Arsenal (A) - CC Semi Final 2nd (not 1st!) leg, Thu 20th Jan 2022 (7:45pm)

[Chris]

25 minutes ago, gkmacca said:

They've actually been outstandingly decent in the build-up to this. For example:

 

 

Shrewsbury boss Steve Cotterill has offered Covid-hit Liverpool his best wishes ahead of Sunday's FA Cup third round clash at Anfield.

 

When asked about Shrewsbury's trip to Anfield, Cotterill said: "My early thoughts are it's a wonderful occasion for our supporters and a great occasion for our players.

 

"But more importantly we hope that the coronavirus cases that Liverpool have had, that those boys are getting better, and also the ones we don't know about – we hope Jurgen Klopp is OK and recovering well.

 

"And for the other boys that picked it up, we hope it's mild sometimes and everyone is OK at Liverpool Football Club.

 

"They get our best wishes and we hope everything is OK. Other than that football is irrelevant at this moment, our best wishes go to them and that's all I need to say."

 

Cotterill himself almost died from Covid. He was in hospital for weeks. 

[TheDrowningMan]

16 minutes ago, gkmacca said:

Yep. But Cotterill himself got Covid really badly last year, hospitalised twice I believe, so I think that's probably the last club that will try to complain about any kind of caution on our part.

That’s right - he was in a bad way and feared death at one point, so I’ve no doubt he’s being entirely genuine in his comments.

[gkmacca]

20 minutes ago, Strontium Dog™ said:

Something's going to give soon with all of this, not just in football, but elsewhere too. At some point in the near future I can see teams being forced to fulfill fixtures unless players are legitimately sick rather than merely positive for covid.

It's always been so incoherent and inconsistent as per usual when football authorities have any serious procedure to put in place. So players carefully wave or elbow-tap each other at the start and then gob their guts out near each other for 90 minutes, after which most of them shake hands or hug before jogging off to put a mask on. It was quite a surprise they managed to work out how to implement the pre-game kneeling without requiring diagrams projected on screens.

[Reckoner]

2 hours ago, VladimirIlyich said:

The correct term is 'fuckers.' Too much Americanisation around here.

I agree. People need to ‘cut that shit out.’

[Chris]

2 hours ago, VladimirIlyich said:

The correct term is 'fuckers.' Too much Americanisation around here.

 

 

[an tha]

This postponement request is headline news on sky and bbc sites - why?

 

Pretty much all games that have been off have just been announced as off often really late and no 'story' attached at all.

 

We request one and it is headline news and full quotes from club/EFL etc etc.

 

Weird

[dockers_strike]

Ah, usual bullshit from opposition fans in online articles comments sections saying throw the club out, make them play the kids like they did at Villa, blah, blah, fucking blah. Most of these are likely from mancs, bloo shite, leeds and arsenal fans who've all had more than one game called off due to positive tests at their club.

 

The insularity of fans continues unabated.

[an tha]

Liverpool will need to have less than 14 players available - including a goalkeeper - from their registered first-team squad in order for Thursday’s Carabao Cup tie with Arsenal to be postponed.

The Reds have formally asked for postponement of Thursday’s Carabao Cup semi-final first-leg tie against Arsenal at the Emirates.

Liverpool have made the move following a further outbreak of COVID-19 at the club, which forced Jurgen Klopp's coaching staff to cancel their 4pm training session this afternoon.

The Reds are already without Joel Matip, Alisson Becker and Roberto Firmino for the game in the capital after they all tested positive last week.

 

On top of that are various injuries in the squad, potential new Covid cases, plus the absences of senior stars Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Naby Keita due to participation in the Africa Cup of Nations.

Jurgen Klopp, and some members of his backroom team, are also isolating after testing positive for the virus and missed Sunday’s draw at Chelsea as a result.

But in order for the postponement to be granted, EFL rules state that clubs must have less than 14 players available - including a goalkeeper - from their registered first-team squad.

However, players under the age of 21 who are not on their side’s first-team squad list, but who have played at least one league match this season, may be counted in the 14.

That suggests Curtis Jones, Tyler Morton and Neco Williams could be included in calculations. Harvey Elliott would also qualify but is still recovering from serious injury.

