cambridgeshire canary 7,797 Posted April 21 What a shame for him hey, not like he has a squad that's worth over a billion quid and one that's broken over 100 financial rules or anything. Think that's what really unacceptable if you ask me.. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gordon Bennett 914 Posted April 21 Whatever you think of him and Citeh he's bang on. Would have been absolute common sense for United to play yesterday and City today. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
chicken 3,081 Posted April 21 11 minutes ago, Gordon Bennett said: Whatever you think of him and Citeh he's bang on. Would have been absolute common sense for United to play yesterday and City today. One of the reason they have such a deep, quality squad is because they finish at the top end of the premier league and in champions league places. That money is supposed to help support a squad that can be rotated with quality players coming in. I have zero sympathy. It adds to the challenge, yes, but he can rotate players and not pile it all on the same ones. 6 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Canary73 327 Posted April 21 I have pretty much zero interest in it. They have drained the competition of any importance by taking out replays, scheduling it to fit in with the Premier League and UEFA competitions which mean it is no longer the showpiece final game of the season. I was in the Lion & Castle post match and saw it was on the screens but had no interest in the game. The top six PL clubs have big enough squads to meet with the demands of the competitions they are in. If they don't like it then don't enter it. 9 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gordon Bennett 914 Posted April 21 Everyone is missing the point though. United and Coventry didn't play on Wednesday, City did. Play the City semi on the second day of the weekend. It really isn’t rocket science. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
chicken 3,081 Posted April 21 3 minutes ago, Gordon Bennett said: Everyone is missing the point though. United and Coventry didn't play on Wednesday, City did. Play the City semi on the second day of the weekend. It really isn’t rocket science. No one is missing the point, no one cares. 2 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gordon Bennett 914 Posted April 21 10 minutes ago, chicken said: No one is missing the point, no one cares. The people contributing to the thread must do I'd have thought. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
chicken 3,081 Posted April 21 1 minute ago, Gordon Bennett said: The people contributing to the thread must do I'd have thought. No one cares about the point you are making. It's not that they are missing the point. Man City have spent as much money on one or two players that you could probably buy ownership of Coventry. Just mind games from Pep is all. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gordon Bennett 914 Posted April 21 5 minutes ago, chicken said: No one cares about the point you are making. It's not that they are missing the point. Man City have spent as much money on one or two players that you could probably buy ownership of Coventry. Just mind games from Pep is all. Thanks very much. Perhaps I can just see the situation without prejudice or agenda. Just seems absolutely bonkers but there we are, all about opinions I guess. Would be interesting to know why the two semi finals were scheduled as they have been and not the sensible, obvious way round. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wacky Waving Inflatable Arm Flailing Tube Man 4,615 Posted April 21 1 hour ago, Gordon Bennett said: Whatever you think of him and Citeh he's bang on. Would have been absolute common sense for United to play yesterday and City today. 32 minutes ago, Gordon Bennett said: Everyone is missing the point though. United and Coventry didn't play on Wednesday, City did. Play the City semi on the second day of the weekend. It really isn’t rocket science. Chelsea are playing Arsenal on Tuesday, which I guess is the reason why this didn't happen. However, I cannot see any reason why that game couldn't have happened on Wednesday, which would've been the logical thing to do. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hogesar 10,761 Posted April 21 41 minutes ago, Gordon Bennett said: Everyone is missing the point though. United and Coventry didn't play on Wednesday, City did. Play the City semi on the second day of the weekend. It really isn’t rocket science. Yeah I think it's a fair point. And pep has a responsibility to look after his players so you can't blame him for being frustrated at the lack of fixture logic. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Robert N. LiM 6,274 Posted April 21 City can always pull out of the Champions League if it causes so much difficulty. Or the FA Cup. Whatever. No one would miss them. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Capt. Pants 5,005 Posted April 21 Coventry have a vital league game Wednesday as well. I'm sure they would have preferred not to be playing today either. Unfortunately it's this lack of commonsense in the scheduling which turns the bigger clubs or even those chasing promotion against the competition. You then get the FA trying to appease them by scrapping replays. