As part of its privileged position of being allowed to continue operating, English football has a moral obligation to not only follow the COVID rules but to be seen to be doing so.

Setting the right example is the very least we expect of the sport.

If a team, or just a single player, breaks the rules then they should be publicly punished rather than being unjustifiably defended by their managers (I am looking at you, Pep Guardiola).

Equally, fans should not be allowed to ignore the rules – like those that gathered outside some grounds before last weekend’s FA Cup ties to welcome teams on their arrival.

Clubs, police and the football authorities should make sure scenes like that are not repeated and take firm action against those who think that sort of behaviour is acceptable.

But, having said that, there also needs to be some common sense applied to certain situations as well.

I found it bit unfair, for example, that so many people complained about players celebrating their FA Cup triumphs in their dressing rooms.

“Where’s the social distancing? Why are they allowed to hug each other? Why aren’t they all wearing masks?” were just some of the comments I heard or read.

Well, I think the answer is pretty obvious to be honest: it’s because that group of people all happen to be in the same, plus-size bubble. It may be a different type of bubble than the ones us common folk are used to, but nevertheless it is a bubble.

They go to work together, they train together, they travel to matches on the same coach, they eat together, they sit down for tactical talks together and, most importantly, they all get tested together.

If the images we all saw of players dancing and spraying champagne on each other had been of two teams mixing in the same dressing room, then that would be wrong.

But this is the same bunch of people that has been essentially living out of each other’s pockets for the best part of a year. Which is why, when one of the people in these football bubbles catches COVID, it tends to spread like wildfire throughout the group. They are working so closely together, it is inevitably going to get passed from player to player, irrespective of whether they celebrate in their dressing rooms.

As I said, if a player breaks the rules by going to a party or doing anything else that is not allowed under the current lockdown measures, then they should be punished. We don’t want them giving the impression that football is above the law.

But complaining about teammates celebrating with each when they win a match – or even score a goal – is, to my mind at least, not a justifiable complaint.

A juicy encounter

This afternoon, Liverpool and Manchester United go head-to-head in a top-of-the-table clash that could have significant bearing on the title race.

Those are words I didn’t think I would be writing towards the beginning of this season when United lost 6-2 to Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool went one better in their 7-2 defeat at Aston Villa.

But despite Liverpool’s injury setbacks and title hangover they have still been setting the pace for most of the season, while United have overcome their consistent inconsistency to move from just above the relegation zone to the summit of the league.

If a player breaks the rules by going to a party or doing anything else that is not allowed under the current lockdown measures, then they should be punished

It’s important to note that I haven’t described this as a title-decider in itself for a few reasons. Firstly, it’s still too early to say, as we aren’t even at the half-way point of the season yet. Secondly, there is the reverse fixture to come at Old Trafford, by which point the situation could be significantly different.

And, finally, I still think Manchester City will win the league.

But none of that means we are not in for a cracking game this afternoon. United may not yet be the finished article but they are becoming much better at grinding out the results they need.

Liverpool, meanwhile, are having a very bumpy season and aren’t the all-conquering force they were last time round. Still formidable, admittedly, but not with that air of invincibility.

In fact, as things stand, both teams are pretty evenly matched, which is not something we have seen for quite a few years.

Normally, of course, you would say home advantage is going to make a significant difference to the outcome. But these aren’t normal times, and with no fans in Anfield, much of that advantage goes up in smoke.

On that basis I am going to say this will be high-scoring draw, which will be of little benefit to either team in the title race, but which will give Manchester City the added incentive to win their game in hand.

When it comes to the fight for the title, I’m thinking we may have a fascinating second half of the season on our hands…

Introducing the ‘Splitwall’

I read a rather intriguing report last week about free kicks, or more specifically, the wall of players that stand in front of the goal when free kicks are taken.

Apparently, and this is food for thought for all managers out there – the chances of a goalkeeper saving a free kick are significantly reduced by the presence of that wall.

The study looked at all sorts of parameters, like reaction time and sightlines, and concluded that because the wall blocks the keeper’s vision, he is less likely to stop the ball going in.

Now, of course, I don’t expect walls to suddenly stop being built. The study only looked at the probability of the goalkeeper getting his hands to the ball and saving it. It didn’t take into account, for example, the obvious fact that the wall itself will block a fair number of shots even making it as far as the goalkeeper.

However, I still think coaches can take something out of this study. What if, for example, you were to build two walls instead of one, leaving the shooter an obvious place to aim for? Funnel the shot towards the gap, so to speak.

That way the keeper would have a much clearer view of the ball as it is being struck and reduce his reaction time accordingly – even if the player decided to go over the wall rather than through the gap.

Admittedly, someone with better geometry skills than me would need to look into this further. But from the scribbles I just did on a bit of paper, it looks like it could make some sort of sense.

Remember, when ‘The Splitwall’ (trademark pending) becomes a regular in world football, you read it here first.

e-mail: james@quizando.com
twitter: @maltablade