(Appologies if this has been stated previously) Putting aside the tactical nightmares that define Game 2s if a blowout happens in Game 1, it's because away goals is the least fair, most unintelligent way to decide the bastard of all playoff series - the two game aggregate goals match. Away goals is meant for "neutral" series where advantage has not been earned and a logical third game (the one that actually allows a group of games to become a series) cannot be played for some reason. Game 3s can be played here as no other schedules or competitions are ongoing. In addition, a simple geographic difference you can have a staggering differece in weather, especially in November. First-to-5 was the natural and proper solution to all of these questions. It properly incorporates ties as a neccessary outcome of soccer if need be. It properly involves a "seris" of multiple games (2 isn't a series). It isn't complicated - the American public has no problem comprehending baseball. Anything else in sport is simple by comparison. The only, and I mean only lingering problem was the poorly attended games on Wednesday. Sensibly making all games Saturday and the first round only first-to-5. Semis are one off. Final is the final. Bottom line is that the playoffs will be just as many Saturdays as last year's version; read: no longer than last year.
in 2002 Bayer Leverkusen and Man U tied 2-2 and 1-1 but since Bayer scored 2 goals in Manchester and Man U only scored once in Germany, Bayer went thru. Now while it certainly was exciting, that is a harsh basis for determing who goes thru. And Inter-Milan last year was awful with Milan going through on one "away" goal. Can you imagine explaning to one of your friends who you want to get into soccer how a team advanced when they tied both games?
PKs are an abomination. The game is played by 22 players, and not by two players. As much as possible, PKs should be avoided. That is another reason the weighted away goal is such a bad idea. It leads to more PK deciders, not less. It forces home teams into defensive postures, instead of attacking at home, and forces the away team to more offense away from its home advantage. The whole idea, along with PKs is so Eurotrashy it is unbelievable. With all due respect to you in Columbia.
Here's my idea. Take the top four teams in each conference, put them into two seperate groups (by conference). The top seed gets three home games, #2 gets two, #3 gets one, and #4 plays all games on the road. Let regular season rules apply, and the top two teams per group make it to the knockout round. A2 at B1, and B2 at A1. Then those teams play at a neutral site for the MLS Cup. There's four weekends before the MLS Cup, but the best team gets more home games, but a team that's really playing well can prove it by upsetting the highers seeds. Sykotyk
I think to some extent the away goals rule would further confuse some casual fans, so MLS didn't want to jump right into that. Maybe it is on the way, they do change the format every year ya know? I don't see much of a problem with the format they're using now, I think it's a good set up for this league at this time. You have to understand the way this league operates(which is next to impossible at times). I have nothing against the away goals rule in general if it's been established like it is in UEFA Champ. League and such. The situation with Inter-AC Milan last season was unique and created a lot of debate and controversy I know, but I don't think that's a situation that we'd ever have to worry about here in the U.S. You just have to remember, this league is young, baby steps, baby steps... Just be glad it's not first-to-five anymore I am.
I like: - NO Wednesday games - At least a week to sell weekend games and arrange travel - Fixed number of games and a definite schedule
I think the away goals rule was a good idea for a tie-breaker, since it should be harder to score an away goal, so I think it is a fair idea. But now that teams are used to it, there are too many situations where a team plays for the away goal too much. It almost gives a bigger advantage to the team that is away first because they get the first chance to score the dreaded away goal. The Inter-AC Milan tie was the worst example, but do you remember the Leverkusen-Liverpool tie in 2002? That was a great one, where both teams kept attacking and it went back and forth. It can go both ways depending on the teams. But I am glad MLS is going for an outright-win system. And I'm very happy about the switch to a two-leg playoff. I can't believe they'd come up with something like first-to-five. And 3 game series just aren't right for soccer--when teams play each other for three times in a row it gets boring (baseball has the advantage of pitching changes every game, etc.), which is why I think it's a bit unlucky that we'll have completed two 4-game sets by the time the first round is over. Anyway, full marks to the league for finally coming around.
As an interesting note, I don't know if it has been mentioned before, but I don't think England Uses away goals in their promotion playoff semi-finals. I know there was at least one year when this was the case, because I was following PNE's run at the premeireship, having seen a game at deepdale the previous summer ( a preseason friendly). The policy may have changed back, but I know that PNE got past Birmingham on Penalties, and would've lost had it been away goals In short, there is some precedent for not using away goals in 2-leg ties. Plus, it does give some sense of home field advantage for the higher seeded team. What I would really like to see is a format similar to the FA Cup. The higher seed should host, but if the match is tied after 90 minutes, it would go to a replay at the lower seed's home. If tied after another 90, then straight to penalties I know marketing for this would be a nightmare, so it won't happen. But I think it might be the fairest thing regarding both higher seeds having an advantage and not having too many ties be decided on penalties.
The two game aggregate also allows ties Why isn't 2 a series? I consider it a series. Two game aggregate is pretty simple, too. In fact, I explained it to a friend of mine the other day in what I believe would be less time than explaining the first to five. No, the lingering problem of first to five is the phantom game three that is tough to sell tickets to, and tough to plan, especially when there are many teams that still do not play in their own stadia. Playing every game on Saturday is great pie-in-sky thinking, but it is very tough to logistically make happen.