Play offs need to be restructured...but how?

[MrSnuggles]

Wondered when someone would post something so stupid....The playoffs are awesome and do not need restructuring end of.

Do you work for the FA Sir Albion!!?

 

[Superphil]

Do it the same way the Ryman League does it. 3rd plays 6th, at home and 4th plays 5th at home, one match each. The winners then play the final at the home ground of the team that finished the season highest. That gives a certain amount of recognition for the finishing positions, but still encourages teams to compete till the end of the season.

 

[MrSnuggles]

Do it the same way the Ryman League does it. 3rd plays 6th, at home and 4th plays 5th at home, one match each. The winners then play the final at the home ground of the team that finished the season highest. That gives a certain amount of recognition for the finishing positions, but still encourages teams to compete till the end of the season.

Decent suggestion!

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

The play offs, though exciting, ruin the integrity of football. If Sheffield Wednesday were to get promoted via the play offs, they have finished 15 points behind Brighton. That can't be right!! It may sound like sour grapes but surely the play offs can be restructured to give the third play team more of an advantage? Perhaps they should get a bye to the final and await the winners of the 4th and 5th placed teams? Any other thoughts?

My thoughts are that you are talking total bolleaux. Introducing Play offs for relegation might introduce some kind of competitive edge to the bottom of the table, but the arrangement for the top half works just fine. Give's teams like us a second bite at the £170m cherry. Up to us to make it count.

 

[GT49er]

So why does a lack of choice at the time stop people from suggesting that there should be a change to the play-off system?

Does it? Well, if you say so - I certainly didn't.

 

[Farehamseagull]

No they don't, they're great.

Everyone knows the rules at the start of the season and if you're not good enough to finish in the top two then tough.

 

[MrSnuggles]

Well if you think finishing 15 points behind 3rd and giving them an equal chance to get promoted with no advantage to the team that has had a much better season is fair, then l hope you never become a magistrate!! We may as well have lost 5 matches and dropped 15 points as we would be exactly the same situation as Sheffield Wednesday are now!! It makes a mockery of the league! There has to be a fairer system! I buy the argument that it's exciting and money making, but it not about money to the average fan. We want fairness be it decent refs, goal line technology, etc and the current play off system is not structured fairly. There's nothing we can do about it for this season but there must be a better way for future years! Rant over!!

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

There's nothing we can do about it for this season but there must be a better way for future years!

Until the new and improved rules work against us, that is. Then you'll presumably be back on here banging on about how life is so unfair once again. Suck it up.

 

[Diablo]

How many of us would be complaining if we had finished 6th......Great to have two automatic and one played for.

 

[MrSnuggles]

How would improved rules work against us!! If a team regardless of who it is, finishes 3rd over 46 matches then dont you think they have earned the right to have a greater advantage in a play off situation than a team that finishes a country mile behind them? I accept it is what it is but nonetheless it still doesn't make it fair. If we finishes 15 points behind Sheffield Wednesday then l would still argue it wasn't fair on them. We've proved that over a season we are deservedly one of the top teams in the division and to have a team sneak in the back door at our expense would be hard to bear! There needs to be some recognition for where teams finish in the league, otherwise you may as well take it easy for the last few games, rest key players and just go for a top 6 finish as you have the same opportunity as finishing third!

 

[Albion my Albion]

I guess its probably all about money so nothing will change

Exactly!

 

[pb21]

Maybe the teams finishing 3rd and 4th have the advantage of away goals working in their favour if it came to that. Or possibly 3rd and 4th going through to the final even if it's a draw after the first two legs?

 

[Albion my Albion]

What I wouldn't want is say 4th bottom in Premier League getting involved.

Especially if it was a heart shaped 4th bottom.

 

[Pavilionaire]

This must be a wind up, I love watching the earlier rounds of the FA Cup - the only time I am generally not bothered is by the Quarters of Semis at which point all other teams not involved can play. There is nothing better than watching a Prem / Championship team having to go to a non league paddock and have to play in those conditions against a group of post men who actually have a chance to make a name for themselves

The big sides have been playing their reserves in the early rounds (i.e Liverpool vs Exeter) while bigger teams give up with the FA Cup if they have bigger fish to fry (i.e Man City, Spurs). Even the consensus on NSC was losing to Hull in the Cup would be no bad thing so we could focus on the league, and that proved to be correct.

 

[bigcabboy]

Id like the 6th to play 5th at a neutral ground. Then the winners to play 4th at a neutral ground. Then the winners of that to play 3rd at Wembley.
For 6th to win they'd have to beat both above them, it's weighted in favour of positions.
It's less games but a hassle to organise.

I kind of agree with this it certainly is not right whether its albion or anybody in my view

 

[The Mole]

I like the comments about a one match semi final where the side finishing higher has home advantage.

Also I would scrap a penalty shootout. It is a mad way to decide a league. In the event of a draw after extra time the team that finished higher in the league should go through. That way they do have an advantage