Wednesday 17 February 2010

CL Play-Offs Are A Poxy Idea And Could Ruin English Chances

Sometimes things are changed in football and it improves the game.

For the life of me I can not see how introducing a play-off format to qualify for the Champions League could work.

There are problems with the idea already.

Is it fair that after 38 games in the campaign you finish fourth, only to then have to play a side who finished not only three places below you in the table, but a side who could have finished the season with 15 points less than you?

If you lose what is the point of trying over 38 games anyway? Towards the end of the season you are so clear of that 7th and final qualifying place that you don't need to even need to make the effort for the last few games.

You could field a reserve side and whilst that is happening you could influence the table because your side know that they have already qualified for that play-off place. What do they care about the table now? You have nothing to play for.

How can that be fair?

Also, with no disrespect meant in anyway, what if a club like Stoke City came 7th and then won the play-off?

Would it be a breath of fresh air? Yes, I hear the football purists say.

What the purists do not think about is that Stoke then have to play a qualifying round of fixtures in August. Like we did against Celtic this season.

What if Stoke were knocked out at this stage? It is more than likely. If this continued year-in, year-out, then England would lost the point quota that we have earned over the years and eventually we would lose that 4th qualifying place so it would then only be a top three finish that would get you into the Champions League.

Then what happens?

People will say that the so-called 'top-four' are protected. Well if it wasn't for the likes of Arsenal, Manchester United, Liverpool and Chelsea, England wouldn't have four places for the Champions League.

There is always the chance that the 'top-four' monopoly could be spilt this season. At least if that happens you still feel that the likes of Manchester City, Tottenham Hotspur and Aston Villa could at least compete, reaching the group stages.

And they would have earned that chance too. Finishing fourth in this league, with its quality, is no mean feat.

But a side finishing 7th. It could be anyone.

Keep it Goonerish.............

19 comments:

Real Social Dad said...

7th is as good as a cup final. lol
you could see someone saying. ;-)

it doubtful to happen for atleast 3 years due to tv deals.

Wrighty7 said...

Oh RSD! I can see Wenger saying that mate!

Real Social Dad said...

any prediction for tonight

Wrighty7 said...

1-1 mate. You?

Real Social Dad said...

0-1 fab 78th
but a score draw will do

Real Social Dad said...

scorers?

Wrighty7 said...

Vermaelen

Real Social Dad said...

TV thats one i aint heard
would be nice if bendtner could start scoring 1 everyother game would push us to the title.

The start of “The Great Dane” ERA
Marmaduke, Marmaduke
lol

Joppa Road said...

I don't agree with this idea at all but at the same time I like the play offs in the Championship as I think it encourages healthy competition so in a way I must be a hypocrite.

At the same time I think the same old top 4 is bad for football so what can you do?

It can't just be down to money either as Wenger has kept us in the top 4 year in year out over the last few years without spending alot.

Bored now.

Real Social Dad said...

predictions joppa

Joppa Road said...

I am surprisingly optimistic, I always feel Arsenal can beat anyone outside the EPL. The so called youth players have experience now and Sol is a good signing IMO. I am going for a 0-3 to the Arsenal.

Unknown said...

HI Wrighty,
great blog as always.
I have notice a some kink in the Rss feed link on goonernews.com, when I try opening the link it gives me a page full of code,makes it harder to get to your site, try and fix it, we dont want people not reading a great blog just because of this glitch.

thanks

Unknown said...

Haha

Anonymous said...

@joppa

more like Fabianski 2 - 1 Arsenal

Joppa Road said...

Blimey yes Anon. But we has Arsenal fans have been told we have to get behind the players we have so that is what we must do.

It was poor tonight and these thing are happening far too often, and it is far too clear some players are just not good enough.Wenger picks buys these players. I mean are you telling me a 20 year old GK (or however old he is) is fit to wear the GK shirt in such a massive game? Didn't he play in the FA Cup semi v Chelsea and make terrible decisions? When I say this though I just get slagged off and to be honest I am getting tired of saying it.

I will say something I thought I would never say though. How Eboue isn't starting games is beyond me. He looks good whenever he comes on.

We should have enough to get through this tie but looking ahead I don't think we can win it. Fabs reaction in the interview said alot to me, I think he is getting to the point where he expects better around him and rightly so IMO.

lp said...

Wrighty, i agree with you as Wenger said this CL play off could hurt english club.
@Joppa..100% agree...

Lost Soul said...

the dutch league introduced something like this a few years ago. dutch teams were decent in the competition a few years ago. after the playoff system was introduced, it weakened big clubs and didn't really help the smaller clubs cos they kept getting knocked out in the qualifiers. Now they're one of the leagues with only 1 automatic spot if I'm not wrong which leaves them from having champions league semi finalists to a league equivalent to the scottish league. are people actually paid for stupid ideas like these?

Joppa Road said...

Hi Wrighty,

Decided to have a go at a football blog myself. Can you link me up please? Just sorting out the layout etc and then will link you too.

http://shoutfromthecrowd.blogspot.com/

Cheers

JR

chris said...

isn't it the national team's fifa ranking that decides how many places the national leagues get in the CL?