How big an effect will the Champions league fixtures have?

Without wanting to discredit the boss and the lads on there fantastic efforts last season there can be little doubt that having no European games would have helped. Legs would be frsher from playing weekend only.

Now that were back where we belong and where we want to be does anybody think it could effect our league form? Or the flip side does anyone think those games will bring us on?

Out of intrest heres our games pan out....

Villa (h) Ludogarets (H) West Ham (a)
Everton (h) Basel (a) West Brom (h)
QPR (a) Real (h) Hull (h)
Newcastle (a) Real (a) Chelsea (h)
palace (a) Ludogarets (a) Stoke (h)
Sunderland (h) Basel (h) Man u (a)

In particular the fixtures in italics to me anyway become trickier due to the European involvement before or after them. While Chelsea will have a game like us before we meet it wont be as tough and energy sapping as playing Real.

As I said its great to be back and if we want to be serious contenders we need to learn to cope with the fixtures but whats the opinions on how it might effect the overall season?

I think over time it helps develop the players, makes them more adaptable to situations and more confident, but in the short term it probably will have a negative impact on our league position, even though I think we have a large enough squad now to cope.

I think it is the travelling and the disruption of training as much as the games themselves, especially when the game after playing in Europe is away as well.

I think our squad is relatively inexperienced in the CL and it will be a steep learning curve, hopefully it won't prove too costly to our title/top 4 challenge. I think we will need to be lucky with injuries too, as tiredness and extra games usually means more injuries.

Agree with you there saint.
Our group is a good one for our present development and we should get out of it with some ease.
Thankfully we have a young squad where this years CL will be one of learning and getting ready for future dominance of Europe once again!

We all wanted and prayed for European Cup football last season. Now we have it, I'm not going to knock it.

There should be no effect. We pay our players hundreds of thousands to play 8 extra games before Christmas, compared to the same period last year, and a few extra after it. That should not be a massive issue for them. If it is, they're in the wrong job.

Most people have to work 5-6 days a week without complaint for god knows how many hours, that is tiredness. But I have no time nor tolerance for tiredness from full time professional athletes at the peak of their careers. So get out there and play the game or go home.

I think our squad can absorb a lot more games than last season with the added depth so I don't see the midweek CL games as a big issue. If we are struggling in any area come January Brendan will address and add another player or two.

I think our squad can absorb a lot more games than last season with the added depth so I don't see the midweek CL games as a big issue. If we are struggling in any area come January Brendan will address and add another player or two.

Add to this, we have a relatively young squad, so the extra games won't be as big a burden as they could have been.

HOPEFULLY!

Without wanting to discredit the boss and the lads on there fantastic efforts last season there can be little doubt that having no European games would have helped. Legs would be frsher from playing weekend only.

It's no discredit to the boss the lads and their fantastic efforts to suggest that Bri but it might be a slight on the boss to suggest we might not cope with the additional games. After all...

Isn't that the reason he signed so many players this season: to strengthen the 'squad' in order to counter the additional games? 

They're a young team full of beans, so their recovery times may be quicker.

Considering the pace of football these days, having youth on your side is indeed beneficial and we have it in abundance.

Its great. Sterling is going to light these matches up if he stays fit. I really believe he is going to be unbelievable espcially the bigger the team. He seems to be able to go up a gear no matter how good the opposition.

Guessing it's about time our squad went through this midweek European duty procedure as it is supposed to be prepared for like the clubs that belong with the european elyte.

Effect is dependable on our progression through the competition and Tuesday's or Wednesday's games should bocome player's second nature as it's gonna be the same in the following seasons.

It's their job to play. 

 

The only game I can see having a negative effect on us is the away Real game which precedes the Chelsea game. There aren't any other sets of games which are hard enough that we can't afford to rest players and make full use of the squad.

We have good depth. There are two good players in each position (soon for goalkeeper). So that shouldn't be a worry.

