If the total score is not a tie, then you have a winner. Last I heard, 2-1 is not a tie. But then, I've been out of school a while, and they might have switched it on me. Just think of it as one big game held in two stadiums.
I imagine that there will not be a 10 minute overtime in LA if the score is tied after 90 minutes. Correct?
from MLSnet.com The Conference Semifinal series will be conducted under a home-and-home, aggregate goal format to determine which two teams will advance to the single elimination Conference final match. The higher-seeded team will host both the Conference Semifinal Game Two and the Conference Final. * If a Conference Semifinal series or a Conference Final is tied, then a 30-minute golden-goal overtime and penalty kicks, if necessary, are employed to determine which team advances. Tony
Its about time. Hopefully this will be well-recieved and MLS will forever abandon the lame playoff format of the past.
I don't like this format. The atomic unit of soccer is the game. If you win the game you are the winner and if you lose the game you are the loser. This format deals with the subatomic parts of the game, and it just wrecks the basic idea of having games in the first place. A lot of you had gamesmanship issues with having a public clock - you ain't seen nothing yet.
No bonus for road goals. Game 1 at LA if tied after 90 minutes remains even, and if this is what I heard, the only OT will be played if the aggregate goals are even after 180 minutes.
I dislike the new playoff structure... There needs to be more of an advantage to being a higher seed. The home and home system is not the solution to the playoff structure problems. I'm especially annoyed with it as I will be attending the match in SJ, and the result of game 1 could really make OUR home game a snore. LA wins game one 3-0, we watch SJ take game two 2-0, only to have them eliminated. It kind of screws the fans of the higher seeded team unless game 1 ends in a tie. What's wrong with a 100% single elimination tourney, with higher seeds getting home field??? Am I the only one who feels this way?
I've always favored a format similar to what they use in Australian Rules Football. Here's how I see it: If we must have divisional play, top 4 teams in each conference advance. The two top teams in each conference play at the home park of the top seed. The winner advances straight to host the semifinals, the loser hosts a midweek elimination fixture against the winner of the #3 vs. #4 match (at the home park of the #3 seed). Then the semi-finalists play off for the opportunity to go to MLS Cup. It's neat, tidy, accomplished in no more than 8 days, maintains the integrity of, as spejic puts it, the "atomic unit" of the game, and all the while gives everyone in the playoff race something to play for: #1 in the conference - home field throughout (unless they're beaten in the first round...the #2 team would gain home field for the semi-final) #2 in the conference - a guaranteed "double chance" with the opportunity to host the conference semi-final by winning in the opening round #3 in the conference - opportunity to host the elimination round match #4 in the conference - the opportunity to play finals football
The whole playoff structure needs to be redone. Another point, there's the Western Conference final in two weeks. Aren't we already the Western Conference Champions? But the conference final has yet to be played? It's all just really stupid. If there's not going to be a single table, which I'm not sure I'm all for anyway, then there should just be a final between the Western Champion and Eastern Champion. Look at the difference in points between the best and second best teams in each conference! The way things are now makes the entire season pretty much count for nothing.
Re: I dislike the new playoff structure... Yeah probably. Having the second leg at home is a definite advantage. Hmm, I don't think MLS invented the home and home aggregate series that's been employed all over the world for quite a long while. I think they were thinking of having a playoff system that isn't a farce. First to five points? That's not in the spirit of the game. Aggregate is.
