A fairer system for the play-offs?

[Boro BN1]

I was hugely disappointed with the result last night. I think Brighton have done enough over the season to be up with us and Burnley. I'll be rooting for you on Monday.

I'm not sure if anyone has come up with this idea before, but I suggest it would be better if the four play-off teams just extended their 4 team mini league by 6 games, ie play each other home and away and add the points to their existing points at the end of the conventional season.

This mini-league as it stands taking in last night's game would look this:

Team Pld GD Pts
Brighton 47 28 89
Hull 46 34 83
Derby 46 23 78
Sheff Wed 47 23 77

 

[Hungry Joe]

The system as it stands won't be changed as it generates loads of extra money by creating what are effectively 5 Cup Finals and increasing attendances for loads of other games involving mid-table sides from January onwards. Like them or not, they make sound financial sense and are here to stay.

But what we really need to remember is that we wouldn't be having this debate had we got promoted through them in 2014 having sneaked in at the last minute ourselves. It may have worked against this season, the next few days will tell. If it does, there's a fair chance it will work for us in a season to come.

 

[Hamilton]

I was hugely disappointed with the result last night. I think Brighton have done enough over the season to be up with us and Burnley. I'll be rooting for you on Monday.

I'm not sure if anyone has come up with this idea before, but I suggest it would be better if the four play-off teams just extended their 4 team mini league by 6 games, ie play each other home and away and add the points to their existing points at the end of the conventional season.

This mini-league as it stands taking in last night's game would look this:

Team Pld GD Pts
Brighton 47 28 89
Hull 46 34 83
Derby 46 23 78
Sheff Wed 47 23 77

Interesting idea, but you can see how knackered the players are (injuries proof of that I'd say.) I don't think they'd last. And when would the games be all fitted in?

I'm optimistic still. The players will lift themselves.

Good luck next season.


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[sir albion]

Nothing wrong with the bloody system...People need to stop moaning as the excuses are pathetic.

The playoffs are brilliant and spot on as they're

 

[Hamilton]

Nothing wrong with the bloody system...People need to stop moaning as the excuses are pathetic.

The playoffs are brilliant and spot on as they're

I agree. Play offs are unfair. Life can be unfair. We should just suck it up and get on with it.


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[Mr Bridger]

the play offs were bloody brilliant the last day at forest a couple of seasons ago

 

[clippedgull]

Nothing wrong with the bloody system...People need to stop moaning as the excuses are pathetic.

The playoffs are brilliant and spot on as they're

Agreed.

If we are good enough we will go up via the playoffs.

Looking unlikely right now, but still a faint hope.

 

[OzMike]

The demise all started with Dunk's red card.

 

[Icy Gull]

the play offs were bloody brilliant the last day at forest a couple of seasons ago

Exactly, the beauty of the playoffs is that anyone can win. If you want to get up without entering the lottery we need to go up in auto. Why should the whole system be changed because we feel hard done by. FFS

Wednesday are ****ING loving the playoffs so far, as do the fans of clubs not involved.

 

[mona]

Nothing wrong with the play offs. The Albion are an unlucky club. That's why I've supported them for 56 years I guess.

 

[Arkwright]

While I agree that the Playoffs are a fantastic concept I think a lot of Albion fans have been concerned that Derby, Hull and Wednesday have been resting players while we have been busting a gut and suffering from injuries and suspensions in trying to gain automatic promotion.

While it is all part of the game is it right / fair for the others to wrap players in cotton wool while we watch our numbers dwindle.

 

[Mr Bridger]

Nothing wrong with the play offs. The Albion are an unlucky club. That's why I've supported them for 56 years I guess.

Can you stop supporting them please?

 

[peterward]

I was hugely disappointed with the result last night. I think Brighton have done enough over the season to be up with us and Burnley. I'll be rooting for you on Monday.

I'm not sure if anyone has come up with this idea before, but I suggest it would be better if the four play-off teams just extended their 4 team mini league by 6 games, ie play each other home and away and add the points to their existing points at the end of the conventional season.

This mini-league as it stands taking in last night's game would look this:

Team Pld GD Pts
Brighton 47 28 89
Hull 46 34 83
Derby 46 23 78
Sheff Wed 47 23 77

the FA would never go for that as the team in 6th would effectively have no chance most seasons, they and the neutrals like the cup comp knockout scenario and it would disingenuous of us to complain now when we scraped into 6th in injury time 2 seasons ago.

what i do think would be fairer and easier to administer, is to keep the current 3rd/4th team having home advantage second but also to add (similar to away goals rule), the teams finishing 5th/6th would have to beat the teams in 3rd/4th to go to wembley. If its level after 180 minutes the team in 3rd/4th would go through. Which would make league standings count and really make everyone go for it to get into 3rd/4th. i.e if it finished 2-0 to us on Monday and all square after 180 mins it wouldnt be ET, we'd go through on superior league position. likewise when we finished 6th, we would have needed to actually beat the team in 3rd and a draw over 2 legs would put us out.

