[Football] Premier League / Football League attempts to finish the season

[Change at Barnham]

Particularly entertaining press piece about rule changes to potentially deal with the fixtures happening in a shorter period of time such as additional subs. It also went on to mention social distancing including no contact at corners or dead balls it felt like april 1st were it even considered it would turn this desire to finish the season into a farce

Five substitutions proposed by Fifa to help teams after coronavirus lay-off

 

[Change at Barnham]

IF the season did restart do we expect the outstanding fixtures to be played in the same order as they were originally planned?

 

[WilburySeagull]

That is flawed from the start. Firstly, there are plenty that have tested negative but have had the virus, ie false negatives. If they are with the squad they will be infecting others. Any team they play will then have run the risk of getting infected and, if teams are playing at least two games a week the numbers increase rapidly.
Also, if you are removing players because of covid then the integrity of the competition is compromised drastically. Say we have four first team regulars who are suffering symptoms that means, in a relegation battle, we are at a strong disadvantage. If those players have trained with the whole squad before eventually testing positive then are we going to have give the game to the opposition!

I'm sure the powers that be have thought of these things but the lack of transparency means we are all left to speculate!!!

Forgive me but I was not suggesting this as a good idea just as counter to suggesting that testing on the day of a match would work. Of course any positive test could destroy the integrity of the whole thing. To me the whole idea seems absurd unless we have 100% testing both for live cases and via antibody tests to see how and how many have already had it. Even then as you say the reliabilty of the tests is an issue.

 

[hans kraay fan club]

Particularly entertaining press piece about rule changes to potentially deal with the fixtures happening in a shorter period of time such as additional subs. It also went on to mention social distancing including no contact at corners or dead balls it felt like april 1st were it even considered it would turn this desire to finish the season into a farce

A defensive wall at a free kick, won’t be very effective with 2m gaps in it.

 

[Denis]

Matty Ryan still in Australia, will he have to self isolate for 14 days on entering the UK?

 

[blue-shifted]

Jeez, are we really so utterly desperate for football that we're prepared to utterly bastardise it to this extent? I'd rather watch proper football in 6 months time than this gash in 6 weeks.

Well,it sounds horrible and is very hard for refs to police these potential rule changes.

However. Eyes on the prize. The difference between 6 weeks and 6 months could be many, many clubs going under, up and down the leagues. For this reason I'd support short term rules changes if we could get some football back on.

 

[blue-shifted]

Matty Ryan still in Australia, will he have to self isolate for 14 days on entering the UK?

People are still coming into the country and aren't being quarantined

 

[atomised]

People are still coming into the country and aren't being quarantined

I believe there was mention of that rule coming in

 

[Bob!]

Matty Ryan still in Australia, will he have to self isolate for 14 days on entering the UK?

Not under current rules.

 

[Paris]

Would be the perfect opportunity to field one of our other capable goalkeepers.

Matt Ryan is a solid keeper and clearly a good character, though his pre-lockdown record of conceding at least a goal a game(Wolves away clean sheet noted) shouldn't be overlooked. We rarely keep a clean sheet, which is frustrating. Would be interested to see whether another keeper would fair better and maybe build a stronger solidity with our defenders.

Probably an unpopular suggestion as Ryan is rightly a popular player on and off the pitch, but there you go. I still believe Walton could have a big future with the Albion, once he's given a proper chance to prove himself at the Amex. Once his time is done at Ewood Park.

 

[Psychobilly freakout]

Am I the only person who wants this season to be voided, playing behind closed doors is going to be utter bollox, we all know crowd noise can boost teams when they need it, this to me could prove vital and unfair when playing important games.

I think football has been handed a chance to check its self, re balance certain aspects such as pay that are long over due.

 

[SeagullinExile]

Five substitutions proposed by Fifa to help teams after coronavirus lay-off

Seems a good thing at first glance. Though, I just can't help thinking, that it's just going to help out the teams with the bigger and better squads.

 

[Acker79]

It also went on to mention social distancing including no contact at corners or dead balls it felt like april 1st were it even considered it would turn this desire to finish the season into a farce

Called it!

Y'know, I'd be kinda interested in seeing how a game of football would play out if the government said 'ok, people can return to school and work, but must continue to maintain 2m distance from each other until further notice'. Imagine a game of football where you're not allowing within two metres of another player.

I suppose rules would have to be introduced to stop whoever gets kick off just running straight for goal forcing everyone else to get out of their way.

 

[Green Cross Code Man]

Called it!

Well done for the prediction. But who would have ever thought that the PL would ever consider a watered down version of social distancing whilst playing a game. I do not believe football should return so soon, unless things dramatically improve, but if it does, this kind of thing would be a travesty and makes a mockery of the game we love.

 

[Mellotron]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/52439018

BBC News reporting that Arsenal, Brighton and West Ham have reopened their training grounds today for socially distanced training to resume.

Given West Ham had 8 players previously report symptoms, it's pretty likely they've nearly all had it.

 

[crodonilson]

I really don't see any need to change the rules, I have been in the pro camp for carrying on the season but if wee are fundamentally changing the rules then I'd be leaning the other way. Really can't see the need for it though, looks likely that all European fixtures are to be delayed until August, if so I personally would cancel the FA Cup either completely or until August too and concentrate on finishing the leagues. You would only need 5 weekends and 4 midweeks for the vast majority of teams to compete their fixtures so from the day we recommence all done and dusted in less than a month.

 

[pb21]

It seems like things are gearing up for the matches to be played, albeit behind closed doors, and the season finished.

If that is the case then next season will also start, more or less on time.

 

[Weststander]

It seems liek hings are gearing up for the matches to be played, albeit behind closed door and the season finished. If that is the case then next season will also start, more or less on time.

Yep, subject to Public Heath approval, football will soon resume. As it will be in several other major football nations.

Scotland, Belgium and Netherlands have gone their own way.

Looks like 2019/20 and 2020/21 league competitions will complete, albeit behind closed doors.

Separately, UEFA have made it clear that 2019/20 CL and EL competitions will also be completed.

 

[chip]

Am I the only person who wants this season to be voided, playing behind closed doors is going to be utter bollox, we all know crowd noise can boost teams when they need it, this to me could prove vital and unfair when playing important games.

I think football has been handed a chance to check its self, re balance certain aspects such as pay that are long over due.

I agree. I don't think any of this does anything for the "integrity" of the league.

 

[JJ McClure]

Five substitutions proposed by Fifa to help teams after coronavirus lay-off

How can you changes the rules of a competition two thirds of the way through? It surely removes any integrity and can only benefit the bigger clubs who have greater strength in depth. Imagine one of those extra subs coming on and scoring the goal to send a team down. It'd turn the season in to a farce...I mean more than it already is.