Football: Wenger furious over Man Utd fixture advantage

[Lazie]

Posted: 23 January 2009 2247 hrs
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Arsene Wenger kicks a ball at the team training ground in London Colney


LONDON COLNEY, England: Arsene Wenger believes Manchester United's fixture schedule has given them an unfair advantage in the Premier League title race.

Wenger has reignited a row orginally started by Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez by highlighting the extra time Sir Alex Ferguson's team have to recover from their midweek match next week.

The Arsenal manager is unhappy that league leaders United, who are six points ahead of the Gunners, play West Bromwich Albion on Tuesday, while Wenger's men face Everton on Wednesday - meaning they have only two days to recover before their next game at home to West Ham on Saturday.

As if that wasn't enough to irk Wenger, United are not scheduled to play again after their Albion match until the following Monday, although that home fixture against Everton could be postponed if either team has to play an FA Cup fourth round replay.

Wenger's comments follow a furious attack from Benitez on Ferguson earlier this month sparked by what he perceived as the United boss's attempts to influence officials and his complaints that United got a raw deal from the fixtures.

"I feel that next week Benitez has a case if you look at the way the fixtures are arranged," Wenger said on Friday.

"You can say that Manchester United have been extremely advantaged. It is difficult to explain why one team plays on Tuesday and the others are all on Wednesday. It is unfair competition.

"I do not think you need to be a specialist in football to understand that in this case it is an unfair advantage for Manchester United.

"I supported them (United) when they had a case but this week, I think Benitez has a case.

"Will it have an advantage on the global season? I don't know, you would have to analyse that better in time."

Unlike Benitez, Wenger opted not to make his attack personal against Ferguson and blamed the Premier League and the television company who show the English top-flight matches for the situation.

"It is not Manchester United's fault, it is not Liverpool's fault. It is the organisation of the fixtures," Wenger said.

"You can only accuse Sky of choosing the games, the guy who did it three months ago choosing West Brom against Manchester United to be on Sky, he certainly has a case to explain."

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stori...404512/1/.html

[Lazie]

This is getting petty now! There are 4 games on Tuesday Wenger. Advantage? Could now Wenger!

[Jangle]

What the hell do dem sore losers yah? How is it an advantage to us when we have a big match on Saturday? How the Gummers dem so quiet?

[Westman]

Exactly! These guys dont see that Man U played matches on Tuesdays right after they had Saturday matches. Also, as Champs league comes, some matches will be on Wednesdays but others on Tuesdays. If you look at the schedule with all the competitions overall, Man U is playing more matches than any other team and they have the toughest overall schedule.

So these underperformers are like three card men who try to distract you and not let you see the full picture of what is going on. I guarantee you that Wenger is just joining in because he frustrated with his position in the table and looking to point at someone other than himself and his organizations for his lack of performance, and that Rafa will be gone at the end of the season or early next season if he does not win the Prem.

Pressure is a heck of a thing.

[Hortical]

Like Benitez say, it looks like BoyU a run the fixture schedule in the Prem. Just gwaan!

[Lazie]

Like Benitez say, it looks like BoyU a run the fixture schedule in the Prem. Just gwaan!

People simply grabbing at straws. Manu play Saturday, Arsenal play Sunday. Then Manu play Tuesday, Arsenal play Wednesday. Wouldn't it be unfair fi Arsenal play Tuesday after playing their FA Cup game on Sunday? Wenger just being a whiner.

[Peter R]

"Grabbing at straws"? huh? if the shoe was on the other foot we would hear a different story...you same one seh how de fixtures upfront "disadvantaged" ManU.

If you remove the team names from the fixtures and replaced them with "Team 1", "Team 2" etc. maybe the blinkers would come off.

Anyhow, it doesn't matter in the end, the most resilient team will prevail, in spite of (or owing to in part) the fixtures.

I remember being "Match Secretary" of the Toronto Insurance Soccer League back in the 90s; one of my main responsibilities was to set up the fixtures...I did it on a spreadsheet and agonized over it...and still couldn't please all of the 16 teams. But there were times when i did feel obligated to juggle the established schedule because of what could have been seen as inimical fixtures to particular teams. EPL, especially with TV,doesn't have that flexibility.

[Lazie]

"Grabbing at straws"? huh? if the shoe was on the other foot we would hear a different story...you same one seh how de fixtures upfront "disadvantaged" ManU.

If you remove the team names from the fixtures and replaced them with "Team 1", "Team 2" etc. maybe the blinkers would come off.

Anyhow, it doesn't matter in the end, the most resilient team will prevail, in spite of (or owing to in part) the fixtures.

I remember being "Match Secretary" of the Toronto Insurance Soccer League back in the 90s; one of my main responsibilities was to set up the fixtures...I did it on a spreadsheet and agonized over it...and still couldn't please all of the 16 teams. But there were times when i did feel obligated to juggle the established schedule because of what could have been seen as inimical fixtures to particular teams. EPL, especially with TV,doesn't have that flexibility.

The fact is since August after every Champions League and international break Manchester United had to play an away game .. while Liverpool had 8 home games.

Now what Wenger is bringing up bout United getting an advantage is comical. Since returning from Japan Manu had to play 2 games every week. Since when there is a fuss about a Monday night game? Liverpool played Monday, was that an advantage for them? Suh why all of a sudden its an advantage for the Empire whenever they play on Mondays now?

[Peter R]

As I said when the shoe is on the other foot, our stories change; on this board no one who is a ManUrian posts when Alexander gripes but when other Managers do it makes the news... the point of my post above, where I referenced my personal experience, was that fixtures might or might not work against you...I take with a grain of salt managers complaining; it's either the stress or a psychological pre-emptive strike. Fergie is the master of the latter out and complains all the time...

for example: http://www.goal.com/en/news/1710/man...-alex-ferguson

Anyway, the deepest team (which probably is headed by you guys) and the one that deserves to win usually prevails...no true?

[Rockman]

I think it is an argument to be made by Rafa and not Wenger. His team is in fifth place, Man U's perceived advantage is likely inconsequential to his team standings.



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