Why is everybody saying that teams have loads of games over christmas?

Most of the big teams regularly play twice a week, virtually every week - players may get the odd rest (Carling cup, rotation) but with Europe (CL and UEFA) and internationals many players are doing 2 games a week more often than not.

BUT..... There are NO midweek games in any of the next 4 weeks (3 for Carling Cup teams if you ignore the fact many first teamers will be rested but actually 5 for most unless you are (Man U /) Wigan or need a cup replay) except for the Boxing Day games which don't come until the Friday. OK, many players have to play 2 days later (sunday 28th) but overall this is probably the slackest 4 week period of the year by some margin.

5 games in a month is not a lot is it?????

You are right about it being a myth in terms of number of games, but the 2 day thing you mentioned above is what makes it a bit of a lottery, trying to guess who will play both games and who will play only one. And obviously for anyone looking at a '4 for 1' etc, missing one game is crucial. For a season long change obviously it is largely irrelevant.

It would be good if anyone had an analysis of, say, the top 10 midfielders and strikers playing records over the Christmas period over the last 3 years - but I can't be arsed to do that.

they seem to have dropped the usual new years day round of fixtures, maybe due to early FA Cup R3 day

It might be enough of a factor to swing the balance to buying someone playing on the 29th or 30th instead of the 28th....

But the whole point of a '4 for 1' is bring back the original player when it ends - presumably on 29th or 30th in this instance!

Obviously not a factor in the specific instance of doing a 4 for 1 buying Ronaldo - although it may make you wonder if you'll get "4" (note - going Chelsea or Pompey for example you can bail out with any bad Boxing Day team news and settle for a 2 for 0)

Yes, it's not as compressed as it used to be,,, I remember in the past they used to play on 26/12 & 29/12 & 1/1 followed by FA cup matches,,, But maybe because there isn't any tournament in the summer for national teams, they decided to ease this congestion by dropping that third fixture and extending the fixtures up till late May.

Yet some players and managers keep moaning about it, and using that same excuse of the previous seasons!! (otherwise how they're gonna explain their terrible results?!)

And that's precisely my point when I personally bring up the 'busy Christmas schedule' issue - due to the games being so close together, its more risky because you might not really get all the games you thought you would get.



Good point and worth noting for anyone doing this switch.

It is normally unique within the season in that there are four sets of league games in the space of 10 days or so. At other times in the season the midweek games are cups, Europe etc. which don't involve every team every week. In FF terms, as well as in leagues across the country, it means a lot happens in a short space of time.

The way the days of the week fall this year has made it less frantic than it often is though. It's a shame there's no New Year's Day programme due to the closeness of the FA Cup third round, but I guess that's a one-off because of the calendar and the later finish to the season.

Can anyone tell me why they are all playing at 1400 on Sunday 28th ????

This was decided before the TV games were announced

Take a look here Judio: Fixtures

Not quite sure how that answers the question?

I'll have a stab - crap public transport over that weekend? Give fans a bit extra time to get home?

Oh no silly me, that can't possibly be the reason. The needs of fans being taken into consideration during scheduling of fixtures, we could never have that now, could we?!?

So that when the TV games for 1200 and 1615 were announced, there are three nice distinct TFFO flanges.

New Years Day really does need some football

And the Top players have been given a two week Winter break as well

After Sunday 28th, assuming they are rested for FA Cup
they can have two weeks off before the 10th/11th Januray Weekend

So what do they do with all this free time

Mr Gerrard

There's always the Saudi league, if you're desperate, or Altrincham v Northwich Victoria.