Why no playoffs?

[loki679]

Suppose playoffs for the final 2 CL and the EL place might work.  3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th play off and the winner and 2nd place get the shitty CL places and 3rd gets the EL.  Maybe even extend it down to 8th with 3rd and 4th getting a bye in the first round.

 

To determine the league winner though?  Get tae fuck.  Stick with the silly yank 'sports' for that.  Be wanting to call it soccer next and serve hotdogs and 'soda' instead of beer and pies.  Educational fridge leaflets on the seats and shit.  Fuck off.

 

What does that change domestically, though? You create a "big two" that get fat on that final position cash and tv money. Two teams that are attractive to big names because they're guaranteed to contend for the title and qualify for the CL.

 

 

It's your idea, don't ask me.    At least the CL places might get shared around a bit more and give other teams a chance rather than the same 4 every year.  Imagine a year where Chelsea, Man Utd or City missed out on europe, it'd give FFP some teeth as they no longer have the guarantee of CL money.  Eventually you'd achieve a more equitable distribution.

[Corrigan]

I feel like the reaction in here has been somewhat harsh.

 

Fuck off Pardew

[themanupstairs]

I suppose I can see the point that playoffs are supposed to serve. Having more teams win the title than just the elite few helps to spread the joy amongst fans up and down the country (and world). It is entertainment afterall, and anyone who supports any sporting team does so with the hope that they will one day celebrate winning something.

 

 

[GuyP]

To be honest, if there HAS to be a league cup, then make it what it is, a LEAGUE CUP. Just for teams in their respective leagues. Top 12 get a bye while bottom 8 play to get through to "last 16" gets round the issue of 20 team knockout.

 

FA Cup will be more special as its the only place where leagues play each other.

 

Also, make the FA Cup winner get a champions league place. Will make it instantly more important.

 

Bang, English football sorted!

[Disco]

Got to love how many fans are so keen to get rid of the league cup, the competition we have the most chance of winning (and yet never bother with).

[Sima]

Got to love how many fans are so keen to get rid of the league cup, the competition we have the most chance of winning (and yet never bother with).

 

We do seem to get a ridiculous draw on an annual basis tbf.

[colinmk]

Got to love how many fans are so keen to get rid of the league cup, the competition we have the most chance of winning (and yet never bother with).

 

We do seem to get a ridiculous draw on an annual basis tbf.

 

If you approach it properly the money teams are very beatable in that cup.

[loki679]

Boro, Spurs, Liverpool, Birmingham and Swansea have all won the league cup in the last 10 years.  I reckon we could win it if we had a proper crack at it.

 

edit:  Suppose the champions league could always be considered to be the playoffs for best in europe.  Maybe that's the european version.

[Deuce]

Yeah but who honestly gives a crap about the league cup? Sorry, it doesn't mean anything at the end of the day. Not the storied competition it used to be.

 

I'd much rather scrap the league cup if it meant we could seriously challenge for the league every season.

[loki679]

Yeah but who honestly gives a crap about the league cup? Sorry, it doesn't mean anything at the end of the day. Not the storied competition it used to be.

 

I'd much rather scrap the league cup if it meant we could seriously challenge for the league every season.

 

The fuck team do you think you're supporting?  We haven't won anything since before I was born.

[Deuce]

Yeah but who honestly gives a crap about the league cup? Sorry, it doesn't mean anything at the end of the day. Not the storied competition it used to be.

 

I'd much rather scrap the league cup if it meant we could seriously challenge for the league every season.

 

The fuck team do you think you're supporting?  We haven't won anything since before I was born.

 

So?

[loki679]

Yeah but who honestly gives a crap about the league cup? Sorry, it doesn't mean anything at the end of the day. Not the storied competition it used to be.

 

I'd much rather scrap the league cup if it meant we could seriously challenge for the league every season.

 

The fuck team do you think you're supporting?  We haven't won anything since before I was born.

 

So?

 

So i'd give my right ball to see us actually win something.  We're not winning the league anytime soon, FA cup maybe if we get a bit of luck, nee chance of europe as things stand so the league cup looks pretty fucking sweet to me right now.

 

You're like the bloke who's marooned on a desert island for 40 years and complains when the woman who finally washes up is a bit of a munter.

[Deuce]

Yeah but who honestly gives a crap about the league cup? Sorry, it doesn't mean anything at the end of the day. Not the storied competition it used to be.

 

I'd much rather scrap the league cup if it meant we could seriously challenge for the league every season.

 

The fuck team do you think you're supporting?  We haven't won anything since before I was born.

 

So?

 

So i'd give my right ball to see us actually win something.  We're not winning the league anytime soon, FA cup maybe if we get a bit of luck, nee chance of europe as things stand so the league cup looks pretty fucking sweet to me right now.

 

You're like the bloke who's marooned on a desert island for 40 years and complains when the woman who finally washes up is a bit of a munter.

 

Winning something for the sake of winning something shouldn't be the goal. That doesn't mean we should continue to shit the bed in the domestic cups as we have over the past few years, but it also doesn't mean winning the League Cup should be our ultimate goal.

 

I'll never understand the mentality that says "Fuck yeah, we won 7th place!" or "Fuck yeah, avoided relegation!" It's not pragmatism, it's defeatism.

[Deuce]

Honestly this is my biggest gripe about football and why, imo, there needs to be a massive overhaul of the system. Football fans shouldn't have to feel like "It'll be a massive victory for this club if we finish top-half of the table." Even Wigan fans should feel that, at the beginning of any given season, results will come based on tactics, player quality, cohesion, management and not on how much each team has spent. That if Swansea develops a Scott Sinclair, that they won't be outpriced by a team that buys him just for the sake of buying him.

