Manchester City (Home) Wednesday 17th February

[markjazzbassist]

1 hour ago, barryj said:

They have Europe, both domestic cups and are already a game behind in the league. I’d be shocked if they actually wanted this especially with our injuries and our close Christmas schedule. 

great point, let's hope the replay favors our schedule and we smash them!

[MikeO]

Good job the game's off, my internet is down. Been dodgy all day but now completely dead, according to Twitter Sky's been bad all over the country. Anyone else in the same boat?

[Hafnia]

3 minutes ago, MikeO said:

Good job the game's off, my internet is down. Been dodgy all day but now completely dead, according to Twitter Sky's been bad all over the country. Anyone else in the same boat?

I was almost switching to sky broadband..... Got Virgin ultimate.... Ridiculous speed, 500mbps

[MikeO]

17 minutes ago, Hafnia said:

I was almost switching to sky broadband..... Got Virgin ultimate.... Ridiculous speed, 500mbps

No complaints with Sky broadband really, though I'd rather my money went elsewhere (cancelling Sky TV as not had the dish connected since September, only kept contract for F1 which we watch online). Can't get Virgin, no fibre optics in the wilds of Devon.

[Btay]

Wouldn’t mind it between their game against liverpool 7/2 and Spurs 14/2 for me. If cups permit it.

Must say I’m happy with this. Undoubtedly the best run over Christmas I can remember us having. Time to regroup and push on!

[Gwlad]

I was going to get this on Amazon Prime - courtesy of son's g/f!!

[RuffRob]

I feel for the fans who had tickets - may not be allowed in when its rearranged. 

on a selfish note - with it now not the box tonight, I am having to watch 'The best Marigold hotel' while I rub the wife's feet. Not what I had planned.!!

[London Blue]

3 minutes ago, RuffRob said:

I feel for the fans who had tickets - may not be allowed in when its rearranged. 

on a selfish note - with it now not the box tonight, I am having to watch 'The best Marigold hotel' while I rub the wife's feet. Not what I had planned.!!

Deepest condolences  

[Cornish Steve]

Leyton Orient were forced out of the League Cup when their players had COVID-19. We'll find out next week whether it's one rule for the geese and another for the gander.

[London Blue]

I don't think we have heard the last of this, I suspect the Premier League may be in trouble in not consulting with both clubs, ie Everton, and as City must have known about the positive results earlier in the day. If they had 14 fit players the match should have gone ahead. 

[Romey 1878]

43 minutes ago, London Blue said:

I don't think we have heard the last of this, I suspect the Premier League may be in trouble in not consulting with both clubs, ie Everton, and as City must have known about the positive results earlier in the day. If they had 14 fit players the match should have gone ahead. 

Yep, Everton are not happy about this at all and are asking for information seeing as they weren’t consulted at all. It’s all a bit dodgy. Also, the PL originally rejected City’s request to postpone and then miraculously changed their mind...

[London Blue]

Just now, Romey 1878 said:

Yep, Everton are not happy about this at all and are asking for information seeing as they weren’t consulted at all. It’s all a bit dodgy. Also, the PL originally rejected City’s request to postpone and then miraculously changed their mind...

I don't see how they can do anything but award the 3 points to us, the rules are very clear, and Everton have been very clever in asking for the Covid results, as I suspect they will show at least 14 players would have been able to play. The Premier League will then have to justify the unjustifiable.

Moshiri and Everton will not let this go.

[Romey 1878]

1 minute ago, London Blue said:

I don't see how they can do anything but award the 3 points to us, the rules are very clear, and Everton have been very clever in asking for the Covid results, as I suspect they will show at least 14 players would have been able to play. The Premier League will then have to justify the unjustifiable.

Moshiri and Everton will not let this go.

Nor should they. Can you imagine if it was the other way round? For a start, I highly doubt they’d have allowed the game to be postponed in the first place. But if they had they sure as shit would’ve been consulting with City every step of the way.

Something stinks about this big time. 

[London Blue]

1 minute ago, Romey 1878 said:

Nor should they. Can you imagine if it was the other way round? For a start, I highly doubt they’d have allowed the game to be postponed in the first place. But if they had they sure as shit would’ve been consulting with City every step of the way.

