*Official* English Football Season 2009-2010

[Uppercut]

Seems a bit "if you're not good enough, change the rules" to me.

 

[Matteh]

I think we should seed the top 4 teams based on Championships. They can then start with a 15 point head start.

(Actually offhand, think this is more likely to include Villa over Chelsea)

 

[BoyBrumby]

Seems a bit "if you're not good enough, change the rules" to me.

Been doing that since the "Champions" League admitted teams who weren't champions tho, arguably.

 

[sledger]

Seems a bit "if you're not good enough, change the rules" to me.

Quite. To me, the team who finishes 4th, finishes 4th. Don't see what there is to play-off for tbh. May as well have a play-off between the top two sides to see who wins the league if you take this approach imo.

 

[grecian]

Yeah there was a thread on play-offs, I'm massive in favour. I personally think dozens of lower-league clubs would of gone out of business without it because the added revenue through the crowds that it generates. As someone who sat through many meaningless matches in my youth with crowds of under 2000, I really believe it's a must. Not fair, but neither is going bust.

Not sure that applies here, but I'm in favour of this thing in the prem anyway, as it'll be entertaining, and if it pisses off the likes of Citeh, Spurs, Arse, Liverpool and Villa, then I'm all the more in the "for" camp

 

[BoyBrumby]

Quite. To me, the team who finishes 4th, finishes 4th. Don't see what there is to play-off for tbh. May as well have a play-off between the top two sides to see who wins the league if you take this approach imo.

Pretty much every other football code does, tbf.

Wouldn't go that far myself, but absolutely no issues with a play-off for the 4th CL spot (or a play-off for a CL play-off, in all probability).

 

[GIMH]

People can go on and on about how "but then maybe it will be different to the big four for a change" - but can you imagine how crap the fans of, say, Aston Villa would feel if they got 4th spot, finally managing to break up the "big four" after a long run of them being the same - and then missing out on the CL to the same club they replaced because of playoffs?

My heart would bleed for them. Must be a bit like finishing 3rd in League One, being the only team outside the top two in the promotion hunt all season and getting beaten on penalties by a team that finished ten points behind.

But hey, I'm not bitter or anything

Nah, seriously, we've had our fair share of play-off heartbreak, as well as a fantastic victory over the filth in 91. Just found it funny to hear Liverpool fans moaning about this today. I thought to myself, you really do live in your own little bubble don't you? It's been happening in the lower leagues for close to 25 years, makes a lot of sense really. And I think this would more often hurt the big four than help them.

 

[roseboy64]

Should just be between 4th and 5th really. Too many games otherwise taking European and cup games into account .

 

[Ausage]

I'm a big fan of playoffs, and I don't really buy the whole "best team over the course of 38 games" thing. If you're really the team most worthy of going to Europe, you should be able to perform in the big matches otherwise what is the point of being there? Not to mention the increased possibility of fairytale Europe runs, and extra "big matches" towards the end of the year.

Unsurprising that there'd be big 4 supporters against it though.

 

[BoyBrumby]

I'm a big fan of playoffs, and I don't really buy the whole "best team over the course of 38 games" thing. If you're really the team most worthy of going to Europe, you should be able to perform in the big matches otherwise what is the point of being there? Not to mention the increased possibility of fairytale Europe runs, and extra "big matches" towards the end of the year.

Unsurprising that there'd be big 4 supporters against it though.

Ha, yeah. Turkeys don't vote for Christmas and all that.

Totally agree tho; what's best for football isn't what's best for the big 4. Obviously I'm an Arsenal fan, but, as I said before, outside of parochial self-interest, I don't see a downside.

Certainly a better idea than Scudamore's "39th game", anyway.

 

[cpr]

Not a fan tbh, am old school 4th is 4th philosophy. Wont make the season more competitive because all it does is shuffle the European spots, 7th is still Europe, 8th is nothing, no change. Just penalises the team that did make 4th. Why should 7th have a shot at the CL, just accept their Europa league spot and be done with it.

 

[Scaly piscine]

Hmm my MSN bit after the name is usually "War. War never changes"

Think I'm going to have to substitute war for football. It's unreal

 

[BoyBrumby]

Love Roy Keane sometimes. At the weekly Ipswich press conference some hapless hack asked him what he thought about Beckham's return to Old Tartford,

"I couldn't care less" was the suitably whithering reply.

 

[Ausage]

Turkeys don't vote for Christmas

Love it.

 

[Ausage]

Not a fan tbh, am old school 4th is 4th philosophy. Wont make the season more competitive because all it does is shuffle the European spots, 7th is still Europe, 8th is nothing, no change. Just penalises the team that did make 4th. Why should 7th have a shot at the CL, just accept their Europa league spot and be done with it.

You know, that's not a bad point. How about a playoff between 7-10th for the last Europa spot? As a Blackburn fan I'm all for it

 

[Jarquis]

Playoff between 15-18th to see who gets relegated.
Sure we can find something for 11-14 to play for..

 

[Ausage]

Playoff between 15-18th to see who gets relegated.
Sure we can find something for 11-14 to play for..

The last relegation spot is decided by a 2 team playoff in Italy IIRC.

 

[cpr]

TBH, if a teams so mediocre that their season is so dead by March, then so what. If the fans dont go to the matches and they lose revenue because there is nothing to play for , then that'll encourage them to make a bit more effort next year wont it (think its a bit of a myth tbh, fans will still go if the team are giving all and at least trying to play well, its when the players let the season peter out, then it impacts the attendance) Win or bust IMO, no point being meh about a year

 

[marc71178]

Not a fan tbh, am old school 4th is 4th philosophy. Wont make the season more competitive because all it does is shuffle the European spots, 7th is still Europe, 8th is nothing, no change.

Actually, strictly speaking 6th and 7th aren't Europe.

3 Europa spots are 5th place league, FA Cup and Carling Cup.

 

[cpr]

Thats true, though usually the winners/runners up in each tend to have qualification sorted through league, or be in the 5-7th position in the league anyway (not always I know, remembering Millwall having a bash at Europe one year thanks to being runners up in the cup to us)