Lads, it's the Premier League thread - EPL 2019/20

liverpool winning the premier league? not essential

Five-a-side and rush goalies the only possible solution

we haven't the fuckin squad

The English Premier League's head has come off and its body hasn't realised yet

was gonna do a "finishing the season behind closed doors is shit and wrong y/n?" poll but we might as well have it out here

y btw

They're in a tough bind because like, obviously normally they would need to kill some of their workers in order to continue to make some money, but their workers are like actually worth a lot of money? So if they die it's bad??

Not like Glenn Murray or whatever but my god imagine if it was Pogba

Pogba is the virus iirc

where is he

where is he

a ravaged, tormented souness raves as he staggers around his ruined mansion

RIP MSK Zilina, first club to fold "due to coronavirus outbreak"

Let's hope Newcastle's next!

still hoping for Leeds, i'd take Bielsa when Nuno gets bribed away by one of the wrong'uns

not only is Bielsa a brilliant maverick manager he is also a committed socialist, it's horrible that he rocked up at that ugly oversized skip on Elland Rd.

Otm. Bielsa's one of the good ones; I wouldn't ever wish him on bloody Leeds.

a combination of Leeds friends and Bielsa has softened me over the last couple of years. I kinda love the idea that he'd rather play his way than take a lazy promotion tho.

As part of #WolvesAtHome, a number of club legends have been calling up and checking in with our older fans.

Steve Bull is one of them and it's fair to say he's a natural...

📞 @wwfcfoundation pic.twitter.com/8m33RlUOkh

— Wolves (@Wolves) April 1, 2020

Steve Bull apologising for not being Kenny Hibbitt

#dcfc
Nice to see Tom Huddlestone training whilst in self isolation pic.twitter.com/88rHjSQ6VY

— Shinniesta (@PrimeShinnie) March 28, 2020

not only is Bielsa a brilliant maverick manager he is also a committed socialist

I didn't know that! His brother and sister are both politicians and neither is particularly on the left iirc.

Steve Bull was brilliant on a recent episode of Quickly Kevin: https://play.acast.com/s/quicklykevin/a113b5e6-ae34-45bc-8aa1-94e017c1a209
(The whole podcast is great if you haven't heard it - 90s football, extended interviews with the likes of Tony Dorigo, John Moncur, Darren Huckerby, in-depth readings of the Steve Bruce novels, which are just astonishing. Will depend on your capacity for extended Josh Widdicombe.)

Unfortunately my capacity for podcasts and Josh Widdicombe is pretty low, but we've all got time on our hands at the moment.

Quite. He's actually pretty good company. Ymmv!

This doesn't really belong here but holy shit at the Maradona documentary. Amazing film. It's on All4 for the next 20 days: https://www.channel4.com/programmes/diego-maradona

Discussed it on another thread. Brilliant film.

The idea of listening to Widdecombe talk about football revolts me, he'll only go on about The Snot and their filthy ways and I'd rather just go on pretending they don't exist.

Belgium becomes the first European league (I think) to make a decision: rest of the season cancelled, and effectively the most recent standings declared final. So Club Brugge are champions, and Gent go into the CL as runners-up. Relegation still to be decided.

— Rory Smith (@RorySmith) April 2, 2020

seems a tad hasty

They've basically finished the first part of the season anyway. They're just cutting out the clausura bit aiui. That's not going to be as easy to sell in leagues where everyone hasn't already played each other twice.

Well, everyone's played each other twice (at least) in Scotland, so give the title to Celtic.

What are the odds on next season actually happening?

bragging rights

The final score is in! @DiogoJota18 secures the win for @Wolves ending the game in a total score of 3-5 🔥 Gg to @Ekonsa15 and @AVFCOfficial 💪 But overall a very entertaining game for the charity of @AcornsHospice ❤️#wolvesesports #fifa20 pic.twitter.com/4ba7hIh01b

— Wolves eSports (@WolvesEsports) April 4, 2020

Kyle Walker lmaooo pic.twitter.com/Yue2LaUiEl

— Dean Van Nguyen (@deanvannguyen) April 5, 2020

Smolov a model of probity in comparison.

there's.....a lot......happening here pic.twitter.com/ZPhU3IEbmz

— Steadman™ (@AsteadWesley) April 5, 2020

Looks like a thoughtful young chap.

Belarusian premier league (ice hockey as well) is still calmly going on! It probably doesn't help when President Lukashenko is saying things like vodka, saunas and honest agrarian graft will defeat the rona.

From @TheAthleticUK:

FIFA is to confirm an indefinite extension to the season.

It means each country’s football association can choose when the campaigns ends.

They'll also alter the dates of the transfer window & allow contract extensions for players out of contract in June. pic.twitter.com/DhtgokoVZT

— Ollie Bayliss (@Ollie_Bayliss) April 6, 2020

pep guardiola's mother has died of covid-19 in spain

aw jeez :(

:(

#LFC backtrack and apologise:

Peter Moore: "We believe we came to the wrong conclusion last week to announce that we intended to apply to the Coronavirus Retention Scheme and furlough staff due to the suspension of Premier League football and are truly sorry for that."

