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Coronavirus could prevent Liverpool from winning the Premier League title


Baltar
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If you think about it, there was no way that Liverpool was going to just stroll to a trophy win.

 

We always, ALWAYS have to overcome some insane adversity first. Some may call it "making it difficult for ourselves," but true Reds fans know that the victory is sweeter when you have to come from behind or something unlikely and special happens to earn it.

 

This season just never felt very "Liverpool" until now. There was no 3-0 down at Istanbul feeling, no 3 goals down to Barca, no moment where you worried if we might not do it. None of our actual opponents could put up with any kind of a challenge, so we got one from a global pandemic. And now when we overcome even that to hoist the trophy it will feel more properly Liverpool.

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They will have to find a way (it's actually not that difficult, it's a question of political will mostly) to bring back football as a morale booster at some point, if the situation doesn't improve. I remember reading that in Nazi Germany 50,000 people went to watch the league final in Berlin in July 1944 and only the 44/45 season wasn't completed. I see now on Wiki that the last much was played on 23 April 1945, when Bayern played Munich 1860.

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I mean when you look at the shit thrown at the club by fans of city, united AND everton, maybe 1 or 2 others as well, they'll all say it's a tainted title however this pans out.

 

In some respects that will grip my shits but there's no way you get away from it so you just have to ignore it and crack on. I just hope we get in the stadium to see the manager and players lift the trophy and to the rest of them, fuck off, 19 times!

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2 hours ago, Barnesey said:

We have 9 games to play. The season could be completed in 2.5 weeks if all teams played Satdee, Monday, Thursday and Satdee again. Same for everyone so no whingeing about fixture congestion.

 

Not sure when it can start but if it delays next season far enough everyone could agree to a one off where everyone plays everyone else just the once. That would create some distortion and so a play off system as employed in both Rugby codes could be employed to decide the Champions and other crucial positions.

 

Season 21/22 gets back to normal.

They won't do that. But they'll play twice a week, so it'll take a month to finish the league season. But I imagine if we get going in any type of reasonable time, they'll also be trying to play fa and European cup games. The fixture calendar is rammed. There was 2 months left when we stopped, realistically there's still 2 months to go unless they do something creative and maybe finish some cup competitions next season. And obviously there's been a precedent for that after the historic screen sports super cup in 86. 

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16 minutes ago, Barry Wom said:

They won't do that. But they'll play twice a week, so it'll take a month to finish the league season. But I imagine if we get going in any type of reasonable time, they'll also be trying to play fa and European cup games. The fixture calendar is rammed. There was 2 months left when we stopped, realistically there's still 2 months to go unless they do something creative and maybe finish some cup competitions next season. And obviously there's been a precedent for that after the historic screen sports super cup in 86. 

Regarding cup competitions, it could be that fixtures are scheduled for the same days/ 24 hours after their fixture, in which case affected teams would have to decide what sort of squad to field in each. There’s very recent precedent for that, after all.

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11 hours ago, dockers_strike said:

They'll all say it's a tainted title however this pans out.

 

In some respects that will grip my shits but there's no way you get away from it so you just have to ignore it and crack on...

Thrive on it. Smile at them and encourage that sweet, sweet fume. It makes their anger much, much worse. 

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17 hours ago, TheHowieLama said:

Are you serious? The club have millions of dollars invested in these athletes, for years to come, and the plan is to have them come out of hibernation and play 4 games a week??

 

We've moved on a bit from the times where most players would come back from vacation to preseason several pounds overweight, don't you think? I guarantee that every single top club across Europe have their players on strict training/eating regimes, as well as having them wear activity vests/trackers to make sure they stay in shape. Even my local tier 2 club here in Norway are doing this, and their athletes surely ain't worth a fraction of what LFC players are worth.

 

Anyway, Tottenham and Burnley have been having full training sessions during this affair, Arsenal are starting training together Monday. Most PL clubs will follow suit. For the PL, I think mid-may behind closed doors is a realistic scenario. It will surely be a money-driven affair, as ideally you would want to wait longer. Tough to say what happens in Italy, but I'm guessing their NEXT season will be affected more than the NEXT PL season. 

 

And to those arguing that ALL the leagues in Europe must be synchronised, that's not the case now, so surely there'll be exceptions made during this crisis. Norway, Russia and other Northern European countries have seasons from March-November, and still manage to take part in European competition. It's not unfeasible for the big leagues to follow suit for a year or two until things are back to a relatively "normal" level.

 

Edit: As for comparing tennis (and golf etc) with a football league, that's just nonsense. Those are stand-alone events in the future that require sponsors and fans to commit to an event that isn't already underway. The PL has completed 3/4 of a season. 

 

 

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1 hour ago, lebron said:

 

We've moved on a bit from the times where most players would come back from vacation to preseason several pounds overweight, don't you think? I guarantee that every single top club across Europe have their players on strict training/eating regimes, as well as having them wear activity vests/trackers to make sure they stay in shape. Even my local tier 2 club here in Norway are doing this, and their athletes surely ain't worth a fraction of what LFC players are worth.

