How much will Coronavirus (COVID-19) impact Aston Villa's season?

[pauliewalnuts]

With the horrific death figures still going on, and the ongoing change to the way we live, it seems pretty fucking rotten of football to be squirming around like a fish on a hook trying to find any way at all to finish the season and avoid giving Sky a load of money back.

It is obscene viewing.

Playing out the season in a hermetically sealed fish bowl would just be the absolute ultimate "fuck you, you don't matter" to the fans. Absolutely fucking obscene.

There are about 1,000 things more important than getting the football season played out right now. It seems totally wrong to be talking about this shit when we have nurses running out of gowns and PPE and fuck knows how many old people dying "off the books".

The entire discourse around relaxing ANY current restrictions is absolutely unbelievable given the death figures we're currently turning in and the way the graph looks.

Shameful.

[Brassneck]

It's spilled into the Grealish thread but I'd like Brassneck to respond given he's claiming to be an expert:

With about a quarter of the season left to play Villa have a game in hand and are 1 win from safety with absolutely no certainty that we won't catch a couple of teams above us with the game in hand being key. For that reason any decision that sees us relegated without kicking a ball has a clear legal challenge, anyone who can't see this is either deliberately causing an argument or has a bias against us staying up. I see absolutely no chance of us not going to court in these circumstances, we have clear evidence that the table is too close for there to be any certainty that we'd be relegated because there's too many games to play.

On the flip side Leeds and West Brom will claim that they're practically already promoted but the exact same reason why we can't be relegated works against them, there is no clear certainty that both of them would definitely finish top 2. Don't forget Fulham in 3rd have had games against both postponed and would argue that they are firmly in the race still. They have no clear evidence that voiding the season is taking a guaranteed promotion away from them because there's too many games to play.

Are you seriously of the opinion that these cases would have equal merit in court? The reason we would have a strong case is the exact same reason why their arguments are significantly weaker. voiding the season now creates weak legal challenges, working things out on paper creates the sort of legal cases which could last months and risk the start of next season.

This is all assuming the games aren't played. If they are played in conditions we agree to then the results stand but once again there has to be a time limit on how long we wait before trying to play those games, leaving it open indefinitely would push clubs into administration and, as mentioned many times, creates a contract nightmare with players and sponsors.

Where have I claimed to be an expert?  I claimed to have forgotten more about the subject than one particular poster knows (which quite frankly isn't a lot).  I also claimed to have researched the PL rules and several Acts of Parliment that concern the subject.

I've said all I really want to say on this subject.  Most, if not all of what you ask is already in the thread.  Go and have a re-read if you're that bothered.  I'm certainly not going to come here answering questions at your beck and call.

[Steve67]

Oh go on, pretty please.  I am genuinely interested Brassneck.

[Brassneck]

Oh go on, pretty please.  I am genuinely interested Brassneck.

OK but only if you tell us why you think Jack would still be at the club if we go down.

[David_Nab]

5 subs per game being discussed

[algy]

It's spilled into the Grealish thread but I'd like Brassneck to respond given he's claiming to be an expert:

With about a quarter of the season left to play Villa have a game in hand and are 1 win from safety with absolutely no certainty that we won't catch a couple of teams above us with the game in hand being key. For that reason any decision that sees us relegated without kicking a ball has a clear legal challenge, anyone who can't see this is either deliberately causing an argument or has a bias against us staying up. I see absolutely no chance of us not going to court in these circumstances, we have clear evidence that the table is too close for there to be any certainty that we'd be relegated because there's too many games to play.

On the flip side Leeds and West Brom will claim that they're practically already promoted but the exact same reason why we can't be relegated works against them, there is no clear certainty that both of them would definitely finish top 2. Don't forget Fulham in 3rd have had games against both postponed and would argue that they are firmly in the race still. They have no clear evidence that voiding the season is taking a guaranteed promotion away from them because there's too many games to play.

Are you seriously of the opinion that these cases would have equal merit in court? The reason we would have a strong case is the exact same reason why their arguments are significantly weaker. voiding the season now creates weak legal challenges, working things out on paper creates the sort of legal cases which could last months and risk the start of next season.

This is all assuming the games aren't played. If they are played in conditions we agree to then the results stand but once again there has to be a time limit on how long we wait before trying to play those games, leaving it open indefinitely would push clubs into administration and, as mentioned many times, creates a contract nightmare with players and sponsors.

Where the margin in something is 3pts, so could be altered by a single game, I'm not sure it's appropriate to use average points.  As far as I can see, you either play the season out, or void it.