— Melissa Reddy (@MelissaReddy_) April 6, 2020

you take your eyes off the football news and fun breaks out

https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/richard-keys-newcastle-united-takeover-18125632

"Are we to look away and forget everything? Now is there an argument that it is nobody's business how Saudi Arabia does it's business domestically?

"I get and understand that, we should never try and impose western morals and principles on countries elsewhere in the world. It is for them to decide how to run their country. I wouldn't argue with that.

"But if you are the host country who are inviting in, I think you've got a right to say these are the rules."

^^ good stuff

So the Dutch PM yesterday ruled out any big events till at least Sept 1st. This includes footy matches. Where the Dutch FA cowardly didn't dare make a decision, and w/ UEFA ($$$) pushing countries to finish their national leagues regardless (they'd settle for 5 a side probably, as long as it gets done), this now means the Dutch league is definitely dead. There'll be no "champion", and who will get what EU cup place will be up for debate, but at least it's clear. The clubs had already agreed weeks ago it was best to just forget this year (AZ too, who are second to Ajax only on goal diff and beat them twice this season).

Is the PL waiting for Bozza et al to come up with a same measure? To show UEFA "lookit frères our hands are tied"?

Desperate to play behind closed doors I think. Which is thoroughly unsatisfactory imo.

Let all the chief execs have a game of Wembley singles if they're that arsed

Desperate to play behind closed doors I think. Which is thoroughly unsatisfactory imo.

Whatever ends up happening will be unsatisfactory. I can't really see any good solution.

yeah i think the tournament style finish, behind closed doors, is as cloae as you'll get to a fair outcome

The green light has been given for the @Bundesliga_EN to restart May 9- behind closed Doors. The health department needs to agree and the league has to present them their plan but as of now things are looking up and up for May 9th return of German ⚽️.

— Taylor Twellman (@TaylorTwellman) April 20, 2020

Is it wrong to cough a couple of times as you're being marked for a set piece?

red card for simulating expectorating

https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/soccer/la-liga-outline-detailed-proposals-in-bid-to-return-to-action-1.4236430

The protocol calls for clubs to be given a month of training where possible, with two weeks of group and full-team sessions following two weeks of individual training.

Some clubs are concerned about the plausibility of that plan and returning to competition without sufficient training. That process begins with a four-part protocol written by doctors from three first division clubs and reviewed by medical departments at a further four clubs across the top two divisions. The protocol was distributed to every La Liga side and discussions with medical staff began on Wednesday. It has been shared with other European leagues.

The preliminary stage (phase one) of the protocol for the resumption of training involves at least three tests being carried out on every player before a return to activity, beginning with polymerase chain reaction and serology tests. The league hopes to carry out a first round of tests on April 28th to gain a picture of where they are and establish which players have built up an immunity to the virus. The final test of the first phase must be conducted two days before a return to activity.

Once sessions begin, up to two weeks after that first test, players will be subjected to daily serology antibody tests which the league has acquired. Any player found to be positive will be isolated.

Phase two is individual training sessions to be carried out at the clubs’ training grounds in a controlled environment that has to be disinfected before sessions. “Clean area” notices will be placed at entry points, the number of staff allowed in will be limited and training times staggered to prevent players coinciding with each other. Strict rules are laid out for the preparation of food – only one cook will be allowed – for laundry staff and for security. Employees will be categorised as high or low protection, with footballers in the former group.

Players will arrive at training always in the same car and in kit, taking away the following day’s kit in a sealed, biodegradable bag. Dressingrooms are not to be used and there will be a maximum of six players on any pitch and no more than 12 on site. No more than two players will be allowed in the gym and no interaction with coaching staff will be allowed. Staff must wear gloves and face masks, as must players until on the pitch.

From phase three, squads will be in isolation at the training ground, residency or a closed hotel space occupied only by the team. They will not be allowed home and will be in individual rooms. There will be no communal areas. Sessions will be conducted in three eight-player groups with no more than 20 staff on site. Those groups will be split across three dressingrooms, ensuring no more than three players are together. After sessions, they will return to their rooms.

Multiple dressingrooms, disinfected after every use, will also be used for the phase four, the final stage. At that point, teams will be able to train together for the first time with a view to a return to competition. In an ideal scenario the whole process will take a month, although there is a recognition of the fluidity of the situation. Details of matchday protocol are yet to be finalised but will stipulate that games are behind closed doors and, following the intervention of the federation and players’ union, not closer than 72 hours apart.

When Baltimore was rioting because of cops a couple of years ago, a baseball game or two got aired without crowds and you could choose one feed that didn't even have announcers, just whatever ambient sounds the field mics could pick up. Great way to watch a game and hopefully a football league or two try it.