 

[Daddies_Sauce]

The demise all started with Dunk's red card.

No (but it did not help), the writing was on the wall a long time ago, we simply did not take the chances that we had in games, if we had we would have been promoted on GD and not Boro.

 

[peterward]

No (but it did not help), the writing was on the wall a long time ago, we simply did not take the chances that we had in games, if we had we would have been promoted on GD and not Boro.

stop the last minute equaliser at home to burnley and we'd have been up with the draw against derby. such are the margins and its now likely we'll be championship again next season

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

I spent some time yesterday, before the game, thinking up cunning schemes that would favour ourselves in the playoffs. However, as others have noted, it was a different story when we sneaked into the playoffs on another occasion. It is indeed true that while we were bustin a gut trying to finish above Burnley or Boro, other sides safe in the playoffs were resting players. But that is the only price to pay in what is otherwise a fabulous arrangement. And it is rarely an equal contest at any time; the opposition may or may not have anything to play for, have a large or small attendance, good or less good players, blah blah. Over a full season clubs mostly get what they deserve, but always with the opportunity of getting a win in any individual game. So we need to win by 2 on Monday, and ideally by 3. Bring it on.

 

[MrSnuggles]

I spent some time yesterday, before the game, thinking up cunning schemes that would favour ourselves in the playoffs. However, as others have noted, it was a different story when we sneaked into the playoffs on another occasion. It is indeed true that while we were bustin a gut trying to finish above Burnley or Boro, other sides safe in the playoffs were resting players. But that is the only price to pay in what is otherwise a fabulous arrangement. And it is rarely an equal contest at any time; the opposition may or may not have anything to play for, have a large or small attendance, good or less good players, blah blah. Over a full season clubs mostly get what they deserve, but always with the opportunity of getting a win in any individual game. So we need to win by 2 on Monday, and ideally by 3. Bring it on.

The playoffs are unfair to the team finishing 3rd! I know a lot of posters like the playoffs and that it generates too much money to scrap it, but there must be a way that there is some advantage for a team finishing 15 points clear from the team finishing 6th. What about a mini league of the 4 play off clubs, with the team finishing 3rd given 3 points, 4th given 2 points, 5th given 1 point and the 6th starting on nil points! They all play each other and the one that has the most points gets promotion! Keeps every one happy and would generate more tv money!! At least l wouldnt feel such a sense of injustice that a team finishing 15 points behind can sneak in the back door!

 

[Sorrel]

It has been difficult for us this year because we've been challenging for automatic promotion. If, instead, we'd been slightly worse earlier in the season we would have had several meaningless matches over the past two weeks. We could have rested players and been in better condition for the playoffs.

Not that that would mean we would win, but we might have had fewer injuries and suspensions and so could have put out a better team.

 

[Kinky Gerbil]

The playoffs are unfair to the team finishing 3rd! I know a lot of posters like the playoffs and that it generates too much money to scrap it, but there must be a way that there is some advantage for a team finishing 15 points clear from the team finishing 6th. What about a mini league of the 4 play off clubs, with the team finishing 3rd given 3 points, 4th given 2 points, 5th given 1 point and the 6th starting on nil points! They all play each other and the one that has the most points gets promotion! Keeps every one happy and would generate more tv money!! At least l wouldnt feel such a sense of injustice that a team finishing 15 points behind can sneak in the back door!

How are they unfair?

The rules are in place from the start of the season, it's not like they change halfway through the season.

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

The playoffs are unfair to the team finishing 3rd! I know a lot of posters like the playoffs and that it generates too much money to scrap it, but there must be a way that there is some advantage for a team finishing 15 points clear from the team finishing 6th. What about a mini league of the 4 play off clubs, with the team finishing 3rd given 3 points, 4th given 2 points, 5th given 1 point and the 6th starting on nil points! They all play each other and the one that has the most points gets promotion! Keeps every one happy and would generate more tv money!! At least l wouldnt feel such a sense of injustice that a team finishing 15 points behind can sneak in the back door!

If it were generally felt that the team finishing 3rd should be given some sort of advantage then what better than, er, automatic promotion? If my team finished 4th, one point behind the team in third, who were ten points adrift of the top 2, I'd be pretty annoyed if the team in third were given some sort of positive handicap in the playoffs. Your suggestion is intriguing, but if you opt for positive discrimination then it really ought to take into account the point differential between all 4 playoff sides, and possibly head to head outcomes during the season. A bit like the calculation they do for cricket if it starts to rain. Not for me, I'm afraid.