Mikel Arteta is less than impressed that Uefa has switched the order of Sp*rs’ Europa League ties ahead of this month’s North London derby.
Our neighbours were due to play Dinamo Zagreb in Croatia next Thursday at the same time we face Olympiakos in Greece. However, with Uefa rules stipulating sides from the same city shouldn’t play home legs on the same night, they’ve switched Sp*rs tie around, meaning they’ll now play at home before visiting the Emirates on Sunday 14 March.
While Sp*rs lose the advantage of playing their Europa League return leg at home, they benefit from not having to travel ahead of their game with us. Moreover, juddging by our travel arrangements for our recent trip to Athens, Arteta’s squad won’t return to London until Friday meaning one less day to recover and prepare.
It’s clearly irked the boss. “It does [give them an advantage], but unfortunately it’s not going to change,” he said.
“We can raise our voices and we should do that because we want to have two teams playing in equal conditions. But the decision has been made and that’s it.”
He added: “I don’t want to use one bit of excuse going towards that game saying, ‘oh, they have an advantage’.
“So no, probably I will use that to take it in our advantage. And that’s it.”
Why did they switch Sp*rs’ game rather than ours? Our status as England’s cup winners was deemed more important by Uefa than qualifying via a league position and thus they dicked around with Mourinho’s travel plans rather than ours. In theory, they were doing us a favour but they didn’t.
What’s really odd is why Uefa felt the need to move Sp*rs’ game at all. The reason teams don’t play in the same city on the same night is to relieve the burden on the authorities. Of course, with no fans in attendance, the police won’t have the problem of marshalling 120,000 people within a few postcodes.
Anyway, as Arteta says. It is what it is.
The home leg second advantage is a myth – if it goes to extra time, you want to be away as you get the extra 30 mins where you can score an away goal
It’s idiotic
Olympiakos hurt me too bro
Exactly why the away goal shouldnt come into play during extra time.. its rediculous.
Away goals shouldn’t come into play full stop. It’s a plastic solution to a problem that is smaller these days, and weakens the tournament’s integrity
It’s mainly to stop away teams from just parking the bus. But now high-intensity pressing is the dominant tactic, games are comparatively end to end in the ko stages. It’s only really minnows and Atletico that park the bus these days
I don’t know why there is an extra time period at the end of a 2 legged game anyway. Just go straight to pens
It started a long time ago because travel was harder. The away team in the first leg would usually sit back and it was a boring game. But with all stadiums being fairly equal and travel much easier it’s time to stop this archaic rule. A goal is a goal.
No fans present, no problem. Both teams can play at home on the same night.
It’s UEFA, innit?!
To be fair, these rules were carved into stone and handed to Michel Platini over two thousand years ago on Mount Olympus.
We’ll just have to put the reserves out and still thump those chicken cocks.
You kill me – Alf
And I’m sure you all witnessed the “handball” against Fulham to giftwrap 3pts for sp*rs. Some days it really makes you question why you even bothe; the game is bent.
I thought that too. Looked up rules and realised it was those which were stupid rather than ref/VAR. If it comes off hand directly to set up the chance, it’s handball. I can see the reasoning but not the logic.
Do you really believe that would have been ruled out against Arsenal? No fukcing way!
And I’m still not sure it is a handball by the letter. His hand is literally on his side (and it mostly hits his hip). I have no problem with the rule being applied if the arm is away from the body. Despite protestations this is ACTUALLY the best way to remove subjectivity. But the Fulham player had his arm firmly planted on his side. In that respect it becomes a part of his body and cannot be a handball. But under the current ruling even that is ambiguous. It is just bullshit. All they have to do is make… Read more »
You have confused two different things. One is the “normal” handball–confusing and stupid in itself, but not relevant to the Fulham goal. That was only given because it led “directly” to a goal. In that situation, the FA is clear: it does not matter if it was an accident, it does not matter whether the hand was in a “natural” or “expected” position, it does not matter if an opponent kicked the ball into the hand of the player who scored (or his teammate)–if it hits the hand and leads directly to a goal, the goal is disallowed. So, for… Read more »
One other thing–I am pretty sure this particular “no handled goal, ever” interpretation originated in the FA, not any international governing body (IFAB, FIFA, or UEFA), and is not used in other competitions. I think, though I am not sure, the Fulham goal would have stood if it was a Champions League match. Which would make it even more confusing.
Clear as mud
Probably a ‘process’ had to be followed…. Rather than common sense
What like holding the final involving a North London club and a West London club in ‘kin Baku instead of shifting it to a neutral ground in England?
As if that would be a sensible thing to do!
