So we start and finish away. Like last season.
Five of the first six aways v Arsenal, Man U, Chelsea, Citeh and Liverpool, so likely to be zero points, which allows the whole 'Forest are shocking away' narrative to build in the meeja (and players' heads). It's pretty fcukin shit tbh.
14 Jun 2023
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No. It means we’ll have the advantage as we try to lock down Champions League qualification.
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Are the fixtures drawn, negociated or made up by some cockwomble?
Our first 4 away games against 4 teams who could realistically be challenging for the title is really tough. We could really fuck up their seasons.
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First home game though, which pretty much bollockses that theory.
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When was the last time we had a home game on boxing day? Feels like years and years ago.
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I read a thing about this a couple of years ago - basicaly the clubs put in a set of requests and there's an algorithm that works out the best fit - supposedly taking account of things like travel time at Christmas (although they won't put derby's on at that time).
Requests are things like we can't play at home on the same weekends as Notts; they start a week before us, which is the same weekend as the festival on the embankment, so would make sense for them to be away on the 5th and home on the 12th, so that's probably forced us into being away in the first round. Used to be that we'd be away on the weekend of the goose fair as well (but that seems to cover two weekends now), which probably has set us on a fixed set of home and away games.
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Can't have been that horrible game against Sheffield Wednesday that I went to with my dad and brother-in-law in 2017?
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Is it maybe better to play the big teams in the first month when they are still bedding in new players and new tactics and working things out, or is that just wishful thinking?
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Seems it was 2020, Birmingham at home. We lost. Hogan, 1-0. I was there I think.
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Depends how they prepare during pre-season.
Man City, under pep, tend to start the season a bit undercooked, and play their way into the season (as Forest did under Clough). Which sharpens them up as they play games, and allows them (along with their big squad) to hold their form for longer (and be in the best possible shape and form at the pointy end of the season).
Other teams aim to go hard and go early.
Most teams will have some disruption (new players) and some uncertainty (how do they pan out), and need a bit of time to get in rhythm and playing together.
Teams haven't had time to look at what other teams are doing, and how to combat (or exploit) that.
So there are many variables and more uncertainty at the start of the season. There is probably more opportunity to accumulate points above par (or lose them), before the 'better' teams 'find out' the 'lesser' teams.
You might have a chance to catch out some of the better teams, if you catch them early...but they are better than you, and if you lose against them all early you might have a negative feeling that you are going to be kicked around all season.
As with so much it really depends on your belief, form, and ability, in the moment...and it's best to focus on that. One game at a time.
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That may apply to Chelsea, possibly Man Utd. But the others will have a fairly fixed team/approach with upgrades in certain positions.
Main thing will be to be competitive and even if we lose, not to ship too many goals so that our GD does hang like a sword of Damocles at the end of the season. -
Not far off.
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Looks like our opening day match is on the TV. 12:30 on Saturday.
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Semtex Sports I believe.
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Wikipedia says 0-0. And it was COVID era so attendance was zero, unless you stormed the barriers without a ticket!?
Edit meant to quote Jim's post about Boxing Day Fixture
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Does the new Talkback have something to integrate the Premiership league calendar ecal thing to so I don't have to sign up to their site?
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There is a way to do that. Leave it with me.
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A method of accessing the fixture list calendar is now available to members. See talkdash.
