League Suspended.

[worth_the_wait]

12 hours ago, FoyleFox said:

Home advantage comes from the fans, a behind closed doors game can't be much different wherever it's played surely? 

 

In theory yes, but in practice not necessarily.

The home advantage comes as much from routines, familiar surroundings and psychology - as much as fans.

 

In fact if you think about it ... re the fans ... it's almost the opposite.  

3000 away fans invariably out-sing most home fans.  

Based on what on what our message board says, most home fans at most Premier League clubs are absolutely shite and a waste of space.

[String fellow]

Maybe the bottom 4 could have a mini knockout competition between themselves, like the third place play-offs in the EFL. The winners stay up and the other 3 go down. Apart from those games, the rest of the PL season could be abandoned, with the current positons being deemed the final ones. Imo, Brighton shouldn't be trying to influence the FA, just because they're scared of being relegated.

[urban.spaceman]

12 hours ago, TrentFox said:

This talk of “taking relegation off the table” is bizarre. To talk about trying to preserve the integrity of the competition whilst considering allowing the remaining games to potentially involve demotivated teams is just nonsense. What if Man U need to beat a struggling side to steal a CL place and that team now have nothing to play for as they cannot be relegated? No thanks. They have to try and keep as many variables the same as humanly possible.  It’s not just a procession for Liverpool’s sake. 

100%. If relegation is off the table then there's literally no point in concluding the season other than to allow Sheffield United to play their game in hand to see if they can qualify for the CL. Though I'm not sure who their game in hand was against.

 

Otherwise I've seen it suggested that you could expunge the results of return fixtures and settle the table as it was at halfway, with one club playing each other just once:

 

Of course you'd still have same concerns; the relegated clubs and Man United complaining about fairness, Man City saying they'd lost a place etc. Broadcasters saying they shouldn't have to pay out for games that didn't get played etc.

[Strokes]

16 hours ago, Ricey said:

Clubs below the Championship won’t survive the whole of next season without fans. They will be planning for it of course, just in case, but I’d be surprised if clubs don’t find some way to have paying fans through the door.

 

The Deputy Chief Medical Officer said yesterday that the spread of the virus is significantly lower outdoors and the main issue with outdoor events is the public transport and pubs that people may visit before or after. Public transport and pubs will have to have their own restrictions and measures in place to deal with crowds, not just football fans.

 

They will find a way, rightly or wrongly, just like they are finding a way to finish the season.

Pay per view tv will pick up the shortfall, the same fans pay for access.

[TrentFox]

20 minutes ago, urban.spaceman said:

100%. If relegation is off the table then there's literally no point in concluding the season other than to allow Sheffield United to play their game in hand to see if they can qualify for the CL. Though I'm not sure who their game in hand was against.

 

Otherwise I've seen it suggested that you could expunge the results of return fixtures and settle the table as it was at halfway, with one club playing each other just once:

 

Of course you'd still have same concerns; the relegated clubs and Man United complaining about fairness, Man City saying they'd lost a place etc. Broadcasters saying they shouldn't have to pay out for games that didn't get played etc.

That last paragraph is it in a nutshell, I think. The whole thing ends in some form of legal nightmare if they can’t find a way to settle it. But to settle it involves compromise, which nobody will countenance if it adversely affects their club. Would love to be a fly on the wall for this. 

[Hales]

Here he comes! Cags is on his way back 💪👊

[rachhere]

1 minute ago, Hales said:

Here he comes! Cags is on his way back 💪👊

It's happening! Right now I will be buzzing just to see some of the training ground action to be honest. 

[Hales]

4 minutes ago, rachhere said:

It's happening! Right now I will be buzzing just to see some of the training ground action to be honest. 

Me too! Fuchs is heading back too! I'm literally missing football that much I need some training ground action if nothing else 😂

[Ric Flair]

2 hours ago, Cujek said:

What would that mean for us? if things finish as they currently stand.

Yes we finish 3rd, I don't mean null and void as that would be a disgrace. But very little point of finishing a season if one of the biggest factors still to be decided - relegation is scrapped.

[st albans fox]

1 hour ago, urban.spaceman said:

100%. If relegation is off the table then there's literally no point in concluding the season other than to allow Sheffield United to play their game in hand to see if they can qualify for the CL. Though I'm not sure who their game in hand was against.

 

Otherwise I've seen it suggested that you could expunge the results of return fixtures and settle the table as it was at halfway, with one club playing each other just once:

 

Of course you'd still have same concerns; the relegated clubs and Man United complaining about fairness, Man City saying they'd lost a place etc. Broadcasters saying they shouldn't have to pay out for games that didn't get played etc.

doesn’t every club play someone twice in the second half of the season ....we payed Liverpool twice in first 19 games and our first game v West Ham was game 20.... so I think you have to ignore the Boxing Day results  and look at the table after game 20 

[Leeds Fox]

4 minutes ago, st albans fox said:

doesn’t every club play someone twice in the second half of the season ....we payed Liverpool twice in first 19 games and our first game v West Ham was game 20.... so I think you have to ignore the Boxing Day results  and look at the table after game 20 

I think that’s what he said. Ignore the return fixtures. So the 19 games on the board would be so you’ve played everyone once. Not necessarily the first 19 games. 