I’ve heard there’s this stadium called Wembley…
Where is this ‘Wembley’ you talk of..??
Wembley isn’t a neutral ground, it’s our nice front room that we only use on special occasions.
You are forgetting that’s are home too, where we beat Chelsea 2-1 on a semi regular basis
UEFA has got no common sense!
We’ve certainly got the wrong end of the stick here but we’ll just have to get on with it. These things are sent to try us.
It’s going to be even sweeter to beat shit now.
UEFA are a bunch made up of multiple Mike Deans, Jon Mosses, a shitload of Mourinhos, a side of Pardews, spiced with whatever other footballing low life qualified by dint of being horrible enough.
Hope Zagreb make mash Spuds.
You’ll not be sending UEFA a Christmas card this year then?
No. Never do. They are always on a “naughty list”.
No Mile Riley? I’m shocked.
He sends his henchmen and sits back and watches the fun.
He is no happy that Arsenal do not call him Godfather.
Reheard the name David Ellary. The other day, the Mike Dean before there was Mike Dean…. And indeed he is at IFAB working to screw up the game
Actually Mike Dean no doubt was about… Suchh a bleeding cabal that they are
Just how tiring is this traveling really? Priority check in . They probably fly first class or on their own jet. To return from Athens you just sit in a chair for less than 4 hours. They can walk around and stretch unless it’s turbulent. Have a sleep, try to keep off the duty free, watch the clouds drift and Europe unfurl below……
Sitting for long durations is bad for your body no matter how comfy
but it’s not just the flight is it? It’s the transfers to and from airports, it’s the waiting around at said airport, it’s the not getting any meaningful rest and its the missed training sessions too. So yeah, it’s definitely a big disadvantage.
Chauffered to and from the airport. Sounds like a good day of physical rest. Not like they’re crossing big time zones or flying overnight.
With a comment like that it doesn’t sound like you have travelled much. When I was lucky enough to tour the globe in Business Class at my company’s expense, even with the executive lounges at airports and a driver for transfers to and from the airports, just a quick nip over to Germany or Turkey was tiring enough and I have never been a Premiership footballer expected to play a competitive match either side of the journey.
I’ve flown a fair bit but always cattle class and usually public transport to and from the airport. I had assumed that if I had got pampered with drivers, and lounges and first class then it would be very easy and relaxing. Obviously my fantasy was wrong. Just glad I never wasted any money on all that stuff 😂.
If I am paying I don’t either! 🙂
I can confirm it is more tiring to fly Business than coach if I am paying, because I am up all night making full use of the amenities and drinks.
Fuck the corrupt UEFA. Fuck Spuds too!
Off late, I am noticing that the western half of the globe is lacking in common sense. Might irk a few, but it is what it is. The present pandemic has proved that all that glitters (European society) ain’t gold….. Come on guys, you’ve culturallycleansed us (Asians) but now you’re starting to look really funny
keep you bullshit political vews to yourself
this is a football website
Glenn, not quite clear on what you’re talking about! Crap Covid prevention? Not sure where you’re from or which bit of cultural cleansing your talking about though Western culture has done a good job of that reasonably universally. What do you mean about looking funny?
the quote is ‘all that GLISTERS is not gold’ – entirely different meaning.
You know the Western hemisphere starts at Greenwich right?
Well prioritize the Olympiacos game anyway… With spurs rotate a lil bit and see whatever we can get from that game.. it’s not like a win against then is gonna change much in our premier League campaign
No Stonks, when we play Sp*rs, we must win.
Tony Adams would have slammed you up against the dressing room wall, shouting “they’re f*cking Sp*rs!! Get it??” in your face, like he did to Lee Dixon before his first N London Derby.
One of my neighbours has the Chicken on a Basketball plaques on the front of his house. Think about stealing or disfiguring it every time I go past…must control my urges..vandalism is bad…but so are Sp*rs
….not all vandalism is bad.
Who cares about the league…. zzzzz
Maybe the rule was to only change the fixtures of that team which has not won a trophy in million year
Ya, the rule was meant for crowd management, wonder what they are managing now seeing there are no people
I’d rather manage a crowd of 100k people than one Mourinho – since I mentioned the name, this comment will go into moderation for bad language
Fuck Sp*rs and everyone that likes Sp*rs, including my best friend. Let’s hope we can take some good form into this game and beat those grubby turds.
Given our PL season is virtually over and there’s little to retrieve other than pride, I’d be inclined to focus on the European Cup for that all important Champion’s League spot. If we can spank K*ne and Sp*rs in the process, then even better!
So the last main article on the site which I see is 3rd March…is Andrew ok or is it just me with a technical issue? I’m using Mozilla Firefox on mobile