PreMatch | Everton vs Liverpool | PL Matchday 15 | Weds 12 February 19:30h | The last Derby at Goodison

Haha @cynicaloldgit

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I’m glad this got postponed, it would have gave them even more excuses to kick and injure our players, hopefully when it’s rescheduled for we have more players available.

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Thread should be closed until further notice. :rofl:

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I don’t mind the format too much, but could do without the extra round. Besides the extra money and the extra load on the players, it seems to be working as a get out of jail card, as good teams can coast, without too much jeopardy, so long as they finish in the top 24.

I’d rather lose the playoff round, determine who the top 16 are, then have a simple knockout bracket to the final, with clear seedings: 1v16, 2v15, 3v14, etc.

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Probably bored with no Liverpool game today.

So I’m taking aim at UEFA, and their half-assed job at finishing seedings off for their prize tournament :joy:

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The problem with only the top 16 advancing is that by reducing the number of qualifying teams by 8, and having a single tier of success you make a LOT more of the group stage games relatively meaningless. I dont like the number of extra games, but I think the format is keeping an unusually number of games meaningful right into the last round of fixtures.

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Fair point.

Hey, will all you northerners please take your winter weather back? Thank you, the south.

It’s actually East V West.

Then again it wasn’t great over here in London.

I had a busy weekend (woke up early to catch this game before starting a hectic Saturday) - is there a new date set yet?

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Not yet. There will be dates available in February if we win (don’t lose?) tomorrow. We also have League and FA Cups dates that are possible. I wouldn’t expect a definite date until next month.

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Yeah, I think if we can secure a top 8 CL, that midweek of the CL playoffs is a likely spot for it.

New Years Day is a possibility as well

Not yet.

I think I outlined some possibilities in the Liverpool fixture post.

I can’t see it being News Year Day now and I don’t think the Police would want it that day. Could be the Thursday the 2nd but I think they will probably need a month. It’s likely to be one of the Thursdays* if we secure the CL top 8 or league cup weeks if we go out to Soton.

*I say Thursdays as I think CL generally block unless you have a silly kick off time like 6pm unless it’s later rounds.

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Hopefully All is Quiet

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I see it happening just before St. Valentine’s Day. Still a couple of variables to work out before then. I would be very surprised if the police went for New Year’s Day, after a busy night before, presumably with the whole thing stretched thin.

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Interesting I’ve just read 3-4 articles and not one of them suggests that new years date. Only This is Anfield.

UEFAhave to give dispensation to allow for a game to clash with CL so that’s why it’s likely Thursday.

Cannot see the 1st myself.

Yeah that’s my thought also we are also about 3 weeks away.

Wouldn’t be surprised if we qualified tomorrow it gets announced soon after.

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Aside from anything else, I don’t think the PL TV dates have been announced yet. That will impact on when it can be slotted in.

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To be honest they can be moved around on a weekend.

The Police will be out in force NYE…
Unlikely they will sanction match patrol at Woodison this late

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