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An untenable situation
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An untenable situation

Plus: a Christmas quiz question!

Jamie Smith
Dec 20, 2021
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There is every chance that the outcome of today’s Premier League meeting renders this week’s abridged newsletter immediately out of date, but here we go anyway!

An untenable situation

Most people probably agree that the Premier League cannot continue as it is.

Burnley have had two games called off in succession at very short notice, leaving travelling fans incredibly frustrated at a waste of their time, as well as their cash.

A lack of clarity over the league’s rules regarding postponements would be a start.

It is not made clear at all to fans why some teams are having their requests to have a game postponed accepted, while others are being told to just get on with it and play.

Twitter avatar for @BurnleyOfficialBurnley FC @BurnleyOfficial
🚨 We can confirm that today’s game has been postponed due to an Covid outbreak within the Aston Villa camp. More information to follow.
Image

December 18th 2021

178 Retweets537 Likes

From Burnley’s side, the club apparently has no positive Covid tests at the moment, which is remarkable, although captain Ben Mee contracted the virus a few weeks back.

Burnley prepared to face Watford and Aston Villa last week - indeed, the players were apparently eating their pre-game meal on Saturday when news of the postponement finally arrived - only for the matches to be called off with less than three hours notice.

One of the things that I find particularly egregious about the current situation is that Villa’s injuries were cited in the league’s statement about the weekend game being off.

Twitter avatar for @AVFCOfficialAston Villa @AVFCOfficial
Gerrard: “We’re having to use more players for more games and more minutes because we’ve got some players missing with COVID. “That puts more strain and stress on the players individually and you pick up more injuries on the back of that.” #AVLBUR
Image

December 17th 2021

17 Retweets198 Likes

I’m sorry: what? Injuries have absolutely nothing to do with it. Every club has injuries.

Watford have one of the worst injury lists in the league, which presumably played a part in the decision not to play in midweek, even though a lot of Hornets supporters will have taken time off work to travel up for the match. A December Wednesday night in Burnley with no football to watch was the reward for their loyalty this week.

I do have some sympathy with the Premier League, but it is not as if Covid is new. The league has had almost two years now to figure out a plan for this exact situation. At the moment, it feels very much as if the league is making up the rules as they go.

Twitter avatar for @tomclaretTom Whittaker @tomclaret
"8.5 experienced players" 🤨

The Athletic UK @TheAthleticUK

▫️ Injury crisis meant #LUFC had 8.5 experienced players available vs. #AFC ▫️ 5 PL games off yesterday due to Covid ▫️ #LUFC squad vaccine uptake 90+% ▫️ Bielsa won't change ways but this team isn't coping & Jan can't come soon enough 📝 @PhilHay_ https://t.co/IRyre6oaHy

December 19th 2021

30 Likes

Some teams like Leeds are being punished for having a high rate of vaccinationed players. Again, there is no clarity at all over who has been jabbed and who has not.

That might be an issue of privacy and some people will have legitimate reasons for not wanting the vaccine, rather than due to a conspiracy, but there is surely a grey area if a player who has refused to be vaccinnated is putting team-mates and their families at risk. It is easy to see how this could cause some tension in a dressing room.

Leeds have had a terrible time with injuries and it is fair to assume that, if they had Covid in their camp too, they would be able to have games postponed as clubs like Watford have. But Leeds players are mostly if not all fully jabbed - meaning they are less likely to get the virus - and they are having to name 15-year-olds on the bench.

Twitter avatar for @ihatelufcI Hate Leeds @ihatelufc
A few clubs have lost 3 players due to COVID so their fixtures are cancelled. Leeds have 92% of the first team injured and we’re one of the only games going ahead. Tight.

December 17th 2021

46 Retweets629 Likes

It isn’t straightforward to decide what to do next, but a “circuit breaker” appears to be the preferred solution. That would mean the season is paused for a short time in the hope that this results in the Covid situation improving soon, so play is able to resume.