Something stinks about this big time. 

Yep, judging by the sounds coming from the footballing talking heads the momentum to award us the points will be immense.

[Romey 1878]

4 minutes ago, London Blue said:

Yep, judging by the sounds coming from the footballing talking heads the momentum to award us the points will be immense.

I would laugh my head off if we get the three points, get the time off so we face West Ham fresh as can be and then take the three points against them as well. 

[Btay]

There’s a lot of talk on Instagram. Really interesting to see how this plays out. If it were the other way around we would have been fielding our 23’s or forfeiting points, no doubt.

[dunlopp9987]

If Villa weren't awarded the forfeited 3 points in their postponed match against Newcastle earlier this month, what makes us think we will this time around? Also, at the time, Villa came out in full support of the postponement and it doesn't look like they were clamoring for a forfeiture. Not sure it's the best look for us if we're looking for the easy three points

[Btay]

5 minutes ago, dunlopp9987 said:

If Villa weren't awarded the forfeited 3 points in their postponed match against Newcastle earlier this month, what makes us think we will this time around? Also, at the time, Villa came out in full support of the postponement and it doesn't look like they were clamoring for a forfeiture. Not sure it's the best look for us if we're looking for the easy three points

I believe it was decided on the Monday before the game on Friday. From the reports we were given 4 hours notice, we seemed to have heard second hand and weren’t kept informed as it was unfolding. 
 

There’s been fans who have sat in queues for over an hour to have their covid test to attend the game. 
 

I don’t necessarily expect 3 points but I’m glad we aren’t letting the FA walk over us because it’s a “big” team affected. 

[Romey 1878]

3 hours ago, dunlopp9987 said:

If Villa weren't awarded the forfeited 3 points in their postponed match against Newcastle earlier this month, what makes us think we will this time around? Also, at the time, Villa came out in full support of the postponement and it doesn't look like they were clamoring for a forfeiture. Not sure it's the best look for us if we're looking for the easy three points

It's a very different scenario, as Btay has said.

The postponement was decided days beforehand and Villa were kept informed every step of the way and were given all evidence so everything was above board. We're simply asking to be told all the information City provided to the PL, we're not looking for an easy three points whatsoever. But, if it turns out the evidence shows they could have played the game because they had 14 or more players available then I see no reason why we shouldn't ask about the game being forfeited by City.

Also, go and ask little Leyton Orient what happens when you just lay down and take it.

[Bailey]

10 hours ago, London Blue said:

I don't see how they can do anything but award the 3 points to us, the rules are very clear, and Everton have been very clever in asking for the Covid results, as I suspect they will show at least 14 players would have been able to play. The Premier League will then have to justify the unjustifiable.

Moshiri and Everton will not let this go.

City had 4 players/staff test positive on x-mas day. They have since done further testing and more cases have been found. We don't yet know when these tests were conducted but its usually 24 hours before we know the results (the club may know sooner). 

This isn't a case of whether they have 14 players or not, its a case that their bubble is compromised and that it could be running strife around the staff and players. If those infected have been around the "14 players" then could get it and pass it on to our players. Then we have to do the same and potentially lose players, call off games or forfeit matches as well.

The club definitely deserve some answers as to how this has been handled but I dont want the club to pick up 3 points in this way with everything that is going on.

[Romey 1878]

17 minutes ago, Bailey said:

City had 4 players/staff test positive on x-mas day. They have since done further testing and more cases have been found. We don't yet know when these tests were conducted but its usually 24 hours before we know the results (the club may know sooner). 

This isn't a case of whether they have 14 players or not, its a case that their bubble is compromised and that it could be running strife around the staff and players. If those infected have been around the "14 players" then could get it and pass it on to our players. Then we have to do the same and potentially lose players, call off games or forfeit matches as well.

The club definitely deserve some answers as to how this has been handled but I dont want the club to pick up 3 points in this way with everything that is going on.

If the evidence says the game was right to be postponed then I'm sure the club, and the fans, will be fine with that. We should have been kept in the loop, there's no reason why we couldn't have at least been warned it was possibility because it was all known about hours and hours before we were told a thing. That's what the club isn't happy about.

