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Brace yourselves. I've drawn up a calendar for the 2020-21 Premier League season to see just how everything is going to fit together.
This is based on:
- No FA Cup replays
- No "winter break"
- One-legged Carabao Cup SF
Explanation follows. There's not one "spare" date.
This is based on:
- No FA Cup replays
- No "winter break"
- One-legged Carabao Cup SF
Explanation follows. There's not one "spare" date.
The Premier League loses the four rounds it would have played in August.
Added to that, the way the dates fall at Christmas means another round is lost then. That has to be moved to the midweek of Jan 5 in place of a two-legged Carabao SF.
Added to that, the way the dates fall at Christmas means another round is lost then. That has to be moved to the midweek of Jan 5 in place of a two-legged Carabao SF.
Another midweek round is lost in December to a new UCL date.
The only way to fit that in is by moving the Prem round to the following midweek, which is Carabao QF - so that has to edge back to be played the midweek before Christmas.
The only way to fit that in is by moving the Prem round to the following midweek, which is Carabao QF - so that has to edge back to be played the midweek before Christmas.
You have to keep three midweeks back towards the end because one or two teams may need to use all of them for:
- Game lost for Carabao final
- Game lost for FA Cup QF
- Game lost for FA Cup SF
This season, Man City would have needed to use all three of those "catch up" dates.
- Game lost for Carabao final
- Game lost for FA Cup QF
- Game lost for FA Cup SF
This season, Man City would have needed to use all three of those "catch up" dates.
For the Carabao Cup, there appears to be no way whatsoever that clubs who are in Europe can play their first team in rounds 3 and 4.
It will have to be an U23 team or, perhaps more unlikely, not take part at all.
There just isn't any place in the calendar.
It will have to be an U23 team or, perhaps more unlikely, not take part at all.
There just isn't any place in the calendar.
It's been suggested that a team who plays in the UCL or UEL final is going to get a late start to the season.
But if they have to play in the UEFA Super Cup on Sept. 24 there is only ONE spare slot. And this is on Oct. 1. So they would have to start in the Prem on Sept. 19.
But if they have to play in the UEFA Super Cup on Sept. 24 there is only ONE spare slot. And this is on Oct. 1. So they would have to start in the Prem on Sept. 19.
If Wolves lose in the UEL final on Aug. 21, and Chelsea win the FA Cup, that means Wolves will enter UEL qualifying on Sept. 17 and they won't have a SINGLE spare matchday in the calendar to even start late.
The Carabao Cup SF might come a week earlier to break up the Premier League weekend-midweek-weekend run.
But there's not really anywhere else for these "lost" Premier League rounds from August to be placed, other than at the start of 2021.
But there's not really anywhere else for these "lost" Premier League rounds from August to be placed, other than at the start of 2021.
A Premier League round at the start of 2021 could also be moved to FA Cup final weekend, but that does create the prospect of a team having to play four games in a nine-day period, if they reach both Cup finals and the European semifinals.
