As much as the Christmas / New Year fixture crunch is a ... ummm ... fixture of the British game, hasn't this year's effort highlighted the fact that it's time for a break? We had a schedule of absolutely dog s*** matches yesterday; we had those clubs with the deepest squads making wholesale changes (and still winning); we had multiple, significant/season-ending injuries; and WBA are suing over the insanity of playing a 2nd game in 48 hours against a team who's been off since Boxing Day.

I'm not suggesting that we shut it all down for 2 weeks like they do on the Continent. But the impact on the integrity of the season - and the significant impact on fans trying to negotiate the TV-reshuffled fixtures - is making a mockery of the league. It's time to thin out the fixtures over the Christmas / New Year period to give everyone - players and fans - a break.

We don't do possession; we do defense and attack. Everything else is just wa**ing with a football.

Yes, it's about the money, but that's not just BT/Sky money. It's NBC money and it's money from all around the world. The s***e the EPL served up yesterday will have had people - myself included - switching off in droves. Who wants to watch a knackered Stoke take on a knackered Newcastle, or a knackered Burnley play the Liverpool reserves?

If WBA gain some traction and are supported by other clubs - the Palace schedule has been a joke too, without a Boxing Day fixture, for example - then maybe there's room for a change. We only need to ditch one fixture and reschedule for another day. Maybe an early-season midweek fixture when players are still relatively fresh and we aren't into the cup competitions yet...and it isn't effing freezing so that's it more pleasant to watch and easier to travel. They could make it "Derby Night" so that everyone is playing someone nearby, so that away fans get an easier go of it.

Take that one fixture out of the Christmas / New Year sequence, and it makes everything so much easier. Plus, the TV companies can spread out the games (like they have) without unduly burdening certain teams or their fans. It'll be more like a regular game week, so teams won't be worried about player fitness and we'll (probably) get a better quality round of matches.

We don't do possession; we do defense and attack. Everything else is just wa**ing with a football.

2 week break over the festive period,would mean that clubs will go over to the far east/usa for a tour...its all about the money.

I'm not suggesting a 2-week break. I said so in the first sentence of the second paragraph. I'm suggesting dropping one fixture, so teams can play Boxing Day and New Year's Day, but not inbetween. Holiday games are preserved.

We don't do possession; we do defense and attack. Everything else is just wa**ing with a football.

The game will still be played, so any difference in gate receipts will be incremental.

We don't do possession; we do defense and attack. Everything else is just wa**ing with a football.

Firstly if there was a break there would have to be rules put in place so that teams wouldn't galivant off to the USA or Far East to play exhibition matches.
( I notice a couple of German teams are already playing friendlies although there is a break)
Secondly you would be giving managers carte blanche excuses like 'They are lacking match fitness'Etc.
The Premier League simply have to say that No team plays within a 72 hour period of their first game.

Pro USA & Israel