Tonight's football thread

Interesting that Sturgeon has cancelled outdoor gatherings of 500 or more people in Scotland, starting on Monday.
The reason given is to free up emergency services.

Oh, there just happens to be an Old Firm match this weekend which, 4 times a year, is probably the biggest strain on those services.

Why wait till Monday?

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Originally Posted by Travs

It probably is the most sensible... however it is littered with pitfalls. What about the 3rd division where Wycombe are outside the playoffs but have played a game less, and a win could take them 3rd. Or Villa where I think their game in hand could take them out of the relegation zone.

Could arguably take the standings but do without titles/promotions/relegations being awarded... as amusing as it would be to see Liverpool not awarded the title, it would also mean my boys wouldn't get promoted (and in our current off-the-field circumstances, it could theoretically lead to the death of the club), so i'm not sure that's a great idea either!

I think the lawyers will be busy in the summer!

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As you say it is littered with pitfalls. I imagine that they might struggle on for a couple of weeks, moving to playing behind closed doors. But then it will grind to a halt as more and more players and coaches get the virus (Mikel Arteta and Callum Hudson-Odoi have just tested positive).

My gut feeling is that they will null and void the league this season. I think the football authorities will see this as the least worst option given the potential for litigation from some clubs, who will think they have been penalised unfairly if the current standings are taken.

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Originally Posted by Muddy Retriever

As you say it is littered with pitfalls. I imagine that they might struggle on for a couple of weeks, moving to playing behind closed doors. But then it will grind to a halt as more and more players and coaches get the virus (Mikel Arteta and Callum Hudson-Odoi have just tested positive).

My gut feeling is that they will null and void the league this season. I think the football authorities will see this as the least worst option given the potential for litigation from some clubs, who will think they have been penalised unfairly if the current standings are taken.

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Play the matches, they have deep squads. The peak isn't expected until June based on what the Government experts were saying yesterday and people will not wrap themselves up in cotton wool until July.

If Arteta was ill in other circumstances, they'd just play the game with the assistant manager in charge.

They have no reason not to play at this stage - public liability is not an issue as based on Government advise, they can keep going.

The vulnerable can stay away.

The Subscription channels could make a gesture of making matches free to view until end of season.

Crack on I say and get ready for a 2-3 week shut down around Whitsun.

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Originally Posted by Muddy Retriever

And Marcelo Bielsa.

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and Dyche - he might sound angry, but that's just his normal voice :D

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Originally Posted by Witton Park

Play the matches, they have deep squads. The peak isn't expected until June based on what the Government experts were saying yesterday and people will not wrap themselves up in cotton wool until July.

If Arteta was ill in other circumstances, they'd just play the game with the assistant manager in charge.

They have no reason not to play at this stage - public liability is not an issue as based on Government advise, they can keep going.

The vulnerable can stay away.

The Subscription channels could make a gesture of making matches free to view until end of season.

Crack on I say and get ready for a 2-3 week shut down around Whitsun.

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I agree completely but I just don't think that will happen. Look at the postponement of the Man City vs Arsenal game the other night. Ridiculous!

There is an emergency Premier League meeting at 10:30 this morning. So it may all stop straight away.

Yes I can't see why Premier League teams can't (under most circumstances) continue regardless.

On a wider note, I don't necessarily think international weekends should prevent league fixtures from being played... should carry on regardless like in the rugby. If teams can afford the huge figures to sign international players, they should have sufficient resources to have enough of a back-up squad for a few fixtures a year.

Without going off on a rant/tangent, this kind of thing really cheeses me off with managers harping on about a winter break... usually foreign managers it has to be said... they know the lay of the land in this country before they take a (massively high paid) job, so don't then try to change the way fixtures are arranged because you don't like it...

This thread is officially suspended till...FKW!

Looks like a feisty local derby last night.

Two red cards with the Comets beating City 2-1 down under in Adelaide :cool:

A mate claims there is an FA rule that when 75% or more games of a season are played the results stand.

But what is the Prem and EFL rules???

Very interesting.