[Football] The way the fixtures are organised

[Dave the OAP]

We were discussing this yesterday.

With the way we seem to have great periods of time where we are not playing at home,( with international breaks etc) do you look forward more to seeing the albion or are you a bit meh about the season?

Reading the comments the other day about people not exactly enthusing about our performances, it just seems that as we have so few games in this division, we have no interest in any of teh cup competitions, and it appears that our only ambition is to stay up, that there is no real interest in the entertainment factor.

I also read a lot of comment on how fantastic it was that we managed to hang on for 70 minutes against wolves and it was brilliant to see a defensive performance. Is that now what people have become accustomed to? Defensive brilliance?

At least last night it moved the conversation away from brexit

 

[Napier's Knee]

The international breaks destroy any "narrative" that might be developing - at the moment it feels like I'm just watching a series of pretty much isolated fixtures. I much preferred the Championship - the fixture overload created intensity and a storyline with an unpredictable ending (we already know who will win the PL, and we can be pretty sure who will get relegated unless something stupid happens, which it won't). We know we will finish somewhere between 11 and 16 regardless of whether we play attacking football or defensively - or just crap like on Saturday. Defensive displays can be just as enjoyable as attacking ones and to be honest I am pretty relaxed about whether we win, lose or draw so long as we are playing at a basic level of competence. At the moment we're not, whereas we did against Liverpool. The bottom line is that the Albion are not in the entertainment business - we are now a big business (and I almost typed "they" then instead of "we" which kind of sums up how I feel).

 

[Bozza]

Like many, I'm sure, I really dislike international breaks as it just doesn't feel like the season gets properly started until late November.

it takes 105 days for us to complete the first 12 league games of the season.

The next 12 games are completed in 67 days, and we'll have the FA Cup to come in that period too.

I do also miss the midweek games that the Championship brings. Clubs in the division below have played 17 league games already, versus our 12.

 

[Iggle Piggle]

The early part of the season is so slow especially having been knocked out of the league cup. 1 game a week, International break, wait a week. Back in the day I'm sure they'd have had cans, a video and a deck of cards at training such is the volume of games.

It's much better after the November break. In context, we will have had 13 league games in 3 months after Leicester. We have 7 games in a month in December. That should mean that the less entertaining games gets lost in amongst the ones that are and things pick up. Then we can listen to them moaning how tired they all are.

 

[Gazwag]

Like many, I'm sure, I really dislike international breaks as it just doesn't feel like the season gets properly started until late November.

it takes 105 days for us to complete the first 12 league games of the season.

The next 12 games are completed in 67 days, and we'll have the FA Cup to come in that period too.

I do also miss the midweek games that the Championship brings. Clubs in the division below have played 17 league games already, versus our 12.

The concern for me is we seem to have had more injuries in those 105 days than we had the whole of last season, added to the Stephens red card we need a lucky 67 days without anymore of either

 

[Is it PotG?]

Said it before, the continued excitement and anticipation of the Championship 'promotion years' will not be repeated in the Premier Trough, being replaced by watching the big boys play and a seat at the big table. The more fulfilling? I think we know.

Still, we will see Jamie Vardy soon.

 

[loz]

I never used to miss any home games, even limping to a game 10 days after a total hip replacement...The last 3 seasons this period between August and December I actually forget my team is playing...This Saturday I had arranged something else to do with Mrs L, so missed the game and wasn't even aware or the time change ! I have already missed 3 home games out of 6 !! which for me is unheard of...I just can not get into the first broken up 4 months of the season...And then by March I am eyeing up the Sussex fixture list and football starts taking another back seat ??

 

[Justice]

Sugar coating getting battered every week by I enjoy a defensive performance is bollocks, seen this a lot lately by the tinted lens Albion fans. Glad of the international break don’t have to endure us getting played off the park again.

 

[The red pepper kid]

im glad at the moment were not getting much football-- saves money and time for other things , however be carefull what you wish for -- with this sudden need for attacking football !!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Dave the OAP]

It must be me and getting old, as I can't remember the last time i watched MOTD either. I tend to only see the away games on BBC local news on the Sunday anyway and that tends to give the goals.

