for an excuse about our performance. We have not been good enough, which is the main information of the Blackburn game, and we have to worry about being better in our next game. I have no influence on the fixtures, the referees, not on anything else here. Now we want to focus on our next game and show we are good enough."

Trying to blame the fixture list is ridiculous - changing kick off times due to Sky & ESPN are a pain but Arsene and co love the lifestyle that the Sky money brings them.

Why doesn't he start putting the fear of God into his precious little players (like Ferguson does) instead of looking for excuses all the time?? He has become complacent and created a losers / victim's mentality throughout our Club and until that changes, 2005 will continue to look very lonely on the Honours Board!!

[REB]

always an excuse waiting , and the problem is a lot of people still agree with him




IN ARSENE WE RUST

[Boomer]

He is right but it a pathetic excuse.

Just trying to deflect his own situation.

[flash gunner]

The bullshit is wearing a bit thin he has to go - Join my movement

[mikeyb772001]

The guy is a turnip!

A fucking idiot. Whats next to blame it on?????


His time is up NOW!

We should all sing

“You don’t know what your doingâ€

[Dan_85]

He was moaning about fixture congestion when we were playing every 3 days, now we've been unceremoniously dumped out of all competitions & he doesn't have that to worry about, he's moaning because we're playing on Sundays?! What does that matter? Are you gonna miss Songs of Praise Arsene? Who gives a fuck, we have a weeks rest or more between each game, Utd still have FA Cup & CL fixtures to play but you can bet it ain't gonna affect their title run in...

[Batflyer]

I don't understand. What's the problem of playing on a Sunday instead of Saturday?

It doesn't matter if United always plays on a Saturday from now on, because they won the League last weekend. And when United lose some points, we never win the day after. We should only have a look at Chelsea to stay second.

[g88ner]

Having read Wenger's comments, I have to say I'm not entirely sure why many of you appear to be so outraged

He's understandably voicing his concerns/frustrations about the fixture list, and the quite bizarre decision of the Premier League to allow one title challenger to play first on almost every single weekend to that of their closest challenger.
- surely it's irrelevant whether you're neutral, pro or anti-Wenger; it's a quite bizarre fixture list in a professional league that should be designed to offer no advantage, where possible, to ANY club.

But, even though Wenger has voiced his concerns (or whinged, if you want to be like that) he's also spent much of the quotes making it clear that Arsenal haven't been good enough, and need to focus on their own performances.

So again, I'm not sure exactly what he's said that is so wrong.

By the way, I'm not entirely sure what advantage the fixture list gives ManUre or Arsenal - but that's neither here nor there, as it's quite clearly not evenly distributed to ensure a fair run in for all.
- Surely that should be utmost on the minds of the organisers, but it would appear not.

[RoscommonGooner]

Having read Wenger's comments, I have to say I'm not entirely sure why many of you appear to be so outraged

He's understandably voicing his concerns/frustrations about the fixture list, and the quite bizarre decision of the Premier League to allow one title challenger to play first on almost every single weekend to that of their closest challenger.
- surely it's irrelevant whether you're neutral, pro or anti-Wenger; it's a quite bizarre fixture list in a professional league that should be designed to offer no advantage, where possible, to ANY club.

But, even though Wenger has voiced his concerns (or whinged, if you want to be like that) he's also spent much of the quotes making it clear that Arsenal haven't been good enough, and need to focus on their own performances.

So again, I'm not sure exactly what he's said that is so wrong.

By the way, I'm not entirely sure what advantage the fixture list gives ManUre or Arsenal- but that's neither here nor there, as it's quite clearly not evenly distributed to ensure a fair run in for all.
- Surely that should be utmost on the minds of the organisers, but it would appear not.

That is the bit I'm pissed off about, he's clutching at straws here. You can be sure that if our games were on Saturday and ManUre on Sunday he would be against that too.

[flash gunner]

Having read Wenger's comments, I have to say I'm not entirely sure why many of you appear to be so outraged

He's understandably voicing his concerns/frustrations about the fixture list, and the quite bizarre decision of the Premier League to allow one title challenger to play first on almost every single weekend to that of their closest challenger.
- surely it's irrelevant whether you're neutral, pro or anti-Wenger; it's a quite bizarre fixture list in a professional league that should be designed to offer no advantage, where possible, to ANY club.

But, even though Wenger has voiced his concerns (or whinged, if you want to be like that) he's also spent much of the quotes making it clear that Arsenal haven't been good enough, and need to focus on their own performances.

So again, I'm not sure exactly what he's said that is so wrong.

By the way, I'm not entirely sure what advantage the fixture list gives ManUre or Arsenal - but that's neither here nor there, as it's quite clearly not evenly distributed to ensure a fair run in for all.
- Surely that should be utmost on the minds of the organisers, but it would appear not.

