Arsenal have gone out at the last 16 stage of the UEFA Champions League for a sixth successive season, this is not just a concern for the north London side as a club alone but also for England and the FA’s hopes of keeping four Champions League spots ahead of Italy who are closing in on gaining that fourth spot from England.
Many countries help their respective clubs in European competition by rescheduling their domestic games so as to get the best from that team both domestically and on the European stage. In England, the TV companies decide when a team plays which the FA have allowed due to the enormous amounts of money paid for those rights to televise.
Why should companies dictate what day and time a team plays regardless of their involvement in European competition? The TV company does what’s best for them and their ratings but it hinders teams as well as the countries stature in both the Champions League and Europa League. What’s to say the person picking the TV fixtures doesn’t support a rival to that of the team getting little rest between games.
Arsenal have fallen victim many times to games being rescheduled at ridiculous times before and after travelling across Europe. Many times the Gunners have had a game on a Wednesday night away in Europe only to have a game on Saturday at 12:45pm BST away in the Premier League. This week is proof to this as the club traveled to Spain to play Barcelona on Wednesday and have to travel again to the north West for their game against Everton at lunch time on Saturday.
No matter how much these players get paid they are still susceptible to that human trait of fatigue and tiredness. To travel so many miles in such a short amount of time as well as live out of a suitcase will only impede on the players ability to perform to the maximum of their ability.
Looking back over previous seasons such as the 2011/12 campaign, Arsenal had to travel to face Borussia Dortmund in midweek, which they drew 1-1, and then played an away match at 12:45pm on Saturday against Blackburn Rovers in the league which they lost 4-3. That same season, Arsenal traveled to Milan where they lost 4-0 and had an FA Cup game on the Saturday, which they again lost only this time to Sunderland 2-0.
In the 2013/2014 season, Arsenal traveled to Napoli for a Champions League game which they lost 2-0. Three days later they had to travel to Manchester for an away game in the Premier League against City, again at 12:45 on a Saturday. Arsenal lost 6-3.
There have been many more instances like this for Arsenal. Many points have been dropped. Many miles have been traveled. If the FA and English clubs want to keep their coefficient in Europe beyond next season then they must make a stand against the TV companies and set parameters around clubs competing in Europe. The teams must be given sufficient time to rest between games. Traveling is not resting and players need their rest to maximise both performance and potential.
