Season 2020/21 confirmed fixture dates

[wayne allisons tongues]

2 hours ago, 22A said:

The draw for the Extra Prelim round is made next 18th August https://scefl.com/fa-competitions-update-2020-21-season

Here's a list of every team that's entered this year; https://scefl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/the-emirates-fa-cup-entries-accepted.pdf

Normally top 4 in  level 6  get to go in the FA Cup, but this season all teams were entered and 4 from each league were entered. 
 

Prize money has been cut in the early rounds and each team have to play behind closed doors. Clubs will be making a loss playing in these early rounds.

FA vase is even less prize money and seems to be also behind closed doors for the early rounds.

[Red-Robbo]

3 hours ago, Rossi the Robin said:

When are the Euros next year? 

They are in various cities with the final in Wembley. First time they've done that.

3 minutes ago, wayne allisons tongues said:

Normally top 4 in  level 6  get to go in the FA Cup, but this season all teams were entered and 4 from each league were entered. 
 

Prize money has been cut in the early rounds and each team have to play behind closed doors. Clubs will be making a loss playing in these early rounds.

FA vase is even less prize money and seems to be also behind closed doors for the early rounds.

Wonder if some clubs won't bother to enter due to financial worries?

[phantom]

16 minutes ago, wayne allisons tongues said:

Prize money has been cut in the early rounds and each team have to play behind closed doors. Clubs will be making a loss playing in these early rounds.

Prize money has been halved right through to the winners of the FA Cup this season

[Mr Popodopolous]

3 hours ago, ExiledAjax said:

 

Who do we realistically lose though? Kalas, Nagy, COD and maybe Dasilva of the U21's are playing. Fam if he's still here. Maybe Wells as well. 

Can't think of anyone else who reliably gets into their national team.

Suspect we'd make at least 4 changes anyway.

Has Massengo at youth level not been capped for France? Morrell for Wales has been capped before?

Could have a CM problem!

[Mr Popodopolous]

Read somewhere that there will be 14 rounds of midweek games this coming season- how does that compare to the usual? Happy to go back and check again.

Once you factor in 3 International rounds which means 3 less weekends to get it all (unless this has changed) plus the traditional Third Round in January- another weekend slot gone- and the way the early rounds of League Cup are distributed, it's looking a tight squeeze.

[mozo]

32 minutes ago, Mr Popodopolous said:

Has Massengo at youth level not been capped for France? Morrell for Wales has been capped before?

Could have a CM problem!

It's okay, Holden would only have put all our CMs on the bench 

[The Bard]

4 hours ago, Northern Red said:

That first round of the League Cup clashes with the international break, so we may be missing a few.

We would have left them out normally anyway.  No one ever plays first team in that..

[The Bard]

4 hours ago, ExiledAjax said:

 

Who do we realistically lose though? Kalas, Nagy, COD and maybe Dasilva of the U21's are playing. Fam if he's still here. Maybe Wells as well. 

Can't think of anyone else who reliably gets into their national team.

Suspect we'd make at least 4 changes anyway.

Quite.  They should demote the whole competition anyway and play it over international weekends.  

[wayne allisons tongues]

1 hour ago, Red-Robbo said:

They are in various cities with the final in Wembley. First time they've done that.

Wonder if some clubs won't bother to enter due to financial worries?

I watch a team in level 6 and some clubs are considering pulling out for may well have 4 cup games before the season starts in October and some clubs can’t afford to pay players. Travel will be players make there own way there so if not local ties players maybe playing and be out of pocket.

[Lrrr]

One year where going round in our first game of each cup would probably be beneficial

[ExiledAjax]

24 minutes ago, Mr Popodopolous said:

Has Massengo at youth level not been capped for France? Morrell for Wales has been capped before?

Could have a CM problem!

Ah yes, both well pointed out.

21 minutes ago, Mr Popodopolous said:

Read somewhere that there will be 14 rounds of midweek games this coming season- how does that compare to the usual? Happy to go back and check again.

Once you factor in 3 International rounds (unless this has changed) and the way the early rounds of League Cup are distributed, it's looking a tight squeeze.

As I posted on another thread, if you look at how many games normally get played between season start and the first international break, then I think you're looking at fitting in roughly half a dozen league games. With no FA cup replays you've got some leeway (although IIRC that's only an issue at QF and beyond?). LC semi-finals will only affect 4 teams, and that is unlikely to be us. I'm not convinced the congestion will be quite as bad, although if we go deep in a cup then that will be much more of an issue than in prior seasons.

[Lrrr]

Frankly I'd just be sending the fringe players out for the cup game despite it being a week before the season starts, get a friendly Sunday for other players from our 1st team squad who aren't on international duty. Get the likes of O'Leary, Morrell (if not on duty), Walsh, Szmodics, Jonny Smith etc some competitive minutes.

