This post stems from the Arsenal-Man Utd match earlier yesterday(31st Jan). For a sports buff like me, it was a Super Sunday with the Australian open finals and then the awaited EPL game later in the evening.
Arsenal were handed one of their worst defeats by Man Utd and before you knew, the game was over. What disappointed me more, was the attitude of the Arsenal players as soon as they were down by two goals. There was enough time to go in the game and they could have fought back strong(they did create few chances), but they just looked so down that the third Man-Utd goal was but impending. They are a class side mind you, but it was just the mindset that let them down.
This game was extremely important to both the sides in their race for the EPL title. But I wonder, if the intensity would have been different had this been a playoff game in Champion's league. In a playoff game of any sport, the teams go for the kill even when they are down in dumps, because its then or never. The fighting spirit is so strong till the dying minutes of the game that sometimes lead to miraculous outcomes. I am not sure if a league format really brings that out amongst the teams unless its nearing the end of the season where the final few games are left to make that final push for the championship. Some crucial games like the one I talked about are the equivalent of playoff games in a league format.
I am sure there are benefits of the league format as well, which is probably why it continues to stay. Just a thought - what if it was otherwise!