Playing behind closed doors - I can see the reasoning, and as long as it's safe to do so it's probably the fairest way to play the season out. However, there's a problem - what happens to the "relegated" teams? Who replaces them if the Championship has been voided? You'd at least need to play that out too, or scrap relegation. In which case, you're playing a season for what - to award Liverpool a title they've almost won anyway, and give out places in a set of European tournaments that won't take place? And how seriously are we going to take it if we can't possibly be relegated anyway? I'm not sure I'd bother risking anyone's safety over a few friendly matches.

The more I think about it, the more I can't really see that anything other than voiding the season is a viable option ... aside from playing out everything down to League 2, then maybe doing a pre-/post-season playoff for the place in League 2. But then how many thousand people are going to be "isolating" together?

[Drummond]

I've said all I really want to say on this subject. 

Do you promise? Or is that an excuse for not being able to explain it?

[ROBBO]

Every scenario but one is ridiculous, can you imagine any club that are in no danger of relegation fielding full strength teams? it is a contact sport you fkwits endangering players to save money is unconscionable, finish the season now so we can all look forward to later in the year getting back to something near normal.

[paul_e]

It's spilled into the Grealish thread but I'd like Brassneck to respond given he's claiming to be an expert:

With about a quarter of the season left to play Villa have a game in hand and are 1 win from safety with absolutely no certainty that we won't catch a couple of teams above us with the game in hand being key. For that reason any decision that sees us relegated without kicking a ball has a clear legal challenge, anyone who can't see this is either deliberately causing an argument or has a bias against us staying up. I see absolutely no chance of us not going to court in these circumstances, we have clear evidence that the table is too close for there to be any certainty that we'd be relegated because there's too many games to play.

On the flip side Leeds and West Brom will claim that they're practically already promoted but the exact same reason why we can't be relegated works against them, there is no clear certainty that both of them would definitely finish top 2. Don't forget Fulham in 3rd have had games against both postponed and would argue that they are firmly in the race still. They have no clear evidence that voiding the season is taking a guaranteed promotion away from them because there's too many games to play.

Are you seriously of the opinion that these cases would have equal merit in court? The reason we would have a strong case is the exact same reason why their arguments are significantly weaker. voiding the season now creates weak legal challenges, working things out on paper creates the sort of legal cases which could last months and risk the start of next season.

This is all assuming the games aren't played. If they are played in conditions we agree to then the results stand but once again there has to be a time limit on how long we wait before trying to play those games, leaving it open indefinitely would push clubs into administration and, as mentioned many times, creates a contract nightmare with players and sponsors.

Where have I claimed to be an expert?  I claimed to have forgotten more about the subject than one particular poster knows (which quite frankly isn't a lot).  I also claimed to have researched the PL rules and several Acts of Parliment that concern the subject.

I've said all I really want to say on this subject.  Most, if not all of what you ask is already in the thread.  Go and have a re-read if you're that bothered.  I'm certainly not going to come here answering questions at your beck and call.

Well you've claimed that you know a lot more than other people who've questioned you and you've claimed that voiding the season would see legal challenges by leeds and west brom so if the first is true then explain what grounds Leeds and West Brom have a case on that is remotely comparative to what ours would be. You've also thrown around a bunch of allegations about people only wanting to void the season because it suits us but you've failed to explain why it's not the best option.

Oh and no, the answer isn't in the thread or I wouldn't have asked, would I, and it's not about being on anyones beck and call, it's about you giving it the billy big bollocks to OMVF about how much more than him you know and me wanting to see how that lines up with your claim yesterday that there'd be as many legal repercussions from voiding the league as there would for playing it out on paper or with significantly altered conditions.

[CT]

Players spitting, players getting sweaty, players breathing heavily.  Referees are generally older, does this make them more prone to catching the virus, same as Lino's?  Do they all get changed in cubicles before the game, can you get the virus from the ball?  How are injuries dealt with, do we ask the NHS or vital services to be at the side of the pitch just in case they are needed?  Does this really make sense with so few resources and so many games to play?  They all have to have their own individual water bottle for drinking from? I'm sure there are other issues that also need consideration too.

I would imagine you need the medical staff to get a safety certificate for each individual game. It seems absolutely insane even talking about it.

Me and my lad were talking about basic practicalities on our daily walk yesterday. What happens at corners? How do you tackle and opponent running with the ball?

How do you form a wall to face a free kick?

Yet Arsenal are going back training today and all the talk over the weekend was that the PL would get going fairly soon.

