brexit wrote: ↑

Sat Jan 15, 2022 9:38 pm

Weird watching Sky sports they said Watford's next match was against Norwich on Friday. A mistake or do they know something?

No. Like their news programmes. They're clueless.

jurek wrote: ↑

Sat Jan 15, 2022 9:35 pm

and restart the season post the Arsenal game - if that goes ahead

if it goes ahead- then why not restart the season then?

In the few weeks since we drew with Wolves the gap between ourselves and Watford has remained exactly the same, except we've now got an additional game in hand. To my surprise I thought Norwich were father back.

Obviously games in hand mean absolutely nothing if you don't get anything from them but it at least gives us more attempts to get out of the relegation zone. And the win for Norwich today (after they'd lost their previous six games) shows there are a few surprises in store.

Spijed wrote: ↑

Sat Jan 15, 2022 10:11 pm

In the few weeks since we drew with Wolves the gap between ourselves and Watford has remained exactly the same, except we've now got an additional game in hand. To my surprise I thought Norwich were *father back.

Obviously games in hand mean absolutely nothing if you don't get anything from them but it at least gives us more attempts to get out of the relegation zone. And the win for Norwich today (after they'd lost their previous six games) shows there are a few surprises in store.

Edit: * farther.

No one can say that we have not had the chances to escape the relegation zone. It's still three from four for me, but let's hope that another team can be dragged into this battle (looking like Everton at this stage).

Do we need the game to be off.

Goal difference is often a very good marker of survival potential, but those three points for a win can upset that picture. What we desperately need now is to strengthen midfield, particularly at its base to enable a more attacking approach. The Vydra injury and the absence of Cornet makes thinks so much harder. They both give defenders that corridor of uncertainty making us less predictable and easy to control. Like to see Mancini on the bench, he appeared to have something about him pre season but immediately was discarded. Dyche has to start giving youth a chance even if it is just to find out they aren’t quite up to it. At present we are stale and unenterprising a bit like a boxer who has taken too many pummellings. Dyche is naturally reactive but this is a time to be proactive as there’s nothing to lose. Without change we’re going down.

brexit wrote: ↑

Sat Jan 15, 2022 9:38 pm

Weird watching Sky sports they said Watford's next match was against Norwich on Friday. A mistake or do they know something?

Or were they just saying Watfords next game on Sky is against Norwich on Friday?

beddie wrote: ↑

Sun Jan 16, 2022 8:40 am

Do we need the game to be off.

Not going to get a replacement in for Wood before Tuesday so, OFF for me. Covid protocols have to be obeyed, don't they

If the game was called off on Friday due to our covid cases etc, even with the new 5 day isolation period would that not basically automatically call Tuesdays game off aswell?

Myk wrote: ↑

Sun Jan 16, 2022 11:35 am

If the game was called off on Friday due to our covid cases etc, even with the new 5 day isolation period would that not basically automatically call Tuesdays game off aswell?

Depends when the players tested positive and how far through their isolation periods they are.

I’m hoping it’s off. Watford looked decent to me yesterday. Much better than we did at St James’. I think going in to this cold, with players having not trained, Dyche out for a while, etc is a bad idea.

It’s not ideal but Watford cancelled us and withheld Dennis, so hard to feel sorry for them if it is.

The other factor rarely mentioned by the media is that someone who has been isolating after a positive test has probably a 50/50 chance of having symptoms and at the end of that isolation period isn’t necessarily fit to play.

To use a simplistic example, how many times has each of us had a chesty cough that has stubbornly not cleared for weeks after we had cleared the virus?

So if we have lots of cases in the camp, going ahead with such a key game is a big risk when we don’t know how fit the players are for an intense 90 minutes. The club could easily claim every one of those players isn’t fully fit, so could choose to get it off if they asked.

Roberts for example isn’t fully fit to start even though his separate infection of a different bug was weeks ago, so the PL could hardly force us to count him in the 13 outfield players.

wilks_bfc wrote: ↑

Sun Jan 16, 2022 10:22 am

Or were they just saying Watfords next game on Sky is against Norwich on Friday?

Not sure half heard it might have said next home game now I think about it.
Reflection always leads to uncertainty

Remember Leicester called off their game v Everton but had enough to play against us.

RalphCoatesComb wrote: ↑

Sun Jan 16, 2022 10:45 am

Not going to get a replacement in for Wood before Tuesday so, OFF for me. Covid protocols have to be obeyed, don't they

Let them drive up half way......then cancel.

Taffy on the wing wrote: ↑

Sun Jan 16, 2022 8:30 pm

Let them drive up half way......then cancel.

Taffy on the wing wrote: ↑

Sun Jan 16, 2022 8:30 pm

Let them drive up half way......then cancel.

Yeah. **** em.

Spijed wrote: ↑

Sat Jan 15, 2022 10:17 pm

Edit: * farther.

I think that is the problem, it was Taylor made for Everton throwing one in. Usually a Norwich win would make me sit up, this one was always an even bet. Pity, a draw he could have crept on past the window and the pressure to change subsides somewhat, meaning he’d probably have got until seasons end; then who knows how they’d be reacting to a relegation fight.

Taffy on the wing wrote: ↑

Sun Jan 16, 2022 8:30 pm

Let them drive up half way......then cancel.

As long as someone phoned me and tells me the plan before I leave Scotland

Fair enough!