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We're convinced there's nothing the FA and Premier League
like less than Arsenal being in line for trophies, and this
season we're making it even worse for the poor old dears
by messing up their calendar and making outrageous demands that they stick to normal procedure.
First, the West Ham game scheduled for 23rd March has to be moved. Normal procedure in such cases is for the match to be moved to the earliest available date. In our case, because of possible continuing involvement in the FA Cup and Champs League,
the earliest available date is May 8th, in the last week of the season.
(So, in fact, that's the only available date. Which is why
there's going to be an almighty pile-up if we do get to both finals: we'd have one free date and an extra 2 games to re-arrange on top of the West Ham one.)
Arsenal have reportedly asked the Premier League to confirm May 8th
as the date for the Irons game, but this request has been rejected. Presumably the League are mindful of the fact that Sir Alex Ferguson's head would have exploded if we'd been allowed
to have West Ham and Everton, both at home, as our last 2 matches.
They'll all be hoping that we get knocked
out of at least one of those cup competitions. The FA (and Sky)
will also presumably be hoping to find a way to make sure that, if
any of our matches get moved to the last week, it's the one against Man Utd.
Meanwhile, this season's Arsenal-Newcastle saga continues....
Apparently Sky want the kick-off for the quarter-final replay at Highbury on March 23rd to be at noon so they can show it
on telly. Newcastle are in agreement but Arsenal are resisting
because it allows less recovery time following the trip to
Turin on the preceding Wednesday.
If an agreement cannot be reached, the FA "will have to step in", said their spokesman who also stressed that the game is
95% certain to take place on the Saturday. Some sources apparently reckon that Arsenal are wanting to move it to the 24th.
Of course, if Arsenal win this evening Arsenal may
object less strongly to the noon start, since they'll be able to
send a weaker squad to Turin.
While we're on the subject of Newcastle, anyone else
noticed how Booby Rubson has stopped moaning about the delay over Henry's ban, now that 2 of the striker's 3 missed matches
have turned out to be FA Cup ties against Newcastle. I'm surprised
to be honest, that neither Blobby nor Siralex have been
whining about how Arsenal have fixed things so as only to lose Henry for one Premiership game. We're the FA's favourites, don't ya know?
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