The same rule also applies to any other contracted senior player at the club who is not on the squad list.

Should the EFL grant Liverpool a postponement, then the EFL’s management committee will use its “endeavours to rearrange the fixture for the earliest reasonable opportunity”.

 

Under rule 5.1, the EFL’s management committee also has the right to arrange the match to be played at a neutral venue.

The full ruling is as follows: “If, a Club is unable to fulfil its obligation to complete a Competition Match due to either:

 

“5.1.1 the Club’s Player(s) having returned either a positive lateral flow or PCR test result or are self-isolating in accordance with the action plan set out in the Return to Play/ Return to Training Protocols resulting in the Club not having a sufficient number of Players to fulfil the fixture; or

 

“5.1.2 the requirements of the UK Government or any public authority result in the Club not having a sufficient number of Players to fulfil the fixture; or

 

"5.1.3 any other requirements or directions of the UK Government and/or by any public authority, then the Management Committee shall use its reasonable endeavours to rearrange the fixture for the earliest reasonable opportunity (including but not limited to arranging for the Competition Match to be played at a neutral venue) which will not be later than the date of the first Competition Match scheduled to take place in the immediately following round.

 

"Where the Management Committee determine that the Competition Match cannot be rearranged the Management Committee shall have the power to declare that the Competition Match shall be abandoned. Where the Management Committee declare that the Competition Match shall be abandoned, the Club shall forfeit the Competition Match, pay the opposing Club’s expenses in accordance with Rule 5.8 and the opposing Club shall receive a bye into the next round of the Competition.”

 

A statement from the EFL on Tuesday night confirmed that Liverpool’s request would “now be considered in accordance with the competition rules”.

 

It read: “The League has this evening received a request from Liverpool FC to postpone Thursday’s Carabao Cup semi-final first leg versus Arsenal FC which will now be considered in accordance with the competition rules as set out at the start of the season alongside information submitted by the Club.

 

"We will look to confirm the League’s position as soon as possible once the circumstances have been fully reviewed.”

 

Liverpool's registered Premier League squad looked like this back in September:

 

Goalkeepers: Alisson, Adrian, Caoimhin Kelleher, Loris Karius.
Defenders: Virgil van Dijk, Ibrahima Konate, Joe Gomez, Kostas Tsimikas, Andy Robertson, Joel Matip, Nat Phillips, Trent Alexander-Arnold.
Midfielders: Fabinho, Thiago Alcantara, James Milner, Naby Keita, Jordan Henderson, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.
Forwards: Roberto Firmino, Sadio Mane, Mohamed Salah, Takumi Minamino, Diogo Jota, Divock Origi.

 

 

 

 

[Halcyon Days]

5 minutes ago, an tha said:

This postponement request is headline news on sky and bbc sites - why?

 

Pretty much all games that have been off have just been announced as off often really late and no 'story' attached at all.

 

We request one and it is headline news and full quotes from club/EFL etc etc.

 

Weird

Because we're big news. Sooner we can sell our own TV rights the better, fuck them all. 

[dockers_strike]

2 hours ago, gkmacca said:

Yep. But Cotterill himself got Covid really badly last year, hospitalised twice I believe, so I think that's probably the last club that will try to complain about any kind of caution on our part.

You're using Cotterill as spokesman for the whole club. Fair play to him, Ive no beef with him.

 

Once again, Im talking about the moaning fucks amongst their officals and fans who kicked off about them supposedly losing tv money because the tv companies didnt televise the game.

 

Then we had their uber fuck of a chairman thinking he was supremely funny when sharing drinks after the game deliberately going out of his way to call Ian Rush Kenny Dalglish and vice versa.

[KMD7]

6 minutes ago, an tha said:

Liverpool will need to have less than 14 players available - including a goalkeeper - from their registered first-team squad in order for Thursday’s Carabao Cup tie with Arsenal to be postponed.

The Reds have formally asked for postponement of Thursday’s Carabao Cup semi-final first-leg tie against Arsenal at the Emirates.

Liverpool have made the move following a further outbreak of COVID-19 at the club, which forced Jurgen Klopp's coaching staff to cancel their 4pm training session this afternoon.

The Reds are already without Joel Matip, Alisson Becker and Roberto Firmino for the game in the capital after they all tested positive last week.