                               

[Mr Popodopolous]

9 minutes ago, ExiledAjax said:

Ah yes, both well pointed out.

As I posted on another thread, if you look at how many games normally get played between season start and the first international break, then I think you're looking at fitting in roughly half a dozen league games. With no FA cup replays you've got some leeway (although IIRC that's only an issue at QF and beyond?). LC semi-finals will only affect 4 teams, and that is unlikely to be us. I'm not convinced the congestion will be quite as bad, although if we go deep in a cup then that will be much more of an issue than in prior seasons.

I'll try and find the 14 rounds- having to fit 14 rounds of midweek into that schedule would be no easy task!

There is also the possibility that Round 1 games of League Cup games or some of them would have to be rescheduled due to International callups- **** knows how given they are in successive weeks! Don't know if the 3 international call ups postponement rule will be amended for this season.

EDIT: Got it wrong, it's 13 midweek rounds of Championship games. They should really aim for closer midweek games, as close as possible IMO.

Quote

Due to the unprecedented challenges facing the fixture calendar as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic and starting six weeks later than usual, the Sky Bet EFL Championship will feature 13 midweek match rounds whilst League One and League Two will have 11 respectively throughout season 2020/21.  

https://www.efl.com/news/2020/august/202021-season-dates-confirmed-across-the-efl/

[phantom]

5 hours ago, Northern Red said:

That first round of the League Cup clashes with the international break, so we may be missing a few.

Those affected by the loss of players are able to move the game to a later date 

[Mr Popodopolous]

2 minutes ago, phantom said:

Those affected by the loss of players are able to move the game to a later date 

Logistically tricky given International weekend extends onwards- ie there are games after 5th September 2020 for Internationals and then the next 3 midweek rounds are all League Cup.

Late August for 1st round might have been a better idea? No real easy answers in this situation, unsure we'll get all clubs happy!

[wayne allisons tongues]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/53767120
 

Looks like Tottenham may have to do a Liverpool and play 2 teams

[Davefevs]

1 hour ago, Lrrr said:

Frankly I'd just be sending the fringe players out for the cup game despite it being a week before the season starts, get a friendly Sunday for other players from our 1st team squad who aren't on international duty. Get the likes of O'Leary, Morrell (if not on duty), Walsh, Szmodics, Jonny Smith etc some competitive minutes.

                               

I wouldn’t.

I’d be playing a near full strength side and trying to get through, so that you can give a few more fringe players minutes in the next round a week later....rinse and repeat.

Risk of injury in a competitive match? Yep....but try telling that to Karleigh Osborne, Hakeeb Adelakun and Mo Eisa who all got injuries In friendlies / behind closed door friendlies.

Need to breed familiarity asap.

all my opinion.

[Lrrr]

1 minute ago, Davefevs said:

I wouldn’t.

I’d be playing a near full strength side and trying to get through, so that you can give a few more fringe players minutes in the next round a week later....rinse and repeat.

Risk of injury in a competitive match? Yep....but try telling that to Karleigh Osborne, Hakeeb Adelakun and Mo Eisa who all got injuries In friendlies / behind closed door friendlies.

Need to breed familiarity asap.

all my opinion.

True, perhaps thinking a bit to cautiously ahead of a crammed season

[Red-Robbo]

22 minutes ago, Davefevs said:

 

Risk of injury in a competitive match? Yep....but try telling that to Karleigh Osborne, Hakeeb Adelakun and Mo Eisa who all got injuries In friendlies / behind closed door friendlies.

 

 

Pretty nasty one for Osborne as I recall. Knackered our defensive plans at the start of the season.

[phantom]

Just now, Red-Robbo said:

 

Pretty nasty one for Osborne as I recall. Knackered our defensive plans at the start of the season.

and as a result Aden Flint got his place back in the side.....the rest of that season didn't turn out too bad 

[phantom]

1 hour ago, Mr Popodopolous said:

Logistically tricky given International weekend extends onwards- ie there are games after 5th September 2020 for Internationals and then the next 3 midweek rounds are all League Cup.

Late August for 1st round might have been a better idea? No real easy answers in this situation, unsure we'll get all clubs happy!

Doesn't really add anything but.....

[The Bard]

 

4 hours ago, phantom said:

Those affected by the loss of players are able to move the game to a later date 

So we postpone playing Cheltenham because we're missing Kalas and Morrell.  I'd be embarrassed if we did that.

[The Bard]

3 hours ago, Davefevs said:

I wouldn’t.

I’d be playing a near full strength side and trying to get through, so that you can give a few more fringe players minutes in the next round a week later....rinse and repeat.

