Arsenal on Christmas Fucking Eve?!

[FoxForceFive]

My London based mate just told me that Arsenal have asked their staff for availability to work Christmas Eve this year as it looks like their match against us is being moved to Christmas Eve as it's a Sunday.

How the fuck is that even remotely a possibility?! Our fans have to then try to get home from the capital on one of the worst days to try to do so!

Not to mention the fact that it cuts into some of the most important family time of the year even if you're an armchair fan (as am I these days).

It's beyond a joke this is even being consider.

 

[Glen C]

Yeah i read about it this morning its a total pisstake. Would also mean we would be play i think 4 games in 9 days. Or is it 3 games i can't remember.

 

[manwithnoname]

My London based mate just told me that Arsenal have asked their staff for availability to work Christmas Eve this year as it looks like their match against us is being moved to Christmas Eve as it's a Sunday.

How the fuck is that even remotely a possibility?! Our fans have to then try to get home from the capital on one of the worst days to try to do so!

Not to mention the fact that it cuts into some of the most important family time of the year even if you're an armchair fan (as am I these days).

It's beyond a joke this is even being consider.

From a selfish POV, I love all the games over Xmas, and it's always my best opportunity to watch Liverpool with family and friends, so an Anfield game on Xmas Eve would be quite appealing. But Jesus, how does anyone expect away fans to travel the length of the UK for an evening kick-off on Xmas Eve, on a Sunday?

I'm sure some would be up for it, but it seems nuts.

 

[Glen C]

Yeah i was right it is 4 games in 9 games which is just a pisstake

Liverpool could play Arsenal on Christmas Eve





Liverpool could play away to Arsenal on Christmas Eve, with the clash being lined up by TV companies for ‘Super Sunday.’

The match at the Emirates is currently scheduled for Saturday, 23rd December but the Telegraph reports that Sky are expected to announce the change next month; the first time for 22 years any top-flight game will have been scheduled for December 24th.
It’s reported that the game would kick off at 4pm – the last time such a fixture took place, Leeds vs Man United in 1995, it was a noon kick off.
That means that the match itself would actually kick off on Christmas Day in certain parts of Asia and Australia.
The last train from Euston to Liverpool Lime Street on Christmas Eve leaves at 9.21pm, so the 4pm kick off should give away fans time to get back to Merseyside.
However, Liverpool supporters union Spirit of Shankly have criticised the move, saying that they hope “that common sense will prevail and that both clubs, police, television companies and the Premier League decide against such a move.”


Liverpool are currently scheduled to host Swansea at Anfield on Boxing day, which would be moved to the 27th as a consequence of the Christmas Eve fixture.
The Reds are then, incredibly, due to play at home to Leicester on the 30th, with a trip to Burnley on January 1st.
It would mean four games in nine days – unless the Burnley game is moved to January 2nd.
Liverpool last played on Christmas Eve in 1966, a 2-1 win at Chelsea. The one before that was 1955, again a 2-1 win, at Hull City.
Last year, Liverpool hosted Man City on New Years Eve, which the Reds won 1-0.

 

[HC]

Totally cuntish move.

Nice one Sky

 

[LeTallecWiz]

It's beyond a joke this is even being consider.

GLOCK!?!?

 

[LeTallecWiz]

From a selfish POV, I love all the games over Xmas, and it's always my best opportunity to watch Liverpool with family and friends, so an Anfield game on Xmas Eve would be quite appealing. But Jesus, how does anyone expect away fans to travel the length of the UK for an evening kick-off on Xmas Eve, on a Sunday?

I'm sure some would be up for it, but it seems nuts.

Well it's easier for you Jews ...

 

[manwithnoname]

Well it's easier for you Jews ...

No, I'm a Jew in an Irish Catholic household in Liverpool at Xmas.

You don't know how hard that is. I'm a Hebrew in the Yuletide goyim madness.

 

[FoxForceFive]

Fuck me, I assumed it'd be a midday kick off, which was bad enough, but 4pm?! That'd be a complete PITA on a normal Sunday, but a Sunday on Christmas eve? Fuck me.