 

On top of that are various injuries in the squad, potential new Covid cases, plus the absences of senior stars Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Naby Keita due to participation in the Africa Cup of Nations.

Jurgen Klopp, and some members of his backroom team, are also isolating after testing positive for the virus and missed Sunday’s draw at Chelsea as a result.

But in order for the postponement to be granted, EFL rules state that clubs must have less than 14 players available - including a goalkeeper - from their registered first-team squad.

However, players under the age of 21 who are not on their side’s first-team squad list, but who have played at least one league match this season, may be counted in the 14.

That suggests Curtis Jones, Tyler Morton and Neco Williams could be included in calculations. Harvey Elliott would also qualify but is still recovering from serious injury.

The same rule also applies to any other contracted senior player at the club who is not on the squad list.

Should the EFL grant Liverpool a postponement, then the EFL’s management committee will use its “endeavours to rearrange the fixture for the earliest reasonable opportunity”.

 

Under rule 5.1, the EFL’s management committee also has the right to arrange the match to be played at a neutral venue.

The full ruling is as follows: “If, a Club is unable to fulfil its obligation to complete a Competition Match due to either:

 

“5.1.1 the Club’s Player(s) having returned either a positive lateral flow or PCR test result or are self-isolating in accordance with the action plan set out in the Return to Play/ Return to Training Protocols resulting in the Club not having a sufficient number of Players to fulfil the fixture; or

 

“5.1.2 the requirements of the UK Government or any public authority result in the Club not having a sufficient number of Players to fulfil the fixture; or

 

"5.1.3 any other requirements or directions of the UK Government and/or by any public authority, then the Management Committee shall use its reasonable endeavours to rearrange the fixture for the earliest reasonable opportunity (including but not limited to arranging for the Competition Match to be played at a neutral venue) which will not be later than the date of the first Competition Match scheduled to take place in the immediately following round.

 

"Where the Management Committee determine that the Competition Match cannot be rearranged the Management Committee shall have the power to declare that the Competition Match shall be abandoned. Where the Management Committee declare that the Competition Match shall be abandoned, the Club shall forfeit the Competition Match, pay the opposing Club’s expenses in accordance with Rule 5.8 and the opposing Club shall receive a bye into the next round of the Competition.”

 

A statement from the EFL on Tuesday night confirmed that Liverpool’s request would “now be considered in accordance with the competition rules”.

 

It read: “The League has this evening received a request from Liverpool FC to postpone Thursday’s Carabao Cup semi-final first leg versus Arsenal FC which will now be considered in accordance with the competition rules as set out at the start of the season alongside information submitted by the Club.

 

"We will look to confirm the League’s position as soon as possible once the circumstances have been fully reviewed.”

 

Liverpool's registered Premier League squad looked like this back in September:

 

Goalkeepers: Alisson, Adrian, Caoimhin Kelleher, Loris Karius.
Defenders: Virgil van Dijk, Ibrahima Konate, Joe Gomez, Kostas Tsimikas, Andy Robertson, Joel Matip, Nat Phillips, Trent Alexander-Arnold.
Midfielders: Fabinho, Thiago Alcantara, James Milner, Naby Keita, Jordan Henderson, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.
Forwards: Roberto Firmino, Sadio Mane, Mohamed Salah, Takumi Minamino, Diogo Jota, Divock Origi.

 

 

 

 

How are other clubs managing to get games postponed then I wonder?  

[dockers_strike]

3 minutes ago, KMD7 said:

How are other clubs managing to get games postponed then I wonder?  

They cheated, basically.

[an tha]

5 minutes ago, KMD7 said:

How are other clubs managing to get games postponed then I wonder?  

The rules and 'evidence' provided by club appear to only need to be scrutinised in minute detail when it is us.

[TheHowieLama]

There was a bit of an outcry about the injuries being included.

 

My guess is they are going to make us play based on the fact that injuries will no longer be counted and the fellas at Afcon would have been there regardless.

[KMD7]

2 minutes ago, TheHowieLama said:

There was a bit of an outcry about the injuries being included.

 

My guess is they are going to make us play based on the fact that injuries will no longer be counted and the fellas at Afcon would have been there regardless.

