catch up on after the last few weeks. So first, big topic
today on pro soccer, talk analyzing the 20 22, 23 Premier
League fixtures,
it's out gents. The schedule 380 games has been released
since the last time we spoke and what stands out to us?
I mean, because usually, Nick, I feel like one, or two teams can
feel you were very happy or a little hard done by
by the schedule and it's weird, right? Because you play all
the same other 19 teams home in the way during the Season. But
the way it shakes out, be a tough start, our finish,
maybe a rough festive, period. And this year especially with
the World Cup, which we'll talk about a lot a lot more eyes on
the schedule to see how teams kind of Stack Up throughout
the season, but any initial takeaways for you
or maybe teams that
may be
well on done by or maybe games that you already looking
forward to. Even though we're still in the middle of
the summer. You're so the thing that I found most interesting
is I analyzed the sort of big boys as we like to talk about
them
is that man united?
It has an interesting situation, right? So it's going
to be new players, a new coach and new system, and the chance
to overanalyze everything that
happens. And then you look at August 20th and September 3rd,
Liverpool and Arsenal both come to Old Trafford. And while
the situation should be, it's going to take some time, it's going
to take some time. Imagine they get a result from Liverpool
that early in the season. And then,
you know, build it up with a win against Man United
against Arsenal, excuse me. I just,
it's gonna be interesting.
To see how much time
Eric 10 hog actually gets
with two big games that early in the season.
Yeah, that's really intriguing to look at that and talk about
big games, big teams and you look at the two title favorites
as thinks and Liverpool and Man City. Look at the start. So
I mean, Liverpool got man united early in the season as Nick
mentioned there, but
man city got pretty easy. Start to the campaign when you look
at their first five fixtures there. But
how we thinking about this? Because this is a weird season,
right? Starts a lot of Earlier than usual, because of
the World Cup players might not have as much rest.
I'm just it's difficult to kind of throw it off of if there's
an advantage for having bigger games earlier in the season,
right? Or having a slightly easier run on paper. So what's
your Takeaway on that? The Giants up
there. Yeah, and very quickly, a Manchester United, I don't
think patience is going to be something that's given to them
for those early season big
the rivalry games early on and
you know, Nick is trying to take the rosy side there
I guess. And say well what if they Pull off a win against
Liverpool early in the season. What if they lose three nil to
Liverpool for games into the season? And it just very
quickly starts to look like
another season of this for Manchester United. I, that
seems a little bit more likely to me at this point. So, that
is a very difficult start for them. I would prefer to have
an easier start for
either of Liverpool or Manchester City. If I was a fan
of those teams because if you look at
their in not in transition, quite but they are certainly
both probably going to be tactically different this
season. Because of what they've done in the transfer market
thus far, bringing in
airlink Holland and bringing in Darwin Nunez,
they are going to have to change some things and so you
want to be able to have I think a few games early on in
the season we're
not easy games. But games that you're expected to win games
that, you know, you're going to have a ton of possession games
that you can really work on things in a live situation. You
can train it all day and we know how meticulous pep and
clock.
Both are on the training field, but it doesn't compare until
you get out there against another team that is set up to
start. Top you that has been working on you all week
and then you really have to show
that evolution of what these teams are going to be. And
I think that's probably with regards to the schedule and
the transfers that have happened already. That's the most
exciting thing to me is we have Liverpool and Manchester City's
so established in this Premier League over the last after
the last three or four years now that
they've been battling head-to-head,
but now they're going to be just a little bit different and
I just find that interesting because the inertia that can
creep in I think is is honestly the downfall of a A lot of
really, really great teams and so
Co-op, and pepper, both smart enough to know that it can't
stay the same forever. The Personnel is going to change
the tax. Their tactics are going to have to change. And so
you just throw in one more. Fascinating wrinkle. To
again, we've been saying it to of the all-time greats in
the Premier League.
You know, the see the season is not far away but it can't get
here soon enough. Now,
it really isn't less than 50 days. Now, the countdown is on
what you believe, so it really looking forward to this.
I think I'll signal and Chelsea fans will be re looking forward
to it. Start the season. We look at their first five
Arsenal have Palace Lester Bournemouth
full of and Villa
and Chelsea have Everton Spurs leads, Lester and Saints and
I think there's an opportunity there for both. Those London
clubs to really get off to a flying start. Especially with,
I think we're going to see a lot of changes at both teams in
terms of the players and the Personnel asked nor trying
to make moves. And now Chelsea with some of the
backroom staff being sorted out, it seems like they're
going to be bringing in some new attacking players, as well,
which is really exciting with the car. Moving on and you know
it's almost through cool getting a bit more help there
in the final third
or maybe players that suit that system slightly better
but in terms of teams that struggle I do feel sorry for
poor old Bournemouth, the newly promoted team.