It's so beautiful to see threads with "Champions League" in the title in The Kop after so long.

We have more depth in the squad right now, so we will cope with the number of games, I've no doubt about that. Especially true for our midfield and defence where we can rest one or two players and bring in replacements of sufficient quality to deliver. We could play Couts and Sterling against Real, and bring on Markovic and Llalana against Chelsea, and you'd think we haven't compromised on quality much.

Where we have real lack is experience. Balo has big game experience at the highest European level, but I get the feeling he isn't one to rely on for inspiring and organising others. So really, we only have Stevie. It'll be absolutely priceless to have him as the leader on the field against Real and Basel. But I do worry about the lack of Champion's League experience in the squad...for this season.

The huge positive is that once the young ones experience it a little, I'm fairly confident they'll adjust to it very quickly and get a huge taste for it. This is actually what we have been lacking for a while, having a group of young and hungry players who are fearless and want to make their impact. I'd hate to use the scum example, but having those youngsters come through in the early 90s paved the way for prolonged success because they learned together. With Sterling, Sturridge, Coutinho, Llalana, Hendo, Sakho and Lovren (possibly Balo as well, but he's a different beast alltogether), we are on a similar path, I truly believe this. It won't be the same as I think we would need the addition of one or two world class players next year to truly replace Stevie in the long term and compete year in year out, plus footballing landscape has changed significantly since 90s. But the infrastructure and the hunger from the younger players are there. it's a special time for our club.

You might want to change the subject to affect.

Pre Christmas, not very much. Players are relatively fresh with none of our players playing regularly in a team that went far in the World Cup. The 'second string' side will be put out in the League Cup I'd imagine and I think we have the squad to handle 6 extra games now (in a group that's far from the hardest).

If we get through the group then I can see it having some effect on us, not only will it be more games but they will be a lot more intense. Chuck in potential League Cup Semi Finals and the FA Cup and it starts to stack up. Even a squad as big as Chelsea's found that out last year when they couldn't find the balance between the PSG/Atletico games and the title run in.

If we get through the group then I can see it having some effect on us, not only will it be more games but they will be a lot more intense. Chuck in potential League Cup Semi Finals and the FA Cup and it starts to stack up. Even a squad as big as Chelsea's found that out last year when they couldn't find the balance between the PSG/Atletico games and the title run in.

It's a problem to be honest. I want us to win as many honours as possible, it's what breeds success and hunger for more honours. However, there comes a time when you don't want to jeapordise your chances in League and Europe for the sake of winning the League Cup. I would be happy for BR to pick our second 11 and purely rely on them (until may be the semi finals) in the League Cup...sorry but I just think we need to focus our attention on bigger prizes.

I actually think we have the ability and the squad now to cope well in Europe and the league. I'm a little worried about the lack of experience in Champions League from players AND the manager, but I'm positive, we have one of the brightest managers in the continent and as Moaninho showed with Porto (not to mention Rafa in Istanbul)...you don't need experience to win it.

You might want to change the subject to affect.

Why? The proper word to use, in this context, is "effect".


Here's a wee rule of thumb which should help - It is appropriate to use the word "effect" if one of these words is used immediately before the word: in, into, on, take, the, any, an, or and.

On topic - I don't believe it will have any effect, given the additional squad depth. 

Why? The proper word to use, in this context, is "effect".


Here's a wee rule of thumb which should help - It is appropriate to use the word "effect" if one of these words is used immediately before the word: in, into, on, take, the, any, an, or and.

On topic - I don't believe it will have any effect, given the additional squad depth. 

Not sure who changed the topic title mate, but I agree it should be effect not affect .

A big one by the look of it

A big one by the look of it

Excuse. These are pros. Getting paid to do the job. If other teams can do it so can we.

If this is how we play after a Champions League game then god help us.

We played sh*te on Tuesday it should have been a warning for how we might play at the weekend but the Manager did F**k all but play Borini and Lucas what a F***ing genius move that proved to be.