Coronavirus could prevent Liverpool from winning the Premier League title

[Stickman]

1 hour ago, Supremolad said:

Some are saying it isn't fair on the relegation threatened clubs to change the rules of the competition by asking them to play at neutral venues. 

 

Then the same clubs turn around and ask for the rules to be changed for them to avoid relegation. It's all bollocks. 

By some you mean Bitters and Utd fans...

 

Quite funny hearing Everton fans after trying with the “null and void” then the “think of the NHS and people’s lives” to “Liverpool fans in their thousands turning up at the ground” have now switched to “you can’t relegate teams who haven’t played all their games” 
To be fair I wouldn’t expect less that the class and dignity club that would stick up of the little man.

I honestly fear for the health of a fair few thousand if we do get awarded the title 

[Bob]

1 hour ago, Ne Moe Imya said:

I mean, for most of us, sure.

 

But will there be a small percentage of idiots? Definitely. And when you're a club as massive as Liverpool, the small percentage still adds up to a large number of people.

 

I think there would definitely be hundreds if not a few thousand people outside the ground if we won it at Anfield behind closed doors.

I agree.

[Scott_M]

I don’t understand why police can’t handle each fixture in the various home stadiums? Cordon off roads around grounds (which usually happens anyway), clubs get coaches & players to plaster all over social media to stay away & tell anybody that does turn up that they’ll get a banning order, arrested or tear gassed / water cannoned. 

 

Anyway, if the police can’t / won’t do every Premiership ground, I really don’t see the issue with neutral grounds.

 

Its obviously not a perfect solution, but it’s the least bad solution. It’s fairer than PPG & void seems to be off the table now (thankfully).

 

How clubs can say neutral grounds damage the integrity of the game but then ask for relegation to be scrapped is simply ridiculous. Utterly unbelievable.

 

Although teams will lose “home” advantage, they’ll gain an “away” advantage. Also, what advantage does being at “home” give you when there are no supporters anyway? Do coloured seats & changing rooms really matter that much?

 

Plus, it’s exactly the same for every club. It’s not as if this is a new idea, ideas around playing at neutral grounds has been around since the crisis broke out. Relegation threatened clubs are now using this as a bullshit way to weasel out of possibly going down. 
 

UEFA have said that clubs allocations to the CL & EL could be effected if there aren’t special circumstances. France and Holland’s governments have ended their plans to restart and Belgium only had a game left with all the key positions mathematically finished.

 

How would UEFA view the Premierships response of “The government said it was safe to play but we couldn’t decide on how to do it so we gave up”.
 

Spain, Italy, Portugal, Germany, Switzerland & Poland are all looking to restart at similar times, from what I’ve read, non of them have raised this bullshit.
 

I genuinely hope this isn’t a serious idea & it’s just desperate clubs final throw of the dice to try and avoid being relegated. If there is no relegation, there is no integrity & there is no point playing out the remainder of the season, it’d be better being curtailed.
 

I know there is talk of a vote on Friday, but I’ve not seen it confirmed there definitely needs to be a vote to complete the neutral venue plan.

 

I believe any vote needs >=14 clubs to approve anything. Matt Lawton was saying today up to 10 clubs could oppose it. Looking at the bottom of the table, everybody from Southampton and up are safe. I imagine everybody up to Burnley, although they may not agree with the idea, they are fairly relaxed about the situation & just want their TV money & start again next season.

 

Everybody from Arsenal up will still have thoughts of a European place, so it’s in their interest to get it finished. Given how up in the air the Man City situation is, most probably have their eyes on the possibility of a CL place.

Again to reiterate, in a situation with only varying bad scenarios, finishing the games, no matter where and when & judging the outcome on purely sporting merit is the fairest way.

[Anubis]

5 hours ago, Creator Supreme said:

The latest bullshit is astonishing, we'll complete the season behind closed as long as you don't relegate anyone!!! Fuck off!

 

Absolute shithouses, if you were any good you'd be safe by now! Fuck them off!

Come on, CS, nothing honours the dead and dying like trying to cut yourself a deal to avoid relegation.

[Scott_M]

I don’t see how Norwich are against this idea, by any other scenario they are relegated.

[Nelly-Szoboszlai]

If teams start playing funny beggars, then the Premier League need to get tough. Award a 3-0 win to the opposition if a team fails to fulfil their fixtures and dock them 3 points too for each missed game. 

[Scott_M]

8 minutes ago, Nelly-Torres said:

If teams start playing funny beggars, then the Premier League need to get tough. Award a 3-0 win to the opposition if a team fails to fulfil their fixtures and dock them 3 points too for each missed game. 

I agree. If 14 teams agree to it & the others are acting like mewling quims then fuck them off.

[Creator Supreme]

19 minutes ago, Anubis said:

Come on, CS, nothing honours the dead and dying like trying to cut yourself a deal to avoid relegation.

Disgraceful isn't it mate? And we're the opportunistic ones for wanting a chance to win the title! Fair enough, we'll play as long as you guarantee us the league!