I mean they play
at home against Villa on the opening day
away at Man City
home against Arsenal away against Liverpool and then home
against wolves. I mean that is talk about, welcome back to
the Premier League. That is a tough start and yes, some of
the other
newly promoted teams as well. Fulham have got Liverpool and
Arsenal in their first five games as well. So
it's cliche, but we all know how important a good start is,
right? You can set the tone for a season, there are teams that
have great starts and then
fall off, not going to mention some of them that close to my
heart. But there it is, quite, I think
important, especially for Mid to lower table teams to get
a good run of fixtures at the start the season, hit
the ground running, get the points on the board and is take some
of the pressure off, but the Nick when we're looking at
some of those things, Do you think might start, wow, that
anybody else there that could have an opportunity to really
come flying out the trapped early in the season and maybe
cause a few surprises because not them Forest is a lot of
good vibes around them right after their promotion and they
can
make some of these signings. And in the window,
it's not a terrible start for them.
It isn't. And the other thing I've been looking at is a team
that has a chance to get a win kind of early, and then build
it back with maybe a surprise here.
You little bit of playing with house money, if you will,
right? So it Palace. I know that there are some
expectations there
but they're brutal start right
at the same time.
Are they at a point where there's enough confidence in
the process, there's enough confidence in what they are
building. That fans are just kind of hoping for some
glimpses,
the flip side of that. As you mentioned,
not an enforcer going to a Newcastle team that I think
a lot of us are expecting to be fairly changed and then and
then having a West Ham after that, going to Nottingham
Force, it's going to be in a
Was
especially after maybe getting a result at Newcastle. So these
are all exciting things to me. The one thing
is one of a wild-card. I don't know that we plan for this part
of it but I do love Joe you when you mentioned being early
in the season
for the season starting as early as it is I thought
doesn't this make the community shield with Man City and
Liverpool a little bit more tasty for us but also
a little bit more beneficial for them for Holland and you know,
Has to get a taste before they go into their games and maybe
that's bad news for Fulham in Westham on week 1. Oh, yeah.
See Holland. Feasting on some of those early games, right?
I probably have 15 goals after those first five games.
Yeah, really, really good point though. Of course,
the community, she will be at the King Power Stadium as well.
This season, we're probably hosting other games. So, and
another interesting thing to look out and it's very unique
season coming up. We talk about that Lads,
Andy, the World Cup. Obviously
the primaries going to take a break from after the weekend
Saturday November Well, and then what we're told until
December 26th boxing day, of course, they'll be
an extravaganza and a relaunch of sorts of the Season.
Looking at some of the fixtures that teams have just before
the World Cup and then just after the World Cup doing that
benefits, maybe some of the smaller Premier League teams
who don't have as many players
go into the World Cup and they always have
a month break right to work on tactics and really
get well drilled. And then
the likes of Man City. Liverpool, Chelsea and others
are going to lose a lot of
their players for a long time and they may be absolutely
Shattered by the time they come back. So that's something to
keep an eye on right in the middle of the Season.
Yeah. I think a real thing to keep an eye on with the World
Cup is actually going to be and and
I don't think anybody's going to come out and say it publicly
but I think we're going to see it as some players may be taken
a game or two or a couple weeks. Not all
but, you know, ratcheting down the intensity
a little bit before the World Cup because with this being in
the middle of the season. I can see a lot of players saying,
well, I don't want to get injured right before the World
Cup. This is
such a unique opportunity for every player in the world
especially players that have never been in the World Cup
players that are from some of the smaller Nations that don't
always qualify that importance is just a little bit different
than
their Club career which runs every single year. And so
I just I would be very curious to see if there are some managers
as well who are going to have to manage those players
differently. You know, you talk about just
the intensity of the Premier League and what it is. We can
And week out and then you throw in the World Cup right in
the middle with only a week before. So there's no time to really
build up slowly to it. It's going to go in, you know, full
speed and everything. So I think that might actually be
the interesting thing is we might lose some of the
the bigger stars for a game or two right before the break for
the World Cup because players are going to want to be fresh.
They're not going to want to be hurt and
the teams at the bottom of the table that
the the teams that are not going to have
as many players going to the World Cup, like you say, Joe,
big big. And it's at that point. So I don't think it's
going to be so impossible to predict anything that's going
to happen this season because of how many unique factors.
Now, we're looking ahead and trying to think, okay? This is
going to be the big one,
there's 3 or 4 other big things,
you know, different hurdles. The teams are going to have to
clear this season that have never existed before that.
We're not even prepared for at this point. Well, of course, as
well, it's the season starts early and it's not
an international break until the end of September. We're usually
as
one in early September and that's the only one. So teams
are going to be going flat out Champions League, Europa League
Cup. Competitions all wedged in
so crazy. What four? And a half month period and then
talk about the World Cup and how massive that is for so many
of these players in the Premier League. So yeah, great point
now because I think a lot of managers even they want to play
their star players
in every single game,
I think they're going to be thinking,
you know, in the case of Pep,
should I rest Kevin De bruyne her for a couple weeks for
the World Cup? And then he'll come back hopefully fresh and they
won't rip the risk of an injury. So yeah, a lot to
unfold and I'm wrapped between now and when the Premier League
season starts, but
Head over the pro soccer talk and NBC sports.com.
And you can see the latest full schedule for all 380 games are
season. Gents I can barely wait, the countdown is on
already and it's going to be as we said a very unique season
in the Premier League.