The problem with this idea is obvious: Covid isn’t going anywhere. While most Premier League footballers are now double-vaccinnated - jab rates among players are actually comparable to young males in the country as a whole - the Omicron variant is running rampant and it remains unclear exactly what impact that jabs will have on it.

Next season already looks like a mess due to FIFA’s genius idea of playing a World Cup in the middle of it, so the pressure is on the Premier League to complete 2021-22.

Any delay now would result in the schedule for next season being affected as well, putting more pressure on players who face a gruelling time of it over the next year.

Player welfare, of course, is rarely a priority, just as travelling supporters are forgotten.

Twitter avatar for @thisisanfieldThis Is Anfield @thisisanfield
"If we just stop it and don't do anything, then I don't see the benefit, really." Klopp on the potential for a Premier League 'circuit breaker'

December 19th 2021

9 Retweets63 Likes

Pausing the season will make it hard to make the right call over a resumption. An initial pause in play of two weeks could easily turn into a month or two, especially given the reports the government is considering a national circuit breaker as well.

Football could then resume in January with matches being played behind closed doors again. Nobody wants to see that, with the sterility of those games giving them the feel of a training session rather than competitive action in The Best League In The World.

We must also be wary of people like Eddie Howe, who clearly has a vested interest in his team not playing until the transfer window has opened, calling for a break. It feels very much like last year, when some teams were calling for the season to be “null and void” because they were facing relegation, or missing out on European qualification.

Twitter avatar for @guardian_sportGuardian sport @guardian_sport
Newcastle manager Eddie Howe wants the Premier League halted if only half the games can be played safely and teams are missing players because of Covid
Premier League to hold emergency talks with owners and managers over CovidThe Premier League will hold emergency meetings with club owners and team managers next week to discuss the escalating Covid crisistheguardian.com

December 17th 2021

2 Retweets21 Likes

If there is a circuit breaker, the league then has to make clear where the line is drawn for games being off. It might be the case that players who catch Covid who are not vaccinnated should not be taken into account regarding potential postponements.

I don’t have the answers and I don’t envy those who have to make this tough decision.

But the current situation is clearly untenable. Something has to change. Right now.

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Podcasts and quiz question

No football to talk about but we have a Christmas special podcast for you with George having a chat with fundraising superstars Freddie and Hughie. Check it out below.

Twitter avatar for @NoNayNeverNo Nay Never @NoNayNever
It’s time for our Christmas Special episode with the fundraising superstars Freddie & Hughie. They spoke to @GeorgePuddle about Hughie’s battle with illness, Freddie’s incredible 100km challenge & what they’ve used the money raised for.
nonaynever.net/podcast/freddi… #twitterclarets 1Freddie & Hughie Special – No Nay NeverIt’s time for our Christmas Special episode with the fundraising superstars Freddie & Hughie. They spoke to George about Hughie’s battle with illness, Freddie’s incredible 100km challenge, what they’ve used the money raised for & much more.From tastes ...nonaynever.net

December 17th 2021

2 Retweets7 Likes

I’m on this week’s EPL Round Table podcast talking about no football etc.

Twitter avatar for @EPLIndexEPL Index @EPLIndex
New episode of the @EPLRoundTable! "The Premier League's COVID Situation Worsens" Feat. @Kevrov @TomasNygren @JamieSmithSport @SteveMcGookin Listen:
buff.ly/3J17hu9 #LFC #TwitterClarets #THFC #LUFC #EtcEPLRT: S08E16 - The Premier League’s COVID Situation Worsens | EPL Round TableCatch the debate!buff.ly

December 20th 2021

2 Retweets1 Like

We also have a special Christmas quiz question from Dave for you to mull over…

When did Burnley last play a match on Christmas Day and who was it against?

Tune into the preview show for the Everton game when it comes out for the answer.

That’s it for this week. All being well, we will be allowed to play that game on Boxing Day and I’ll have a normal newsletter for you next Monday. Enjoy your Christmas!

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