Premier League 2021/22

[Szumi]

20 hours ago, Matt said:

Maybe clubs should forfeit their places in European competitions if they don't want to play twice a week.

It's more the crazy shit like teams playing on a Sunday and then a Tuesday, which many teams are going to be forced to do, that's the clear and obvious issue to managers. Holiday fixtures regularly make this happen, and if you don't see how that's not a good thing for the players, I don't know what to tell you.

 

On a different note: 

If only there was someone that could've got these decisions right during the game, like someone watching on video to assist the referee.

[DavidMarrio]

I still find it funny how apparently Kane would have only been sent off if Robertson had his foot on the floor. Sound just go get your leg broken mate... 

Standard of officiating in the league both VAR and on the pitch is shocking so I can't fathom what it's like the further down the pyramid you get. 

Three games I've watched involving Liverpool with three bad officiating performances both for and against the team. Game against Villa the ref was awful for both sides, Mike Dean had a shocker in terms of decisions against Newcastle and then Tierney just had an awful game for both us and Spurs

[Adam]

The standard of refereeing in the lower leagues is indeed appalling. I'd say on average I see about 2 good refereeing performances per season.

[Colly]

3 hours ago, Szumi - A Polack said:

It's more the crazy shit like teams playing on a Sunday and then a Tuesday, which many teams are going to be forced to do, that's the clear and obvious issue to managers. Holiday fixtures regularly make this happen, and if you don't see how that's not a good thing for the players, I don't know what to tell you.

It's once a season though, and the teams have 25 man squads plus U23s. Yes it's a quick turnaround, but it's only a day less than the regular European Saturday to Tuesday schedule, and we have that week in January to recover now.

[Colly]

3 hours ago, Szumi - A Polack said:

On a different note: 

If only there was someone that could've got these decisions right during the game, like someone watching on video to assist the referee.

 

[Lineker]

 

[Lineker]

Benjamin Mendy, 27, appearing for a hearing at Chester Crown Court accused of a series of serious sex offences, has been charged with a further count of rape.

[DFF]

On 20/12/2021 at 23:09, stokeriño said:

I remain astonished that Premier League clubs can't/won't force their players to get the jab.

Maybe they need their arm twisting more. Instead of postponing games due to squad sizes, maybe say that a team has to use their U23 players to fulfil a fixture or run the risk of a forfeit - but only do this if there are unvaxxed players in the squad. 

[GuyIncognito]

17 hours ago, Adam said:

The standard of refereeing in the lower leagues is indeed appalling. I'd say on average I see about 2 good refereeing performances per season.

The name Trevor Kettle is somehow still striking fear into the hearts of lower league football fans

[Adam]

22 minutes ago, JoeyJoeJoeShabadoo said:

The name Trevor Kettle is somehow still striking fear into the hearts of lower league football fans

The fact he still referees in the league is a crime. Awful, awful bloke.

[Lineker]

Quote

Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson says he is "concerned" that "nobody really takes player welfare seriously".

Including Sunday's 2-2 draw at Tottenham, the Reds will play five games within two weeks despite Covid-19 cases and injuries.

Premier League clubs chose to fulfil festive fixtures at a meeting on Monday despite a rise in Covid-19 cases.

"I don't think people can appreciate how intense it is until you actually see it first hand," said Henderson.

Speaking to BBC Sport, he added: "Football to us is everything and we want to be able to perform at the highest level every time we set foot on the pitch. And unfortunately, in this period it is difficult to do that.

"That has been like this for a few years now and it has been difficult but then, on top of that, you chuck in Covid and it becomes even harder and even worse.

"I am concerned that nobody really takes player welfare seriously.

"I think decisions get made - of course we want to play, as footballers we want to get out there and play - but I am worried about player welfare and I don't think anybody does take that seriously enough, especially in this period, when Covid is here.

"We will try to have conversations in the background and try to have some sort of influence going forward, but at the minute I don't feel the players get the respect they deserve in terms of having somebody being able to speak for them independently and having the power to say actually this isn't right for player welfare."

On Tuesday, Liverpool assistant manager Pep Lijnders said the schedule was "absurd" while Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel said he is having to take "huge risks" with his players' fitness.

Liverpool were missing a number of key players against Tottenham, with Virgil van Dijk, Fabinho and Thiago among those absent following positive Covid tests, while midfielder Henderson was out with a cold.

Premier League players and club staff returned a record 90 positive Covid-19 tests last week, with six out of last weekend's 10 fixtures postponed.