Weren't injuries factored in when Leeds got their match against us cancelled though? It definitely was for some team anyway.

[TheDrowningMan]

If we have to play, I think it shows how seriously we should be taking domestic knock out trinkets going forward. Talk about complete and utter vindication of Klopp's approach to them in general.

[aws]

If they force us to go ahead we should just forfeit the game. 

[dockers_strike]

The club's stance has been to soldier on despite the covid positive tests we've had while others have been crying off. The club will be fully aware of the criteria for calling games off so for them to have actually asked for a postponement, suggests to me the situation regarding available staff is pretty dire.

 

Of course the EFL could refuse our request and either give arsenal a bye or make us play 'the kids,' if there's any fit, that is.

 

Id be a bit surprised if the EFL rejected the request given it would mean arsenal would get a bye into the final. I suspect they'll agree if things dont change but, be very unaccommodating to us in arranging a new date for the game.

[Captain Willard]

On 03/01/2022 at 19:41, VERBAL DIARRHEA said:

Stop stirring as you know full well that was not my intention, if you or anyone else felt offended I humbly apologise. Now fuck off.

Ignore him, he’s been trawling around threads all day trying to pick fights with strangers. Weird behaviour. 

[aws]

According to RAOTL, the issue seems to be that we are being pressed to play with Karius as he is in the squad but we aren't happy to do so as he hasn't been involved for so long and is not ready to play.  

[Barrington Womble]

1 hour ago, an tha said:

This postponement request is headline news on sky and bbc sites - why?

 

Pretty much all games that have been off have just been announced as off often really late and no 'story' attached at all.

 

We request one and it is headline news and full quotes from club/EFL etc etc.

 

Weird

Earlier today before the official request went in, there was some stuff put out that we were in talks with the EFL. I'm assuming that didn't go well, so we've put in an official request. 

45 minutes ago, KMD7 said:

Weren't injuries factored in when Leeds got their match against us cancelled though? It definitely was for some team anyway.

It's a different competition with different rules, so there's no use worrying what happened in league games. I don't recall if there were any issues quarter final week in this cup and how they were dealt with? I think the bottom line here is if we have 14 players (including 1 goalkeeper) with 1st team experience, we need to play the game. Considering how we blood all kinds of kids all over the place, it's pretty difficult to believe we couldn't do that. We must have loads of players with 1 game.

30 minutes ago, aws said:

According to RAOTL, the issue seems to be that we are being pressed to play with Karius as he is in the squad but we aren't happy to do so as he hasn't been involved for so long and is not ready to play.  

That'll teach us for not bombing the cunt out of the club. For what it is worth, apparently David Maddock is claiming the EFL will look on the request favourably. I don't know what contacts he has though. 

[Megadrive Man]

Could we not just terminate Karius's contract?

 

When was the last time he actually played a football match?

[Mathewbet1]

Would rather milner in goal

[Barrington Womble]

20 minutes ago, MegadriveMan said:

Could we not just terminate Karius's contract?

 

When was the last time he actually played a football match?

Its what we should have done when he didn't leave in the summer. I can't imagine doing it now would cut far with the EFL though. Perhaps him getting a new club could - we haven't much time to do that though. 

[Colonel Bumcunt]

9 minutes ago, Barrington Womble said:

 I think the bottom line here is if we have 14 players (including 1 goalkeeper) with 1st team experience, we need to play the game. Considering how we blood all kinds of kids all over the place, it's pretty difficult to believe we couldn't do that. We must have loads of players with 1 game.

 

Yes, I think they have a point. 

The likes of Dixon-Bonner, Beck, Bradley, Blair, Morton, Phillips, Neco, Gordon, Koumetio have all played for us in this year's competition.  

 

Its just yet another example of this season being a completely menopausal bitch that the minute we want to take the competition seriously we have our knees smashed by Covid. 

 

Fuck it, let the kids have a play.  Jones needs minutes, as does Gomez. Robbo has had a rest. 

 

Question is whether to use the kids in this game or the Shrewsbury game.  You could argue to go as strong as possible v Arsenal as we're close to a final and will have players back for the next leg. 

 

Karius

Robbo

Konate

Gomez

Trent

Milner

Henderson

Morton

Gordon

Cannonier? 

Jones