Travel tuesday to prepare or wednesday
- Europa game on thursday
-Travel back on friday evening
so no that leaves only 24 hours preparation, which is not enough. Athletes need to have a certain level of consistency. Furthemore, a game in russia is not the same as playing in germany, italy or spain
You can say that isn't enough, but that is the realities of playing midweek in Europe. There's 7 days in a week. It's difficult, but must be possible.
Russia is what...a 4/5 hour flight? CL teams have to travel there too btw, Zenit, CSKA, Dinamo & Spartak all regularly reach the group stages.
We live in the smallest continent on the planet. Copa Libertadores teams travel thousands of miles, play at ridiculous altitudes...Australian clubs travel throughout Asia to play AFC games.
We have it good. Our clubs have the most money, with the best nutritionists and physios to deal with these situations.
It's complete nonsense, it really is.
It's not just that, it's all the time to run tactics for specific opposition etc. Dis-joints things totally, the Sunday kick-off can be 12.00-1.30pm now too (and has been). Fly back very late Thursday/Friday morning, get Friday afternoon evening off and/or sort any niggles. Travel away to wherever Saturday, a few hours to do that and check in etc, light training/stretching session and pre-game prep. Get up Sunday morning and straight to the ground for 10.15-11.30am.
Not always that way when at home or if kick off times are as kind as they can be but, regardless of how comfortable the journeys are, you still have to do them, play, warm down and then get sorted for next match in quick time. Can't run many drill sessions for dealing with or setting up for the opposition.
It's no coincidence that there have been loads of flat and fairly shit performances after the Thursday games over several years.
Even if rotating the team as we often do, still no time for coaching sessions.
And it's been said a million times, there's the lack of decent pitches and facilities sometimes and adrenaline for Europa League compared to Champions League is nowhere near comparable, as well as the number of Tuesday/Saturday and Wednesday/Sunday games Champions League teams get.
Then it's our managers job to get them up for these games. They should be motivated to play in Europe and try to win the EL. It would be the biggest achievement for most of our squad. Hardly any of them have played CL football, so I'm not sure how that is relevant?
Lack of decent pitches...you ever see the DW stadium after a Rugby weekend? I haven't seen worse than that on our European travels.
I agree no coincidence our performances are flat, but we need to sort that out. We have a squad big enough to deal with it. Poch needs to balance that better next season.
We manage the grueling Xmas schedule every year. Midweek Europa games offer more rest than that.
Completely overanalysed and blown out of proportion in this country in my opinion.