 

Whether the answer is FFP, or playoffs, or whatever, I don't know. But I know the current system is a complete sham.

[loki679]

What's 'winning something for the sake of winning something'?  It's nonsensical, the whole point of playing is to win something.

 

You go on about teams seeing seventh place as a 'massive victory' and then write off 50% off the actual shiny metal trophies we have a chance of winning.

 

And the answer isnt playoffs.  The answer is never playoffs unless the question is 'what happens at the end of the season in the fizzy pop league?'.

[Deuce]

What's 'winning something for the sake of winning something'?  It's nonsensical, the whole point of playing is to win something.

 

You go on about teams seeing seventh place as a 'massive victory' and then write off 50% off the actual shiny metal trophies we have a chance of winning.

 

And the answer isnt playoffs.  The answer is never playoffs unless the question is 'what happens at the end of the season in the fizzy pop league?'.

 

The point is, we (or any team) should have a chance of winning the league in any given season. There ought to be a level-playing field, and there isn't.

 

And I understand the "no-playoffs" mentality, as it's not the way it's done over there. And you can mock American-style systems all you want, but playoffs do make for more entertaining and equitable finishes 9 seasons out of 10. Victory is far more contingent upon tactics, management, cohesion, etc. in American sports than it is in football.

 

But you'll never convince me that City or Chelsea deserves to win a title because they've won the most over 38 games, when their success has come solely through a deep pocketbook.

[AyeDubbleYoo]

Honestly this is my biggest gripe about football and why, imo, there needs to be a massive overhaul of the system. Football fans shouldn't have to feel like "It'll be a massive victory for this club if we finish top-half of the table." Even Wigan fans should feel that, at the beginning of any given season, results will come based on tactics, player quality, cohesion, management and not on how much each team has spent. That if Swansea develops a Scott Sinclair, that they won't be outpriced by a team that buys him just for the sake of buying him.

 

Whether the answer is FFP, or playoffs, or whatever, I don't know. But I know the current system is a complete sham.

 

Surely playoffs would make no difference? The best teams would still be the ones who spent the most.

[Deuce]

Honestly this is my biggest gripe about football and why, imo, there needs to be a massive overhaul of the system. Football fans shouldn't have to feel like "It'll be a massive victory for this club if we finish top-half of the table." Even Wigan fans should feel that, at the beginning of any given season, results will come based on tactics, player quality, cohesion, management and not on how much each team has spent. That if Swansea develops a Scott Sinclair, that they won't be outpriced by a team that buys him just for the sake of buying him.

 

Whether the answer is FFP, or playoffs, or whatever, I don't know. But I know the current system is a complete sham.

 

Surely playoffs would make no difference? The best teams would still be the ones who spent the most.

 

As I said, I think it would give teams more impetus to "fight, and win" (sorry ) over 38 games than they do currently. If you could guarantee Newcastle, Everton, Fulham, Liverpool, etc. that they'd still have a chance, however slim, at winning the title by cracking the Top 6, how could that not make for a great season?

[AyeDubbleYoo]

I suppose so. It wouldn't really be the same though, the whole point of a league is to test teams over a season. Playoffs for me are never a good idea, except for reasons of keeping it interesting for fans.

 

I totally agree about it being a problem that only rich clubs can win the league though.

[Deuce]

I suppose so. It wouldn't really be the same though, the whole point of a league is to test teams over a season. Playoffs for me are never a good idea, except for reasons of keeping it interesting for fans.

 

I totally agree about it being a problem that only rich clubs can win the league though.

 

I am of the opinion that FFP/salary cap/whatever is of greater importance than a playoff system. The latter is more geared towards entertainment, with some equitability measures inherent.

 

Get a sound equitability policy in place and you'll never hear me mention playoffs again.

[loki679]

I would favour a playoff system for the last 3 european places in the league, as i mentioned.  That would even things out a fair bit but to determine the champion?  If they're the best team over 38 games, home and away, how does going back and playing that team you beat 3 months ago prove anything?

[Mike]

Yeah but who honestly gives a crap about the league cup? Sorry, it doesn't mean anything at the end of the day. Not the storied competition it used to be.

 

I'd much rather scrap the league cup if it meant we could seriously challenge for the league every season.

 

The fuck team do you think you're supporting?  We haven't won anything since before I was born.

 

So?

 

So i'd give my right ball to see us actually win something.  We're not winning the league anytime soon.

 

We support a team that has pretty much acknowledged that it will not spend the money required to challenge for the top spot. We're never, ever going to win the league the way it is now. Ever.

 

We're all going to watch the same exact season over and over again until we die unless we become one of the super rich teams. It would be one thing if it was just us. Bad luck, we're Cubs fans. But this is the reality for every single team save three or four.

 

What's the point of this league?

[loki679]

What's the point of this league?

 

The hope.  Maybe we'll get good again one day.  It is pretty fun too.

[Mike]

What hope, man? We don't go into seasons hoping to win the league. We hope we finish sixth, we hope we don't go down, we hope we can go back to Europe so we can have something we can enjoy for once.

 

Why is it acceptable that the biggest domestic trophy is an impossible ambition for over half the teams allegedly competing for it?

[SEMTEX]

Making a random fucker win the league via playoffs every year has absolutely shit all to do with making it fair though. You make the league fair through salary caps and FFP etc, not by just making it all a crap shoot.