The OFFICIAL Liverpool FC thread - Arne to Slot right in?

[Armamike]

Listen. You may outwardly propel that this season must finish. That is, I suppose what supporters must do. But if inwardly you can convince yourself that it's feasible for competitors to accept the legitimacy of a competition, when proposing changes to its core structures with 25% of that competition still remaining, then you might as well convince yourself that Santa Claus exists.

But voiding the season is equally as big a change to the core structure. I think everyone accepts that current circumstances are unprecedented and that there will have to be a change from the norm. That's a given. No matter what's decided be it void the season, decided on PPG, wait until we can finish it out etc, someone's going to question the legitimacy of the decision.

The least litigious route through this I would expect is to void the season entirely, citing reasons beyond the organiser's control. Award nothing. Relegate nobody. Same clubs enter Europe as did in the voided season.

Any other solution would involve changing competition regulations (lawsuits everywhere), or else extending this season into next (contractual issues and therefore lawsuits everywhere, not just with players, but media, sponsors, rent, league fees, etc, etc).

Not so sure about the threat of lawsuits. There aren't any in Germany as far as I'm aware.

[Armamike]

Voiding was taken off the menu weeks ago. It's not going to happen. At least not in the sense that people understand of voiding a season where we pretend the season never happened and results are expunged. Both UEFA and the FA have said if seasons cannot be completed on the field of play then they must be decided on sporting merit whether it's by PPG or weighted PPG to decide placings. It's up to the individual leagues to decide on champions and relegation.

Yet we still have idiots calling for it...

Let's wait and see Laois Lad, before the name calling.

The term "sporting merit" is extraordinarily judicious.

Leave aside your beloved Liverpool for a second, and assuming City's punishment stands.

Call the season now and Sheffield United would not qualify for the CL, as they're in 7th. Call it on points per game and they don't make it either, missing out on 5th spot by a thread. But here's the thing, they've played one less game than Man Utd, and a win in that game would give them more points and more points per game. It would put them in the Champions League.

There is no "sporting merit" solution there.

Aston Villa's situation, currently in second bottom, is a mirror image.

There is no way either of these clubs will permit a "sporting merit" decision that is not their favour. Hence litigation, more than you can shake a stick at. I think at that point you might find UEFA quite passive in allowing the respective leagues the ability to decide their own outcomes.

Can 3 or 4 clubs thwart a decision though?  As long as a majority of 14 back the decision, does that not bind all clubs to the decision? 

[thewobbler]

It's a good point about Germany Armamike, but the crucial difference is that the Bundesliga's clubs are committed to finishing their season with home and away fixtures, as is Bundes 2. If England's club can't do likewise, then it's the no-relegation OR relegation-by-sporting-merit scenario, which is much more open to legal intervention.


Also I don't think it's just 2-3 clubs affected.

The CL purse is too bountiful for any of Arsenal, Spurs, Sheff Utd or Wolves to wave it off into the sunset, and they have nothing to lose in mounting a challenge. The effects of relegation are too severe for Bournemouth, Villa or Norwich to willingly take one for the team, and they have everything to gain from mounting a challenge.

That's 35% of the teams. It wouldn't  take much effort to disrupt any plans with that level of support.

[supersub]

To be honest we are hearing what certain people want us to hear. Each club will have representatives at the meetings so if the games are rescheduled, which it seems likely they will be, then it's going to be on the basis of a consensus with all the clubs or the majority at least. The reality is no one knows what is being discussed and apart from sound bites from the likes of Sterling, Aguero and Rose(whom I just think wants to seem relevant as he has become irrelevant in recent seasons) there is actually very little coming out from players.

Precisely.

Listen. You may outwardly propel that this season must finish. That is, I suppose what supporters must do. But if inwardly you can convince yourself that it's feasible for competitors to accept the legitimacy of a competition, when proposing changes to its core structures with 25% of that competition still remaining, then you might as well convince yourself that Santa Claus exists.

As you well know it isn't just as black and white as that. Legitimacy comes under many guises while these circumstances are present. The very best and probably the most fair thing to do, would be to put the league on hold indefinitely until it is 100% safe to resume, i.e proven treatment for the virus. Don't void, and don't worry about 20/21 season. Start where it left off and be that March 21 so be it. Unfortunately that is not going to happen, so there have to be changes or alterations to the norm. There is not any other arrangement which would represent the current structure as we know it.

[Hound]

I missed the whole neutral debate.

I know it's off the table now, but why did the people in favour of it think it a better option than playing in the designated home team's stadium? If it's behind closed doors either way, I can't see any merit to neutral?

[Boycey]

I missed the whole neutral debate.

I know it's off the table now, but why did the people in favour of it think it a better option than playing in the designated home team's stadium? If it's behind closed doors either way, I can't see any merit to neutral?

Guessing here

Home supporters less likely to rock up in numbers on the day.
Police/FA or whoever decides presumably pick grounds easier to manage. Have it in my head that there were to be none in London?
Easier for logistics, tv etc

Feel free to add to or tell me I'm talking bollox

[Jell 0 Biafra]

The version of neutral I heard was an Olympic village style thing, so that players weren't mixing with anyone else, minimizing risk of infection. 

[Armamike]

In Germany they are using the threat of points deduction for the side whose supporters turn up to the stadium. Seems a smart deterrent.

[GiveItToTheShooters]

The null and void brigade out from under their rocks again. How many times do they have to be told. The football will return, as it is across Europe.

[Milltown Row2]

The null and void brigade out from under their rocks again. How many times do they have to be told. The football will return, as it is across Europe.

Null and void would only work for all divisions. The PL can't just play off their remaining games, that doesn't work

[Taylor]

The null and void brigade out from under their rocks again. How many times do they have to be told. The football will return, as it is across Europe.

Like in Holland?

[Taylor]

The version of neutral I heard was an Olympic village style thing, so that players weren't mixing with anyone else, minimizing risk of infection.

Could you imagine?

it would be like the red light district in Amsterdam given some players behaviour during this lockdwown

[Jeepers Creepers]

Has the players association made any statments / comments?

[Armamike]

The version of neutral I heard was an Olympic village style thing, so that players weren't mixing with anyone else, minimizing risk of infection.

Could you imagine?

it would be like the red light district in Amsterdam given some players behaviour during this lockdwown

Send that one on to West Ham. They're running out of excuses.

[GiveItToTheShooters]

The null and void brigade out from under their rocks again. How many times do they have to be told. The football will return, as it is across Europe.

Like in Holland?

No, not like in Holland. I'm talking about the important leagues.
Liverpool will win the title, whether you like it or not.