The EFL decides to take a chance on ABBA

[Joe Jones]

Nope, not a reference to the Swedish pop band (so no "Dancing Queen" blasting out of the tannoy at half time... what a shame eh), but the new penalty shootout method adopted by the EFL for the upcoming season.

So how does this ABBA system work? Over to the Beeb...

As the current system stands, teams take turns in a shootout, with the choice of who goes first decided by a coin toss.

For example, team A goes first, then team B, then team A again.

The new system sees team A followed by team B - before team B goes again. Team A would then get two successive penalties, a little like the tie-break in tennis, and so on until there is a winner.

A coin will still be tossed to decide who goes first.

It will be implemented in all ties in the Carabao Cup, Checkatrade Trophy and EFL playoffs.

So... a good idea or another unnecessary p*ssing about with the game's rules? Your thoughts, let's git em!

[DangerousSausage]

It's not a bad idea to be honest. At the moment, if you take the first penalty and fluff it, your keeper at least has the chance to save the opposition's and make up for it. If you take the second penalty and miss, your season can be over. That puts one team at a real disadvantage.

Penalty shoot-outs aren't exactly a traditional part of football anyway, so why not try to make them fairer?

[Chris]

Honestly, I didn't really understand it at all.

Yet it makes no sense to change the format, it's fair as things stand - taking turns straight after each other. It makes no sense to allow one team to go first, then for the other to take two. It's just another bizarre idea that I can't really seeing taking off.

The ABBA system should stand for avoiding their songs at football games.

[DangerousSausage]

31 minutes ago, Chris said:

Honestly, I didn't really understand it at all.

Yet it makes no sense to change the format, it's fair as things stand - taking turns straight after each other. It makes no sense to allow one team to go first, then for the other to take two. It's just another bizarre idea that I can't really seeing taking off.

The ABBA system should stand for avoiding their songs at football games.

It really isn't fair currently. The second team to take each round of penalties are under far more pressure. For example, if it goes down to the last penalty and the first team to take misses, they're still in the game. If the second team misses their final penalty, however, it's over. The new proposal aims to redress that by having teams take it in turns to go first and second.

[Chris]

2 hours ago, DangerousSausage said:

It really isn't fair currently. The second team to take each round of penalties are under far more pressure. For example, if it goes down to the last penalty and the first team to take misses, they're still in the game. If the second team misses their final penalty, however, it's over. The new proposal aims to redress that by having teams take it in turns to go first and second.

I disagree bud, I think it's fair as it is. Captains who won the coin toss decide who goes first, which is very fair IMO.

[Fozzy]

Actually, having read that twice, I think I now understand it and it sounds quite a fair system. Much prefer sudden death, rather than the drawn out process of at least 5 penalties each.

The only thing I would alter now is that wherever possible, I would allow teams to take penalties at both ends in front of their own fans.

[liampie]

penalty shoot outs are great, the only thing good about this is the fact keepers wont have to move out of goal so often. its kinda silly if you asked me.