Anna Woodberry

Weekly Update of England’s Coronavirus Figures: 1st-7th February

Since entering our third national lockdown on 4th January, focus has rightly been on our vaccine roll-out and the potential effect it could have on transmission, hospitalisations and deaths. As the number of people vaccinated with their first dose increases, as does our opportunity to further accelerate the rate of decline in positive cases, peopleContinue reading “Weekly Update of England’s Coronavirus Figures: 1st-7th February”

VAR referees are intervening less in games, but is this still problematic?

In January, I wrote a piece highlighting the significant increase in the average number of penalties awarded during the 2020-21 Premier League season. If we continued at the current pace (0.40 penalties per game), we were on track to see 152 penalties given across the full 380-game season, representing a 66.7% on the last seasonContinue reading “VAR referees are intervening less in games, but is this still problematic?”

Being patient is working, we’re on the right track

As we start to get this pandemic under control in England, there has been a shift in the narrative toward our lockdown exit strategy, with Boris Johnson and his government set to announce these very plans on February 22nd. However, we are already starting to see the rumblings of discontent within the ruling Conservative PartyContinue reading “Being patient is working, we’re on the right track”

Weekly Update of England’s Coronavirus Figures: 25th-31st January

How long might this lockdown last?

Even though England’s lockdown laws are set to end on March 31st, Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said it is “too early” to know whether it will be possible to lift restrictions by the spring. However, when addressing MPs in the House of Commons, Health Minister Matt Hancock listed four measures that would need toContinue reading “How long might this lockdown last?”

Have we cheapened the penalty kick?

There has been a dramatic increase in the number of penalties awarded in the Premier League this season. Many journalists and analysts have raised the issue, arguing that a combination of the revisions to the handball law and the introduction of VAR have caused this spike. While I agree that they have contributed to theContinue reading “Have we cheapened the penalty kick?”

The government was failing to manage coronavirus before this new variant emerged

England reached a grim milestone over the New Year weekend as hospitalisations from coronavirus surpassed the first wave peak, with this number expected to grow over the coming weeks as cases continue to soar amidst a new strain of the virus – believed to be up to 70% more transmissible. On Monday evening, Boris JohnsonContinue reading “The government was failing to manage coronavirus before this new variant emerged”

Now the UK-EU Agreement has been finalised, what next for Britain under Boris Johnson?

“Brexit was not an end but a beginning: the start of a new era of national change and renewal”. “The responsibility now falls on our shoulders to take advantage of the freedom of action our country has regained”. Boris johnson, 2020 On Christmas Eve, the United Kingdom and the European Union finally signed off onContinue reading “Now the UK-EU Agreement has been finalised, what next for Britain under Boris Johnson?”

Should the whole of England be put into Tier 4?

Boris Johnson placed London, the South East and the East of England into Tier 4 on Saturday evening due to the steepening rise of a new strain of coronavirus that is thought to be up to 70% more transmissible (increasing the R rate by as much as 0.4). The emergence and explosion of this newContinue reading “Should the whole of England be put into Tier 4?”

How can the tougher tier system cope with our precarious winter situation?

In England this week, a select few have received their first coronavirus vaccine. After a tough 2020, there finally appears to be light at the end of the tunnel… a chance to be optimistic. However, we must not lose sight of the fact that we have a tricky few months ahead. The difficult production andContinue reading “How can the tougher tier system cope with our precarious winter situation?”