Why must we adhere to aggregate goals structure and conform to other leagues around the globe? Soccer may be an international sport, but this is the United States. Why not create a playoff structure that is more palatable for the American sports fan as well as the hardcore soccer fans? I agree that the first to five was not a great structure. But it was better than the home and home aggregate crap. I just think that a single elimination tourney is the way to go. for many excellent points on the home and home aggregate system and why it sucks, see Dan Loney's article: http://www.cybersoccernews.com/columnists/loney/2002archives/021121loney.shtml i especially like the following comments: ------------------------------------------- "I’m not going to go into the whole "why home and home is the stupidest idea since the XFL" thing again. As a very, very wise man once said, home and home is "a half-assed compromise that has been confused with authenticity by fans who should know better." What galls me is the mindset behind it. There’s still, after seven years, this idea that MLS needs to cater to the soccer fan that loves the game provided it’s not played within the territory of the United States. The search for that fan has become the modern sports equivalent of the snipe hunt." ------------------------------------------- "The league we have now is just light-years better. But attendance hasn’t gotten back up to 1996 levels. Playoff attendance especially this past year was below expectations. Was it because of midweek games? Was it because of the start of the NFL and college football seasons? Was it because of uncertain stadium availability preventing marketing and publicity? Oh, of course not. It’s because we didn’t use aggregate goals to decide the winners! " ------------------------------------------- "In fact, I’m absolutely convinced this new format will alienate the fans who have been buying tickets. Especially for fans who watch next year’s Supporters Shield winner. Congratulations on going undefeated, now here’s your coin toss against the number 8 seed who won seven games all year. Enjoy your 180 minutes of sickening bunker ball. Bite your nails through an extra half hour of counterattacking long ball – and then, of course, the penalty kick shootout. " ------------------------------------------- "With home and home, and a mini-game after only 180 minutes of play? Keep in mind we’ve never had a playoff series decided by penalty kicks. I don’t see how we avoid it under the new format. Next year at this time, we will be previewing MLS Cup 2003, at Victoria Street. Will the two best teams be competing for it? I’ll guarantee you they won’t be.
Because in European tournaments, teams do not fight for position for 7 months. I see our #1 seed as completely USELESS in this first round. European tournaments where this aggregate format is used, they do not play in a league and get seeds, so the home and home is fair. For most MLS sides, all they had to do is "not be Dallas" and they get a slot in the playoffs. That is why this is complete and utter *#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#. San Jose has absolutely NO advantage in this series, especially playing the leagues best home team at home first and then playing at their home field, where coincidentily its the easiest field to bunker in. I'd rather take the first to 5 format here.
See, even that would be better. But the thing is, look at the point difference between the top two teams in each conference. If it were one or two points.... But it's not. However, even that would have been a step up. 8 teams out of 10 is just ridiculous.
I agree. It isn't aggregate that's making the entire season pointless, it's the fact that 8 teams have a chance to participate.
I suppose it's an idea that sounds nice when they first thought of it, but in practice I'm not liking it. U.S. fans are not used to total goals series. They are used to best of series (which doesn't really work for soccer), single-elimination (which does) and single table (think Big Ten football). I'm in the single table with no playoffs camp, but for next year I say reduce the playoffs to 6 (byes for division winners or top 2 in a single table) like the NFL. Then there is an obvious benefit for finishing in each position (1st - bye and home game, 2nd - home game, 3rd - making the playoffs at all). Plus it uses one less week, allowing for proper off weeks on international dates and/or stadium flexibility. Eventually the playoffs can become the League Cup (partially solving the teams with nothing to play for issue under single table) once we can play a European schedule (i.e. hit 16-18 teams).
Yep I agree, that would make it so much better than the way it is now. 8 teams making playoffs is ludicrous.
The NFL system is a good one. The important question is not how to make MLS more like Europe or more americanized. The important question is how to properly reward 7 months of hard work so that fans and players won't feel cheated. Maybe MLS would consider a double wildcard system: 4th plays at 3rd winner plays at 2nd winner plays at 1st That way, 8 teams make the playoffs so no fans will give up on their team halfway through the season, yet every time your team moves up a ranking, it's a big gain in the post-season. I don't begrudge LA their shot at MLS Cup, I just think they should have to go through hell to get there. In this case, winning at Colorado, KC and San Jose in succession.
Why don't you go to Canada and tell them to change their football rules to have four downs instead of three, a smaller endzone, narrower field, and no points for punting through the endzone? In the MLS case, we're not even talking about the game rules, just finding a postseason structure that works under the circumstances of our particular league. "Spirit of the Game" my arse. The provincialism of eurosnobs is exasperating.
lol. there's no "fear" involved. I just don't think that this current system is as entertaining as a single elimination bracket would be.
Eurosnob? You just used the word arse! I just don't understand this animosity to the traditions of soccer in order to sell the game to the everyday American fan. You're not going to win people by having playoffs.