Regards the TV viewers, I bet a fair few families have traditions about what they do on Christmas Eve. We always go for a meal & a few drinks with the in laws before sitting down together & watching a Christmas film for example. I know my mates do similar things with their families. That combined with the fact that it'll be Christmas Day in Australia & some of the Far East means I can envisage viewing figures being lower than usual.

 

[manwithnoname]

Fuck me, I assumed it'd be a midday kick off, which was bad enough, but 4pm?! That'd be a complete PITA on a normal Sunday, but a Sunday on Christmas eve? Fuck me.

Regards the TV viewers, I bet a fair few families have traditions about what they do on Christmas Eve. We always go for a meal & a few drinks with the in laws before sitting down together & watching a Christmas film for example. I know my mates do similar things with their families. That combined with the fact that it'll be Christmas Day in Australia & some of the Far East means I can envisage viewing figures being lower than usual.

Oh, I might be wrong about kick-off time. Maybe I convinced myself it was 4pm in order to maximise my fake outrage.

If it IS a 4pm kick-off then that is total madness though

 

[Woland]

Fuck sake. If they're gonna do this shit at all it should be derbies so that fans don't have far to travel.

It's also a massive fuck you to pubs that spend thousands to show games. The pub is packed anyways, and this is one of the fixtures that actually pays off.

Stupid all round. No surprise though.

 

[jexykrodic]

It's almost like they don't give a fuck about fans.

 

[FoxForceFive]

Oh, I might be wrong about kick-off time. Maybe I convinced myself it was 4pm in order to maximise my fake outrage.

If it IS a 4pm kick-off then that is total madness though

Yep, a few articles covering it are stating the 4pm kick off time.

 

[manwithnoname]

Fuck sake. If they're gonna do this shit at all it should be derbies so that fans don't have far to travel.

It's also a massive fuck you to pubs that spend thousands to show games. The pub is packed anyways, and this is one of the fixtures that actually pays off.

Stupid all round. No surprise though.

Yeah, I thought the NYE game against City was great, and I suppose Manchester is about, what, an hour and a bit? Maybe slightly more with traffic, but it's still close in terms of actual miles.

Mind you, we were at home, and I was watching it in a pub in Wales, so what the fuck did I care?

 

[tombrown]

Yeah, I thought the NYE game against City was great, and I suppose Manchester is about, what, an hour and a bit? Maybe slightly more with traffic, but it's still close in terms of actual miles.

Mind you, we were at home, and I was watching it in a pub in Wales, so what the fuck did I care?

I watched that match at 6am on new years day in NZ. That was hard to get up for.

 

[hmmmmm1]

This is certainly the direction we are heading, especially with money now involved in the tv rights.

I think the NFL play games on xmas day.

 

[Mystic]

Fuck me, I assumed it'd be a midday kick off, which was bad enough, but 4pm?! [h2]That'd be a complete PITA[/h2] on a normal Sunday, but a Sunday on Christmas eve? Fuck me.

Regards the TV viewers, I bet a fair few families have traditions about what they do on Christmas Eve. We always go for a meal & a few drinks with the in laws before sitting down together & watching a Christmas film for example. I know my mates do similar things with their families. That combined with the fact that it'll be Christmas Day in Australia & some of the Far East means I can envisage viewing figures being lower than usual.

I honestly thought that was some bread based scouse slang as opposed to a abbr. at first glance.

 

[6TimesaRed]

Fuck me, I assumed it'd be a midday kick off, which was bad enough, but 4pm?! That'd be a complete PITA on a normal Sunday, but a Sunday on Christmas eve? Fuck me.

Regards the TV viewers, I bet a fair few families have traditions about what they do on Christmas Eve. We always go for a meal & a few drinks with the in laws before sitting down together & watching a Christmas film for example. I know my mates do similar things with their families. That combined with the fact that it'll be Christmas Day in Australia & some of the Far East means I can envisage viewing figures being lower than usual.

The Scandos will be fucked off.. Christmas Eve is their Christmas Day..

No dancing around Christmas trees in any Liverpool supporting Scando houses this Christmas then.

 

[Dreambeliever]

Insane

 

[Red Astaire]

Yeah that's fucked up. Who decides this stuff? Sky?

 

[davud graham]

Sky in being cunts shocker. I'm retrospectively using this as an excuse to stream their matches without paying for them.