[dockers_strike]

Norwich havent a leg to stand on in my opinion. I like Delia, she's batshit crazy but even she must see this shennanigans her club is pulling is wrong? Could Norwich avoid relegation? Mathematically they could but so too city could catch us. Not happening though, is it?

 

Same with Brighton. Someone said they'd played 14 home league games (I must have miscounted 16!). They have only won 5 of those home games, it's not like they have won 10 or more out of the 14 so home advantage hasnt benefited them to date. I also believe they have to play us, city and arsenal at 'home.' They might draw all 3 but they arent winning all 3 and even winning 2 is a stretch.

[Rushies tash]

36 minutes ago, Scott_M said:

I don’t see how Norwich are against this idea, by any other scenario they are relegated.

Not the 'void it as if it never happened and start it again in September' scenario being touted by the more bitter supporters of some clubs.

 

Quite ironic that they're using the death of 27,000 people to claim some kind of moral high ground when in all likelihood their main reason for voiding is for the 'bantz' laughing at Liverpool missing out again.

[Anubis]

12 minutes ago, dockers_strike said:

Norwich havent a leg to stand on in my opinion. I like Delia, she's batshit crazy but even she must see this shennanigans her club is pulling is wrong? Could Norwich avoid relegation? Mathematically they could but so too city could catch us. Not happening though, is it?

 

Same with Brighton. Someone said they'd played 14 home league games (I must have miscounted 16!). They have only won 5 of those home games, it's not like they have won 10 or more out of the 14 so home advantage hasnt benefited them to date. I also believe they have to play us, city and arsenal at 'home.' They might draw all 3 but they arent winning all 3 and even winning 2 is a stretch.

We beat Bornemouth at their place.

[Scott_M]

22 minutes ago, dockers_strike said:

Norwich havent a leg to stand on in my opinion. I like Delia, she's batshit crazy but even she must see this shennanigans her club is pulling is wrong? Could Norwich avoid relegation? Mathematically they could but so too city could catch us. Not happening though, is it?

Norwich think they can get out of it. They have some games against those around them, which if they win, puts them back in with a chance of staying up. 

Obviously a “home” crowd would be preferable for them, but with no crowd, does a 25k empty yellow seats and their home changing room really make a difference? 
 

Same with Brighton. Again, I’m sure a full home crowd would be preferable, however, so empty blue seats and a home changing room make that much of a difference? 

It works both ways though. Norwich will miss a “home” crowd v Brighton, which should be to Brighton’s benefit. However, the week after it’s the opposite. Watford miss a “home” crowd, which Norwich should still benefit. 
 

I completely know it’s not perfect. But as crowds as allowed in, I don’t see whats such a massive issue. The competition is still finished based on sporting merit, which is the fairest option.
 

[Scott_M]

31 minutes ago, Rushies tash said:

Not the 'void it as if it never happened and start it again in September' scenario being touted by the more bitter supporters of some clubs.

Won’t happen. The £1.2bn in TV money will see to that.   

[easytoslip]

Getting a bit fed up with it now, what's going to happen what's not going to happen, I know myself and I know that others know that Liverpool where by far and away the best footballing team of the season and the most entertaining to neutrals, whether they admit or not, therefore Champions, just in unfortunate circumstances, so they can do what the fuck they like with the season, as long as I know, and as I said others do too. 

[Barrington Womble]

1 hour ago, Scott_M said:

I don’t see how Norwich are against this idea, by any other scenario they are relegated.

Norwich, like all the teams facing relegation, are playing the same game. "If we really must finish the season for TV money, ok, but it's not fair to relegate anyone in these circumstances". All those sides benefit from an outcome where there is no relegation. It's pretty clear that's the game they're playing and if neutral grounds wasn't the issue, playing behind closed doors would be. Or out of contract players. Or having to play in temperatures about 20C or whatever. It's just an excuse to try and push the league into no relegation or perhaps less teams relegated. 

[Vincent Vega]

Robbie Fowler’s piece in the Sunday Mirror today is spot on.

 

Premier League must fight UEFA's Euro 2020 agenda - domestic seasons are the priority

ROBBIE FOWLER: At the moment, it seems like UEFA are calling the shots because of the Euros. So Premier League chief executive Richard Masters needs to put pressure on them
 

I don’t get this outcry to abandon the ­Premier League season and call it null and void.

 

What the hell is the rush?

 

I keep hearing people saying, “But you’re ­putting lives at risk”.

Yet no one is saying play games right now.

 

The only thought is to finish the season WHEN it is safe to do so. That is not a debate.

 

It’s a fact. The advice will be there from health experts, so follow it.

 

And even if that is in August or later, do it then. Why? Because a second wave of the coronavirus really isn’t an if – it is a when.
 

That is not being alarmist. Every single expert, every single specialist, even virtually every single government is saying there will be a second wave – and it is a question of how to deal with it.

 

So, let’s look at how football deals with it.

 

If we void this season, start next ­season in ­August, and then a second wave hits in the ­autumn or winter, what do we do then? Void that season too?

 

The only reason anyone is even considering cancelling the season now is because UEFA are applying pressure to do so… presumably because they still anticipate their Euros going ahead next ­summer and they want the way clear for that.

