Arsenal's 100% away Fixtures after CL games!


First game
By Boris Mellor
August 24 2006

This time last year there was uproar from Mourinho, and Ferguson, over the fact that they had to play the majority of their games after CL fixtures away from home. Apparently this was evidence of David Dein’s hold over the FA.

No outcry from Mourinho? 100% away Fixtures after CL matches!

This year Arsenal has 100% of its games away after CL fixtures: A 100%! Manchester United has 100% of games after CL nights at home including one against Chelsea. Chelsea meanwhile have 5 games at home, and one away, Liverpool have 50% away.

Away games, for the Gunners, after the CL match nights include Manchester United, Bolton and Chelsea. If Arsenal progress through the rounds it will not be until early April that a home fixture follows a CL game.

So by any standard Manchester United have done extremely well, and Arsenal extremely badly.

Yet this fact has been observed by utter silence, none of the fuss that greeted the fixtures last season. Indeed Mourinho in particular went on the offensive as good as suggesting that Dein had fixed it.

On the 2005/6 season he said: "A person who works in the club should not work in the FA. The FA is the FA and the club is the club." He claimed Chelsea often play away games after European weeks, while Arsenal seem to play at home.

He told the press that:

"These are the facts and now you interpret them the way you want to. It is a fact that every time after a Champions League game Chelsea play away in the Premier League and Arsenal play at home."

Despite the fact that Dein worked with the FA, and not the Premier League, which manages its own fixtures, Mourinho was adamant the Gunners vice-chairman should not combine his roles.

 Either way there is complete silence on the issue now, no breathless articles on the issue by the media. No accusations that somehow Gill has rigged it for Manchester United. Indeed Mourinho is silent on the issue. Why the silence? Perhaps he is happy with 4 out of six at home, but hey Jose it could be 100% just ask your mates at Manchester United. After all you gave Arsenal the treatment last year. Can we expect Jose to call on Gill to resign from FA? After all Man U have got the cushiest fixture list.

Meanwhile Arsenal are lumbered with the most difficult fixture list of all the top 4 clubs. Unlike the childish Mourinho I don’t think this is a fix up, just bad planning. Why doesn’t the league help its teams in Europe by making sure they all have a fair crack of the whip?