Premier League Prediction Thread (EPL)

[hilariousetc]

Well that is still a month away. How much training do they need.

I bet they are all match hungry. Footballers are competitive.

Well you would think so, but several have already said they won't be playing or training as they fear for their health. Watford's Troy Deeney and Chelsea's Kante have refused to train. I don't know whether that would extend to games. Watford need all the help they can get so if he doesn't play it's not going to help their relegation battle. I'm sure there will be many more that don't end up playing as time goes on.

Dani Ceballos, a Real Madrid player on loan at Arsenal, seems to have accidentally revealed a big secret when the Premiership begins.
According to him, the Premiership continues on June 20.
The Sun newspaper writes that now Ceballos has created a big problem because that information was supposed to remain secret 
Source: https://www.index.hr/sport/clanak/zvijezda-arsenala-se-izlajala-o-pocetku-premiershipa-i-napravila-veliki-problem/2184776.aspx

Already posted it above. Not sure it's been confirmed yet though. I would be surprised if the players have been given a date and the media not told about it.

[tokeweed]

I’m pretty sure hookers shouldn’t be working atm, I guess they still have bills to pay though & that’s why they’re still operating. You’re right though, so many players bang hookers, Kyle Walker was at it a few weeks ago. I saw on Sky Sports that Spurs fullback Aurier broke lockdown rules for the 3rd time haha, he put a photo on social media of him having his hair cut

They could dress up in nurse outfits, complete with surgical masks and just do hand jobs tho.  No fluid transfer allowed!  There's a pandemic ffs. 

[Juggy777]

Well that is still a month away. How much training do they need.

I bet they are all match hungry. Footballers are competitive.

Well you would think so, but several have already said they won't be playing or training as they fear for their health. Watford's Troy Deeney and Chelsea's Kante have refused to train. I don't know whether that would extend to games. Watford need all the help they can get so if he doesn't play it's not going to help their relegation battle. I'm sure there will be many more that don't end up playing as time goes on.

Dani Ceballos, a Real Madrid player on loan at Arsenal, seems to have accidentally revealed a big secret when the Premiership begins.
According to him, the Premiership continues on June 20.
The Sun newspaper writes that now Ceballos has created a big problem because that information was supposed to remain secret  
Source: https://www.index.hr/sport/clanak/zvijezda-arsenala-se-izlajala-o-pocetku-premiershipa-i-napravila-veliki-problem/2184776.aspx

Already posted it above. Not sure it's been confirmed yet though. I would be surprised if the players have been given a date and the media not told about it.

@hilariousetc while I’m excited for the return of my favourite league, I yet won’t judge the players for refusing to play because after all they too are humans who’re scared for their lives. Furthermore it’s quite possible that this maybe the official date, but I don’t understand why was the media kept in the dark about this date, and will the league fine Ceballos for leaking the date before they officially announced it?.

Source:

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2020/05/07/premier-league-players-scared-resuming-season-says-psychologist/

[DeathAngel]

Lol @ Ceballos for slipping up & telling the press the proposed restart date, I don’t think he’ll get in any sort of trouble for it though. It was publicly discussed we’d restart the week before so I don’t see any issues. I’ll be happy to see PL football back ASAP.

[hilariousetc]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/52775640

The Premier League is "as confident as we can be" about restarting in June, says chief executive Richard Masters.

Players resumed training on Tuesday, the day it was announced there had been six positive tests for coronavirus across three clubs.

The Premier League, suspended on 13 March, had previously identified 12 June as a possible restart date.

@hilariousetc while I’m excited for the return of my favourite league, I yet won’t judge the players for refusing to play because after all they too are humans who’re scared for their lives. Furthermore it’s quite possible that this maybe the official date, but I don’t understand why was the media kept in the dark about this date, and will the league fine Ceballos for leaking the date before they officially announced it?.

I can understand if they don't want to play for health reasons and won't judge them for that, but lots of players don't seem to be social distancing anyway. Some players have been meeting with prostitutes and others going for kickabouts in the park. If those ones refuse to play then they really won't have an argument. I think the majority will want to play though.

Lol @ Ceballos for slipping up & telling the press the proposed restart date, I don’t think he’ll get in any sort of trouble for it though. It was publicly discussed we’d restart the week before so I don’t see any issues. I’ll be happy to see PL football back ASAP.

Maybe something was lost in translation or they assumed something. I can't see why it would have been a secret, but if you're telling hundreds of players /coaching staff it's going to get out there immediately and if they had a date it would have probably been made public already. Maybe the 20th isn't a hard date but a date that they're aiming for. Probably not much point giving a definitive date if they're not going to be able to meet it as there's lots of things that need to be organised and lots of things that could go wrong.

[Globb0]

They will need more magic sponges than before so each player can be restored from any broken limbs and rolling around on the floor without sharing it.   

[DeathAngel]

They will need more magic sponges than before so each player can be restored from any broken limbs and rolling around on the floor without sharing it.   

I saw some goal celebrations in Germany today, it looks so joyless. Players kind of high fiving with their lower arm bones, just weird. I guess we have to get used to it though.

[Globb0]

Yeah I know, as if touching elbows was somehow not touching? it clearly is and then they can scratch or rub their elbow later to transfer anything.

Either have contact or don't I think. This elbow handshake is just stupid.

[snipie]

Yeah I know, as if touching elbows was somehow not touching? it clearly is and then they can scratch or rub their elbow later to transfer anything.

Either have contact or don't I think. This elbow handshake is just stupid.