"We do speak about it as players because, at the end of the day, it affects us directly," said Henderson, who helped organise an initiative last year for Premier League players to generate funds for the NHS.

"I know people will say we do get paid a lot of money to go out and play football. I get that and understand that, but football is everything to us.

"And especially those players that are playing international games and European games, you get a maximum of probably two or three weeks off a year. I am not sure that is enough to physically recover and mentally recover from the season previous.

"But again, there is no communication with players in terms of what they think, which is a big problem really.

"I am not saying they have to make decisions on what players think, because everybody will have a different opinion, but I think they need to be part of a conversation because, ultimately, we are the ones that are going out and feeling it and playing it."

Meanwhile, Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has called for "someone to act" over teams having to play on 26 and 28 December at a time when there has been an increase in Covid cases.

The Reds will be one of 12 top-flight sides playing games on those dates and, while Klopp has criticised the festive fixture schedule in the past, he believes the current situation is "different".

"Even though I don't think it is right in normal times, it feels wrong to insist teams play fixtures within two days of each other in this present situation," said the German in his programme notes for the EFL quarter-final against Leicester City on Wednesday.

"Every squad will have been impacted by the current Covid crisis in some way, clearly some more than others. But we cannot put our hands over our eyes and pretend this is a 'normal' situation. It isn't. It's extraordinary. And on that basis I implore those with the power to make change to intervene.

"Please do so for the welfare of the players. It's nothing to do with competition or advantage. To think that in the present climate you would need to be pretty craven.

"Look at the situation. Look at the physical strain on the athletes already. Let's work collaboratively to find a solution. It is not OK to ask teams to play twice in two days at the moment. It is absolutely not OK, actually. It would be entirely wrong. Someone has to act."

On the back of Henderson's concerns, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta believes players need to be heard with "open ears".

"I think we have to listen to them," said the Spaniard. "There are two protagonists here, one is the players and the other the supporters.

"Without the players we can do nothing so we have to really listen to the players. It is easy for us to be there and demand, but they are the ones that have to perform.

"The same with the fans because this industry wouldn't work without any of those two.

"I think we have to listen much more to our players. We don't want to damage the product and the incredible league that we have."

Aston Villa's match against Burnley was postponed on 18 December after the Midlands side had an "increased amount" of positive test results on the morning of the game.

Villa boss Steven Gerrard's side host Chelsea on 26 December and he said he was unsure of "what position we're going to be in come the game" because the "Covid picture and the situation here at Villa" was "changing on a daily basis".

"We had a situation at the weekend where one of the players was reluctant to get out of his car because he had some symptoms. He's got a young family and you can totally understand his view in his situation," added Gerrard.

"Thankfully, he was tested after and he didn't have a situation but that player would not have been available for me on the day and these are the little situations that people don't see."

Regarding Henderson's opinion that player welfare was not being taken seriously, Gerrard said: "I certainly respect that opinion.

"I think there are two sides to this; player welfare from a Covid situation, that I think everyone in general life is trying to deal with, trying to protect themselves and their own families, but also from a football point of view to deal with this situation when you are going into a game on the 26 and 28 December.

"You're also worried for a player's welfare from a football point of view. Trying to manage and deal with both situations is a challenge right now but one we'll try to do in the best way and protect the players in the best way we can."

 

[Szumi]

Liverpool vs Leeds is postponed because of COVID in Leeds squad

[Lineker]

6 minutes ago, Szumi - A Polack said:

Liverpool vs Leeds is postponed because of COVID in Leeds squad

Wolves vs. Watford has fallen by the wayside too.

[DavidMarrio]

Least the players can have a break now...

[Matt]

1 hour ago, Szumi - A Polack said:

Liverpool vs Leeds is postponed because of COVID in Leeds squad

Finally Covid does something good 😏

 

Surely the Villa game will be off too, given that Bamford, Struijk and James were going to be touch and go for the Liverpool game, you'd hope they'd be back for Burnley and Llorente will be back from Covid so we might actually be able to field a team with players in their actual positions.

[Colly]

It genuinely is typical that Newcastle are desperate for a transfer window yet we're doomed to be the only team to not have a single game postponed.

[Lineker]

Burnley/Everton is off.

[Kyle]

8 minutes ago, Lineklaus said:

Burnley/Everton is off.

And there was much rejoicing. A little less depression over the Christmas period for me.

[Lineker]

Sounds like our game against Palace is off.

[Lineker]