I can’t believe you’re stupid enough to expect me to name them. But why do you think your panic stations wanting (arguably or possibly) media are any better?

No I don’t think it’s being made up. But as you imply there is hyperbole going on and the idea of the WHO overreacting seems logical to me. The idea of banning people from attending sports events, which surely has also to mean closing any mass attendant event including shopping centres, seems stupid to me.

If you want to shut yourself off to the rest of the human race then go ahead. I’ll support your right to do it. But don’t ban me from attending Arsenal games. It has to be personal choice, informed by stats that should be commonly available.

Zed has proved over many years to be one of the forum’s best (if rarer than ideal), most rational and intelligent posters. Try reading the post number 518810.

Zed's post was interesting but here are the issues in my opinion:
The virus can last up to 48 hours outside the body
it can be transmitted by touch or transference person to person
it has already mutated into 2 types
It spreads extremely effectively
People do not display symptoms for significant periods, indeed there are now cases where people have it but don't have symptoms - BUT they can transfer it to others
There are no classic symptoms - they can vary
People are not immune after they have caught it - we have already had an Australian woman who has got it twice
Of the people who catch it somewhere above 3% are likely to die - many have pre-existing respiratory problems but diabeties patients have problems but not all of them- children seem to be okay but no guarantees
WHO have decided it is best to try and control the spread of it
vaccines maybe 12-18 months away if at all
Restricting mass meetings and events will likely help - look at this way. A person showing no signs attends a football match. He uses the toilet and he uses railings to get to his seat. Capacity to spread it looks reasonably high to me plus 8 people around him might have direct contact.
Last year 9800 died worldwide from the flu -currently death toll around 3800 for COVID 19 but it has just started
Health systems will be overwhelmed if it comes into your area
In summary I am not convinced that it is wrong of governments to try and tackle this immediately and restrict peoples movements.
And yes there will be a worldwide economic disaster but it will be worse if it ends up spreading to say 50% of the population or even 20%.

There are a number of counters on the internet but this is the one I looked at when trying to determine what we should do with our trip
https://gisanddata.maps.arcgis.com/apps ... 7b48e9ecf6

We would have been a much better club had Ramsey stayed.

Some of the rhetoric is a decent sensible heartfelt message however to say....

The fact is the virus itself will not likely do much harm when it arrives.

... is absurd. 133 people died in a single day yesterday in Italy.

To ask people to stop buying up toilet rolls is one thing but to ignore the dangers of this thing is idiotic . The social distancing restrictions will come like they have elsewhere and you’ll have to lump it.

Now that it has reached India, I expect contagion to skyrocket. Massive overcrowding, poor sanitation and personal hygiene, with a large expat population flying in and out. The global economic impacts are going to make it worse.

Precisely. And the global north, even with their (relatively) excellent healthcare systems, have large elderly populations. Apart form the much higher deathrate, if you are 80 and you get infected and get double pneumonia, you may recover. But it will be a huge strain on resources (and we know how strained resources already are) and will you recover fully I wonder?

Imagine it was wartime and the likes of Bernard said "I've spoken to someone in the ministry and he reckons the Germans aren't going to bomb us and even if they do the risk of me being killed is only 1%. So bugger switching my lights off".

Wow, I didn't see that. Terrifying.

FTSE opens down 9%, one of the biggest stock market drops in recent memory - and a bigger fall than 9/11

... another silly Over reaction.

And the NYSE is expected to open more than 5% down. I bet Trump didn't get any sleep last night. Reality can be fend off but not forever!

As long as city away isn’t cancelled though that’s what’s important.

perhaps City away can be quarantined until we have figured out a plan?

Don’t be ridiculous!, 3% of the 60 thousand fans dying is an acceptable loss if we can nick a point.

I meant a plan to fix our defence ... something a bit better than faith in Jesus and Leno.

Seriously, I think we could be in for a hiding.

Pep will not want to lose to make a point to Mikel. Should be an interesting game. Bring on the restrictions I say.

Announce the season null and void.

That is what they get paid for!
I will enjoy our good run while it lasts. Otherwise, what is the point of being a supporter?

