The Round Ball Game

[eighthobstruction]

same old same old.... prosaic lack of technical ability....Scott Parker cream of bunch but carrying an injury [ and someday someone will realise that 50% of the time when Scott recieves the ball he turns around to the left]

I bailed out after 65 minutes, too demoralising....

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

On the question of penalties, well it's just one of the rules. There are other alternatives. The fairest way would be replays, like they always did in every round of the FA cup, includin replays of replays. But I can understand how disruptive these could be.

What makes me smile is the fact that Sepp Blatter has stepped in immediately after an English club has beaten a non-English club on penalties. Had the result gone the other way, we might well have heard nothing from the aforementioned gentleman.

[aka Calum Da Jazbo]

indeed ... but the telly likes shootouts but not replays [scheduling hell no doubt]

[teamsaint]

I would try the american "Run from the half way line and score in 10 seconds thing" again. Fun.

Unless you have to do it yourself, of course. !!

[cloughie]

Got to feel sorry for sheff utd...90 points and staying down.

Now the season is truly completed with Crewe getting the last crown I really think the playoffs have been cruelly unfair to the Blades and Wrexham who at the end of a hard season had points tallies earning them the right to promotion. Unfortunately a system designed as a stopgap to reduce the size of the top flight, ironically not now affecting that league, is now there as an incentive and money-spinner to teams with relatively low accumulated points. Beause of the money and a Wembley appearance this is unlikely to change but can it really be justified in footballing terms?

[BBMmk2]

What other system then, could be in place of the current one then?

[aeolium]

Well, what they used to do, i.e. promote/relegate the top/bottom teams in every division according to the number of places that are available, without any need for play-offs. It's even crazier in the world of rugby union, where they have a play-off final between the top two teams rather than rewarding the team that has shown the greatest consistency of performance throughout the season (can you imagine a play-off final between the top Premiership teams in football?)

[teamsaint]

My team has never suffered the real downside of the playoffs...ie finishing 3rd but losing out.
However, I do think that the existence of the playoffs is a very real benefit. There used to be a huge number of all but meaningless games months before the end of the season. These days any team in the top half at the beginning of April is still in with a shout, and that has to be a good thing ,not least with the illegal betting temptations on offer to players .

It wouldn't correct the unfairness, but I do think that the system could be improved...3rd place straight to the final , for instance. I know the positions are different in L2.

[John Wright]

There used to be a huge number of all but meaningless games months before the end of the season.

By that thinking, any team who consistently sits mid-table has a meaningless season? No.

[teamsaint]

By that thinking, any team who consistently sits mid-table has a meaningless season? No.

not at all. Mid table, and the points it will take to get there, will be a very meaningful result for my lot next season.

The logic is clear enough. Ninth playing tenth.Early march. With straight 3 up, it close to meaningless. With the playoffs its a needle game. The year we finished 6th in the championship it was edge of the seat stuff right to game 46. But we were never in with a sniff of 3rd.

Not many teams outside the top division are content with mid table in the league they are in, though a few might be.
Example. Peterborough. Probably, in truth, happy in mid table in the championship. But you can bet that should they find themselves in the top half next season, by the time march comes around, the fans will be looking at the "points to catch 6th" number very closely.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

So Cardiff City wants to wear red. It does appear that teams wearing this A major colour are often the most successful - Liverpool, Arsenal and Manchester United being the best examples. However, what would happen if every team decided to wear a red home strip? All fans wearing the same scarf?

[teamsaint]

Well today is the big day. What a build up. This thread has been buzzing with anticipation!!!
ER has his wallchart..I've forgotten mine for a 17th consecutive tournament.

The BBC have helpfully shown us HOW we can follow the tournament, just in case anybody is unfamiliar with how to turn on a telly, radio o the internet.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/18330039

Any predictions? Any bets laid?

I reckon England for once might just surpass expectations..if only because the expectation is abject failure.
Have a good one, as they say these days.
(all starting to bring back memories of Turin 1980, my one experience of a major tournament...... "Tear Gassed in Turin", if you recall. football the old fashioned way..terraces, riot police, fighting, .....nice !!)

Edit :actually I lied , went to the first game of Euro 96....another underachievement !!

[cloughie]

I hope we win it - if only for one in the eye of all those Hodgson-detractors.

[BBMmk2]

When we played Spurs(home or away, i can't remember offhand), the game they beat uis,anyway, I am surer we would have finished 3rd this season but I am quite happy with 5th!

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

The BBC have helpfully shown us HOW we can follow the tournament, just in case anybody is unfamiliar with how to turn on a telly, radio o the internet.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/18330039

But are they going to stage an introductory match to show us in advance what it going to happen, as they do with some documentary series (e.g. the otherwise excellent "Planet Earth")?