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Branston Pickle 4,145 Posted April 21 (edited) Anyone with any sense can see the scheduling for these games is just wrong - Citeh having played a big Euro game on Wednesday, and Cov similarly having a potentially key game midweek. It just goes to show the idiocy of those in charge and/or the broadcasters - perhaps it’s down to tv, we’re all well aware that football has been busy selling its soul to them for years Edited April 21 by Branston Pickle Sp 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ulfotto 798 Posted April 21 2 hours ago, Gordon Bennett said: Whatever you think of him and Citeh he's bang on. Would have been absolute common sense for United to play yesterday and City today. Absolutely agree normally I would be all in whoever the premier league manager is playing the woe is me card. But in this case he has a point no one would care if the games this weekend where switched. On a separate point the championship are also at it. Leicester played yesterday then don’t play again until next Tuesday. Whereas Leeds didn’t play this weekend but play on Monday and then again on Friday both away from home. While Ipswich are seemingly on end of season break. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
chicken 3,081 Posted April 21 (edited) 2 hours ago, Gordon Bennett said: Thanks very much. Perhaps I can just see the situation without prejudice or agenda. Just seems absolutely bonkers but there we are, all about opinions I guess. Would be interesting to know why the two semi finals were scheduled as they have been and not the sensible, obvious way round. Sorry, that came across as harsh. 2 hours ago, Gordon Bennett said: Everyone is missing the point though. United and Coventry didn't play on Wednesday, City did. Play the City semi on the second day of the weekend. It really isn’t rocket science. 2 hours ago, Gordon Bennett said: The people contributing to the thread must do I'd have thought. It was in response to these. You suggested that people were missing the point - they weren't, they just don't see the fuss. As someone else pointed out, teams that play on a Tuesday after a Saturday tend to be more jaded and get adverse results more frequently. If the powers that be don't care about that, or that Norwich have played more Tuesdays after a Saturday (according to that poster) than any other team in the league, they sure as hell won't care about Man City and all of the money they have. I am really not taking pity on a club who's owners have apparently flaunted more rules than Ivan Toney has placed dodgy bets. There's also an obvious answer as to 'why'. TV money. Again, Pep can moan, but that money contributes towards paying his players wages. Do I care? No. Do I get the point? Yes. There are situations like this every season and have been since the likes of Sky have been able to dictate when football fixtures are played. It's a far bigger problem than just one fixture for poor old cheating Man City. Sorry, I have no time for clubs that have broken FFP etc multiple times and have had to have new rules written after they have circumvented the spirit of the game in the existing rules. Pep is no doubt a great manager, does he need excuses? No. He likes mind-games and I suspect that this is all this is. If this was Mark Robins, Wagner, Manning, I can guarantee you it would be a footnote in the post match interview and people on here would probably be going on about it being a weak excuse (see response to Shef Weds game) etc etc etc. It wouldn't get the attention and yet look at the championship, most teams could buy their squad again on £20m. As Abba sing "Money, money, money..." Edited April 21 by chicken 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Fen Canary 1,456 Posted April 21 If he doesn’t like it then pull out of Europe. I’m sick of these wa**ers moaning about how hard they’ve got it when they earn millions for being in it and they’ve destroyed the domestic cup competitions to make their lives easier. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Fen Canary 1,456 Posted April 21 36 minutes ago, Ulfotto said: Absolutely agree normally I would be all in whoever the premier league manager is playing the woe is me card. But in this case he has a point no one would care if the games this weekend where switched. On a separate point the championship are also at it. Leicester played yesterday then don’t play again until next Tuesday. Whereas Leeds didn’t play this weekend but play on Monday and then again on Friday both away from home. While Ipswich are seemingly on end of season break. Why is Monday and then Friday any worse than the Saturday and Tuesday most teams play all season? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Indy 3,471 Posted April 21 2 hours ago, Canary73 said: I have pretty much zero interest in it. They have drained the competition of any importance by taking out replays, scheduling it to fit in with the Premier League and UEFA competitions which mean it is no longer the showpiece final game of the season. I was in the Lion & Castle post match and saw it was on the screens but had no interest in the game. The top six PL clubs have big enough squads to meet with the demands of the competitions they are in. If they don't like it then don't enter it. It used to be the prestige event, I remember watching the live cup finals and loving the build up! Everything has gone it’s now viewed as a tinpot competition! The only way to get it back is for replays to stay that’s a lifeline of small clubs to get a big club at home get a draw and get that big payday away. Also give the winners a Champions League award! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Robert N. LiM 6,274 Posted April 21 Just want to add that the main reason for the top clubs' fixture congestion is the expansion of the European competitions, which of course they pushed for, for the extra revenue. Completely accept Pep's point on this one fixture, but it's the hypocrisy of these clubs complaining about a problem they created that sticks in the throat. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Canary73 327 Posted April 21 I don't agree with giving it a Champions League place as that should be just for the winners across all of Europe's league and not for second to fourth placed clubs in certain leagues. However, it would be funny is a team outside the PL one the FA Cup then got into it. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
