: Wed Sep 30, 2009 9:17 pm
Dan_FC wrote:
I don't really get your point tbh, basically you claim because it's a group format there is less chance of an upset or a 'smaller' team going through but surely in a straight knock out competition the bigger side will, as you put it, invariably go through anyway, it's what generally happens in any cup format, barring the odd slip. You're are right any side over two legs can win, however, if in a group format a side like Wolfsburg for example beat United and then draw (which would obviously put them out in a straight knock out) that will then give them a four point advatage over United and a good opportunity to progress.
The point you make about a side being able to win over two legs and go through is what's being avoided in a group format, a team has to be consistent over 6 games in order to go through not just play well in two and be rewarded to go into the next round.
As a point of pedantry, in that example Wolfsburg would only have a 3 point advantage, as United would get a point from the draw too.
My complaint is that consistency is being rewarded but the cost is the excitement being spread much more thinly over 6 games rather than just 2. That the mini leagues are more predictable means there is less excitement to go around in the first place too. IMO the group stages of the CL are far from compelling viewing. The difference in intensity for the knockout ties is massive and I'd welcome more of that from earlier in the season. Man Utd and the other big (ie rich) clubs of course wouldn't. The cynic in me thinks this is more about guaranteeing revenue than ensuring consistency is rewarded.
