Did 3pm Help Or Hinder City In 2015/16?

Tudor

Vital Football Legend
With the traditional Saturday 3pm kick offs long being a sticking point for fans following the new television dominated age in the Premier League, with Manchester City now being one game away from the end of the current season - and all games being played on a Sunday - it gives us a chance to see which fans got the preferred 3pm slot, and how often, over the past year.

Whether the gripe is drinking time and social elements to attending games with your mates after a long week at work, or easier travel for family and young children given school commitments in midweek, or even very sensibly, travel arrangements for the away day trippers and the miles they have to cover - almost everyone has a particular favourite.

Some even wonder how kick off times can impact on recovery and a sides performance.

With Leicester City lifting the Premier League crown and having pundits marvel at how they have done that without keeping the ball, having possession you could normally count on one hand, whilst playing a largely 442 formation - well it seems anybody clinging to hope that their side does better at 3pm on a Saturday could be in for a shock.

Saying that I'm certainly not going to do the number crunching on winning runs and whether they tally with these Saturday games, or losing streaks and whether they tally either.

So let's just keep it simple (like me) as there are plenty more intelligent ways to prove or disprove Saturday 3pm's and their effect on results.

The top five in this year's Premier League table - as it stands - are Leicester, Tottenham, Arsenal, Manchester City and Manchester United. The bottom five being Bournemouth (tied on points with WBA and Crystal Palace above them), Sunderland and now relegated Newcastle, Norwich and Aston Villa.

As the table shows though - with a hattip to The Mirror - Bournemouth and Stoke received the most 3pm kick offs, and Liverpool received the least, with Arsenal and Tottenham only two games ahead.

http://www.manchestercity.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=566422
 
The price of success perhaps is greater TV coverage with the consequent altered fixture times.

There is an effect in respect of the timing of pre-match meals etc and I am sure there will be sports science looking at circadian rhythms etc. The Thursday/Sunday cycle of Europa league has been the subject of considerable debate elsewhere too.
 
I guess that if we are happy to take the tv millions then there has to be something in it for them.

Re Leicester winning the PL - they also did it without a ball playing centre back. talk about bucking a trend/perceived wisdoms etc...