Welcome back Roberto Di Matteo.
The Premier League fixture list for season 2010-11 was released Thursday. And, as expected, it's an interesting read.
First, let's take a look at our fixture list in full - over all competitions - for 2010-11:
Potential list (dates subject to change):
Sat Jul 17 Crystal Palace A
Fri Jul 23 Ajax A
Sun Aug 1 Eintracht Frankfurt A
Wed Aug 4 Hamburg A
Sun Aug 8 Manchester United (Community Shield at Wembley)
Wed Aug 11 International fixtures
Sat Aug 14 West Bromwich Albion H
Sat Aug 21 Wigan Athletic A
Sat Aug 28 Stoke City H
Fri Sep 3 to Tue Sep 7 International fixtures
Sat Sep 11 West Ham United A
Tue 14/Wed 15 Sep Champions League group stage matchday 1
Sat Sep 18 Blackpool H
Tue 21/Wed 22 Sep Carling Cup round 3
Sat Sep 25 Manchester City A
Tue 28/Wed 29 Sep Champions League group stage matchday 2
Sat Oct 2 Arsenal H
Fri Oct 8 to Tues Oct 12 International fixtures
Sat Oct 16 Aston Villa A
Tue 19/Wed 20 Oct Champions League group stage matchday 3
Sat Oct 23 Wolverhampton Wanderers H
Tue 26/Wed 27 Oct Carling Cup round 4
Sat Oct 30 Blackburn Rovers A
Tue 2/Wed 3 Nov Champions League group stage matchday 4
Sat Nov 6 Liverpool A
Wed Nov 10 Fulham H
Sat Nov 13 Sunderland H
Wed 17 Nov International fixtures
Sat Nov 20 Birmingham City A
Tue 23/Wed 24 Nov Champions League group stage matchday 5
Sat Nov 27 Newcastle United A
Tue 30 Nov/Wed 1 Dec Carling Cup round 5
Sat Dec 4 Everton H
Tue 7/Wed 8 Dec Champions League group stage matchday 6
Sat Dec 11 Tottenham Hotspur A
Sat Dec 18 Manchester United H
Sun Dec 26 Arsenal A
Tue Dec 28 Bolton Wanderers H
Sat Jan 1 Aston Villa H
Tue Jan 4 Wolverhampton Wanderers A
Sat 8 Jan FA Cup round 3
Tue 11/Wed 12 Jan Carling Cup semi final 1st leg
Sat Jan 15 Blackburn Rovers H
Sat Jan 22 Bolton Wanderers A
Tue 25/Wed 26 Jan Carling Cup semi final 2nd leg
Sat 29 Jan FA Cup round 4
Tue Feb 1 Sunderland A
Sat Feb 5 Liverpool H
Sat Feb 12 Fulham A
Tue 15/Wed 16 Feb Champions League round of 16 - first leg (half the fixtures)
Sat 19 Feb FA Cup round 5
Tue 22/Wed 23 Feb Champions League round of 16 - first leg (half the fixtures)
Sat Feb 26 Birmingham City H
Sun 27 Feb Carling Cup Final
Sat Mar 5 Blackpool A
Tue 8/Wed 9 Mar Champions League round of 16 - second leg (half the fixtures)
Sat 12 Mar FA Cup round 6
Tue 15/Wed 16 Mar Champions League round of 16 - second leg (half the fixtures)
Sat Mar 19 Manchester City H
Fri 25 Mar to Tue 29 Mar International fixtures
Sat Apr 2 Stoke City A
Tue 5/Wed 6 Apr Champions League quarter-finals - first leg
Sat Apr 9 Wigan Athletic H
Tue 12/Wed13 Apr Champions League quarter-finals - second leg
Sat Apr 16 West Bromwich Albion A
Sat 16/17 Apr FA Cup semi Final
Sat Apr 23 West Ham United H
Tue 26/Wed 27 Apr Champions League semi-finals - first leg
Sat Apr 30 Tottenham Hotspur H
Tue 3/Wed 4 May Champions League semi-finals - second leg
Sat May 7 Manchester United A
Sat May 14 Newcastle United H (Date and kickoff may change subject to FA Cup Final)
Sat 14 May FA Cup Final
Sun May 22 Everton A
Sat 28 May Champions League Final (Wembley)
*preseason fixtures in italics
Is a repeat in store?
Analysis
Some good. A lot of bad.
I'm not sure we could have asked for a more forgiving opening month. West Brow, Wigan, Stoke, West Ham, Blackpool. You have got to think 15 out of a possible 15 points there. Nothing like welcoming back a Chelsea legend to open a season is there?
A difficult three-match span follows our opening month - City (A), Arsenal (H), Aston Villa (A). December is brutal - and I mean brutal. Everton (H), Spurs (A), Manchester United (H), Arsenal (A), all during a period in which we traditionally struggle. Great.
The run-in is also particularly daunting, with the likes of Spurs at home and an away date at Old Trafford among the final five fixtures. Closing the season at Goodison Park is hardly fun, either. United, conversely, closes with Blackburn away and Blackpool at home in addition to hosting us.
Meanwhile. Take a closer look at our matches before/following Champions League ties. You might see something you don't like. Actually, you might see a whole heap of discontenting information.
- West Ham (A) - CL Group stage Round 1 - Blackpool (H)
- Man City (A) - CL Group stage Round 2 - Arsenal (H)
- Villa (A) - CL Group stage Round 3 - Bolton (H)
- Rovers (A) - CL Group stage Round 4 - Liverpool (A)
- Birmingham (A) - CL Group stage Round 5 - Newcastle (A)
- Everton (H) - CL Group stage Round 6 - Spurs (A)
Yikes. Pretty sure United has a better draw with regard to Champs League ties, but have also been dealt a fairly difficult league fixture list. I guess we all have something to complain about then.
Thoughts?