Arsenal boss claims fixture bias in favour of Man Utd
24.01.09 | Ian Ferris
Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has hit out at next weeks PL fixtures which the Frenchman claims hands Manchester United an "unexplainable advantage."
United are in action on Tuesday at West Brom, before they then have a break until the visit of Everton on the following Monday, February 2.
Arsenal, meanwhile, are away at Cardiff in the FA Cup on Sunday, before they travel to Goodison Park on Wednesday night.
"I feel that next week (Liverpool manager Rafael) Benitez has a case if you look at the way the fixtures are arranged," said Wenger.
"You can say that Manchester United have been extremely advantaged, unexplainably advantaged.
"But that is what we have to cope with.
"It is difficult to explain why one team plays on Tuesday and the others are all on Wednesday.
"It is unfair competition.
"Next week the fixtures are advantaged for Manchester United, who before had a point against Liverpool - I supported them when they had a case. But this week, I think Benitez has a case.
"Manchester United play on Tuesday at West Brom, after they play against Everton who will have played on Sunday, again on Wednesday night."
Wenger added: "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.
"Will it have an advantage on the global season? I don't know, you would have to analyse that better.
"It is not Manchester United's fault, it is not Liverpool's fault. It is the organisers of the fixtures. They have a case to explain."
URL: http://tribalfootball.com/arsenal-boss-claims-fixture-bias-favour-man-utd-223935
Is it just me or is L'Arse Wenger deluded? He is dumb as a brick if these quotes are reported correctly in my opinion. How is that favouring Man United? Why doesn't he mention the fact that in the EPL in the early months of the season in August and September Man United had to play 3 away games in a row to tough opposition: Portsmouth, Liverpoo & Chelsea - mind you thats 2 of the other big 3! And in the middle of those 3 EPL fixtures Man United had to travel to Monaco and play in the European Super Cup.
Funny how Wenger (or even Benitez for that matter) don't point out the fact that after each Champions League game till date, Man Utd had to go away to really tough places - Arsenal, Everton, Man City, Tottenham, Chelsea, Blackburn etc. On top of all that we had to go to Tokyo to play in the FIFA World Club Cup and travel heaps of miles away and have jet lagged players playing more fixtures than our EPL rivals, why turn a blind eye to all that Wenger?
We got back to England and had to play in more competitions than Arsenal did (League Cup) and play catch up games and play like 4 games in 9 days: Chelsea, Wigan, Bolton, Derby (2nd leg) while his squad was resting and taking each fixture with ample recovery time and with 10 injuries to our squad we are still challenging in all competitions and are on top of the EPL with a game in hand and made it to the League Cup final and look in very good shape to progress to the next round of the FA Cup.
Seriously, sometimes its better just to keep ones nose out of others buisness and he should just mind his own team and look at how they are struggling at 5th place in the EPL lmao! Funny how Wenger thinks we have the upper hand with fixtures.
24.01.09 | Ian Ferris
Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has hit out at next weeks PL fixtures which the Frenchman claims hands Manchester United an "unexplainable advantage."
United are in action on Tuesday at West Brom, before they then have a break until the visit of Everton on the following Monday, February 2.
Arsenal, meanwhile, are away at Cardiff in the FA Cup on Sunday, before they travel to Goodison Park on Wednesday night.
"I feel that next week (Liverpool manager Rafael) Benitez has a case if you look at the way the fixtures are arranged," said Wenger.
"You can say that Manchester United have been extremely advantaged, unexplainably advantaged.
"But that is what we have to cope with.
"It is difficult to explain why one team plays on Tuesday and the others are all on Wednesday.
"It is unfair competition.
"Next week the fixtures are advantaged for Manchester United, who before had a point against Liverpool - I supported them when they had a case. But this week, I think Benitez has a case.
"Manchester United play on Tuesday at West Brom, after they play against Everton who will have played on Sunday, again on Wednesday night."
Wenger added: "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.
"Will it have an advantage on the global season? I don't know, you would have to analyse that better.
"It is not Manchester United's fault, it is not Liverpool's fault. It is the organisers of the fixtures. They have a case to explain."
URL: http://tribalfootball.com/arsenal-boss-claims-fixture-bias-favour-man-utd-223935
Is it just me or is L'Arse Wenger deluded? He is dumb as a brick if these quotes are reported correctly in my opinion. How is that favouring Man United? Why doesn't he mention the fact that in the EPL in the early months of the season in August and September Man United had to play 3 away games in a row to tough opposition: Portsmouth, Liverpoo & Chelsea - mind you thats 2 of the other big 3! And in the middle of those 3 EPL fixtures Man United had to travel to Monaco and play in the European Super Cup.
Funny how Wenger (or even Benitez for that matter) don't point out the fact that after each Champions League game till date, Man Utd had to go away to really tough places - Arsenal, Everton, Man City, Tottenham, Chelsea, Blackburn etc. On top of all that we had to go to Tokyo to play in the FIFA World Club Cup and travel heaps of miles away and have jet lagged players playing more fixtures than our EPL rivals, why turn a blind eye to all that Wenger?
We got back to England and had to play in more competitions than Arsenal did (League Cup) and play catch up games and play like 4 games in 9 days: Chelsea, Wigan, Bolton, Derby (2nd leg) while his squad was resting and taking each fixture with ample recovery time and with 10 injuries to our squad we are still challenging in all competitions and are on top of the EPL with a game in hand and made it to the League Cup final and look in very good shape to progress to the next round of the FA Cup.
Seriously, sometimes its better just to keep ones nose out of others buisness and he should just mind his own team and look at how they are struggling at 5th place in the EPL lmao! Funny how Wenger thinks we have the upper hand with fixtures.