 

Anyway, Tottenham and Burnley have been having full training sessions during this affair, Arsenal are starting training together Monday. Most PL clubs will follow suit. For the PL, I think mid-may behind closed doors is a realistic scenario. It will surely be a money-driven affair, as ideally you would want to wait longer. Tough to say what happens in Italy, but I'm guessing their NEXT season will be affected more than the NEXT PL season. 

 

And to those arguing that ALL the leagues in Europe must be synchronised, that's not the case now, so surely there'll be exceptions made during this crisis. Norway, Russia and other Northern European countries have seasons from March-November, and still manage to take part in European competition. It's not unfeasible for the big leagues to follow suit for a year or two until things are back to a relatively "normal" level.

 

Edit: As for comparing tennis (and golf etc) with a football league, that's just nonsense. Those are stand-alone events in the future that require sponsors and fans to commit to an event that isn't already underway. The PL has completed 3/4 of a season. 

 

 

 

You make some valid points and I agree. I think there will be a degreee of realism, practicality, call it what people want. If players are asked to play a number of games in quick succession, they'll do what they do now. And that's pace themselves through games.

 

We 'only' need 2 wins and it depends who'll we'll play first when the season resumes. They may just pick up where they left off which for us would be the shite and Palace.

 

If so, the derby would be a blood and thunder affair anyway. We should beat Palace so even if we didnt beat the shite, that leaves 1 win needed. Once we'd got that, I suspect the players would ease off a little or Jurgen would swap the team about to try and negate muscle injuries rather than pure 'rest.'

 

Im a little worried other clubs are returning to training but we still seem content to carry on as we are. I can understand it to a degree but think we have to be careful we dont get into an almost pre season type of fitness where other teams are a couple of weeks fitter than us.

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I think it’s still going to be difficult to finish.  If West Ham or Villa etc look like they’re going down.  What’s to stop them saying we are self quarantining half the squad after a suspected case and demanding not to fulfil their fixtures?  I think the financial penalties at the moment of not finishing the league seem to have shocked all the clubs into thinking we need to finish it but it’s going to be really interesting to see what happens if clubs get creative or worse actually get an outbreak.

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Writing from a locked out country, I give you a different insight because we are a few weeks ahead of the UK. I think the season will be completed because almost every one agrees on that, except mental people.

 

But nobody has a clear view when it can resume. Most respected doctors here say the locked down will be at least 6 weeks. But as we are writing, things get worse everywhere, and the ineptly of the British Government makes it likely the Uk will be in a deep shit shortly.

 

I believe the season could be played in July. 

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12 minutes ago, The Guest said:

I think it’s still going to be difficult to finish.  If West Ham or Villa etc look like they’re going down.  What’s to stop them saying we are self quarantining half the squad after a suspected case and demanding not to fulfil their fixtures?  I think the financial penalties at the moment of not finishing the league seem to have shocked all the clubs into thinking we need to finish it but it’s going to be really interesting to see what happens if clubs get creative or worse actually get an outbreak.

Well they've all signed up to this completing the season statement put out by the PL. If there were any dissenting clubs, they havent put their head above the parapit. Neither do I think the other PL clubs would look kindly on any clubs who, having agreed that, then use the virus to pull their squad if and when it looks like they are going to go down.

 

There are current measures and sanctions to prevent clubs doing this, that why Middlesbrough got sanctioned and hit with a 6 point deduction when they said their squad had flue a number of years back.

 

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22 hours ago, The Guest said:

I think it’s still going to be difficult to finish.  If West Ham or Villa etc look like they’re going down.  What’s to stop them saying we are self quarantining half the squad after a suspected case and demanding not to fulfil their fixtures?  I think the financial penalties at the moment of not finishing the league seem to have shocked all the clubs into thinking we need to finish it but it’s going to be really interesting to see what happens if clubs get creative or worse actually get an outbreak.

I think the key here is the financial penalty. While clubs may think they can't afford going down, they will at least get next season's balloon payment. If sky stick it to the whole league with this 750m penalty, they'll hurt financially a whole lot more. We'll finish the season and I think the club's at the bottom will need to just suck it up. 

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It’s interesting because in Australia where I am they are playing Aussie Rules, Rugby League A-League, while Horse Racing is being run.
 

Think we are the only place in the world where live sport is taking placeat this time.

 

There is no one in attendance bar match officials and some media.

 

Just like the PL, the AFL have said that there is no end-date if there is an outbreak and the season could stretch out to December.
 

There is a big debate about whether it should be going on at all and I understand the argument that people need some joy in their lives at this time, it just doesn’t feel right. 

 

We are nowhere near the Europe/China levels at this time, but on the flip side the peak is due to hit here around May just in time for the Winter season.

 

Some parts of the country esp the northern climate haven’t been hit as hard as there is a thought the virus doesn’t thrive in warmer weather.

 

So fingers crossed that is the case and we can lift  the much deserved Number 19 sometime in June or July.

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On 19/03/2020 at 13:41, dockers_strike said:

Thanks for that update.

Latest is that BT as of yesterday are saying ring in to discuss your options, but the lines are rammed. Sky now have their pause option online but the website is buckling under the strain. 
 

need to get this sorted as I’ll be saving about £50 a month, which I’d rather have in my pocket 

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