Villa Request Everton Postponement

[GrandOldTeam]

At the end of the day we are in the middle of a pandemic, and Villa's training ground is currently closed due to a covid outbreak at the club. The safety of all players and staff, including our own, must take priority and if there is a significant risk that the disease could spread if this game were to go ahead, then the decision to cancel is the correct one. It has to be.

My problem, and it's exactly the same problem I had when the City game was postponed, is the lack of transparency being shown by the Premier League. There has to be consistency in their decision making and there is absolutely no way of measuring this due to a lack of transparency.

We have a situation where clubs make a plea to the PL for games to be postponed, and they make a decision behind closed doors with practically zero disclosure to the other clubs involved. It's a complete joke.

Exactly. As I said yesterday - too many ifs and buts with shocking lack of clarity from the league - the reasoning being put forward here is lack of meaningful preparation. Define meaningful...

It's not about safety here, it's about convenience and perceived fairness. It's not fair for Villa to play a game on Sunday but it's fair for them to play Wednesday.

There's also no consequence to clubs whose players are flagrantly disregarding Covid laws.

 

[MrGrumpy]

So Leicester at home next then is it? We seem to struggle against them at home in recent years but less so away. Odd one. Hopefully the extended break before it will allow for fresh players, perhaps the return of DCL and Allan and Jonny Evans specific training routines to be prepped.

They have Southampton and Chelsea before they play us, mad to think we won’t have played(unless City is changed) and they have played 19 to us 17

More so should Villa Wednesday game get cancelled they have played 15 to Leicesters 19 games

 

[ozerton]

For years? Weird comment to have been making

Weirder that you think every comment on an internet forum is serious

 

[McBain]

There's also no consequence to clubs whose players are flagrantly disregarding Covid laws.

This in nutshell. Genuinely shocked how lax teams like Villa are when they have a duty to keep their employees in the bubble while thousands are dying from this.

 

[Ring master]

So Leicester at home next then is it? We seem to struggle against them at home in recent years but less so away. Odd one. Hopefully the extended break before it will allow for fresh players, perhaps the return of DCL and Allan and Jonny Evans specific training routines to be prepped.

We have beat Leicester 3 of the last 4 home league games-only league defeat that new years day one 2 years ago-we seem to just let them back into the game when 2 up then we panic

 

[Mikey_Fitzgerald]

I can understand the point some lads are making, I mean if we were in Villa's position there is no way we would be looking to get the game/games postponed, we would just send the kids out if we had to.

I guess that feeds into the "We're too nice" narrative that's always put out there?

 

[catcherintherye]

I appreciate it will potentially lead to some pile up along the line, and in many ways playing Villa weakened would have been helpful. It wudl likely have been their 1st team though, and they would have in all honesty been training, just training alone not as a team.

We will now be able to get Allan back fit, potentially DCL too as well as getting more minutes into Digne, Richarlinson and James who have looked a bit off to me. No Harm giving Mina/Keane a bit of a rest. So it's swings and roundabouts. If we had a full squad fuly fit I;d be more frustrated.

 

[Barnfred 55]

Exactly. As I said yesterday - too many ifs and buts with shocking lack of clarity from the league - the reasoning being put forward here is lack of meaningful preparation. Define meaningful...

It's not about safety here, it's about convenience and perceived fairness. It's not fair for Villa to play a game on Sunday but it's fair for them to play Wednesday.

There's also no consequence to clubs whose players are flagrantly disregarding Covid laws.

I hadn't seen that. I take it there was no mention in the statement about threat of cross infection either.

Just proves the point I was making about lack of disclosure/transparency. There needs to be set guidelines and full disclosure so that the PL can be seen to be consistent in their decision making. As I said, the current procedure is a joke.

Agree with your last bit by the way

 

[LouReedwalkonthewildside]

I guess that feeds into the "We're too nice" narrative that's always put out there?

I was just messing about and having a bit of fun with those lads who are fuming because the game has been called of Mikey. At the end of the day if we were in Villa's position, like them we would be looking to have games postponed, it's all about safety first.

 

[YoboCopter]

This in nutshell. Genuinely shocked how lax teams like Villa are when they have a duty to keep their employees in the bubble while thousands are dying from this.

Some times its impossible mate we are in a pandemic people will get the virus doing daily duties

 

[Dublin blue 75]

We have beat Leicester 3 of the last 4 home league games-only league defeat that new years day one 2 years ago-we seem to just let them back into the game when 2 up then we panic

recent home cup exit too

 

[Sadken]

So can we play city on Wednesday in place of villa?

 

[mill]

Because he'd have missed Villa.

He now misses Leicester.

They don't serve suspensions in cup games anymore.

And besides, even that cup game is in doubt.

"At least Allan might be back for when we play them next" negates that we'd have been playing a weakened Villa team.

It also just pushes congested fixtures further back - Man City/Villa will still have to be played and injuries are part of the game.

What happens if Everton get a covid outbreak? More fixtures moved.

Games shouldn't be postponed based on lack of preparation time. You see Fulham getting thrown to play against Spurs with next to no prep.

The Premier League is a farce.

Yeah sorry I assumed they’d been reset. Fuming they haven’t.

That being said, becoming more and more uncomfortable still playing games atm.

 

[GrandOldTeam]

Some times its impossible mate we are in a pandemic people will get the virus doing daily duties

There's obviously measures that mitigate risk though.

Wolves players banned from going shopping amid coronavirus fears | Goal.com

Wolves players have been blocked from going to the supermarket as the club aims to limit their risk of contracting coronavirus.

www.goal.com

 

[maccavennie]

Had to be postponed.

But to make it fair we should be given 3 points now, plus then when we play the game we get the chance to win another 3 as well.

Everyone's a winner with maccas Evertons rules