[aev]

With the horrific death figures still going on, and the ongoing change to the way we live, it seems pretty fucking rotten of football to be squirming around like a fish on a hook trying to find any way at all to finish the season and avoid giving Sky a load of money back.

It is obscene viewing.

Playing out the season in a hermetically sealed fish bowl would just be the absolute ultimate "fuck you, you don't matter" to the fans. Absolutely fucking obscene.

There are about 1,000 things more important than getting the football season played out right now. It seems totally wrong to be talking about this shit when we have nurses running out of gowns and PPE and fuck knows how many old people dying "off the books".

The entire discourse around relaxing ANY current restrictions is absolutely unbelievable given the death figures we're currently turning in and the way the graph looks.

Shameful.

Agree with you, apart from I don't mind talking about it as i have fk all else to do.

[chrisw1]

With the horrific death figures still going on, and the ongoing change to the way we live, it seems pretty fucking rotten of football to be squirming around like a fish on a hook trying to find any way at all to finish the season and avoid giving Sky a load of money back.

It is obscene viewing.

Playing out the season in a hermetically sealed fish bowl would just be the absolute ultimate "fuck you, you don't matter" to the fans. Absolutely fucking obscene.

There are about 1,000 things more important than getting the football season played out right now. It seems totally wrong to be talking about this shit when we have nurses running out of gowns and PPE and fuck knows how many old people dying "off the books".

The entire discourse around relaxing ANY current restrictions is absolutely unbelievable given the death figures we're currently turning in and the way the graph looks.

Shameful.

We're currently in April.  Potentially games could be played anytime through to Aug or even Sept and beyond.

Why on earth is the football league talking and discussing potential ways forward for their industry at some point in the future shameful?  They would be negligent if they weren't looking at all possible ways forward, particulalry when the very future of some clubs may rest upon it.  Get a grip.

[mr underhill]

Get a grip/ Everyone is entitled to an opinion without being shouted down. He has a point - Wimbledon - cancelled, the Olympics - cancelled, etc. As I have said before, football is doing itself no favours by trying to devise ever more complex and idiotic ways of resuming at a time when hundreds in the UK are still losing their lives and when the ultimate decision to resume is not in their hands.

[Brassneck]

Well you've claimed that you know a lot more than other people who've questioned you

Other than the post I referred to, where are all of these claims?

You've also thrown around a bunch of allegations about people only wanting to void the season because it suits us

This thread shows 100% in favour of voiding it.  The (ahem) BBC poll shows less than 40% in favour.  Most other comments I've read from fans are in favour of completing the season if possible.  Something, somewhere doesn't add up.

explain what grounds Leeds and West Brom have a case on that is remotely comparative to what ours would be

Why would it have to be comparable to ours?

you've failed to explain why it's not the best option

I don't know what the best option is.  I would have thought that the fairest option would be to try to complete it rather than just scrapping 75% of the season, even if that meant some sacrifices.  I am biased though so I would always argue for voiding it.

claimed that voiding the season would see legal challenges by leeds and west brom

No I haven't - I pointed out that an argument for voiding because it would negate legal challenges was pointless because you'd still have just as many losers who could also instigate legal challengers.

Oh and no, the answer isn't in the thread or I wouldn't have asked

Yes it is - I have stated more than once that I don't think there will be any legal challenges whatever decision is made.

you giving it the billy big bollocks to OMVF about how much more than him you know

Because he works in construction.  How much do you think he knows about contract law?  He even suggested injuncting the PL FFS.  Have you any idea how much it would cost a club if the application failed?  It would finish them.  There is so much misinformation on this thread.  That doesn't mean I'm Billy big bollocks because I don't know all of the answers.  I know you have the hump over my comment in the Grealish thread - Is it really worth a full blown squabble over an internet post?  You have your opinion, I have mine.  I shouldn't have to explain it to you every time it is in conflict with yours.

We seem to be going around in circles with this.  You clearly don't like what my opinion is so why do you keep following me around insisting that I comment?  We also have the boards resident trolls jumping in detracting from the intention of particular threads.  Nothing is achieved other than the trolls get their little bit of oxygen.

[Drummond]

I can't wait to go to the match again. We'll when I say go, I mean sit in the living room watching the equivalent of a pre-season friendly training session being played whilst someone like Martin Tyler and Jamie Carragher get all excited.

Heaven forbid they are on free - to-air channels and I have to put up with Jonathan Pearce or Clive fucking Tyldesley.