[Hafnia]

Didn't Middlesbrough get relegated on the back of a postponed/cancelled game - a loss plus penalty points.  The year juninho almost kept them up single handedly. 

[Palfy]

47 minutes ago, Romey 1878 said:

If the evidence says the game was right to be postponed then I'm sure the club, and the fans, will be fine with that. We should have been kept in the loop, there's no reason why we couldn't have at least been warned it was possibility because it was all known about hours and hours before we were told a thing. That's what the club isn't happy about.

I agree, I also think what came out of the statement was the frustration of the manager and the players, they were obviously primed and ready for the battle which was to ensue, they haven’t breathed a sigh of relief, I believe they believed they had a better than good chance of winning the game due to the run they were on, they were up for it full of confidence and ready. 
Did City not fancy it I wouldn’t like to say, but no one but there manager will ever really know, and if Covid has spread uncontrolled through their camp the right and safest decision was made, even though our team are frustrated and disappointed it’s good to know that they were ready and wanted to play because they have complete faith in them selfs. 

 

7 minutes ago, Hafnia said:

Didn't Middlesbrough get relegated on the back of a postponed/cancelled game - a loss plus penalty points.  The year juninho almost kept them up single handedly. 

Yes I think they did. 

[MikeO]

58 minutes ago, Hafnia said:

Didn't Middlesbrough get relegated on the back of a postponed/cancelled game - a loss plus penalty points.  The year juninho almost kept them up single handedly. 

Yes, December 1996 they only had twelve fit first team players because of a virus(!), and three of them were 'keepers. The game was postponed and they did indeed get a three point deduction but Blackburn weren't award the three points and the game was played in May.

https://www.gazettelive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/inside-story-1996-blackburn-postponement-19196051

[RuffRob]

It will be interesting to see how it pans out - given the circumstances we all find ourselves in this year with all manner of things being imposed on us at very short notice. We need to be careful as a club we don't look to be taking 'advantage' of the Covid situation -if in the end the Premier league (and City) where only trying to do what they believed was the right thing at that moment in time. 

Maybe help out on any cost burden we endured due to the very short notice of the postponement.  

 

 

[dunlopp9987]

8 hours ago, Btay said:

I believe it was decided on the Monday before the game on Friday. From the reports we were given 4 hours notice, we seemed to have heard second hand and weren’t kept informed as it was unfolding. 
 

There’s been fans who have sat in queues for over an hour to have their covid test to attend the game. 
 

I don’t necessarily expect 3 points but I’m glad we aren’t letting the FA walk over us because it’s a “big” team affected. 

Gotcha. I wasn't aware of the circumstances surrounding it, thanks for clearing that up, Btay! 

[pete0]

9 hours ago, Btay said:

There’s been fans who have sat in queues for over an hour to have their covid test to attend the game. 

Wasn't going the match myself but got a test yesterday and noticed a lot of blues in the queue. I only waited for an hour but the queue was easily twice as long when I left. 

City have been absolute scum not liasing with the club and fans.

[MikeO]

Sheffield United have positive tests but are still playing. Interesting,

Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder on positive coronavirus tests at the club: “It’s impacted us because we have a couple of players missing through illness and we had a player that had to go and get tested this morning.

"We have a couple of injuries as well so it is not ideal but we have to work with what we have got.

“We just notified the relevant authorities that we have had a situation at the club but I want to play, that’s how it is. We were not looking to get anything canned.

“We did the right thing in terms of our response with the Premier League in notifying them and told them the situation regarding the players that are ill and I think four or five backroom staff have tested positive as well. It’s not an ideal situation but we are not in a club of one.

"It is picking up and running through football clubs and I don’t think we will be the first to be affected by it.”

[StevO]

Rumours now of a two week break in the premier league. 

[Zoo 2.0]

I think the difference with Sheffield United is that they want to play, so can do whereas City will have wanted the opposite. Although it does raise questions still I suppose. 

It wouldn't surprise me if there is a break in the Premier League, there's an announcement from the government tomorrow and apparently the number of infections are similar to what they were when the first lockdown began, it wouldn't surprise me to see a short break to get a grip of some things again - perhaps a longer transfer market too due to players not being able to complete medicals/contracts etc.