This isnt about unfair advantages on one to or another its about TV coverage. As you say you could look at it and say united have it easier as they play first but you could also say the pressure is on them as they have to get a result before knowing anyone else'...... Its a load of bollocks and doesnt give one team an advantage over another. This is the problem with the press and Wenger when he comes out with shit like this they all take the piss and mock him when he has something serious to say like Shawcross'/Taylor' assaults they treat it with the same disdain.

My advice would be this is modern day football Arsene like it or not, get on with it or get out of football

[g88ner]

Having read Wenger's comments, I have to say I'm not entirely sure why many of you appear to be so outraged

He's understandably voicing his concerns/frustrations about the fixture list, and the quite bizarre decision of the Premier League to allow one title challenger to play first on almost every single weekend to that of their closest challenger.
- surely it's irrelevant whether you're neutral, pro or anti-Wenger; it's a quite bizarre fixture list in a professional league that should be designed to offer no advantage, where possible, to ANY club.

But, even though Wenger has voiced his concerns (or whinged, if you want to be like that) he's also spent much of the quotes making it clear that Arsenal haven't been good enough, and need to focus on their own performances.

So again, I'm not sure exactly what he's said that is so wrong.

By the way, I'm not entirely sure what advantage the fixture list gives ManUre or Arsenal- but that's neither here nor there, as it's quite clearly not evenly distributed to ensure a fair run in for all.
- Surely that should be utmost on the minds of the organisers, but it would appear not.

That is the bit I'm pissed off about, he's clutching at straws here. You can be sure that if our games were on Saturday and ManUre on Sunday he would be against that too.

And rightly so. The fixtures should be distributed in such a way that any advantage gained/lost from playing first is dilluted by mixing it up as much as possible to ensure as fair a run in as possible.

I'm assuming the numbers I've read are correct, but if either club is playing before or after the other for the vast majority of the run in, then it's not been organised well enough and it's quite right that it's brought to light and made clear that it's not acceptable.

[g88ner]

This isnt about unfair advantages on one to or another its about TV coverage. As you say you could look at it and say united have it easier as they play first but you could also say the pressure is on them as they have to get a result before knowing anyone else'...... Its a load of bollocks and doesnt give one team an advantage over another. This is the problem with the press and Wenger when he comes out with shit like this they all take the piss and mock him when he has something serious to say like Shawcross'/Taylor' assaults they treat it with the same disdain.

My advice would be this is modern day football Arsene like it or not, get on with it or get out of football

You might be right, but then again, I'm sure some sports psychologists would argue that there is a possible advantage/disadvantage in always leading or following your rival.

But regardless, I do think that's neither here nor there. As I said in my post above, the fixtures should be distributed in such a way that any advantage gained/lost from playing first is dilluted by mixing it up as much as possible to ensure as fair a run in as possible - and if that's not happening, then it's not been organised well enough and it's quite right that it's brought to light and made clear that it's not acceptable

[Batflyer]

By the way, I'm not entirely sure what advantage the fixture list gives ManUre or Arsenal - but that's neither here nor there, as it's quite clearly not evenly distributed to ensure a fair run in for all.
- Surely that should be utmost on the minds of the organisers, but it would appear not.

That's exactly my point. It doesn't matter at all if you play earlier or later than your title challenger. If it's no excuse, he shouldn't say it, because even when he also criticises his team, the media will always start with the negative comments. Read the first line again: "Arsene Wenger has bemoaned the club's end-of-season fixture list."

After all those years, Wenger still doesn't understand that you shouldn't say some things during post match interviews. Just tell the media what you think of the team's performance, nothing else.

[flash gunner]

This isnt about unfair advantages on one to or another its about TV coverage. As you say you could look at it and say united have it easier as they play first but you could also say the pressure is on them as they have to get a result before knowing anyone else'...... Its a load of bollocks and doesnt give one team an advantage over another. This is the problem with the press and Wenger when he comes out with shit like this they all take the piss and mock him when he has something serious to say like Shawcross'/Taylor' assaults they treat it with the same disdain.

My advice would be this is modern day football Arsene like it or not, get on with it or get out of football

You might be right, but then again, I'm sure some sports psychologists would argue that there is a possible advantage/disadvantage in always leading or following your rival.

But regardless, I do think that's neither here nor there. As I said in my post above, the fixtures should be distributed in such a way that any advantage gained/lost from playing first is dilluted by mixing it up as much as possible to ensure as fair a run in as possible - and if that's not happening, then it's not been organised well enough and it's quite right that it's brought to light and made clear that it's not acceptable

sorry mate but im not into this sport psychology stuff. I think mentally tough people get on with whatever card they are dealt in sport or life in general. These types of statements from Wenger takes credence away from serious issues he raises

[marcengels]

Isn't the problem not that Wenger might be right (Arsene knows ), but that he is just finding another thing to moan about when really us having less games should be the big advantage. Plus pyschologically, our frail and weak players shouldnt be hearing this from the manager, instead he has given them an excuse.