World Soccer Thread II

[alva]

Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui


Indeed... and it is a 'European' Cup. We want all of Europe to participate, and engaging in such a competition may make those 'crap' countries that much better with all the experience on the continent.

What I meant with crap teams, are teams that excell in dropping down dead and wasting time.

I think it's great when smaller teams goes through, I would have loved to see both PSV and AZ to make it to the final.

[alva]

Originally posted by Locutus

* snip *
they only went out on away goals scored in extra time, I don't think that's a fair rule either: Sporting got 30 minutes more than AZ in which their away goals counted double. Away goals in extra time IMO should never be counted double...

* snip *

I never liked that rule either, the problem is that it works and that I can't think of a alternative solution.

At one point though, in Belgium that scored away goal during extra time didn't count double. I remember a team loosing when they thought they were entitled to penalties, the look on their faces, when the referee ended the match was absolutely priceless.

[Locutus]

Disclaimer: the following post is not about the match AZ lost but about the rule in general. AZ knew and accepted the rules, so that they lost is their own fault. They just shouldn't have given away a goal in the last 30 seconds of a half... TWICE! But I've been annoyed by this rule several times this season, both with clubs I cared about and with ones I didn't.

The thing is, if after 180 minutes of football things are still exactly equal, then there isn't much between the two teams and giving one of the teams a 100% bonus on every goal scored is waaayyy too much of a bonus. I mean, then the away team only needs to score once to win the game: how often in the history of football has a team scored more than once in extra time? After 90 minutes the players are often exhausted already, scoring once is hard enough.

In many cases the home advantage is overrated anyway, so just not counting all goals equal in extra time would work fine. More time in front of a home crowd is less of a bonus than counting goals double anyway. Especially for international football this would probably work fine.

Clubs can sometimes have very fanatical followings and claustrophoobic stadiums though, in that case it does indeed give the home team an unfair advantage. But if you wanted to compensate for that, I would get rid of extra time altogether -- there's just no way you can balance it fairly. Either go to penalties directly or have a rematch on neutral ground...

[alva]

but..but extra times are fun!!! Ffootball becomes more and more fun as the players get tired and tactics get thrown out of the window.

The rematch isn't going to work either, too much logistical hassle and they play enough games as it is (not to mention that playing in an empty stadium isn't much fun either).

I agree with you on priciple though and wouldn't mind some other rule either.
Doing away with the goal not counting double in extra time sounds like a good option.

[Locutus]

Originally posted by alva
but..but extra times are fun!!! Ffootball becomes more and more fun as the players get tired and tactics get thrown out of the window.

You could have extra time in the rematch if needed... Though just having extra time but not counting goals double would be my preferred option whenever possible.

The rematch isn't going to work either, too much logistical hassle and they play enough games as it is (not to mention that playing in an empty stadium isn't much fun either).

Logistics can't be much of an issue: they do it several times a season already, when bad weather, airport strikes, etc make it impossible to play at match at the last moment. IIRC Dutch teams have had matches moved back a week twice this season alone. As for teams playing enough matches as it is, it's in their own hands how many extra matches they'd have to play...

And noone said the stadium had to be empty, just on neutral grounds. Seats can be divided equally between the teams...

[alva]

And noone said the stadium had to be empty, just on neutral grounds. Seats can be divided equally between the teams...

Great when bigger teams are involved but really, how many italians would go to a stadium to watch AZ versus some Polish team? They hardly go watch CL games as it is (at least before the quarter final).

What I meant with logistics, is that the stadium has to be free and certain teams would/could have to travel quite a distance just to play yet another game. Also, when are you going to play these games, the English calender for example, is pretty much filled up and leaves little room for rescheduling.

[Imran Siddiqui]

Originally posted by Maquiladora
Of course thats the great thing with the FA cup, the best league team in the country isnt necessarily the best cup team, which is why a purely knockout tournament wont out the best team in europe.

Frankly, neither will a round robin/knockout. If you want to find out the best time in Europe, have them play a European league. That won't happen, so just enjoy a fun competition.

[Lawrence of Arabia]

CL should go to best of three, no ties possible.

[Maquiladora]

Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui
Frankly, neither will a round robin/knockout. If you want to find out the best time in Europe, have them play a European league. That won't happen, so just enjoy a fun competition.

The system now isnt perfect, but its a damn sight better than pure knockout to help inconsistant teams.

[Urban Ranger]

Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui
Do you actually think that Liverpool is one of the two best teams in Europe this year? They played well in the tourney, but Chelsea finished 30+ points above them in the Premiership!

OTOH, Liverpool would have beaten Chelsea in the FA Cup if Gerard didn't mess up.

Having a bigger team than everybody else explains why Chelsea has been doing better than every other Premier League team.

[reds4ever]

Imran, get your money ready, the UEFA president has just said that if Liverpool in the CL and the FA ask for an extra place then UEFA will give it to them!!

You'd better hope Milan do you a favour!!

I it when I'm right!

[alva]

Ah but, will the FA ask for it??

So another team will get dropped?

[reds4ever]

Originally posted by alva
Ah but, will the FA ask for it??

So another team will get dropped?

No, it's for a fifth place. Bottom line: If we win it, we're in it next year (and Imran owes me $20 and gets to have a "don't f*ck with the Redman" avatar)

[C0ckney]

good lord, two lots of scousers set loose on europe, imagine if they draw inter and ac millian, there won't be a hubcap left in the city!

[reds4ever]

And we get to keep the trophy 'cos we've won it 5 times!!!!