ToffeeWeb - Season 2007-08

The Mail Bag

Away goals count...

.... but only at the end of extra time.

Many people seem to have missed the away goals rule in the Carling Cup. I myself was unsure after the first leg and after arriving home did my own research:

"The four quarter-final winners compete in this round. The ties are played over two matches (one at each club's stadium) with the aggregate score being used to determine the winners. If the scores are level at the end of the second match extra time is played. If the scores are still level at the end of extra time the team which has scored more away goals goes through. If the number of away goals is level a penalty shootout is used to decide the winners."

In essence this means 1-0 to us after extra time secures victory!

Roll on Wednesday and COYB!!!!!!
Alex Naylor, Home Posted 18/01/2008 at 09:23:43

back Return to the Mail Bag

Comments

Note: the following content is not moderated or vetted by the site owners at the time of submission. Comments are the responsibility of the poster. Disclaimer

Steve Linden
1 Posted 18/01/2008 at 14:41:51

I knew that but I don’t think I’d be able to take half-an-hour of us trying not to concede if it’s 1-0 at the end of normal time.

2-0 with a second in the 4th minute of injury time would do nicely!

Art Greeth
2 Posted 18/01/2008 at 14:59:39

It’s the same rule that applies in the divisional play-offs... and I’ve always thought it a grossly unfair rule.

Think about it... it gives the team playing away in the second leg a HUGE advantage. They get an extra 30 minutes to score a single goal which, if they do, the home team has to score twice in the same time.

Mark Griffiths
3 Posted 18/01/2008 at 15:36:30

Prediction:-

Cahill scores a late goal and we have extra time, all level after extra time and we win on pens!

Nick Entwistle
4 Posted 18/01/2008 at 15:42:01

With you Art.

Chelsea get 120 minutes of away goal chances to Everton’s 90... well, lets just do in regulation time then!

Adam Doyle
5 Posted 18/01/2008 at 15:57:13

Thing is though, it also gives the home time an advantage. They get 30 extra minutes of home-support, which I’d take over being away.

Would you rather be in Chelsea’s position?

Nick Entwistle
6 Posted 18/01/2008 at 16:30:31

True Adam but if scores are level after the 210 minutes then home and away hasn’t played a facter... so that is when the extra 30 minutes Chelsea get are unfair.

Art Greeth
7 Posted 18/01/2008 at 16:58:54

Adam... If it was a European tie and we won 1-0 in normal time, GAME OVER! We would go through on our away goal at SB. As it is, that goal counts for virtually nothing.

To avoid extra time, we have to win by two clear goals in 90 minutes. If it goes to extra time we have to score one more than Chelsea when all they have to do is have equal parity with us.

So - yup! I’d rather be in Chelsea’s position should it go to extra time. They get a HUGE advantage with the away goal rule as it is.

James Elworthy
8 Posted 18/01/2008 at 18:53:16

Anelka did not play for Bolton in the Carling Cup so he is eligible and so is the new defender they bought too.

I would hope we could last 90 never mind 120 minutes with a clean sheet but that is something we havent done with regularity this season. We need to win 3-1 that will do for me.

Gary Sedgwick
9 Posted 19/01/2008 at 03:16:22

I never thought about it like that. I agree it is totally biased to the team playing at home in the first leg. It is not fair ? but nothing in life is anyway.

Art, your last post sums it up. Why should an away team that penetrates the home team?s defence in a regulation 90 minutes and then goes on to beat them in the second leg be penalized with the added extra time?

Imagine we lost away like we did in the CL qualifiers 5-1 and return home and defeat them 4-0. Scores are level but we did something they did not. We scored an away goal. That should be rewarded at the end of 90 minutes. Both teams took advantage of the home field. Why penalize the home team in the second leg????

Wait!!! I just had a brain fart. In the two semi final pairings, AFC v THFC and CFC v EFC which teams were drawn at home for the first leg? Ahh, the two from the supposed "Top Four".

Conspiracy theory comes to mind.... for this season at least.