Even EPL Schedule-makers Favoring "Big" Clubs?

Yeah, yeah, I know it sounds like sour grapes and a conspiracy theory, but c'mon, of all of the "big" clubs expected to be at or near the top of the table this year, ALL of them except Liverpool and Tottenham open the season AT HOME against recently promoted clubs and/or clubs expected to struggle, and even Liverpool and Tottenham open against weaker squads

Man. U? Home to Reading.

Chelsea? Home to Birmingham.

Arsenal? Home to Fulham.

Bolton? Home to Newcastle.

Everton? Home to Wigan.

The only exceptions are Liverpool, which plays away to -- ahem -- Aston Villa, not exactly a powerhouse; and Tottenham, which plays away to Sunderland, another heavy underdog.

Geez, if one didn't know better, one might suspect that the FA was trying to sort the top and bottom half of the table after the first week.

It's certainly a long season, but playing at home and/or against a far weaker squad right off the bat can go a long way toward setting the tone. Getting off on the right foot, if you'll pardon the pun, IS important, and the schedule certainly seems heavily stacked against the "smaller," less-touted clubs in that regard.

 

I had noticed that too, Tom, and I agree with you. You might think at ManU-chelski game or something like that would be a great way to start the season (that's what the NFL does) but much more than in any American league, the big clubs run the show in the EPL.

Also, although this is off-topic and much more conspiratorial, did anybody notice how often the big clubs were at home during the FA Cup last year (run by the same jokers that bring you the EPL)? I haven't looked at it in detail, but it seemed that ManU and chelski always seemed to draw at home.

 

One more point to support Tom--the EPL pairs up teams for scheduling based on geography, and teams in the same pair are not home the same weekend. I'm guessing that Liverpool and Everton are paired, and the same with Arsenal-Spurs, so one of each of those pairs had to be on the road. If it wasn't for that, I bet they'd all open at home.

 

i'm not surprised. in business there's a famous saying...

"you got to feed the lions, ride the horses, and kill the dogs."

The really big clubs are your lions...they are the ones making you money....so you feed them and reward them as such so you can make money. the horses are your middle tier teams that you ride out to get as much as possible from them. Then you have the dogs that don't do anything for you....so you purge that $h!T out!

 

oh one more thing dave...that ain't tom...that's Chicago fan from Chicago. at least i don't think it's tom

 

Thank you omsdogg, you are right, it is ChicagoFan, not our co-founder Chicago Tom, who deserves credit for those fine words

 

On the flip side, a good result against a top club on the road could set the tone for the lesser squads as well. How's a 3-0 win over the Gunners sound? A flying start like that would certainly go a long way in propelling Fulham above mid-table. I'm not saying it is going to happen, but you have to look for the positives in life!

 

Re: RE: Even EPL Schedule-makers Favoring "Big" Cl

Yes it is I, Chicago Fan -- fan from Chicago, Chicago-based fan, fan currently residing in Chicago, Chicago fan of Fulham -- not Chicago Tom, who believes the EPL is conspiring against us already. :wink: