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Chelsea: FA Forcing A Choice?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Seriously, what is the FA’s problem? I mean, apart from the obvious of  course, is a little common sense really too much to ask?

Well it would seem so because in spite of fixture congestion making things as hard as possible, the FA seem hellbent on making life just that little bit harder.  I’d asked on twitter the other day whether United, in the same situation as us would just accept the decision to play an FA Cup semi final at 6pm on a Sunday evening before a potential Champions League semi a couple of days later….

Naturally I got my head bitten off, either because the Mancs are a little touchy about Europe this season or because it was interpreted as some wholly outrageous suggestion that they would possibly be favoured. That wasn’t exactly the point I was making at the time though, it was merely a question as to whether our chances in the Champions League aren’t being taken particularly seriously. Well, that and the fact I would expect SAF to put a rocket up the FA’s arse if they pulled the same stunt with his side.

Despite Roberto Di Matteo trying to reason with them though, it seems they won’t be budged, with the Chelsea manager saying “We have tried to communicate with the FA and co-operate, so it’s disappointing, I would say, that common sense hasn’t prevailed.  I probably would have been happy with a Friday night kick-off. We have tried to co-operate with the authorities and given our point of view but it seems it hasn’t been taken into consideration.”

Why though, when other governing bodies go out of their way to accommodate their own clubs, does the FA have to be so anally bloody retentitive? In the last round of the Champions League, Benfica was allowed to play a league game on the Friday to get an extra days rest and should we get to the semis, our potential opponents Barcelona won’t have played since April 10th – a full 8 days break before the meeting – it doessn’t take a genius to work out which one will have fresher legs for these games.

Given the poor showing in Europe this season, you’d have thought the FA would be delighted to have at least one English side flying the flag for them wouldn’t you? Apparently they’re not particularly arsed though because even a plea to play on the Sunday lunchtime has fallen on death ears and whilst they can mutter things like policing and safety concerns at us to dimiss the idea of a Friday night fixture, they don’t seem at all concerned that 6pm on a Sunday evening gives supporters a pretty full day in the pub first.

Still, a 6pm kick-off on a Sunday fits in nicely with the TV schedules, making sure United’s game against Villa on Sky can still pull in the viewing figures and ITV won’t lose out either. The fact that Chelsea could well lose out, even more so if it goes as far as extra time and penalties which would leave the players just 71 hours to recuperate before the Champions League doesn’t seem to matter.

So, whilst the FA stick to their draconian rules and regulations, safe in the knowledge that at least their manager in waiting will be happy with the schedule, what do we do? Field a weakened side for the FA Cup and put all our eggs in the Champions League basket? Or give both competitions everything we’ve got and risk ending the season with nothing to show for it?

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