[st albans fox]

2 minutes ago, Leeds Fox said:

I think that’s what he said. Ignore the return fixtures. So the 19 games on the board would be so you’ve played everyone once. Not necessarily the first 19 games. 

apologies ..... as the younguns say ......my bad !

[Leeds Fox]

Just now, st albans fox said:

apologies ..... as the younguns say ......my bad !

It was a fair question mate. 

[st albans fox]

1 minute ago, Leeds Fox said:

It was a fair question mate. 

It’s an illustration that you shouldn’t be working and forum hopping at the same time ......... answer  the actual question, don’t answer what you think it says !!!!!!!!!

[String fellow]

The 'half' league table idea is a really good one! Back in March, I suggested that every outstanding game should be deemed a 0-0 draw. That would also be one of the least unfair ways of finishing the season imo.

Edited 4 May 2020 by String fellow

[Ashley]

1 hour ago, rachhere said:

It's happening! Right now I will be buzzing just to see some of the training ground action to be honest. 

You wont be waiting long then

[rachhere]

9 minutes ago, Ashley said:

You wont be waiting long then

[Webbo]

You can understand the bottom 6 wanting relegation off the table, if it was 2015 we'd be saying the same and convincing ourselves it was justified. 

 

Neutral venues or not, finishing the season leaves the clubs fate in their own hands and should be less contestable in the courts. It has to be the right way to do it.

[rachhere]

13 minutes ago, String fellow said:

The 'half' league table idea is a really good one! Back in March, I suggested that every outstanding game should be deemed a 0-0 draw. That would also be one of the least unfair ways of finishing the season imo.

But then what about that investment that teams made in the January transfer market, sacking of managers, paying big premiums to get new management teams in to change their fortunes. Glad I don't have to make a decision about this..! 

[Ashley]

5 minutes ago, rachhere said:

Next week I believe. 

[Footballwipe]

Nice to see a few so keen to do the "half way table" idea. Had than happened in 2014/15 then 15/16 would've been a fab year of battling for promotion out of the Championship  

[Trav Le Bleu]

Heard on the radio today about players scared to play for fear of the virus. If this is true, they need a good slap! I've worked through all this with no PPE and no attempt at social distancing in our workplace, even if I've tried myself, it's difficult when others don't in a confined space. They could earn what I earn in two years in one week.

 

Then you bring NHS workers into it, some of whom will be on less than I earn, what they've sacrificed.

 

There are many things to be considered, but given the level of scrutiny this will be given, players being scared is just mind-boggling.

 

You might say, "but football isn't important amongst all this!" 

 

Well, neither is Mr Jones getting his Radio Times and his Damart catalogue, or Mrs Grainger getting her P&O cruise brochure and inflatable foot massager.

[Guest]

43 minutes ago, String fellow said:

The 'half' league table idea is a really good one! Back in March, I suggested that every outstanding game should be deemed a 0-0 draw. That would also be one of the least unfair ways of finishing the season imo.

Then the relegated teams would say but we had to play these teams away and didn't get the chance to play them at home etc... 

 

Teams need to play out the games remaining - at neutral venues without crowds if needs be. It's the closest possible to the real thing.

 

If there is no relegation then playing the games would simply be a financial thing and totally disgusting.

 

 

6 minutes ago, Trav Le Bleu said:

Heard on the radio today about players scared to play for fear of the virus. If this is true, they need a good slap! I've worked through all this with no PPE and no attempt at social distancing in our workplace, even if I've tried myself, it's difficult when others don't in a confined space. They could earn what I earn in two years in one week.

 

Then you bring NHS workers into it, some of whom will be on less than I earn, what they've sacrificed.

 

There are many things to be considered, but given the level of scrutiny this will be given, players being scared is just mind-boggling.

 

You might say, "but football isn't important amongst all this!" 

 

Well, neither is Mr Jones getting his Radio Times and his Damart catalogue, or Mrs Grainger getting her P&O cruise brochure and inflatable foot massager.

You are 100% right. Some of the players need to relate to the real world. Work or retire.

[Webbo]

11 minutes ago, Trav Le Bleu said:

Heard on the radio today about players scared to play for fear of the virus. If this is true, they need a good slap! I've worked through all this with no PPE and no attempt at social distancing in our workplace, even if I've tried myself, it's difficult when others don't in a confined space. They could earn what I earn in two years in one week.

 

Then you bring NHS workers into it, some of whom will be on less than I earn, what they've sacrificed.

 

There are many things to be considered, but given the level of scrutiny this will be given, players being scared is just mind-boggling.

 

You might say, "but football isn't important amongst all this!" 

 

Well, neither is Mr Jones getting his Radio Times and his Damart catalogue, or Mrs Grainger getting her P&O cruise brochure and inflatable foot massager.

They'd be checked twice a week, have a doctor on tap and they're super fit young athletes, the chances of any serious complications if they did contract the virus are virtually nil. The safety argument is really weak.

[st albans fox]

7 minutes ago, Webbo said:

They'd be checked twice a week, have a doctor on tap and they're super fit young athletes, the chances of any serious complications if they did contract the virus are virtually nil. The safety argument is really weak.

Is there a Mrs webbo ?

 

if so, she clearly isn't like my missus and probably 90% of everyone else’s .............

 

I agree with you btw ......