Leeds game off

[Joey8FrogsLegs]

Dont think there are any many simple and good answers in this mess.

 

That said there are few I would trust less than the FA in sorting a way of handling it to maintain the integrity of the league.

[VladimirIlyich]

2 hours ago, Mike D said:

Arse biscuits.

Better than custard creams.

[RedKnight]

Isn't it the Premier League who handle this? it's not the FA's remit.

[Joey8FrogsLegs]

4 minutes ago, RedKnight said:

Isn't it the Premier League who handle this? it's not the FA's remit.

My mistake, but I maintain the point of view, it applies for the Premier League as well.

[Trumo]

Gives me a bit of time between match threads at least. I don't ask for much.

[Ronnie Whelan]

Would much rather this one goes ahead. Leeds are decimated with injuries.

 

Still, we will be really fresh for Leicester and Chelsea so that's good. Come through those two games with 4+ points and not a bad place to be. I do think they will fit this one in January, so hopefully at a time that is fair to us. 

 

Looking at January, Palace away stands out as a potentially tricky one, until you see that they are more impacted by the ACON than we are. 

[YorkshireRed]

According to Look North tonight, Leeds reported five new positive tests this week. Given they only had one before their last game, they aren’t exactly decimated by the virus. 
 

Add these to their injury list though and it takes them over the threshold to have their game postponed. 
 

All a little convenient, especially as some of those injured were likely to have been available if required on Boxing Day. They now remain on the injured list with more time to recover. 

[No2]

Does anyone know how rearranging games works? Do both clubs need to agree or does the PL just say you're playing on x date and that's it? I remember being surprised by the timing of the Chelsea game last season, we moved it forward to accommodate them even though we had half a team missing at the time.

[dockers_strike]

15 minutes ago, No2 said:

Does anyone know how rearranging games works? Do both clubs need to agree or does the PL just say you're playing on x date and that's it? I remember being surprised by the timing of the Chelsea game last season, we moved it forward to accommodate them even though we had half a team missing at the time.

Both clubs have to try and agree a mutually agreeable date. If they cannot then the competition organiser, the PL for the league, FA for the FAC and EFL for their competitions steps in and and decides.

 

[Baltar]

Not happy at all. Leeds can still put a team out. These Covid rules are a joke. Leeds know they will probably have to play mostly youths and reserves (like we did against Leicester in the EFL) and would have got battered so got the game called off. Perhaps we should have demanded games be postponed last season when we had half the squad out injured.

[SasaS]

Why don't we play Wolves instead? They are free.

[dockers_strike]

These figures are interesting and take into account the now called off games. In the period between Boxing Day and end of January, Liverpool will now play 7 times, chelsea 8, arsenal 8, spurs 8, city and united will only play 6 each.

 

Sporting integrity me arse.

[an tha]

So the same amount of games then - except for fact the 4 teams with more games have all qualified for the semis of a cup competition where the dates for those semis have been in Jan for years....hence their extra 2 games.

 

There are plenty of reasons to call out the sporting integrity of the league/game but qualifying for semi finals of a cup competition is not one of them for fucks sake.

[Captain Howdy]

7 hours ago, Baltar said:

Not happy at all. Leeds can still put a team out. These Covid rules are a joke. Leeds know they will probably have to play mostly youths and reserves (like we did against Leicester in the EFL) and would have got battered so got the game called off. Perhaps we should have demanded games be postponed last season when we had half the squad out injured.

Plus City will move 6 points ahead. Game in hand or no that looks ominous.

[Preston Red]

19 hours ago, Shooter in the Motor said:

I'm sure Tierney was on VAR. For that reason, I'm delighted the match is off. 

Howard Webb will make a special one off return for this, along with the lino from the 2-2 with Spuds at Anfield who fist pumped the pen award when Lamela dived. Coote will be on VAR with Tierney, Mason and Riley in some bizarre tag team format. 4th official will be either Steve Bennett or Catcher.

[sir roger]

Not particularly bothered if it gives Jurgen a bit of breathing space for Leicester and Chelsea , but on a wider point the criteria for cancellations seem very murky. To the untrained eye Everton seem to be in a worse position than Leeds or Watford but have been denied.

[Simbo]

I don’t know why everyone’s so pissed off. I bet we didn’t put up much of a fight….Jurgen will be pleased with the extra rest for the players.

 

We’ll beat Leeds at Anfield whether they’ve got a full team out or not.

[Redder Lurtz]

Fuck Leeds. It's 3 points in the bank regardless of when they decide to turn up. Extra time off for our boys and perfect timing. 

[El Rojo]

Jurgen made a big deal about how ludicrous it was to play two games in three days, so he’s surely happy enough with this. The only shame is we probably mentally and physically broke Leicester so Man City will have that game won after about nine minutes. 

[m0e]

I can't believe this is even a debate.

 

It's the best thing that could have happened to us.

[Rushies tash]

38 minutes ago, m0e said:

I can't believe this is even a debate.

 

It's the best thing that could have happened to us.

Agreed, but I think its the opaque nature of the decision making that irks people. Leeds had to play Arsenal with a severely depleted team and were soundly beaten. Tottenham had a few games called off, but were all right as rain again to play us after their break. Same with Leicester. Everton seem to be in as bad a position as Leeds but are being forced to play. A bit like VAR and officiating in general, football's governing bodies don't seem very keen on transparency. 

[aws]

29 minutes ago, m0e said:

I can't believe this is even a debate.

 

It's the best thing that could have happened to us.

Don't agree. Leeds are on the floor and we could have wrapped it up early and coasted the last half hour.  The next free midweek is during AFCON and Leeds will probably be back to full strength.  We should still win but it'll be a far trickier prospect.  

We just rested the entire first team so they could be ready for two games over Xmas and the Chelsea game isn't until five days later. Despite what Jurgen says, it's less demanding than what usually gets served up at this time of year. 

City will probably now get a six point lead and that will take the pressure off them. They're flat-track bullies and without pressure ( e,g.last season) they just roll over sides and can put long winning runs together.  

Maybe it will all be for the best but I'm not convinced. 

 

[m0e]

51 minutes ago, aws said:

Don't agree. Leeds are on the floor and we could have wrapped it up early and coasted the last half hour.  The next free midweek is during AFCON and Leeds will probably be back to full strength.  We should still win but it'll be a far trickier prospect.  

We just rested the entire first team so they could be ready for two games over Xmas and the Chelsea game isn't until five days later. Despite what Jurgen says, it's less demanding than what usually gets served up at this time of year. 

City will probably now get a six point lead and that will take the pressure off them. They're flat-track bullies and without pressure ( e,g.last season) they just roll over sides and can put long winning runs together.  

Maybe it will all be for the best but I'm not convinced. 

 

I don't think Klopp sees it this way, but it's a fair position to take.

[YorkshireRed]

It probably is better for us but the bigger picture is the way fixtures appear to be being manipulated by certain clubs with little resistance from the authorities. A precedent is being set and it’s not a good one. 

[George Costanza]

Any team unable to fufill their fixture obligation due to illness &/or injuries should forfeit 3-0 and there should be no mitigating factors whatsoever.  Last season's united game which was called off due to their fans should have also been a forfeit game.  The only time a game should be postponed imo is due to weather