 

[Woland]

Just seen we're in Newcastle at half five this Sunday. That's a new one too innit.

Not the end of the world and probably makes for a good atmos, but it's interfering with my pre Monday panic attack routine.

 

[manwithnoname]

Just seen we're in Newcastle at half five this Sunday. That's a new one too innit.

Not the end of the world and probably makes for a good atmos, but it's interfering with my pre Monday panic attack routine.

5.30 on a Sunday?

That's not right, either. Football on a Sunday is a 4pm kick-off at the latest. I need to start ironing by about 6.30

 

[Jack D Rips]

LFC website says 4.30 kickoff. Not sure how reliable that source is.

 

[Woland]

ah, I got a VPN on my phone set to Germany, for no reason whatsoever, honest

 

[FoxForceFive]

It's defo a half 4 kick off.

I use this calendar for all our fixtures, it'll import to any calendar you use & they update the fixtures after draws within a couple of days which is quicker than most except sky's version, & unlike the sky one it has every match in every competition, not just the ones they're airing.

https://maak-agenda.nl/team/liverpool

 

[Dreambeliever]

There was a game on Xmas eve before but this is crazy

 

[MomoWASright]

[article]
Controversial plans to stage Liverpool’s visit to Arsenal on Christmas Eve face being derailed by stadium safety concerns amid the reluctance of stewards to staff the game.

Talks remain ongoing between Arsenal, Islington Council, the Metropolitan Police and Liverpool over a proposal to broadcast the Premier League’s first Christmas Eve match since 1995 but, as well the threat of a fan boycott, there are now fears that it will not be possible to meet safety regulations.

Clubs must get a safety certificate from their local council for every match and, as of this morning, it is understood that Arsenal were still unable to guarantee that sufficient numbers of stewards would be willing to work at that time.

The issue was also discussed and voted on at a meeting of the Arsenal Supporters’ Trust on Monday night, with 99 per cent of members saying that they would be opposed to a possible 4pm Christmas Eve kick-off. Just under half - 45 per cent – also said that they would not attend if the match is staged at this time. A spokesman for the AST warned that there could be “a record number of empty seats at The Emirates” should the match take place on Christmas Eve.

As part of the Premier League’s £5.135 billion broadcast deal, Sky owns the rights to three matches each weekend; two on a Sunday and one on a Saturday. BT Sport have one match on a Saturday but, should Sky moves its game back to the Saturday, it would effectively lose its ‘Super Sunday’ picks.

The situation occurred previously in 2000 and 2006 but Sky had exclusive domestic rights and so moved their televised fixtures to the Saturday. The situation will not again arise on a Sunday until 2023.

Liverpool and Arsenal are obliged to make every effort to meet the requirements of broadcasters – and clubs receive additional payments of more than £1 million for each televised game – but both have major concerns about playing the game on Christmas Eve.

As well as the stewarding issue, they are worried about transport and how fans will get back home ahead of Christmas Day. Although there are expected to be some options from London to Liverpool after the game, fans travel from many other locations – including even abroad – to regularly support two such popular and international clubs. The clubs are also currently unsure whether matches currently scheduled for Boxing Day would definitely be moved to Dec 27 so as to avoid two matches in three days.

With this season ending a week earlier to accommodate the World Cup, all Premier League clubs are already currently scheduled to play on Dec 30 and again, 48 hours later, on New Year’s Day. Sky, though, have paid around £11 million for each of its televised games and could point out that they are simply following a contract for which they alone paid more than £4bn. It was also the clubs themselves who collectively agreed the conditions around how their matches would be sold to the highest bidder.

They would have known that this Christmas Eve fell on a Sunday and no restrictions were placed in the broadcast contract. Sky are due to announce their televised games for this period of the season on Oct 16.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/football...pool-christmas-eve-threat-lack-stewards-puts/

[/article]

 

[redroll]

Its simple, both setts of fan's, boycott the game. Sadly fans are collectively thick. Pity I'd love to see an empty stadium on this one.

 

[manwithnoname]

Its simple, both setts of fan's, boycott the game. Sadly fans are collectively thick. Pity I'd love to see an empty stadium on this one.

There's something quite delicious about someone writing "Its simple, both setts of fan's, boycott the game" followed immediately by calling all football fans "collectively thick"