Well done for finally saying something sensible on the issue.

Do people want shopping centres closed? If so, you better stock up on enough tinned food to last for the next twelve to eighteen months, if that’s how long it’ll take to develop a vaccine,

Shopping centres providing a essential items. Course not.

Relaxation and leisure activities to temporarily stop the spread whilst vaccines are developed? of course.

So stopping relaxation and leisure activities won’t stop it’s spread. So I see it as pointless and worthless doing it. You disagree, that’s fine?

Are you already cutting down coming into contact with people?

Then that’s a selfish attitude. It’s about trying to contain it buying valuable time for healthcare to prepare for the inevitable, vaccines to be created so Emergency resources aren’t over whelmed.

Do you think they are over reacting in Italy then and they should accept the inevitable and horrendous losses that will occur ? Shouldn’t an attempt by made to help people fight for their lives?

On cutting contact with people I haven’t so far but I expect to. My work is mandating only business critical travel will be approved. They had floated the idea of issuing a statement saying “This thing is a whole big over reaction folks” but decided against it.

anyone angry at having to curtail their leisure activities because of a national effort to save thousands of lives must be a shitpipe of the highest order

I don’t want our GK to have to make lots of saves but when he does it isn’t lucky it’s good goal keeping. The one that was lucky for us at the weekend was when West Ham messed up that 2 v 1 with a horrid square pass.
I think we have improved from Emery, the results show it and in the most the performance show it, the players are far more behind him. There is still a long way to go with the performances but emery had 2 summer transfer windows and 2 full per seasons. I reckon given the same amount of time Arteta will have us in a much better position

Agreed. I'm alright Jack is not a great attitude to have. Most supporters will be just fine but because you are fine it doesn't mean you can't pass it on to someone who is at risk.

Absolutely. What happened to the Dunkirk spirit. Nobody gets left behind.

We will fight to the bitter end and if this Island or a large part of it were subjugated and starving, then our Empire beyond the seas, armed and guarded by the British Fleet, would carry on the struggle, until, in God's good time, the New World, with all its power and might, steps in.

However if it costs us watching Xhaka fluff his lines then screw that ....

lol, duh.

To moan?

But you are right. I will stiffen my upper lip! Things are certainly more hopeful under Arteta--although games like that one and the Olympiakos one do test one's faith a bit.

Big, big test for Arteta against City. I hope he plays a mobile and quick team. We must not walk into the match thinking we will be hammered.

Leno
Bellerin Mari Luiz Saka
Pépé Guendozi Willock Xhaka Martinelli
Aubameyang

Although Pépé is not hitting on all cylinders, his speed for any counter will be useful. And it will give City something to think about.

Willock must be psyched to bring on his A+ game. Make him believe what he can do.

Martinelli for his ability and willingness to run at the opposition. And he does come back to defend as well.

Drop Özil because he slows down the team.

Luiz, though suspect at times, is needed for stability in defence.

Aubameyang, obvious choice. Give City something to think about.

Bellerin, preference to Sokratis there.

Here's a interesting interview from channel 4 news regarding the coronavirus threat.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dcJDpV- ... e=youtu.be

Thanks for that Bored - plenty of food for thought there. I think we're in for some disruption to everyday life, and missing or cancelling a few football matches is pretty insignificant.

You can be such a prat sometimes.

Özil will play or obvious reasons. Willock won't. Martinelli is less likely than Nelson who Arteta seems to like. Luiz and the word stability don't belong in the same sentence.

Cancelling matches I have no problem with. What I am against is stopping fans who want to attend games that are played, especially as it won’t stop the spread of the virus.

Just watched that in its entirety. Extremely scary. Easy to see why there is a trend towards reducing human contact right now.

Very, very scary.

The potential numbers here are mindboggling:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iDelUkpFm60

Well that’s just nonsense because it’s a policy to cancel or have closed doors. Not somewhere in between as thousands would still turn up out of personal choice.

As Le Bron said if it’s not safe for the fans then what about the players too. What about the rights of the workers at the ground.