Certainly the excitement of going has left me and I still can't get my head around this notion of the only thing that matters is survival and the corporate machine that we have become.

On another tack, if we were 12th in t league and look on course to stay in th division on the 2nd January, would you like to see us treat the FA Cup with due respect and send out our first team to have a go at possibly winning it, or would you be happy to see the U23 team with a smattering of first teamers?

 

[Questions]

First time at the Amex I am using the ticket exchange for matches and I hope that it’s available for the Arsenal game. The thought of watching us ‘holding out’ for ninety minutes on Boxing Day when I know my sloe gin at home is vulnerable has made my decision for me. Besides it’s on the tv.

 

[beorhthelm]

i feel very meh about the season so far and thats largely due to the disjointed start to the season, performance and fixtures. its crap to be honest, with so many weeks taken away for internationals, i havent watched any of them and not sure i could even say who we played other than Spain. then we'll have about 10 games in 6 weeks!

 

[Dave the OAP]

First time at the Amex I am using the ticket exchange for matches and I hope that it’s available for the Arsenal game. The thought of watching us ‘holding out’ for ninety minutes when I know my sloe gin at home is vulnerable has made my decision for me. Besides it’s on the tv.

The timing has totally screwed Boxing Day family meals and I may also look to use the ticket exchange for the third time this year. 5:30 is a stupid time for everyone!

 

[Hotchilidog]

The beginning of the season is a shambles. It starts way too early, there are too many breaks and little continual action to get excited about. At the moment the Premier League is something to dip in and out of rather than be excited about. Also having a run of fixtures that goes Everton (a) Cardiff (a) Leicester (h) Huddersfield (a) Burnley (a) is quite frankly flipping ridiculous for a team on the south coast. People will forget what we look like!

If you add in the fact that we are just a terrible watch away from home (and my glass is always half full and glasses always blue-tinted and even I concede this) it is no wonder that some fans mojo is on the wane.

Was impressed with Andone at Cardiff when he came on so I am looking forward to seeing him offer something different up front if he is given the chance.

 

[Gwylan]

Why should people be upset about defensive football? Defending is part of football too, do people think Dunk and Ryan are less important than Murray and Knockaert?

When I played, I was a full back and I love watching quality defending - and the Albion are pretty good at it. Don't moan about defensive football, it's a real skill

 

[clippedgull]

The bottom line is that the Albion are not in the entertainment business - we are now a big business (and I almost typed "they" then instead of "we" which kind of sums up how I feel).

Well, we are in the entertainment business! It's just that we are not currently entertaining (unless people find defensive attributes entertaining). Either through tactical choices or the players abilities.

I find our games mostly tedious at the moment.

 

[Deadly Danson]

I still enjoy the home games but I haven't been able to shake the feeling that the promotion season was as good as it will ever get for us. No other promotion will ever taste as good, I doubt any cup win will ever top it and getting into Europe seems to be a poisoned chalice. I also hate these bloody international breaks and would have no issue going back to the Championship for a more 'rough and tumble anything goes' league. There, that's cheered me up!

 

[Seasidesage]

Not been to an away game yet after years of doing 90% of them. Not missed it at all so far. Home games are fine and I understand the financial need to survive but it isn't a lot of fun. I would love us to have a proper go at the FA cup but we won't. All in all I like the idea of us being a PL side but how do we make progress from here? Without it this will lose its lustre fairly quickly for me...

 

[Munkfish]

People seem to forget that international breaks still happen in the Championship.

A month between home games is an utter pain in the arse, not making as many away games this season it really has been a strugle though. But once we are back underway we will all have a lovely time.

 

[studio150]

Why should people be upset about defensive football? Defending is part of football too, do people think Dunk and Ryan are less important than Murray and Knockaert?

When I played, I was a full back and I love watching quality defending - and the Albion are pretty good at it. Don't moan about defensive football, it's a real skill

Brilliant post, Maty Ryan should be looking to smash Edwin Van Dr Sar's PL record of 1,311 minutes without conceding a goal