Lebowski Posted August 1, 2020 Share Posted August 1, 2020 I don’t particularly understand how fixture congestion is suddenly a huge problem in the last few years for premiership sides when they have played the same number of league games and basically the same number of cup games August-May for 20 years. The only real change had been adding a Betfred group in July, which we are now using international breaks for. Is it just because UEFA have started to be dicks about when we can play the games?The change to international breaks taking place for 2 fixtures takes a fortnight out at a time. European weeks not having scheduled domestic fixtures takes out large chunks of available game days too. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craigkillie Posted August 1, 2020 Share Posted August 1, 2020 I don’t particularly understand how fixture congestion is suddenly a huge problem in the last few years for premiership sides when they have played the same number of league games and basically the same number of cup games August-May for 20 years. The only real change had been adding a Betfred group in July, which we are now using international breaks for. Is it just because UEFA have started to be dicks about when we can play the games?The big change is the UEFA blackouts becoming more and more overreaching, thus massively reducing the number of possible midweek fixtures. The league is no longer allowed to schedule games on something like 22 midweeks over the season, and can only use these dates to cover postponements.The other major changes are the winter break, which kicks out several usable dates in January, and the move to weekend League Cup semis.This type of fixture congestion isn't really a new thing though - it essentially happens in any season where there are a few postponements and a club does well in Europe and all the cups. 2008 was worse than last season, for example. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craigkillie Posted August 1, 2020 Share Posted August 1, 2020 The change to international breaks taking place for 2 fixtures takes a fortnight out at a time. European weeks not having scheduled domestic fixtures takes out large chunks of available game days too.The international breaks have been like this for 20+ years tbf. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lebowski Posted August 1, 2020 Share Posted August 1, 2020 The international breaks have been like this for 20+ years tbf.Aye, but it still takes a fortnight away from domestic football for every one.I'd personally be in favour of returning internationals to midweeks between domestic football. Any call offs/not available players and the player can't play in their clubs next fixture as a blanket rule. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ya Bezzer! Posted August 1, 2020 Share Posted August 1, 2020 On 30/07/2020 at 23:01, Junior_Arab said: Imagine being 1-0 up away at Parkhead, hanging on grimly then after 75 mins they chuck on Griffiths, Christie, Klimala etc. I can’t see why anyone outside the OF would vote for this. It’ll even cost clubs more money in appearance fees etc. Rangers used 1 sub today and they are the team with a midweek match.. No club used 5 and I think only Aberdeen used 4. Personally I think it will be very rare for any team to use 5, will be interesting to see how many times it happens. I was against the rule change but I don't see it being used too much. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aim Here Posted August 1, 2020 Share Posted August 1, 2020 16 minutes ago, Ya Bezzer! said: Rangers used 1 sub today and they are the team with a midweek match.. No club used 5 and I think only Aberdeen used 4. Personally I think it will be very rare for any team to use 5, will be interesting to see how many times it happens. I was against the rule change but I don't see it being used too much. Hibs used 4 subs too; but thing is, it probably takes time for any new possibilities for the new rule to kick in. The rule change was announced on Thursday, no manager has had time to think through how the extra subs might actually change game strategy. You could definitely go for more radical changes of formation, or even burn up a couple of substitutions early in the first half as a surprise formation change, and still have the traditional three subs to carry on the game with. And second- and third- choice goalkeepers might get more gametime - Killie already subbed their goalie off at half-time, allegedly for an injury, but it could be due to his howler in the fifth minute. I suspect it will take a few weeks for all the possibilities to riffle through to the managers, and they'll come up with a couple of clever tricks with the extra subs. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raidernation Posted August 1, 2020 Share Posted August 1, 2020 It’ll take McInnes at least 6 months to get his head round it. I still expect to see him trying to “introduce” a “youngster” with 5 seconds to go despite having used his 3 “windows” 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Connolly Posted August 2, 2020 Share Posted August 2, 2020 20 hours ago, craigkillie said: The big change is the UEFA blackouts becoming more and more overreaching, thus massively reducing the number of possible midweek fixtures. The league is no longer allowed to schedule games on something like 22 midweeks over the season, and can only use these dates to cover postponements. The other major changes are the winter break, which kicks out several usable dates in January, and the move to weekend League Cup semis. This type of fixture congestion isn't really a new thing though - it essentially happens in any season where there are a few postponements and a club does well in Europe and all the cups. 2008 was worse than last season, for example. Not being allowed to play on 22 midweeks is utterly ridiculous tbh, especially when you know that in some countries they just ignore it and play the games anyway because their TV money far outweighs the potential fine. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craigkillie Posted August 3, 2020 Share Posted August 3, 2020 (edited) Interesting to note that not a single club has used five subs on the opening weekend. 4 - Aberdeen, Celtic, Hibs, Motherwell, Ross County 3 - Dundee United, Hamilton, Killie, Livingston, St Johnstone 2 - St Mirren 1 - Rangers Edited August 3, 2020 by craigkillie 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ropy Posted August 3, 2020 Share Posted August 3, 2020 12 minutes ago, craigkillie said: Interesting to note that not a single club has used five subs on the opening weekend. 4 - Celtic, Hibs, Motherwell, Rangers, Ross County 3 - Dundee United, Hamilton, Killie, Livingston, St Johnstone 2 - St Mirren 1 - Rangers So Rangers used 5? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craigkillie Posted August 3, 2020 Share Posted August 3, 2020 1 minute ago, ropy said: So Rangers used 5? Sorry, first one was meant to be Aberdeen against Rangers. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sherrif John Bunnell Posted August 6, 2020 Share Posted August 6, 2020 The EPL have sensibly decided to revert to 3 subs for the new season. Are we stuck with 5 subs for the full season? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HuttonDressedAsLahm Posted August 6, 2020 Share Posted August 6, 2020 17 minutes ago, Sherrif John Bunnell said: The EPL have sensibly decided to revert to 3 subs for the new season. Are we stuck with 5 subs for the full season? Yes. In fairness, McGregor is apparently the player with the most minutes in world football for 2019/2020. SIX of the Old Firm make up the top 10. Forrest and McGregor could plausibly play 44 matches between 01 August and 31 December. If there was a league in the world where five subs make sense - especially given the ongoing uncertainty in all aspects of live - it is in Scotland. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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