Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
The 2019-2020 Football Thread
- Thread starter Lord Blackadder
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
Very sorry to see Liverpool eliminated, but they have performed exceptionally well in the Champions' League over the past two seasons (finalists two years ago, and actual champions last year).
Moreover, while it was very unfortunate that Allison was injured and thus, unable to play, it was also unfortunate that Liverpool were unable to convert some of their many chances.
Now, let them focus on winning the Premiership.
Moreover, while it was very unfortunate that Allison was injured and thus, unable to play, it was also unfortunate that Liverpool were unable to convert some of their many chances.
Now, let them focus on winning the Premiership.
Last edited:
Last night it was announced that Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has tested positive for the coronavirus (Covid-19); as of now, all European matches (including CL matches) have been postponed until April, and I expect the Premier League (and the other leagues) to follow suit presently.
I was really relishing the match against Tottenham this weekend — United are on deadly form and Spurs are floundering — but safety first. So many questions about what will happen with the league and UCL spots, but... let's get through this pandemic first.
They are all suspended until April now. In terms of the PL what happens if they can’t complete this season? What would happen? Award CL places as we are? Relegate the current bottom three? Can’t see how that would work. Have no promotions or relegation this year?
No Football until 4th of April here in the UK. None what's so ever****. ****ety, ****.
[automerge]1584123567[/automerge]
As a Nottingham Forest fan, we are having our best season in years so its a real blow to have to have the season stopped. Lets hope it's concluded.
[automerge]1584123567[/automerge]
As a Nottingham Forest fan, we are having our best season in years so its a real blow to have to have the season stopped. Lets hope it's concluded.
No football, no F1. Is it really worth carrying on?
After all football isn’t a matter of life or death. It’s more important than that!
After all football isn’t a matter of life or death. It’s more important than that!
I imagine that they shall wait until April 4th, and take stock of what the situation is re the pandemic by then (or, sometime before then) and take further decisions based on conditions at the time.
Candidly, a further suspension of the season of a fortnight which would extend over the Easter would not surprise me, in which case there could be a considerable backlog, and a crowded fixture list, should they wish to conclude the season by summer.
However, a situation where the season will be seeping well into summer by a few weeks (reducing whatever break would more usually be enjoyed by the players) now strikes me as quite possible.
In the unforgettable words of a former Liverpool manager.
However, by way of telling contrast, Liverpool's current manager, the always impressive Mr Klopp, has also released a statement today, where he was quoted as follows: “I don’t think this is a moment where the thoughts of a football manager should be important, but I understand our supporters will want to hear from the team and I will front that,”
“First and foremost we have to do what we can to protect one another. In society, I mean. This should be the case all the time in life, but in this moment I think it matters more than ever. I’ve said before that football always seems the most important of the least important things, and today football and football matches really aren’t important at all."
He continued: "If it’s a choice between football and the good of the wider society it’s no contest,” he wrote. “Really, it isn’t. The Premier League decision is being implemented with the motive of keeping people safe, and because of that we support it completely. This virus has shown that being involved in football offers no immunity. We have seen members of teams we compete against become ill, and those individuals and others who will later become affected are in our thoughts and prayers."
And then, he concluded, thus: "None of us know what the final outcome will be but we have to have belief that the authorities make decisions based on sound judgment and morality. As manager of this team I carry a leadership responsibility with regards to out future on the pitch, but in the present moment, with so much anxiety and uncertainty, it would be wrong to speak about anything other than advising people to follow expert advice. Please look after yourselves and look after each other."
I both like and respect that man.
Yeh it’s not quite the cricket season yet but I was looking forward to England playing in Sri Lanka in a week or two.
Sounds sensible. Gives them (hopefully) a chance to finish domestic and CL/Europa League games. If not it’s going to be a long dull spring/summer.
Agreed.
It would seem to me to be the most sensible approach.
I would imagine that bringing the respective Leagues (PL and CL and Europa League) to a conclusion must be the priority for what remains, or can be salvaged from - this season, - as that will determine who participates in the CL next season - whereas the European Championship can be postponed for a further year without too much inconvenience re timetables.
Of course if this season can resume. What if we get to August and things haven’t lifted? Worrying times.
I could see the season resuming, or being in a position to resume, by late April or May, but it may require some specific conditions to be met, such as playing games behind closed doors to an empty stadium, for example, if prohibitions on large numbers gathering together are still in place.
Sounds plausible. But of course things might not be there by April. I think it would be latter than that.
Stay safe folks!
This could be a longer-term delay than we hope. There are a lot of possibilities, but for the present the situation is too fluid to plan anything for certain. I think the priority should be finishing the current season once that becomes possible, even if that means shortening the next one into a half-season, cancelling or postponing the Euros etc. The legal fallout from an arbitrarily ended season would be massive, whereas cancelling or shortening a competition before it starts impacts all competitors more equitably.
This could be a longer-term delay than we hope. There are a lot of possibilities, but for the present the situation is too fluid to plan anything for certain. I think the priority should be finishing the current season once that becomes possible, even if that means shortening the next one into a half-season, cancelling or postponing the Euros etc. The legal fallout from an arbitrarily ended season would be massive, whereas cancelling or shortening a competition before it starts impacts all competitors more equitably.
I think that the Euros have already been postponed - which seemed the sensible the to do, and they could well be cancelled if that becomes necessary.
Agreed that the priority is to finish this current season, and to proceed from there.