GWT: PL Matchweek (mostly)19 and 20

[Savant]

Sunday 26 December

Liverpool x Leeds - postponed
Wolverhampton x Watford - postponed
Burnley x Everton - postponed
Man City x Leicester
Norwich x Arsenal
Tottenham x Crystal Palace - not postponed?
West Ham x Southampton
Aston Villa x Chelsea
Brighton x Brentford

Monday 27 December

Newcastle x Man Utd

Tuesday 28 December

Arsenal x Wolverhampton - postponed
Crystal Palace x Norwich
Southampton x Tottenham
Watford x West Ham
Leeds x Aston Villa - postponed
Leicester x Liverpool

Wednesday 29 December

Chelsea x Brighton
Brentford x Man City

Thursday 30 December

Everton x Newcastle - postponed
Man Utd x Burnley

Click to read more...

 

[JPBolts]

 

[SSF]

Everton has 5 COVID-19 cases and 6 injuries, guess who is still being made to play Boxing Day heh

 

[Say Hey Kid]

Premier League year in review: Cristiano Ronaldo returns to Man Utd as spending soars during pandemic and the rise of the full-back continues

"Plus: Chelsea and Man Utd ditch the club legends in the dugout; the European Super League comes crashing down; Newcastle become the world's richest club overnight; fans make their long-awaited return but the threat of Covid remains"

 

[Jersey Fresh]

Leicester get screwed again, now they get a rested Liverpool lol

 

[robertmac43]

I always love the Boxing day games. Sit around after a hectic 25th of December

 

[Savant]

Leicester get screwed again, now they get a rested Liverpool lol

Leicester have the miracle cure. They’ll be okay. At least game will be on normal rest now

Good News- I can sleep in now.
Bad News - Robertson out of Chelsea game now. Can’t boost GD against Leeds C team like City did.

Horrible Everton’s request was denied.

 

[Paulie Gualtieri]

I'm just happy that Spurs have dealt with their Covid-outbreak already. No new positives and most of them are getting boosters now.

 

[robertmac43]

I'm just happy that Spurs have dealt with their Covid-outbreak already. No new positives and most of them are getting boosters now.

Hopefully, the rest of the league follows suit shortly.

 

[JeffreyLFC]

Leicester have the miracle cure. They’ll be okay. At least game will be on normal rest now

Good News- I can sleep in now.
Bad News - Robertson out of Chelsea game now. Can’t boost GD against Leeds C team like City did.

Horrible Everton’s request was denied.

That is the main problem I have with this... that and not watching LFC on the 26th

 

[Savant]

Change of heart after a Second request

 

[robertmac43]

Would have been ridiculous if they shut it down twice.

 

[Savant]

Would have been ridiculous if they shut it down twice.

Ridiculous that they had to ask twice.

This season has just as big, if not bigger asterisk energy than the previous two.

 

[Mount Suribachi]

Ridiculous that they had to ask twice.

Only because the first time they asked they didn't meet the criteria for cancellation (<14 players). Second time they actually met the criteria so the game has been postponed.

 

[Savant]

 

[Savant]

Only because the first time they asked they didn't meet the criteria for cancellation (<14 players). Second time they actually met the criteria so the game has been postponed.

Right but the criteria is bologna. Who decided what numbers it should be and why is it not arbitrary

 

[Jersey Fresh]

I agree with Savant that we're getting to a point here where there's a way bigger asterisk to this season than Project Restart. The competitive balance is completely getting screwed here with these cancellations - some teams are about to actually get the backhand of the Christmas schedule and others aren't. Forget for a moment that some clubs have had to play shorthanded and/or against weakened sides.

I don't have a solution, but it sucks.

 

[BKIslandersFan]

I agree with Savant that we're getting to a point here where there's a way bigger asterisk to this season than Project Restart. The competitive balance is completely getting screwed here with these cancellations - some teams are about to actually get the backhand of the Christmas schedule and others aren't. Forget for a moment that some clubs have had to play shorthanded and/or against weakened sides.

I don't have a solution, but it sucks.

Reckon clubs who had that advantage will eventually have to play without their key players vs clubs who got their players back from COVID protocol.

Think it will all balance itself out.

 

[Brunkmeister]

They seriously going to postpone cause two in the backroom staff tested positive? That would be ridiculous.

Norwich only have 14 players but that game is still a go at this point.

 

[Blender]

I thought the rule was if you had 13 players that could go the game would be played?

 

[Power Man]

You don’t mess with the Dias family

 

[Mount Suribachi]

Right but the criteria is bologna. Who decided what numbers it should be and why is it not arbitrary

Well I was going to say it's not arbitrary, it's the minimum you need to play a game - 11 starters and 3 subs, including a goalie.

But then we see Palace gets a game called off because 2 backroom staff test positive?

 

[Savant]

 

[Savant]

 

[robertmac43]

I saw that Tuchel mentioned the 5 sub-rule should come back and I totally agree. The schedule is going to be wild with postponed games coming back in rapid succession.