 

So what happens if the second wave comes next February, like the initial outbreak? To me, it is obvious. There’s no rush, get the league done this year, then play with what you have.

 

It’s like being a poker player: work with the hand you have, not what you hope you may get in the future.

 

I know UEFA are powerful and I know this will be controversial, but the fact is that domestic football is more important than national teams.

Without club sides, there would be no national teams.

 

At the moment, it seems like UEFA are calling the shots because of the Euros. So Premier League chief executive Richard Masters needs to put pressure on them.

 

How does the English game do that?

 

Well, if the TV companies say they want to wait, to see leagues finished and they’re happy to wait, it could apply some pressure.

 

I know the Premier League ­reiterated on Friday that they want to wait because they see completing the season important for the integrity of the competition – and I agree. Again, no one is saying put lives at risk. That is not even part of the agenda.
 

And, with economies crashing globally, there will be financial arguments about when it is safe to go back to work, mixed in with the medical.

 

If the Government pull their funding for ­furloughs, etc (which, I suspect, they can’t sustain forever), then will people say they’re not going back to work? I honestly believe that, if the ­Premier League does return, the players will be a far safer than we are as the general public. They will be in a full “biosphere bubble”, as Formula One has deemed it, with typical jargon b**t.

 

What that means is they will be tested every few days, and won’t come into ­contact with anyone who isn’t also tested every three days. They won’t have to go on public transport, go into supermarkets, do all the things that everyone else has to do to put them at risk.

 

And if they do contract the virus, it will be found ­incredibly early – because, apart from testing, they will have heart checks, oxygen checks, health checks every single day.

 

It doesn’t half protect you when you wear a heart monitor in your daily job and have a team of fitness experts tracking your every heartbeat, your every bead of sweat.

 

They will be a damn sight safer than anyone.

 

They won’t be at risk like frontline NHS staff, care workers, bus drivers, shop workers and so many others.

 

Who all get paid a ridiculously low wage to put their lives on the line every single day.

 

They will only go back to work when it is safe to do so! I am not saying they need to put ­themselves on the line for the country. I’m saying, with all the resources the Premier League and clubs have to throw at it, safety will be ­paramount and relatively easy to deliver.

 

And one thing I know, if the Germans are ­coming back shortly to play football, then you can bet it is safe to do so there.

 

So don’t tell me the season has to be null and void. That is a ridiculous argument.

No one is talking about a second wave in all the opinions wasted on what should and shouldn’t happen.

 

There is a second Covid-19 wave coming, so let’s finish this season and then see what hand we have to play with for next season.

 

When I hear this null-and-void argument put forward, I always think one thing: will the virus respect null and void? Nope. It’s not going to suddenly ­disappear to allow next season to be played in full and without complication, just because this season has been scrapped.

 

You can bet, though, that clubs are already factoring that into their financial and operational deliberations for the next 12 to 24 months.

 

So maybe we should start factoring it in too.

[suzy]

I’m soooo fed up with this! On Sunday supplement today some of them saying the only thing is to null and void!! Going on about players being ‘afraid’ and they don’t want to bring it home to their families! 
What about my husband? Works in a warehouse, he had to keep working and their social distancing isn’t great!

[Bjornebye]

4 hours ago, TheDrowningMan said:

And dock them 10 points if fans turn up outside the stadium / they’re unable to provide away teams with safe accommodation near to the ground.

Don't be daft. Imagine how many blues would turn up at anfield masquerading just to see us get docked. 

[Bobby Hundreds]

Relegation threatened sides will start having corona virus cases before the restart is finished. Just go PPG or delay the football for months. 

[Pete]

4 minutes ago, Bjornebye said:

Don't be daft. Imagine how many blues would turn up at anfield masquerading just to see us get docked. 

They’d have to wear red though. 

[TheDrowningMan]

12 minutes ago, Bobby Hundreds said:

Relegation threatened sides will start having corona virus cases before the restart is finished. Just go PPG or delay the football for months. 

Fuck them. First, the cases would have to be independently verified, second, so what? Test the squad, quarantine the effected and deep clean any communal spaces. The rest of us workers don’t have all of those luxuries but somehow manage to go on for a relative pittance.

[Vincent Vega]

I suspect the relegation threatened clubs will be bought off with the promise of higher parachute payments.

[Scott_M]

26 minutes ago, suzy said:

I’m soooo fed up with this! On Sunday supplement today some of them saying the only thing is to null and void!!

I think they were reluctantly saying curtail.

 

There was an article today about the money that the Premiership gives down to the other leagues. Basically if it doesn’t go ahead  TV money is given back / future TV deals are reduced, then numerous clubs down the leagues are completely fucked.

[Scott_M]

5 minutes ago, Vincent Vega said:

I suspect the relegation threatened clubs will be bought off with the promise of higher parachute payments.

That thought has crossed my mind as well. 

[A_S]

No relegation, ie a bloated league next*season, with a delayed start, uncertainty about potential second waves and the fact that there's less than zero chance the major international tournaments will not move again...it's a recipe to destroy another season.