Risk of injury in a competitive match? Yep....but try telling that to Karleigh Osborne, Hakeeb Adelakun and Mo Eisa who all got injuries In friendlies / behind closed door friendlies.

Need to breed familiarity asap.

all my opinion.

THere is no way any side will cope with the season without ongoing rotation.  It's simply too crammed.  Use the League cup as the last friendly but when the season really kicks in it will be quite brutal.   I just hope Holden sees this early and is a proactive rotator. 2 or 3 each game like Pep does so you keep continuity but 20 or so players all play regularly.

[Davefevs]

44 minutes ago, The Bard said:

THere is no way any side will cope with the season without ongoing rotation.  It's simply too crammed.

I 100% agree.  That’s been exactly what I’ve been saying elsewhere.  But those first couple / few games I believe we want to hit the ground running.  If we lose first up, fans will be in Holden’s back straight away.  Also, lose and we don’t have any midweek games for a few weeks.  Players like to get minutes in their tank early in the season.  That’s why the first couple of rounds I think would be beneficial to us.

Having said that (and I posted this elsewhere too), Holden will need to realise when to rest, and certainly in midfield we have bodies to do that....repeating the mistakes of 17/18 and flogging Brownhill, Pack and Smith would be wrong too.

Use the League cup as the last friendly but when the season really kicks in it will be quite brutal.   I just hope Holden sees this early and is a proactive rotator. 2 or 3 each game like Pep does so you keep continuity but 20 or so players all play regularly.
For me that is the way to do it....one or two (or three!) at the right time, not wholesale changes.

Back in 17/18, could’ve rotated 2 of the 3 I mentioned above over a couple of games and they’d have been more refreshed.

I think we are both agreeing about approach for the season....I just have a difference for the 1st (cup) game.

 

[Portland Bill]

7 hours ago, wayne allisons tongues said:

I watch a team in level 6 and some clubs are considering pulling out for may well have 4 cup games before the season starts in October and some clubs can’t afford to pay players. Travel will be players make there own way there so if not local ties players maybe playing and be out of pocket.

I watch a team at level 7, due to covid restrictions clubs aren’t even allowed to use their changing rooms, all players have to come ready changed. No using the showers after games. Individual players have to look after their own kit, so if a player is unavailable/injured more kit has to be found.

I watched a game last week between a Western League side and a local well known holiday resort! I was able to watch due to my son being an official. The two sides had to use gazebos on the side of the pitch for clothes kit bags etc etc, these are semi pro clubs. This is ok whilst we have this warm weather, but what’s going to happen when we get to October and the rainy season kicks in.

Non league clubs are seriously struggling with no crowds, no crowds, no money, and the majority rely on gate receipts, bar takings and food sales just to get by. 

What’s really bizarre is that local cricket clubs ARE allowed crowds, while football aren’t, this government really haven’t a clue what they are doing. 

There was a case recently where a club played a pre season game with no crowd, whereas on the adjacent pitches a car boot sale was being held with hundreds of people attending

[Mr Popodopolous]

4 hours ago, The Bard said:

 

So we postpone playing Cheltenham because we're missing Kalas and Morrell.  I'd be embarrassed if we did that.

Tbh it's not beyond the realms that we could have up to 5, 6 and maybe more.

• Kalas
• Dasilva (U21)?
• Nagy
• Morrell
• Massengo (U21 or below)?
• O'Dowda
• Wells
• Diedhiou (If still with us)

[wayne allisons tongues]

7 hours ago, Portland Bill said:

I watch a team at level 7, due to covid restrictions clubs aren’t even allowed to use their changing rooms, all players have to come ready changed. No using the showers after games. Individual players have to look after their own kit, so if a player is unavailable/injured more kit has to be found.

I watched a game last week between a Western League side and a local well known holiday resort! I was able to watch due to my son being an official. The two sides had to use gazebos on the side of the pitch for clothes kit bags etc etc, these are semi pro clubs. This is ok whilst we have this warm weather, but what’s going to happen when we get to October and the rainy season kicks in.

Non league clubs are seriously struggling with no crowds, no crowds, no money, and the majority rely on gate receipts, bar takings and food sales just to get by. 

What’s really bizarre is that local cricket clubs ARE allowed crowds, while football aren’t, this government really haven’t a clue what they are doing. 

There was a case recently where a club played a pre season game with no crowd, whereas on the adjacent pitches a car boot sale was being held with hundreds of people attending

It’s madness 

 

players had to get changed in stand, temp checked on way in.

Team I watch played behind closed doors on the Saturday and midweek had an away friendly which was by a public footpath and a hundred people watched the match from the path.