Possible Premier League play-off

[Jacko51]

According to this morning's Torygraph, it is possible the season will not be over at the weekend. If Chelsea draw at home to Everton on Sunday and Arsenal win by one goal at Newcastle, scoring two more goals than Chelsea, then there will have to be a play-off for third place. This is because 3rd place gives an auto Champs League spot and 4th has to qualify.

 

So if Chelsea draw 0-0 and Arsenal win 2-1 (or 1-1 and 3-2 etc) then a play off would follow because the teams could not be separated on points, goal difference or goals scored. The play-off is either one or two games at a neutral venue.

 

Fascinating, eh?!!

[Jimmy]

Daft!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Birches Head Fred]

We should offer Vale Park as a neutral venue......

[Jacko51]

We should offer Vale Park as a neutral venue......

 

Good thinking, Fred.

[Valiant in Brum]

Torygraph, atleast they don't support labour!!!!!! Though all 3 big boys have had their day and are numbered.

 

This is interesting just hope they don't make a yearly habbit of it lol.

[Tone]

If it happens, it is surely a fix.

[Bea Smith]

If it happens, it is surely a fix.

 

Why would Chelsea agree to a fix that might mean they have to play 2 more awkward games, possibly an away trip to the borders of the Middle east or somewhere ghastly when they could just try their best to win and make sure they get 3rd place ?

[Jacko51]

I just can't see Arsenal only winning by 1 to be fair.......:D

 

Me neither! Single figures would be good!

[Tone]

Why would Chelsea agree to a fix that might mean they have to play 2 more awkward games, possibly an away trip to the borders of the Middle east or somewhere ghastly when they could just try their best to win and make sure they get 3rd place ?

 

It's not what the club agree to or want. If you take a look at the history of Italian football, the players have fixed the results of games to suit those who have bet large sums of money on the outcome.

 

It is sad, but true.

 

It may well not be so in this case. We'll see.

[Regal Beagle]

It's not what the club agree to or want. If you take a look at the history of Italian football, the players have fixed the results of games to suit those who have bet large sums of money on the outcome.

 

It is sad, but true.

 

It may well not be so in this case. We'll see.

 

I can't see how it is possible to get away with fixing a game in the PL. Spot fixing perhaps but actually ensuring a particular scoreline? No chance in my opinion.

[Bea Smith]

I can't see how it is possible to get away with fixing a game in the PL. Spot fixing perhaps but actually ensuring a particular scoreline? No chance in my opinion.

 

I agree. I suspect things are fixed in the PL and every other league however, but in a far more sophisticated way. For example, it is possible to bet on whether there will be a corner in the next 5 minutes play.

A set of defenders could easily arrange for an accomplice to wait until a match where there was, say, a 3 goal difference and then 'arrange' a corner to be conceded after 80 minutes - or a penalty at massive bigger odds.

This would then not affect the result but only the bookies would lose (if they paid out - they don't have to if they suspect what they call irregular betting patterns.)

Or someone like Liverpool, whose position (and therefor prize money) cannot change might find an unsavoury attempt to persuade them that it didn't matter if they lost their last fixture. I'm sure they would decline that offer of course,

Cricket is far more open to cheating of this sort - as you can bet on the result of single balls in an over, and the number of runs in an over. A team heading for an easy win, or a certain defeat might just have a player who bowls a wide or two or a couple of balls that could be easily hit for 4 or 6 - kerr ching !!!!