Too Many Ties
By: Ben | September 26th, 2011
It’s been said that tying a game is like kissing your sister. If so, this season’s New York Red Bulls may be only an extreme, but they sure have been incestuous. With a record of 8-7-15, the Red Bulls have successfully tied half of their 2011 season, thus representing a horrible trend that’s only growing in MLS: ties. It’s spreading; of the 18 teams in the league, 12 have more ties than any other single outcome, with 5 of the remaining six coming from the same conference (guess which. Hint, it’s the one that wins more). In fact, in 28 complete weeks of MLS, ties account for about 39% of all outcomes we’ve seen.
So, what’s the big deal? Well, ties are bad. They don’t do much to affect league standings, they show failures in both teams, and they are usually (though definitely not always) pretty boring. I’m sure I’m not the only fan who has left the stadium after a bland tie wondering how to feel. Should I be pissed that we didn’t win? Should I be excited that we didn’t lose? Or, perhaps, I’ll just remain confused. My team has neither won nor lost, it’s position in the standing is about the same, and I’ve spent the last 90 minutes with no result.
Oh, what to do.
Should we get rid of ties? We all remember MLS’s dreaded penalty shootout rule, and I’m no supporter of that. It’s really just not a fair way to settle a match. The other option, though, is overtime, and I really think it’s a valid one. If we were to add at least 15 minutes of overtime to a tied game, surely at least some of these ties would be decided. How many times has your team been on the verge of the deciding goal, only to find itself on the wrong side of the stopwatch? With an additional 15 minutes, ties would still remain, but definitely not in the same numbers.
It’s an idea. How do you feel about ties? Are there too many? Should we take action? How so?
Sound off, boys and girls.
Category: MLS
Comments
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Hi,
I’m from Ireland and just found your blog site. I didn’t know that draws are so rampant in the MLS. If the league is to be taken seriously like the major footballing leagues in europe it can’t change the format. The penalty shootout is entertaining but shouldn’t be done for every draw it should be saved for playoffs, cups and finals. Your league has made some massive leaps over the last few years and shouldn’t resort to these type of things to keep the fans entertained. Its a long haul but the league will keep growing and improving.
I’m going to reguarly read your blogs now. Keep up the good work.
Kind regards
Kebabinator -
A draw result or a penalty shootout are both lacking. I propose that after 90′ minutes, if the score is tied the game goes to sudden death OT. Every 10 minutes each side has to remove a player without stopping the game. So at 100 minutes it is 10 v 10, 110 minutes, 9 v 9 etc. Until someone scores. This solution has the advantage of keeping the normal format of soccer to end a game, at least more so than a shoot out. It also eliminates draws. It would be very exciting too.
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