Sepp Blatter has asked Franz Beckenbauer to come up with an alternative to the "TRAGEDY" of penalty shoot-outs. Oh dear.......for years and years England and English clubs have continually failed at penalty shoot-outs. A German team losses one and it is time TO LOOK FOR SOMETHING BETTER. You cant let us win can you Blatter.
How about the team that last held the lead before the scores were levelled, wins, if the scores are still level after extra time. i.e. Liverpool 1-0, then finishes 1-1 after 90mins, extra time is played but still 1-1 (Liverpool win) Liverpool 1-0, then Munich turn the game around to lead 1-2, then Liverpool equalise 2-2 after 90mins, extra time is played but still 2-2 (Munich win) Liverpool 1-0, then Munich turn the game around to lead 1-2, then Liverpool equalise 2-2 after 90mins, extra time is played, Liverpool take the lead 3-2 during extra time, Munich then equalise 3-3, end of extra time 3-3 (Liverpool win) Only applied to games where the end result would have been penalties. Probably completely nuts and unworkable but it gets the thread started.
Doesn't that diminish what teams achieve when they battle back from being behind BRB? That's one of the things we fans like best isn't it, when our resepctive battle back from a losing position? I can't see much alternative to penalties to be honest. That idea of running from the half way line, one on one with the keeper is only a variation on penalties really and I hope to goodness we don't go back that stupid Golden Goal thing. That meant that a single absolute fluke goal could undo 90+ minutes of hard work. At least with penalties it's best of 10 and there's some hope of coming back from a silly mistake. I do have this revolutionary idea though. It's called a replay. You'll never guess what is - if a match is drawn after 90 or 120 minutes, you play another game. Bet you'd never have come up with that one!
Ah! yes, but with my new rule it will be a fight to the death, the team that went a goal down with have to continue to batter the opposition to score a further two goals. Us supporters also like a bit of blood and guts and anything to win at all costs (one for sensible or la la that one).
How about if equal after extra time.to continue playing 15 minute ends until a goal is scored .....in other words sudden death after original extra time. It will always be a team game....never one on one. This has been done before.
Make it pure and simple...the first team that scored a goal will win in the event of a score draw.....this will surely make a much more entertaining game, or even shots on target for a 0-0 result.
When it isn't your team that is involved there is something cruelly entertaining about penalties. The agony of a superstar missing his kick is splendid. Having said that I have never thought a pen shootout is the way to end a match. Might as well toss a coin and get it over with quicker. Could do best of 3 or 5. I would prefer one of two options myself. Either a complete replay which is a no no for the football authorities because of the cramped calendar or a golden goal after normal extra time. There will always be flukey goals in football which count so if one was to be flukey then so what, a goal is a goal however it is scored. I didn't think anyone connected to Gillingham would like blood and guts encounters. Their players roll about and fall down far to easily so they don't like any contact and presumably their manager encourages the oscar performances..........
Golden Goals are so unsatisfying though, they completely ruin the drama of extra time. None of the panicky glances at the watch, none of the desperate hope that your team can pull it back if they go a goal behind, just bang and it's all over. At least with penalties there's a process with a hope of recovery it it starts to go wrong, which keeps the interest up to the last. And there is an element of skill in the kick taking and the goalkeeping, which there isn't in the coin toss. One-on-ones would take longer and bring a very real risk of injury as players got desperate. If we can't have replays, which the TV companies would never stand for, then let's stick with penalties as the least bad alternative. I gather Blatter only raised the issue after his own favourite team (Bayern Munich?) lost in a shoot out, which is par for the course for him.
