Topic: Christmas fixtures and Covid

[Legs]

Rafa claiming they would have to play youth players, just like we do often.

We seem to be the only club willing to do anything to play.

Well I dont know who they have available.

You see Dyche was keen to get game on I bet he was easy meat.

The easy soultion was to do what Thomas Frank said shut down till boxing day and get some rules in place.

PL have been a disgrace and most high profile managers think the same too.

[SamLad]

in all this discussion, I keep asking myself: just who the fukk is it in the "Premier League" making these decisions? 

as far as I can find, this must be coming from the PL Board of Directors who - I assume - are the ones acting like dicks in this thing.  they are:
Chairman - Gary Hoffman
Chief Exec - Richard Masters
plus: Mai Fyfield and Dharmash Mistry, and non-executive director Kevin Beeston.

BUT the league consists of the clubs.
If the majority of the managers think the decisions are ridiculous, and everyone and his dog are screaming for proper rules around Covid postponements .... why are they being ignored by these idiots who just keep saying "Nah, keep playing.  Nope, we don't need any clarity over vaccinations or uniformity on postponement rules. If you have 13 players available you're fine get on with it!" 

Why can't the clubs call for a vote to get sense into all this?
   

[Sudden Death Draft Loser]

The 13 outfield players plus a goalkeeper rule is being abused. There’s no way a PL club can’t meet those criteria

[Legs]

The 13 outfield players plus a goalkeeper rule is being abused. There’s no way a PL club can’t meet those criteria

I agree.

Let’s look at it another way if it gets to April we are a few points clear of City.

Would you be happy if the league said to us put out Kelleher Bradley Beck Gomez Koumeto Hendo Milner Morton Minamino Origi Firmino.

I certainly wouldn’t be the league has to maintain its integrity but as you have stated they are not doing that United have swept up all Covid/injuries and are fresh as daisies now

[reddebs]

I agree.

Let’s look at it another way if it gets to April we are a few points clear of City.

Would you be happy if the league said to us put out Kelleher Bradley Beck Gomez Koumeto Hendo Milner Morton Minamino Origi Firmino.

I certainly wouldn’t be the league has to maintain its integrity but as you have stated they are not doing that United have swept up all Covid/injuries and are fresh as daisies now

They're still shit though 

[Agent99]

So I’m reading that the Everton game has been called off due to covid AND INJURIES. Seriously, since when have injuries been a reason to call off a game? In that case we could have had every game called off last season.

Didn't a team get deducted points a few years ago because they only had 11 players available or something like that due to injuries? Like you say how is this different? If ta team have four cases of covid but still have 20 players without covid but eight are injured then it's kind of tough shit. Welcome to us last season.

[Nick110581]

The 13 outfield players plus a goalkeeper rule is being abused. There’s no way a PL club can’t meet those criteria

That is where the transparency is lacking.

Teams asking for games to be called off and it agreed and others haven't (Chelsea, Brighton).

[Pistolero]

A cold turkey day...in more ways than one...

[NarutoReds]

Go Leicester!!  More tackles and shithouseries please. 

Don't just rollover, yer c*nts!!!

P/S: Kindly, I am not a Scouser, but am I doing it right?

[Dim Glas]

Go Leicester!!  More tackles and shithouseries please. 

Don't just rollover, yer c*nts!!!

P/S: Kindly, I am not a Scouser, but am I doing it right?

Not with the ‘Go Leicester’, it’s far too Americany 
‘Go Sports Team!’.

The right way to do it though is:

‘Watch Leicester roll over for them lot and take the inevitable 4-0 battering’.

[Crosby Nick]

Didn't a team get deducted points a few years ago because they only had 11 players available or something like that due to injuries? Like you say how is this different? If ta team have four cases of covid but still have 20 players without covid but eight are injured then it's kind of tough shit. Welcome to us last season.

Middlesbrough in 96/97? They postponed a fixture at late notice around Christmas time, I think they’d had a flu outbreak. The Premier League docked them 3 points. Had they played the game and just taken a defeat they’d have stayed up (assuming the rest of the season played out the same way).

[NarutoReds]

Not with the ‘Go Leicester’, it’s far too Americany 
‘Go Sports Team!’.

The right way to do it though is:

‘Watch Leicester roll over for them lot and take the inevitable 4-0 battering’.

Hahahah!!! Thanks mate. In the process of enscousing myself.

[Agent99]

Middlesbrough in 96/97? They postponed a fixture at late notice around Christmas time, I think they’d had a flu outbreak. The Premier League docked them 3 points. Had they played the game and just taken a defeat they’d have stayed up (assuming the rest of the season played out the same way).

That's the one. I had it in my head it was Hull.

[newterp]

Have Leicester claimed they need a Covid cancellation for the 28th yet?

[gerrardisgod]

Thiago out of isolation now too.

[WhereAngelsPlay]

That is where the transparency is lacking.

Teams asking for games to be called off and it agreed and others haven't (Chelsea, Brighton).

I feel sorry for Palace,how can the PL turn them down and force them to play against Spurs without a manager ?

[redgriffin73]

Leeds v Villa on Tuesday is off now.

[newterp]

Leeds v Villa on Tuesday is off now.

But Crystal Palace had to play today. Lol.

[WhereAngelsPlay]

But Crystal Palace had to play today. Lol.

Forced to play with 1 change.

[newterp]

Forced to play with 1 change.

But that’s essentially all the “good” players they have.

[WhereAngelsPlay]

But that’s essentially all the “good” players they have.

I didn't know about the "We can only play if" rule.

[newterp]

I didn't know about the "We can only play if" rule.

