• Re-arranging fixtures ‘a nightmare’, says Wenger
• Liverpool and Tottenham face major congestion

Arsène Wenger can sometimes appear a lone voice in the world of the Premier League manager, and not only because of his non-interest in horse-racing and the post-match drink. Yet the Arsenal manager spoke for the majority, and certainly those of his colleagues with a European interest in the second half of the season, when he assessed the impact of the bleak mid-winter weather.

“The fixtures are a nightmare,” said the Arsenal manager, as he looked ahead to the inevitable pile-up. “To find reasonable dates in the season is difficult. We tried everything to play last Wednesday against Bolton [when the match was snowed off] and we were glad to play on Saturday against Everton because it’s difficult to find the dates.”. All of the so-called Big Four face unenviable work-loads as they juggle the demands of domestic and European competition while Fulham and Everton, too, have progressed into the knock-out phase of the Europa League. The snow and ice, however, has ratcheted up the pressure on everyone, particularly as the domestic season is scheduled to finish early to allow Fabio Capello’s England squad extra time to prepare for the World Cup finals. The question of how to squeeze in postponed matches is vexing.

“I think the Premier League will extend the season for an extra week or so,” said the Wigan Athletic chairman Dave Whelan, whose club have been forced to postpone home games against Aston Villa and Bolton during the cold snap. “I think it is an absolute must, because games are piling up for everybody. Some of these teams are also still in the Carling Cup, the FA Cup and also in Europe and it’s going to be a nightmare for them if they don’t look to extend the season.”

Liverpool and Tottenham may rearrange their Premier League fixture at Anfield, which was postponed on Sunday, for either Tuesday or Wednesday night of next week. No final decision has yet been taken but the case is representative of the general problem. If the clubs, and the Premier League, confirm either date, it would mean Liverpool, starting with tomorrow night’s FA Cup third round replay against Reading, would face a sequence of six matches in 17 days while Tottenham would have five in 14.

“We have seen it many times when teams suddenly end up having these kind of runs and it gets difficult towards the end of the season,” said the Tottenham manager, Harry Redknapp. “It can make or break their season.”

Although the Premier League would consider accommodating domestic games on Uefa match nights, it may have reason to dread its leading clubs being involved in FA Cup replays or merely making the latter stages of the competition; the FA Cup quarter- and semi-finals clash with Premier League dates.

It was revealing to note Wenger’s reaction to Manchester United’s FA Cup third round defeat to Leeds. He remarked that at least it meant they would have a free weekend before the first leg of their Champions League last 16 tie against Milan. Finding the space to breathe has become an obsession.

Arsène WengerArsenalHarry RedknappTottenham HotspurPremier LeagueDavid Hytnerguardian.co.uk

Today’s prattle knows what time it is: Late O’Clock

It was while leaning with its back and the sole of one foot against a wall outside its local amusement arcade that a teenage Mill was given what turned out to be the worst piece of career advice it has ever heard. “STOP HANGING AROUND AND GET A JOB, YOU MANGY LOAFER!” roared some concerned citizen, to which your obviously very cool Mill responded by flicking back its dangerously long fringe with pointed nonchalance, while taking great care not to distort its well-practised expression of cynical weariness. Only now does a smarter reply stagger to mind: hanging around is an important part of the job-getting process. What other conclusion can we draw from mutters that, following reported interest from Manchester United last week, Sol Campbell has now lounged his way on to the wish-list of Chelsea? From idle to idol in no steps, that that’s the way to do it.

That’s not all either. Petr Cech will be off to Aston Villa or Sunderland in January. Chelsea want to replace him with West Ham’s Robert Green.

The Campbell method appears to be catching. For today if Russian inactivist Roman Pavlyuchenko bothers to open his eyes, he will read reports linking him with a move from Tottenham Hotspur to … Arsenal. It could be that such reports are designed solely to give this forgotten player the gift of recognition on the occasion of his 28th birthday, or to prompt Harry Redknapp to do same, or perhaps to put about the idea that Arsène Wenger is keen on partnering Pavlyuchenko with Andrey Arshavin just to show that such a forward-line can be devastating and that any manager who can’t find a degree of success with it should not be held in such high esteem in England so how about the media stops championing Guus Hiddink for every top job weeks after he guided Russia to elimination from the World Cup by a country with the population of the shoe that the fabled Old Lady lived in?

On the subject of Spurs pariahs, word is Redknapp will not keep Wolves from the door when they come prowling for David Bentley. Elsewhere in London, quite how Crystal Palace will react when Barcelona come calling for Victor Moses is anyone’s guess – the Mill reckons it’ll be a swoon followed by an outstretched hand, then a wave goodbye to one of England’s finest young talents, who’ll be off to finish his education in the best football learning centre on the planet.

Speaking of excellent football learning centres … actually, that segue might not wash any more … all the Mill wanted to say was is that cash-strapped West Ham are off to a Liverpool bureau de change to convert Scott Parker into £3m.

Finally, Arsenal and Manchester United are squabbling over Standard Liège’s £15m midfielder Steven Defour in January, Blackburn want James Beattie, and Martin O’Neill plans to give Aston Villa’s Champions League drive a decisive boost by liberating Fabrice Muamba from Bolton, who’ll get Nigel Reo-Coker and kind regards in return.