The experience of this weekend's football has been a bit predictable. obviously no one will catch Liverpool and I think the question of European Championship positions as teams jostle to finish above each other will form the main point of interest. The relegation battle now looks like a forgone conclusion. I think that Norwich , Villa and Bournemouth will go down and by some margin. I would expect the other teams, bar West ham, to start pulling away. It is good to have football back yet the chase for final finishing positions looks like the matches were not really necessary. There have been a few odd results like Newcastle this afternoon but there are no real big stories which were not apparent in March. I thought Bournemouth looked shocking last night and I cannot see where they will get their next points from. They will finish a long way short. Wonder what the odds will be for them suffering a second relegation next season if they go done? You can imagine the whole thing crumbling down.
Fair enough, but then it would have been fair to move today’s Sheff U game until tomorrow wouldn’t it? I wonder if Man City had been asked to play twice before Liverpool played ....
Man City are playing tomorrow and they played on Wednesday as well. Besides, Wednesday - Sunday is fair enough. Saints are playing Thursday then again next Sunday.
Yep it will all balance out Man City are playing Monday - Thursday - Sunday so I'm sure they don't see it as ideal. Liverpool have 4 game sin 9 days the following week. Everyone will have tight turnarounds, Sheff Utd may end up being grateful they got 2 fixtures out the way early on
why did everyone have to play the same number of games now? Is there an official statement to go with this, or have you guessed?
I think they were keen to get the games in hand played first in case the league had to be cancelled after the restart, where the league would then be settled on points per game.
Nothing official but I believe they wanted those 2 games played first in case the season had to be stopped again.
As long as they are consistent. Can't be giving out bans to someone else who grabs a player around the throat now, in a rather threatening manner. We'll just put it down to being overly playful.
It's OK, as it's Arsenal, and they have nothing to play for. Or something along those lines. Heaven forfend that the Premier League are showing any favouritism. I'm sure that exactly the same decision would have been made for Norwich, or Villa. Or us.
I stopped reading the sky sports link about it when they kept referring to it as 'appearing to grab'...as if it was up for debate. He definitely grabbed him around the neck. There is irrefutable evidence. What would normally get considered as assault doesn't seem to count on the football field, which is a whole different debate. But I just don't understand how VAR has seen it (supposedly) and not acted. Like how!? If a Saints player did that I would expect them to get sent off. That's a red card every time. How can you watch that and decide otherwise? I don't get it. I'm sure Tom will explain.
