Title Decided on Goal Differential

[seahawk10]

I like the fact that there isn't an American style playoffs in the Prem to decide the champion. But if two teams are tied on points after 38 games deciding the champion on goal differential seems less than satisfying. I think in cases like this, that a one-game playoff at a neutral site (Wembley) would be better. What do you think?

[PEARCEY]

Not for me. Goal difference has always played a part in ups and downs and I prefer it that way. Might not be saying that in two weeks time though.

[handbags_harris]

Not for me either. How do you think, after 38 games, Chelsea and United had to play each other in a one-off match to decide the champion? The previous 38 games are almost rendered worthless. Much better to decide a league on the basis of what's happened in those 38 matches.

On a tangent, I much prefer a tied league to be decided on goals scored rather than goal difference. Would make for much more attacking football.

[Dirk Gently]

On a tangent, I much prefer a league decided on goals scored rather than goal difference. Would make for much more attacking football.

Except that it's potentially open to abuse. If they both needed 1 point to win or stay up (as appropriate) but were both behind their rivals on goals scored, a 42-all draw could potentially be arranged between Chelsea and Bolton.

[Rev Algenon Stickleback H]

On a tangent, I much prefer a league decided on goals scored rather than goal difference. Would make for much more attacking football.

Except that it's potentially open to abuse. If they both needed 1 point to win or stay up (as appropriate) but were both behind their rivals on goals scored, a 42-all draw could potentially be arranged between Chelsea and Bolton.

...and when the football league settled league positions by goals scored because of the very same theory, it didn't make the slightest difference to the football played, which is why they changed back.

[AbovetheI]

Goal difference gives you that urge to score more goals and be better defensively. Imagine if we were to go down in a playoff against a team that had a worse goal difference than us. There would be an outrage!

[PEARCEY]

Goal difference gives you that urge to score more goals and be better defensively. Imagine if we were to go down in a playoff against a team that had a worse goal difference than us. There would be an outrage!

Just imagine Bristol City going up with a negative goal difference. I wonder if that has ever happened before?

[seahawk10]

I wouldn't want promotion/demotion to be decided on playoffs. I am just picturing a Chelsea - Man United game at Wembley to decide the league champion. It would be like a World Cup final. So this would be a special case to decide the Premeirship champion.

[papereyes]

BRING BACK GOAL AVERAGE

[PlasticRoyale]

Play-offs are a bad idea. I wish they would scrap it in the championship as it usually allows a really poor team to sneak into the prem (Derby, Watford, West Ham). They then use the excuse that they were poor in the prem because the other promoted teams had a few weeks head start on them - not the fact that they finished 6th in the Championship and are actually a bit pshit. Howver i do understand wht they have them

[cmonurz]

Derby and Watford came 3rd.

[earleyroyal]

On a tangent, I much prefer a league decided on goals scored rather than goal difference. Would make for much more attacking football.

Except that it's potentially open to abuse. If they both needed 1 point to win or stay up (as appropriate) but were both behind their rivals on goals scored, a 42-all draw could potentially be arranged between Chelsea and Bolton.

Think the match-fixing committee would be onto that in a flash though. 42-42 would make funny viewing.

[PEARCEY]

Derby and Watford came 3rd.

Yes and we finished second and didn't go up! Can only happen to Reading.
Agree with your point re Derby and Watford though. Pre play offs they would have gone up automatically.

[cmonurz]

2007/08 - Derby (3rd - 20th)
2006/07 - Watford (3rd - 20th)
2005/06 - West Ham (6th - 9th)
2004/05 - Crystal Palace (6th - 18th)
2003/04 - Wolves (5th - 20th)
2002/03 - Birmingham (5th - 13th)
2001/02 - Bolton (3rd - 16th)
2000/01 - Ipswich (3rd - 18th)
1999/00 - Watford (5th - 20th)
1998/99 - Charlton (4th - 18th)

Stats don't back up the claim that there is any correlation between Championship league finish of the playoff winners and their position in the Premier League. Of the last 10 play-off winners, 7 have been relegated; 3 finished 3rd, one 4th, two 5th and one 6th. The teams not relegated included West Ham, who were 6th in the Championship then not far off Europe, and Birmingham, who came 13th having reached only 5th place in the league lower.

[PlasticRoyale]

2007/08 - Derby (3rd - 20th)
2006/07 - Watford (3rd - 20th)
2005/06 - West Ham (6th - 9th)
2004/05 - Crystal Palace (6th - 18th)
2003/04 - Wolves (5th - 20th)
2002/03 - Birmingham (5th - 13th)
2001/02 - Bolton (3rd - 16th)
2000/01 - Ipswich (3rd - 18th)
1999/00 - Watford (5th - 20th)
1998/99 - Charlton (4th - 18th)

Stats don't back up the claim that there is any correlation between Championship league finish of the playoff winners and their position in the Premier League. Of the last 10 play-off winners, 7 have been relegated; 3 finished 3rd, one 4th, two 5th and one 6th. The teams not relegated included West Ham, who were 6th in the Championship then not far off Europe, and Birmingham, who came 13th having reached only 5th place in the league lower.

LOL -i moan about people making statements without checking the stats. Then the first time i don't check i get it completely wrong.

[Silver Fox]

The fact that this year ManYoo have the upper hand because their tactic is to score a load of goals while Chelsea get one and then park the bus in front of the goal says to me that GD is a perfectly good way to decide the title.

I'm not sure it should seperate relegation places though.

[1960]

BRING BACK GOAL AVERAGE

I can never understand how they managed that. It would be pretty simple to write a spreadsheet formula to work out goal average. They didn't have spreadsheets. Or even calculators. So it all had to be done by hand. And going into final matches who knows what result would be best? Say the top team is a point ahead of second with one to play and with a GA of 1.72 against 1.70. The top team draws1-1 and the second team wins 2-0. Equal on points, but who the hell knows which is the best GA without sitting down and working it all out? Nightmare.

[papereyes]

BRING BACK GOAL AVERAGE

I can never understand how they managed that. It would be pretty simple to write a spreadsheet formula to work out goal average. They didn't have spreadsheets. Or even calculators. So it all had to be done by hand. And going into final matches who knows what result would be best? Say the top team is a point ahead of second with one to play and with a GA of 1.72 against 1.70. The top team draws1-1 and the second team wins 2-0. Equal on points, but who the hell knows which is the best GA without sitting down and working it all out? Nightmare.

They would have had calculators.

Mechanical ones, for a start, and I've seen photos of banks of women at an aeronautical lab employed simply to do sums

[Baines]

The fact that this year ManYoo have the upper hand because their tactic is to score a load of goals while Chelsea get one and then park the bus in front of the goal says to me that GD is a perfectly good way to decide the title.

Although in their most important games of the season, Man Utd have adopted the Chelsea tactics without bothering to score a goal in the first place.

[1960]

They would have had calculators. Mechanical ones, for a start, and I've seen photos of banks of women at an aeronautical lab employed simply to do sums

I might be wrong, but sums is the word. I'm not sure these mechanical jobbies could divide.