In football, it is impossible to not touch others. The disgusting and maybe more dangerous part is when players spit in the grass then the ball or a player touch it. The ball itself is risky and so on.
Such movement are indeed unnecessary but well...players always do silly things. The essential thing is that they are screened.

[tokeweed]

They will need more magic sponges than before so each player can be restored from any broken limbs and rolling around on the floor without sharing it.  

I saw some goal celebrations in Germany today, it looks so joyless. Players kind of high fiving with their lower arm bones, just weird. I guess we have to get used to it though.

This is gonna be the official celebration for players at the EPL from 2020 and beyond.  Stay safe guys.

EPL Celebration Guidlines - FA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_QTHfrXHo9M

[coinlocket$]

Can anyone confirm this?

Written like this should mean "at least 1 player has been found positive"

Source: https://twitter.com/indykaila/status/1264297600947294208

[snipie]

https://i.imgur.com/xYHiN9q.png

Can anyone confirm this?

Written like this should mean "at least 1 player has been found positive"

Source: https://twitter.com/indykaila/status/1264297600947294208

Some countries, report the total number of positive tests in a specific day but a smaller number is shown in worldmeters site for example. In fact these countries include the old infected persons and the test confirm if they are still carrying the virus or not (so they don't count on that day because they were already counted on a previous day).
I don't know if this is the case here or not but if it is, then it is good.

[DeathAngel]

Can anyone confirm this?

Written like this should mean "at least 1 player has been found positive"

Source: https://twitter.com/indykaila/status/1264297600947294208

It’s genuine news, only 2 (which includes players & staff from every club) were positive for COVID19. It’s not bad really is it, only 2.

[jayce]

It's confirmed that one of Bournemouth players tests positive, and since Bournemouth is on 18th position in the table, it's a hard situation for them. It might make FA to reconsider the plan to continue Premier League, and if it's stopped, Bournemouth will be relegated immediately. Iirc all of players and staffs will be checked regularly every week and hope those infected players recovered next week.

Edit: It's been revealed that the player who tests positive is Aaron Ramsdale. Would be hard for Bournemouth since he is the main goalkeeper atm.

[Upgrade00]

Premier League clubs will hold a second vote on 'Project Restart' on Wednesday morning. Sky Sports News' chief reporter Bryan Swanson answers the key questions
...
A vote is necessary and at least 14 clubs must approve these new measures. If the majority of clubs agree, players can resume close contact training, which includes tackling, later in the week

Later today we would get news of the current position and the possibility that football would return in England.
The situation is looking promising, after two rounds of testing, majority of players (99.5%) have turned up negative.

All 20 clubs have now completed the third round of COVID-19 tests and results are expected to be published by the Premier League on Wednesday afternoon

Source - https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.skysports.com/amp/football/news/11095/11995116/premier-league-qa-second-vote-on-project-restart-imminent

[hd49728]

Later today we would get news of the current position and the possibility that football would return in England.
The situation is looking promising, after two rounds of testing, majority of players (99.5%) have turned up negative.

Source - https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.skysports.com/amp/football/news/11095/11995116/premier-league-qa-second-vote-on-project-restart-imminent

Many reasons for that result and it is good because the whole UK. has still been in lockdowns. Things will change with (maybe) a second wave of infections but the fact that we have to accept is the virus will be here with us. It won't dissappear after a few months and the economy and society can not be put into lockdowns and gradually destroy like that.

Football will be resumed when society comes back to work with its new normality. That's it. Stay positively with hope on Premier League and stay safe too.

[LFC_Bitcoin]

@premierleague
Premier League Shareholders today voted unanimously to resume contact training, marking another step towards restarting the Premier League season, when safe to do so

Full statement: https://www.premierleague.com/news/1673398?sf234401760=1
https://twitter.com/premierleague/status/1265602419116949504?s=21

[SFR10]

I saw some goal celebrations in Germany today, it looks so joyless. Players kind of high fiving with their lower arm bones, just weird. I guess we have to get used to it though.

Either have contact or don't I think. This elbow handshake is just stupid.

Such movement are indeed unnecessary but well...players always do silly things. The essential thing is that they are screened.

What they're doing is spreading awareness ^{[a positive thing to do, even if some of them do it as a joke]}...
- It might not completely eliminate the chances of getting infected or transmitting it but it significantly reduces its chances.

• Coronavirus may have killed the handshake, but are elbow bumps any better?
• Elbow bumps are the new handshake, here's why

Full statement: https://www.premierleague.com/news/1673398?sf234401760=1

Based on the latter part of that statement, anyone knows how many stages there will be before actually resuming the season?

Stage Two of the Return to Training protocol has been agreed following consultation with clubs, players, managers, the PFA, LMA and the Government.

Discussions are ongoing as work continues towards resuming the season, when conditions allow.

[DeathAngel]

I think there’s a plan to restart the season on the weekend of 20th June which gives the teams 3.5 weeks more training before a return to playing games.

[FlamingFingers]

They will need more magic sponges than before so each player can be restored from any broken limbs and rolling around on the floor without sharing it.   

I saw some goal celebrations in Germany today, it looks so joyless. Players kind of high fiving with their lower arm bones, just weird. I guess we have to get used to it though.

That's the latest football celebration right now, still better than kissing your team mate, we just have to get used to it due to the pandemic ravaging the world, some major leagues might resume back but the fun behind football both on and off the pitch for both spectators and players will be missing, hopefully we get out of this situation for good soon