What a load of bollocks! The bloody Carabao Cup quarter-final between Arsenal and Crystal Palace has been scheduled for just two days before Christmas. Who's the mug who came up with that bright idea?!
Arsenal vs Crystal Palace: A Christmas Farce
The last eight tie was supposed to be played a week earlier, but thanks to Palace's European commitments, it's been pushed back. Oliver Glasner's side face KuPS in the Conference League on December 18, meaning they'd have had four matches in seven days. Now, both clubs will have just two days to prepare for the cup tie, with the Gunners playing away at Everton on December 21, while the Eagles are away at Leeds on the same day. What a joke!
The match has been given an 8pm kick-off time and will be live on both Sky Sports and ITV. Meanwhile, Cardiff vs Chelsea takes place a week earlier on Tuesday December 16 at 8pm, and Manchester City vs Brentford and Newcastle vs Fulham will be played on Wednesday December 17, with kick-off at 7:30pm and 8:15pm, respectively.
The EFL Takes Aim at UEFA
In confirming the scheduling of the last eight ties, the EFL took a dig at UEFA over their European schedules, singling out a lack of 'adequate consultation' regarding the expansion of the club competitions ahead of last season. The statement said: "The expansion of European cup competitions and number of exclusive match nights across Europe ahead of the 2024/25 season, implemented without adequate consultation with domestic leagues, means that such scheduling conflicts – for both the EFL Cup and other competitions – are now entirely unavoidable."
Although their clash with the Gunners has been moved to the following week, Palace still face a busy run of fixtures. The FA Cup winners will play four times in nine days between December 14 and 23. That run begins with the visit of Manchester City in the Premier League before their Conference League tie with KuPS four days later. Palace then face Leeds at Elland Road on December 21, just two days before the tie at Arsenal. A win over the Gunners would see them reach the last four of the competition for the first time 2012.
What a farce this whole situation is! The beautiful game is being ruined by these scheduling conflicts. Someone needs to get their head out of their arse and sort this mess out before it gets even worse. Football is life, and we can't have it being treated like this! ***! "The EFL can whinge all they want, but at the end of the day, they're the ones who need to get their act together. The fans are the ones who suffer when these scheduling conflicts happen, and it's just not on. We pay good money to watch our teams play, and we deserve better than this."
The Fans Deserve Better
The EFL can whinge all they want, but at the end of the day, they're the ones who need to get their act together. The fans are the ones who suffer when these scheduling conflicts happen, and it's just not on. We pay good money to watch our teams play, and we deserve better than this.