But there is no rule(s) at all it seems.

[WhereAngelsPlay]

But there is no rule(s) at all it seems.

You're forgetting the "shut the training ground" get out of jail free card.

[FLRed67]

Hey can someone send me the link to the spreadsheet with the EPL schedule, the one where you can go in and order the match you want cancelled? I heard it's on Google Drive?

I just got a message that my mom's first boyfriend's dog walker's youngest step-son just tested positive, and I' m not in the mood to watch football right now.

[davidlpool1982]

Our game Vs Leeds will now probably be at a time when they have some of their important players back from injury. Makes that a harder game than it would be today, especially if the PL try to fit it in during AFCON. Hopefully the League Cup 2 legs semi might help see that idea off.

[BoRed]

Our game Vs Leeds will now probably be at a time when they have some of their important players back from injury. Makes that a harder game than it would be today, especially if the PL try to fit it in during AFCON. Hopefully the League Cup 2 legs semi might help see that idea off.

I'll be amazed if it's not rescheduled between Brentford and Palace in January.

[Fromola]

It ends up a nice mid-season break for Bielsa whose team were running on fumes.

Same with Spurs.

City got a nice two weeks off last season and came back and won loads of games on the run which basically won them the league.

[newterp]

It ends up a nice mid-season break for Bielsa whose team were running on fumes.

Same with Spurs.

City got a nice two weeks off last season and came back and won loads of games on the run which basically won them the league.

It really is comedy hour. Don’t forget Spurs looking good after a sweet 10 day break.

[Sudden Death Draft Loser]

I’m on the verge of giving up on domestic competitions for this season. It’ not  level playing field at the moment.

[UntouchableLuis]

I’m on the verge of giving up on domestic competitions for this season. It’ not  level playing field at the moment.

The Premier League can't keep having gameweeks where games are postponed. Already Wolves is off for the 28th/29th gameweek. That's at least 1 postponed game in the last 3 gameweeks now.

If our game gets called off vs Leicester we'd be 9 points behind City (who will destroy Brentford) heading into that game against Chelsea. We know the game is psychological at times.

Personally think there'll be a massive backlash soon. I'm actually amazed most of the managers have all been so calm. But like the null and void nonsense it's all about self interest.

[Sudden Death Draft Loser]

It either has to be suspend all games for a period or force all clubs to play. This in between thing is so open to abuse.

[stonecold_jpm]

I fully expect Chelsea to have a breakout before our match with them as they won’t want to play us with us having played a game less than them in the last week. Also reckon Pep and City will pull their card out as well so they don’t have to travel to flying Arsenal who’ll have had 6 days off whilst City will have played twice.

[stevied]

The Premier League can't keep having gameweeks where games are postponed. Already Wolves is off for the 28th/29th gameweek. That's at least 1 postponed game in the last 3 gameweeks now.

If our game gets called off vs Leicester we'd be 9 points behind City (who will destroy Brentford) heading into that game against Chelsea. We know the game is psychological at times.

Personally think there'll be a massive backlash soon. I'm actually amazed most of the managers have all been so calm. But like the null and void nonsense it's all about self interest.

Not sure they have been calm Conti said the meeting with the Premier league was like talking to a brick wall , they obviously aired their opinions to no avail

[SamLad]

the media should force the PL execs making these decisions to hold a press conference to try to justify the insanely ridiculously crap job they're doing. and how they are upholding the "integrity of the game".

but those twats, whoever TF they are, will never do that in a million years.

[Sudden Death Draft Loser]

Not football but I see the England cricket team have been trying it on.

[wige]

the media should force the PL execs making these decisions to hold a press conference to try to justify the insanely ridiculously crap job they're doing. and how they are upholding the "integrity of the game".

but those twats, whoever TF they are, will never do that in a million years.

The media isn't a single entity though, they, like the clubs, are competing with each other. Just in this case its for clicks, buyers, ad time etc etc. You can see in the variety of reporting you get when someone like Klopp speaks up about a certain subject - say player welfare - one or two publications may run a story in relative good faith and three/four others will pop a headline of 'Klopp moans about fixture congestion' knowing that will drive traffic/buyers and don't give a shit about the underlying problem or even reporting the tone/overarching subject he's trying, in increasingly frustrating vain, to discuss.

[TSC]

Not sure they have been calm Conti said the meeting with the Premier league was like talking to a brick wall , they obviously aired their opinions to no avail

Tuchel was critical of the mess earlier.  Not sure if there is much if any clarity available behind the decisions.  Obviously there appears to be zip considerations for fans travelling to games, given how some have been canx relatively close to kick off.

Maybe the VAR mob make the decisions.

[Nick110581]

It ends up a nice mid-season break for Bielsa whose team were running on fumes.

Same with Spurs.

City got a nice two weeks off last season and came back and won loads of games on the run which basically won them the league.

Both Leeds and Spurs cases seem genuine but without we don’t know as zero transparency.

[Mister Flip Flop]

Both Leeds and Spurs cases seem genuine but without we don’t know as zero transparency.

Didn't Leeds state "covid and injuries" as their reason? At least they didn't try to hide it. If injuries is now a valid reason to have games suspended we should just tell the league we have lots of covid and injuries when the lads head off to the AFCON tournament.

[Crosby Nick]

Didn't Leeds state "covid and injuries" as their reason? At least they didn't try to hide it. If injuries is now a valid reason to have games suspended we should just tell the league we have lots of covid and injuries when the lads head off to the AFCON tournament.

I guess if you have several injuries and then Covid cases on top it impacts on how many you have available. Does feel open to abuse though.