Come on the owls

[Duffers]

I remember after the first leg there was chat about the Playoff system being unfair:

Luton, finished 3rd - in the final
Wednesday, finished 3rd - in the final
Notts County, finished 2nd - promoted

Stockport still have work to do but only one goal down going into the second leg at home.

[MassDebater]

I remember after the first leg there was chat about the Playoff system being unfair:

Luton, finished 3rd - in the final
Wednesday, finished 3rd - in the final
Notts County, finished 2nd - promoted

Stockport still have work to do but only one goal down going into the second leg at home.

Found this older article, about the PO winners... 60% at that time finished 3rd... oddly 4th and 6th only gave 10% and 5th got 20%... They also reckon the mythical momentum into the PO's is well not really a thing...
https://www.thestatszone.com/archive/foo...lay%20offs.

Be interesting to see if things have changed much since 2015 though.

[AnelkasBeard]

I remember after the first leg there was chat about the Playoff system being unfair:

Luton, finished 3rd - in the final
Wednesday, finished 3rd - in the final
Notts County, finished 2nd - promoted

Stockport still have work to do but only one goal down going into the second leg at home.

Found this older article, about the PO winners... 60% at that time finished 3rd... oddly 4th and 6th only gave 10% and 5th got 20%... They also reckon the mythical momentum into the PO's is well not really a thing...
https://www.thestatszone.com/archive/foo...lay%20offs.

Be interesting to see if things have changed much since 2015 though.

It is fascinating to see all of these momentum sports theories actually analysed - and it's shown to have little to no actual measureable effect.

Was discussing an NBA one with friends the other day. If a team is on a scoring run, coaches tend to call a timeout to halt the "momentum". It's been found to actually have a slight detrimental effect, so isn't worth doing.

[Birdman1811]

I remember after the first leg there was chat about the Playoff system being unfair:

Luton, finished 3rd - in the final
Wednesday, finished 3rd - in the final
Notts County, finished 2nd - promoted

Stockport still have work to do but only one goal down going into the second leg at home.

Found this older article, about the PO winners... 60% at that time finished 3rd... oddly 4th and 6th only gave 10% and 5th got 20%... They also reckon the mythical momentum into the PO's is well not really a thing...
https://www.thestatszone.com/archive/foo...lay%20offs.

Be interesting to see if things have changed much since 2015 though.

I'm genuinely surprised to see that. 

This is common though, data doesn't support well known tropes about games and such.

[Shabby Russian]

I remember after the first leg there was chat about the Playoff system being unfair:

Luton, finished 3rd - in the final
Wednesday, finished 3rd - in the final
Notts County, finished 2nd - promoted

Stockport still have work to do but only one goal down going into the second leg at home.

I still believe that the play offs should be arranged so there is more reward for finishing 3rd rather than 6th.

A system where 5th plays 6th at home  the winners play away at the 4th team and the winners of that travel to the third place team for the final promotion spot.

It would annoy Sky (less televised games) and Wembley. But it would be fairer.

[Duffers]

I remember after the first leg there was chat about the Playoff system being unfair:

Luton, finished 3rd - in the final
Wednesday, finished 3rd - in the final
Notts County, finished 2nd - promoted

Stockport still have work to do but only one goal down going into the second leg at home.

I still believe that the play offs should be arranged so there is more reward for finishing 3rd rather than 6th.

A system where 5th plays 6th at home  the winners play away at the 4th team and the winners of that travel to the third place team for the final promotion spot.

It would annoy Sky (less televised games) and Wembley. But it would be fairer.

The reward for finishing third is getting to play the team places worse off at you, with the decisive second leg at home.

Seems fair to me.

[AnelkasBeard]

I remember after the first leg there was chat about the Playoff system being unfair:

Luton, finished 3rd - in the final
Wednesday, finished 3rd - in the final
Notts County, finished 2nd - promoted

Stockport still have work to do but only one goal down going into the second leg at home.

I still believe that the play offs should be arranged so there is more reward for finishing 3rd rather than 6th.

A system where 5th plays 6th at home  the winners play away at the 4th team and the winners of that travel to the third place team for the final promotion spot.

It would annoy Sky (less televised games) and Wembley. But it would be fairer.

You're basically describing the National League playoffs. 2-7 in the playoffs, 2nd and 3rd get a bye to the "semi finals".

[MassDebater]

Team in 3rd get half a goal...
team in 4th get half a goal...

3rd v 6th - if drawn at end of second leg (AET) the half goal kicks in, no need for penalties.
4th v 5th - ditto

in the final highest finisher gets half a goal - again drawing at the end of ET then half goal wins it.

You keep the advantage of the current system, but then also give the higher teams something to hold on to. Also it removes the lottery of penalties.

[Shabby Russian]

I remember after the first leg there was chat about the Playoff system being unfair:

Luton, finished 3rd - in the final
Wednesday, finished 3rd - in the final
Notts County, finished 2nd - promoted

Stockport still have work to do but only one goal down going into the second leg at home.

I still believe that the play offs should be arranged so there is more reward for finishing 3rd rather than 6th.

A system where 5th plays 6th at home  the winners play away at the 4th team and the winners of that travel to the third place team for the final promotion spot.

It would annoy Sky (less televised games) and Wembley. But it would be fairer.

You're basically describing the National League playoffs. 2-7 in the playoffs, 2nd and 3rd get a bye to the "semi finals".

No I'm not.

There would be 3 games only.

4 teams, 3 games, the team that finished higher in the league always gets to play at home.

[Duffers]

I remember after the first leg there was chat about the Playoff system being unfair:

Luton, finished 3rd - in the final
Wednesday, finished 3rd - in the final
Notts County, finished 2nd - promoted

Stockport still have work to do but only one goal down going into the second leg at home.

I still believe that the play offs should be arranged so there is more reward for finishing 3rd rather than 6th.

A system where 5th plays 6th at home  the winners play away at the 4th team and the winners of that travel to the third place team for the final promotion spot.

It would annoy Sky (less televised games) and Wembley. But it would be fairer.

You're basically describing the National League playoffs. 2-7 in the playoffs, 2nd and 3rd get a bye to the "semi finals".

No I'm not.

There would be 3 games only.

4 teams, 3 games, the team that finished higher in the league always gets to play at home.

I'd say that scenario hinders the third place team more than it helps them. They end up waiting around just to play one game, especially if they're comfortably third with little chance of second going into the latter stages of the season. Pressure builds as the other games go by...