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

[Meanwood Villa]

What I can't figure out is this 14 available players bit I've heard (might not be an official rule to be fair). Does that literally include anyone, like our match day squad on Friday? Because if that is the case then any club can put some sort of team out.

[Gareth]

Not sure why it hasn’t been called off yet as, any sensible person could surely not expect the Spurs game to go ahead. Listening to a BBC podcast from Saturday, I think, and Jenas and the other presenter was of the opinion that the game should be played despite a precedent being set with Newcastle, Fulham and Man City.

Hope I’m wrong but I’ve got a nagging feeling that just like the handball rule changing after Mings handball and I think a tweak to VAR after a decision against us, we’ll be fucked over again.

That really wouldn’t surprise me - the desperation of the Premier League to preserve their broadcast deals could well see them pressuring us to play. 

Personally I think football looks utterly stupid when at the end of games you have managers walking across the pitch to fist bump the referee, a contact that absolutely doesn’t need to happen.  The pitch is full of players & staff of both teams embracing, again completely unnecessary-sure the players are in contact all game but there is no need for a manager to be embracing the opposition goalkeeper coach after the game - do the old junior sport bit of forming a tunnel and clapping through it but most of all get off the pitch, get changed & go home.

[Mister E]

...Personally I think football looks utterly stupid when at the end of games you have managers walking across the pitch to fist bump the referee, a contact that absolutely doesn’t need to happen.  The pitch is full of players & staff of both teams embracing, again completely unnecessary-sure the players are in contact all game but there is no need for a manager to be embracing the opposition goalkeeper coach after the game - do the old junior sport bit of forming a tunnel and clapping through it but most of all get off the pitch, get changed & go home.

There doesn't need to be any of this close-proximity stuff, but they do it. They are complacent under the illusion that their bubble remains secure, when the reality is that the players do not have the self-discipline to remain in it 100%.
That's why clubs are getting cases.

[Ads]

Congratulations to NW16Spur on the aptly named TheFightingCock, the mains Spurs fans forum, for the stupidest take I've seen on this situation:

A lot Villa fans seem to think it should be postponed because they have 10 players out with Covid. That's not how it works - having Covid is the same as having an injury and games don't cancelled because a team has 9 or 10 players out. Games have been postponed because there's been outbreaks, the training grounds are closed and a game is a few days away, not enough time to see if the virus has spread to any remaining players.

Villa's training ground will likely reopen on Monday or Tuesday, the same length of time Newcastle's was closed and they will likely be told to play the game. They'll protest they've been treated differently but they actually haven't at all.

Equivocation of 10 players with a muscle injury. Because hamstring knocks killed 80,000 people and spread to 21,000,000 in the UK, including forcing 31 players and all the first team staff to isolate. Absolute genius.

[andyh]

Jack a bit poorly

https://twitter.com/Liamornot/status/1348550057319157760?s=20

[frank black]

Jack a bit poorly

https://twitter.com/Liamornot/status/1348550057319157760?s=20

Out of breath when chatting, top athlete and all. STilL ItS OnLy a COld

[Villafirst]

Congratulations to NW16Spur on the aptly named TheFightingCock, the mains Spurs fans forum, for the stupidest take I've seen on this situation:

A lot Villa fans seem to think it should be postponed because they have 10 players out with Covid. That's not how it works - having Covid is the same as having an injury and games don't cancelled because a team has 9 or 10 players out. Games have been postponed because there's been outbreaks, the training grounds are closed and a game is a few days away, not enough time to see if the virus has spread to any remaining players.

Villa's training ground will likely reopen on Monday or Tuesday, the same length of time Newcastle's was closed and they will likely be told to play the game. They'll protest they've been treated differently but they actually haven't at all.

Equivocation of 10 players with a muscle injury. Because hamstring knocks killed 80,000 people and spread to 21,000,000 in the UK, including forcing 31 players and all the first team staff to isolate. Absolute genius.

Is it any wonder the virus is spreading fast with the dummies from a Spurs Forum spouting such rubbish.

[Chris Smith]

If the outbreak was at the Spurs end then that  fan would be arguing the exact opposite of what he is sporting there but there would be some on our side arguing for it to go ahead (not this site).

[Ads]

Jack a bit poorly

https://twitter.com/Liamornot/status/1348550057319157760?s=20

Out of breath when chatting, top athlete and all. STilL ItS OnLy a COld

Its from 5th April. So it was just a cold, as he hasn't had Covid.

[Ads]

If the outbreak was at the Spurs end then that  fan would be arguing the exact opposite of what he is sporting there but there would be some on our side arguing for it to go ahead (not this site).

The only reason anybody would want the game to go ahead because they know its a gimme for 3 points and goal difference. It would be brilliant to play a load of u18s this year and rattle up the cheapest of cheap wins from an entirely selfish and not entirely serious point of view.

That these dummies are serious is well, pretty Spursy.

[Dave P]

Simple fact is, if we have 14 fit first team players who have had time to prepare then the game should go ahead.  Any less, and we should be afforded the same luxury as Newcastle, Fulham and Man City and rightly so.  The fact this has cropped up over an FA Cup weekend has made people think that the rules are the same when they really aren't.

[Ian.]

I think maybe that Spurs are a little scared of playing a fully fit Villa at the moment.

[Ads]

I think maybe that Spurs are a little scared of playing a fully fit Villa at the moment.

That's my take as well.

[ChicagoLion]

If the outbreak was at the Spurs end then that  fan would be arguing the exact opposite of what he is sporting there but there would be some on our side arguing for it to go ahead (not this site).

Agree

[Nunkin1965]

Exactly right.
Their manager knows the situation.
He'll push for an opportunity to play us now to get a very tough fixture out of the way.