Whitey Grandad

It doesn't help but in a population of nearly 70 million it makes bugger all difference.

Yes, well played. I have just been to the ticket office to get a refund on my train ticket. Full refund of £53.60 it says. The only dilemma now is... do I tell my wife that I'm not going? She'll only find something unproductive for me to do if I stay at home.

It won't prevent the spread but it might delay it a bit. Cancel the season for me and on no account give Liverpool anything. Just one thought... The FA Cup?

Premier League suspended until 3rd April according to the BBC

Premier League suspended until 3rd April

In hotter countries where there is widespread air conditioning it is conceivable that it could be spread through the air. Remember that over 600 passengers on the Diamond Princess went down with it despite being confined to their cabins.

How long before he’s back?

Understood. Sunshine has a minor effect and UV sterilisation is normally reserved for locations devoid of humans, as I understand.

I meant, what practical difference would playing behind closed doors make to the spread of the virus. If crowds are banned from the games this Saturday then many of them will travel anyway or chooses another outside activity.

It's not a case of higher ambient temperatures killing the virus. In warmer weather people tend to spend more time outside and are more widely separated. Also UV light is a good sanitiser.

https://www.politico.eu/article/coronavirus-italy-doctors-tough-calls-survival/ "Save scarce resources for those patients who have the greatest chance of survival. That means prioritizing younger, otherwise healthy patients over older patients or those with pre-existing conditions." https://www.itv.com/news/2020-03-11/italy-doctors-coronavirus-covid-19-quarantine-milan-health/ "They've told us that starting from now we'll have to choose who to intubate - priority will go to the young or those without comorbidities." "At Niguarda, the other big hospital in Milan, they are not intubating anyone over 60, which is really, really young."

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2020/mar/12/leicester-city-players-in-self-isolation-due-to-coronavirus-symptoms Our players have been self-isolating for weeks, mainly during matches.

What difference would that make?

I enjoy every season. Otherwise what's the point? Football isn't just about winning.

Absolutely this.

Another great European night at Anfield

Yes they do have regular gatherings where Mike Riley tells them how they should interpret various situations. In my days of refereeing it was said that it was too much to expect perfect widespread consistency across the whole game but that you have a right to expect consistency within any one match.

That was my view of it. It hit him on the point of the shoulder.

I have seen comments on the TV coverage saying that Djenepo was 'unlucky'. As for the alleged handball whyt was it that nobody on the pitch at the time thought that there was anythng wrong with it? It was his shoulder, above the armpit. I have seen other similar instances this season where that was not given as handball. As with all these VAR interjections, let's please have some sort of consistency. It seems to me that we are getting less of it.

That's not what happened. Djenepo was planting his foot down in a normal motion and the opponent stretched his foot and ankle out right in Djenepo's path. Nothing about raking his studs down someone's shin. It was the sort of thing that happens plenty of times in those circumstances. Yellow was correct. Stop looking at these things in slow motion, it gives a false impression of what happened.

Meaningless without context. And what does that have to do with our game yesterday.

Yep, that’s how I saw it. Leave things to the referee in the middle FFS. The red card incident was one of those things that can happen when you go flying in and stitch your ankle in front of a running player. Yellow was appropriate, red harsh. There have been other handball incidents very similar to Boufal’s without giving a foul. It was the point of his shoulder and nobody on the pitch even claimed for it. TV gives a very different view of the game.

Yes, I disagree too. Even with ten men we had our moments in the second half when we could have scored.

Long’s shot, well saved.

Why do I bother? Why am I bothered? I hate VAR. it is destroying the game that I loved. The TV companies have created a monster and it has to be fed. I never want to see Valery in a Saints shirt again. Another stupid mistake to go with all his others. Likewise Obafemi. He got sent on for his five minutes of effort and glory and every time the ball was passed to him he dummied it or flicked it away. At that stage of the game you need someone to hold the ball upfront. Buy your teammates some breathing space, maybe draw a foul.