I am no soccer afficianado at all, so please excuse any ignorance on display in this post. I happened to read a couple threads on the soccer playoff games and comments were made about whether penalty kicks are the right way to break a tie in a soccer match. That made me think about the options.

 

As I thought it over, it seemed to me that penalty kicks may be the most fair way there is to break a tie. There are so many fluke things that can happen that lead to a goal in a match I don't know that it is any more fair to just keep playing OT's till someone scores. Plus, there is no telling how long a match could go if you keep playing OT's.

 

With penalty kicks, at least 6 players on each team get a chance to use their skills to settle the match. It isn't about one play or one player. If you go another round, even more players get to shoot. The more I think about it, the more I wonder if a tie match should go straight to penalty kicks and forget playing overtime at all.

 

What do the soccer intelligentsia think? Is there a better way to break a tie than penalty kicks?

I’ve never heard of an alternative that is superior. Soccer is too long and taxing of a game to say, just play until someone wins. That’s how injuries happen, either by clumsy tackles or just exhaustion of the body.

 

The removing players idea is essentially the same thing as PKs. Because eventually it will just be scoring to score and that isn’t any more fair.

So would you settle a baseball game with a home run derby or strike out competition? Or football with a field goal distance challenge? Those games last hours upon hours. you play until someone scores more than the other team. Unfortunately the game has always been played this way and not changing it is part of the reason why it has been so successful for decades. Unlike other sports that are nothing like their roots anymore.

Edited October 20, 20178 yr by Jumper_Dad
Rule 13

Yes

PKs are the flukiest weird thing in soccer. I don't like them as a way of deciding games... but come the playoffs, when you absolutely need a winner... I've yet to come across a better idea for how to ensure someone moves on.

so would you settle a baseball game with a home run derby or strike out competition? or football with a field goal distance challenge? those games last hours upon hours. you play until someone scores more than the other team. Unfortunately the game has always been played this way and not changing it is part of the reason why it has been so successful for decades. unlike other sports that are nothing like their roots anymore.

A game that lasts hours isn’t a game that was played for hours.

 

The actual action in a football game probably doesn’t even get close to the time spent not playing the game.

So would you settle a baseball game with a home run derby or strike out competition? Or football with a field goal distance challenge? Those games last hours upon hours. you play until someone scores more than the other team. Unfortunately the game has always been played this way and not changing it is part of the reason why it has been so successful for decades. Unlike other sports that are nothing like their roots anymore.

A baseball game going longer doesn't really add to the risk of injury. A football game has unlimited subs and the actual action is very small in relation to the length of the game.

A baseball game going longer doesn't really add to the risk of injury. A football game has unlimited subs and the actual action is very small in relation to the length of the game.

 

Craziest thing I never knew about the game until recently, substitution wasn't allowed at all until 1958! Until 60 years ago, if one of your players was hurt, you just played with 10 the rest of the way. It wasn't until 10 years after that that teams could use a sub for tactical, non-injury reasons.

I'm not a fan of penalty kicks, mainly because it is so difficult for the goalie. Getting a save pretty much comes down to guessing right. For whatever it's worth though, I can't figure out a better way to decide a winner.

Until there is a better alternative, they won't change it. It used to be where it'd be 3 players from each team would take the ball from midfield and try to score as if it was a 1 on 1 opportunity, which is begging for knee injuries.

 

Golden goal is another story... Do not like.

Playing two five minute sudden death/victory overtime periods under the same conditions under which the previously eighty minutes had just been play is equal to the definition of insanity.

 

Do something slightly different.

 

Pull the keepers! Other players could fill the role but couldn't use their hands, and don't make them sudden death/victory, play them out in their entirety in order to give both teams equal opportunities, or as stated play seven on seven.

 

Anything but PKs which are so radically different over what you've just done for ninety minutes, and as previously stated are partially luck, equating it to flipping a coin to determine the winner.

Playing two five minute sudden death/victory overtime periods under the same conditions under which the previously eighty minutes had just been play is equal to the definition of insanity.

 

Do something slightly different.

 

Pull the keepers! Other players could fill the role but couldn't use their hands, and don't make them sudden death/victory, play them out in their entirety in order to give both teams equal opportunities, or as stated play seven on seven.

 

Anything but PKs which are so radically different over what you've just done for ninety minutes, and as previously stated are partially luck, equating it to flipping a coin to determine the winner.

 

Players that aren't keepers playing in net? Somebody call Luis Suarez... He might have a future in Kentucky High School soccer!

I'd at least like to see overtime golden goal with less players and see what happens. Penalties are awful, winning or losing, and as stated relates very little to the actual game.

Until there is a better alternative, they won't change it. It used to be where it'd be 3 players from each team would take the ball from midfield and try to score as if it was a 1 on 1 opportunity, which is begging for knee injuries.

 

Golden goal is another story... Do not like.

 

In the late 80s, the shoot out was a 1:1 with the keeper.

Attacker with ball around 35 yds maybe, not sure.

Keeper on the line.

Whistle start.

Attacker had some # of seconds to get a shot off.

Each team sent 5.

Then 1 each in sudden death like pks today.

 

Don't know when it changed, but definitely sometime after fall '88.

I like pk's especially in post season. They are not as easy as they look after 90 mins of sprinting and physical play.

All you have to do is put the ball in the net right? Must be easy, No pressure just the rest of your high school soccer career, or possibly your last game. Grated it's a tough way to lose, but it's also an awesome feeling knowing you just won the game for your team by making/ blocking a goal.

The whole pull the goalie is rediculus it would just turn into a kick ball game by taking shots from 40 or 50 yards out and hoping they go in .