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

[Pete3206]

Regardless of how this circus resumes, to the majority of sane fans, the season is over.

And wherever Scouseplop clinch the title, there will be thousands at the ground and thousands in the streets of Liverpool city centre.

Madness, driven by humongous contractual agreements.

[David_Nab]

Nurses, doctors and care workers can’t get the PPE they need and the PL want to start playing football. If this crackpot scheme doesn’t get fucked off by HM Government then we should all just pack up and go home. Not a muttering from the RFU or any of the other 6 nations governing bodies about restarting rugby or finishing the 2020 6N tournament & not a peep from the ECB. Finishing the season just to comply with a TV contract, no relegation, no fans, what exactly is the point? Ridiculous.

I wonder if rugby or cricket would be asked to play at neutral venues or it only because somebody thinks football fans are morons?

The whole neutral venue thing is what bothers me, if the stadium is empty bar the required staff to cover the medical and TV requirements then what’s the need to play at a neutral venue?

I think the theory is it stops fans gathering outside. Seems ridiculous to me.

Yes but it miss's the point that fans can easily travel to said locations and if they do how many police will it take to look after them ?

Villa Park on a match day , does the area still need to be sealed off ? Or as no fans does traffic by the ground just carry on as normal? Do these guys actually think that if they stick Liverpool at Old Trafford to win league then Liverpool fans won't drive there ...

The only reason they are using grounds and not training pitches is for the TV camera's because to be honest they might as well play the games as BH if there no fans.

[aldridgeboy]

The whole idea is beyond ridiculous. I have no doubt money is behind it, but even so.

If they scrap relegation ( I obviously really hope they do ), then what’s the point of finishing the games. They’re basically dead rubbers for the bottom half.

I get European places need to be determined, but to have the grief of 90 odd matches just to sort that ?

It’s madness.

[Hillbilly]

Tough one. On the one hand Liverpool hilariously miss out on the title. On the other the return of Leeds and Albion.

[cdbearsfan]

The whole idea is beyond ridiculous. I have no doubt money is behind it, but even so.

If they scrap relegation ( I obviously really hope they do ), then what’s the point of finishing the games. They’re basically dead rubbers for the bottom half.

I get European places need to be determined, but to have the grief of 90 odd matches just to sort that ?

It’s madness.

The authorities won't care about matches being uncompetitive, they know that plastic Liverpool and Man U type fans will tune in regardless. In fact, as Scudamore admitted when he was Premier League Chief Executive, they'd much prefer it if the league's lesser lights roll over for the teams with hundreds of millions of fans in Asia.

[OzVilla]

Also some of those teams that are pushing for CL spots still have a number of games against the current bottom 6/8 sides, those mathematically not safe.  Isn’t it in their interests to vote to void relegation and basically put all those teams they still have to play on the beach.

Would that young Chelsea team rather play Villa, Watford, West Ham and Norwich fighting for their lives or with no threat of relegation?

[adrenachrome]

The whole idea is beyond ridiculous. I have no doubt money is behind it, but even so.

If they scrap relegation ( I obviously really hope they do ), then what’s the point of finishing the games. They’re basically dead rubbers for the bottom half.

I get European places need to be determined, but to have the grief of 90 odd matches just to sort that ?

It’s madness.

The authorities won't care about matches being uncompetitive, they know that plastic Liverpool and Man U type fans will tune in regardless. In fact, as Scudamore admitted when he was Premier League Chief Executive, they'd much prefer it if the league's lesser lights roll over for the teams with hundreds of millions of fans in Asia.

Exactly. It would be so lucrative that it is mooted that many of the games will be free to air over here. Overseas TV viewing would be phenomenal.  It would be a massive bonanza for the berzerk gambling industry. 

Bear in mind that several teams have already reopened their training grounds.

The government meeting on Thursday and the PL meeting on Friday should make things clearer.

I agree with all those who say it is a clusterfuck, but I believe the season will be completed in the summer.

[olaftab]

Well whatever happens one thing is certain. No relegation this season. Any format for conclusion will require 14 clubs voting for it and that is never going to happen if relegation is still part of it.

[sid1964]

The real shame in all of this is that a lot of clubs will go bankrupt - i would not be surprised if when the new season starts that the lower leagues (division 2 & 3) are made up of teams that
are semi professional.

[aev]

Well whatever happens one thing is certain. No relegation this season. Any format for conclusion will require 14 clubs voting for it and that is never going to happen if relegation is still part of it.

But there are 14 clubs that were realistically not getting relegated.

The bottom 6 are in a relegation battle, so the vote could (and would) pass?

[aev]

Oh, and regarding social distancing. Looks like the government are looking at alternatives to social distancing where it is not possible to do so. So like football.

[frank black]

I can’t see project restart not including relegation, it’s a fundamental part of the competition and I expect it to be there. Just undecided if they will relegate if the season is cancelled.  I think they will otherwise they’d lose the project restart votes from teams like ours.

[sid1964]

If there is no relegation what is the point in games being played, surely most games will be played as friendlies, we may as well play the under 21's if that is the case?- i just don't see the point in resuming the season they may as well just finish the season now and then re-start in September.

But there again it is all about the money!

[OzVilla]

Well whatever happens one thing is certain. No relegation this season. Any format for conclusion will require 14 clubs voting for it and that is never going to happen if relegation is still part of it.

But there are 14 clubs that were realistically not getting relegated.

The bottom 6 are in a relegation battle, so the vote could (and would) pass?

I think there are a few clubs outside the bottom 6 that would vote no relegation. Newcastle for instance are trying to push through a sale. They have a very outside chance of relegation but it’s still possible - especially if Bruce feels he’s being moved on, his teams tend to have losing streaks.

If they went down that’s the sale over, the Saudis aren’t going to buy a championship club. It may be a small chance but why risk it.

Chelsea have 4 of the bottom 6 still to play. They are chasing a CL spot. It’s absolutely vital to get in the CL for a club like Chelsea. Voiding relegation makes their run in easier imo.

That’s just 2 examples - all clubs will be putting their interests first you can be sure of that.

[simboy]

Listening to 5 Live with the chap proposing the Premiership should be finished in Perth [the Western Australian variety not the cold, damp midge-ridden Scottish type]. Take 75 staff from each club, quarantine them on arrival following a non-stop trip from the UK to Perth.
 
Seemed a bit daft to me but would stop the accumulation at grounds when games going on and from what he was saying there's no/very few COVID cases there. So perhaps some sense. in it.

By the way other sports are thinking how to move forward. ECB, for example are looking at the West Indies team coming over, being quarantined and playing some cricket, be that Test or ODI.