zema abbey football genius 36 Posted April 21 3 hours ago, chicken said: One of the reason they have such a deep, quality squad is because they finish at the top end of the premier league and in champions league places. That money is supposed to help support a squad that can be rotated with quality players coming in. I have zero sympathy. It adds to the challenge, yes, but he can rotate players and not pile it all on the same ones. Spot on. I was pleased when Alan Shearer made that exact point during the interview with Pep. They have a huge squad of expensive talent - use the depth. Doku (£50m) and Dias (£60m) came on for them yesterday, Kovacic was on the bench. I find him bleating on about the number of games highly irritating and rather distasteful tbh. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mr Angry 2,014 Posted April 21 46 minutes ago, chicken said: Sorry, that came across as harsh. It was in response to these. You suggested that people were missing the point - they weren't, they just don't see the fuss. As someone else pointed out, teams that play on a Tuesday after a Saturday tend to be more jaded and get adverse results more frequently. If the powers that be don't care about that, or that Norwich have played more Tuesdays after a Saturday (according to that poster) than any other team in the league, they sure as hell won't care about Man City and all of the money they have. I am really not taking pity on a club who's owners have apparently flaunted more rules than Ivan Toney has placed dodgy bets. There's also an obvious answer as to 'why'. TV money. Again, Pep can moan, but that money contributes towards paying his players wages. Do I care? No. Do I get the point? Yes. There are situations like this every season and have been since the likes of Sky have been able to dictate when football fixtures are played. It's a far bigger problem than just one fixture for poor old cheating Man City. Sorry, I have no time for clubs that have broken FFP etc multiple times and have had to have new rules written after they have circumvented the spirit of the game in the existing rules. Pep is no doubt a great manager, does he need excuses? No. He likes mind-games and I suspect that this is all this is. If this was Mark Robins, Wagner, Manning, I can guarantee you it would be a footnote in the post match interview and people on here would probably be going on about it being a weak excuse (see response to Shef Weds game) etc etc etc. It wouldn't get the attention and yet look at the championship, most teams could buy their squad again on £20m.As Jessie J sings "It's all about the money..." Actually the lyrics are "It's NOT about the money" 🤣 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
chicken 3,081 Posted April 21 (edited) 2 minutes ago, Mr Angry said: Actually the lyrics are "It's NOT about the money" 🤣 Ahem... let me change it... blithering idiot memory! The irony. The embarrassment. The... who cares! 😂 Edited April 21 by chicken Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
shefcanary 2,950 Posted April 21 And when the schedule was set out, who could say for definite that Citeh would have a match in Europe the week before and Coventry would have an important match the weekend after? Yes, the odds were that both would be true, but what if it turned out neither came to bear? The FA Cup draw and the scheduling is what makes the FA Cup unique (the order of play was set out prior to the draw). So it is the luck of the draw, the beauty of the FA Cup. Suck it up Pep! Or as others said **** off! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
astro 423 Posted April 21 Maybe the European Cup could be a straight knockout competition, with each tie being played over two legs. Radical I know but…… Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ulfotto 798 Posted April 21 (edited) 1 hour ago, Fen Canary said: Why is Monday and then Friday any worse than the Saturday and Tuesday most teams play all season? Ignore this I’m talking nonsense as usual. Although the point about the binners stands Edited April 21 by Ulfotto 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bradwell canary 112 Posted April 21 How much would he be crying if justice was done regarding their 190 charges against them, turning, into a massive points deduction. But you and I know that will never happen. They and the Russians money in his early days at Chelsea have ruined the game I loved. Just shows how mad it is, Grealish cost £100M can’t often get in the team. That is enough to buy football club in the EFL. Possibly even ours! If we were promoted then upon our relegation it would be similar to our one season in the PL. Love the game, hate what it’s become . Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GodlyOtsemobor 2,830 Posted April 21 Oh no how sad...... Anyway back to real football.... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
