That way, everybody knows where they stand from day one. Too simplistic maybe?
If we get reinstated points at this stage, Luton / Forest should say they’d set out to approach games on the basis of us being deducted 10 points. Their entire approach to most of the season hinged on knowing what they needed to stay out of the relegation zone.
As badly managed as we’ve clearly been for decades, this whole saga is a mess of the PL’s making. There’s zero sporting integrity in this season’s range of outcomes, no matter whether we stay up or go down.
If a second charge were to e.g. dock another five points this late in the season - when, as you say, there’s no published tariff to know what a penalty should entail - does it not change the entire approach we’ve employed in games? For example, we could argue that we set out to play for a draw today given the context of our current position; but if we’d known we were going to be penalised by another five points we would have played for a win?
The entire sporting picture - and ability to know what you’re playing for - is completely compromised due to the lack of transparent process and clarity over the penalty to be faced for breaches.
I’ve no truck with us being deducted points when we know what the penalty is for breaching regulations but it seems ridiculous to be able to impose penalties without having set them out in advance. It’s not like they haven’t had time since introducing PSR to figure that out. It’s no different to kicking off a game and not knowing whether you score more points for a goal scored from outside the box. We’re playing blind.
...is that we actually have no idea what we "need" - and that's not only because the outcome of the appeal is still pending. The horrific reality of our full situation is that due to the 2nd charge it's actually likely that we won't ever know "what we need" until very late, if not after the end of the season. As we saw with the first breach, without any kind of published tariff, we have absolutely no idea how many points we might end up having taken from us.
Add to this the uncertainty over the ownership of the club (and hence uncertainty over the funding over the stadium and any funds to improve the squad) and it's going to be an extremely stressful few months for everyone connected to the club.
All that Dyche & Co can do is try to get as many points on the board as they can and hope that is enough after the club's punishment(s) have eventually and finally been decided - whenever that might be.
This is the chickens coming home to roost after 30+ years of mismanagement, and it's every bit as horrific as a lot of us feared it would be.
However, to concede like that was disappointing. Three points would have made such a difference. Hopefully Gomes to come back next week to add some composure and passing ability to the side. Would also like to see Coleman starting as he does, at least, try to get forward/overlap, something our full backs are not really doing…though that may be under instruction.
Only 12 games to go and we really need four wins, I think…unless we get points back. Fingers crossed.
A draw is very acceptable.
They have to play Forest at home in a couple of weeks.
Disclaimer (sadly necessary it seems!) - my posts here on The People's Forum are my own thoughts and opinions as a fan, not those of the Fan Advisory Board. Thanks.
Responses