Argentinian relegation rules...

This would make the season infinitely more interesting

http://fourfourtwo.com/blogs/argieba...relegated.aspx

Meet the team who might win the title and be relegated

Wednesday 02 March 2011 12:56

Matchday 3 results: Olimpo 3-3 Godoy Cruz, Colón 1-3 Gimnasia, Lanús 2-1 Quilmes, San Lorenzo 1-2 Racing, Boca 0-0 All Boys, Estudiantes 0-1 Banfield, Argentinos 1-1 Vélez, Independiente 0-1 River, Huracán 1-1 Arsenal, Tigre 1-0 Newell’s

Winning the Carling Cup and going down is, frankly, small fry in comparison. Anyone can poach on a centre-back’s blunder, having played the underdog card well, closed down for 90 minutes and then take the silverware home, qualify for European football, but go down in the same season.

No, here comes the trump card. It's one of the delightful idiosyncrasies of Argentina, where relegation spots are worked out over an average of the last three years, that it's possible to be fighting off relegation and challenge for the league title at the same time.

Looking through the history books, one side of the story about how River Plate and Olimpo are top of the Clausura, but battling at the wrong end of the relegation averages, makes sense.

River Plate, with their 33 league titles, should be challenging for the title. And Olimpo, as a Newly Promoted Side with a modest three second division titles, were expected to be the whipping boys (NPSs always struggle to stay up). The two sides have copied each other, morphed and become a confusing amalgamation of each other.

River are struggling as they still pay the price for a shocking campaign when Diego Simeone was in charge. While the three-year rule saved them from relegation back in 2007, it also condemned Los Millonarios to misery for the next three.

A cagey debut away to Tigre with essentially seven defenders resulted in the predictable scoreless 90 minutes, but steadied the boat after the club had been roundly mocked for their tepid foray into the transfer market – a solitary free transfer.

They they defeated Huracán 2-0 in a six-pointer on home soil before travelling to Independiente just last weekend. A more conservative second half resulted in less entertainment, but Mariano ‘The Tank’ Pavone, or ‘The Spartan’ as Matías Almeyda re-baptised him, pounced to win all three points from the clásico in the 88th minute.

For their part, Olimpo finished 17th in the Apertura just a couple of months ago. As they only just came up, they don’t have the help or hindrance of previous seasons’ points tally to come into play, but their poor opening season left them in the direct relegation spot.

This campaign, however, they started off with a brilliant and unexpected win against Banfield before their own six-pointer, at Gimnasia. Weathering the storm, metaphorically and physically, in the first half, the southerners delighted their 50-odd travelling fans after half-time with three goals and all three points.

At the weekend, home to Godoy Cruz, they took a two-goal lead, squandered it and were trailing 2-3, only to score the equaliser with 93:32 on the clock. Godoy Cruz’s complaints that the goal was offside and that they played 32 seconds too long were fully justified but totally ignored.

So it is that River and Olimpo head the pack, but have other concerns. River are nine points from the danger zone, so a top-six finish should see them clear, but they are the nearest name to the four relegation spots.

Olimpo, meanwhile, have a different proposition altogether. They are in the relegation play-off position, but are River’s nine points from saftey. Even if they stay top of the table till the very end of the season, if the teams around them and directly above them fare well, they could still face the relegation battle come June, and of course go down. As champions. That's Argentina.

Special mention of the week: Teófilo Gutierrez (Racing) – The Colombian new boy undid his good work of a brace, helping the Academy win the clásico with San Lorenzo, by going on Sunday night TV and declaring himself a River Plate fan.

It's £#%&!ing barmy over there.

Shelbourne won the league here a few years back and got relegated tbh financial irregularities.

See also Calciopoli.

Originally Posted by andyroo

Shelbourne won the league here a few years back and got relegated tbh financial irregularities.

See also Calciopoli.

Not really the same though, is it?

And we all know the only team in England ever to win the league and then get relegated the following campaign, don't we??

Originally Posted by dunk

This would make the season infinitely more interesting

http://fourfourtwo.com/blogs/argieba...relegated.aspx





It's £#%&!ing barmy over there.

They developed this system back in the early 80s after a bad season put River in serious relegation danger. The AFA decided they couldn't have their most successful team relegated, so came up with this convoluted mess. It isn't long for this world. The Clausura-Apertura system is already being scrapped, and the Promedio will probably go with it.

It's still infinitely more interesting in Argentina though because the talent factory gives every club a chance to compete. 8 different champions in the last 8 tournaments.

Originally Posted by Grimson

They developed this system back in the early 80s after a bad season put River in serious relegation danger. The AFA decided they couldn't have their most successful team relegated, so came up with this convoluted mess. It isn't long for this world. The Clausura-Apertura system is already being scrapped, and the Promedio will probably go with it.

It's still infinitely more interesting in Argentina though because the talent factory gives every club a chance to compete. 8 different champions in the last 8 tournaments.

River seem in a bit of peril at the minute?

As I say, it makes it interesting, I definitely like the idea of different teams winning all the time. What's the talent factory?

Originally Posted by andyroo

Shelbourne won the league here a few years back and got relegated tbh financial irregularities.

See also Calciopoli.

Ok but If I get Mayfair and you get Park Lane , you have to sell it to me

Originally Posted by red in cumbria

And we all know the only team in England ever to win the league and then get relegated the following campaign, don't we??

Massive achievement.

Originally Posted by Grimson

They developed this system back in the early 80s after a bad season put River in serious relegation danger. The AFA decided they couldn't have their most successful team relegated, so came up with this convoluted mess. It isn't long for this world. The Clausura-Apertura system is already being scrapped, and the Promedio will probably go with it.

It's still infinitely more interesting in Argentina though because the talent factory gives every club a chance to compete. 8 different champions in the last 8 tournaments.

No input from Rivers middle-class gangsters?

Originally Posted by dunk

River seem in a bit of peril at the minute?

As I say, it makes it interesting, I definitely like the idea of different teams winning all the time. What's the talent factory?

River were on shaky ground in January, but a good start to the season has them in pretty good shape right now. Disappointing home draw yesterday, but if they keep getting points they'll be out of the woods.

The talent factory is the country. All of these teams keep developing their own starlets, get a few years out of them, then sell them on to Europe to keep the club afloat.

Originally Posted by Zigzawya

No input from Rivers middle-class gangsters?

I think back in 1983 it was more about TV revenue.

Originally Posted by Grimson

River were on shaky ground in January, but a good start to the season has them in pretty good shape right now. Disappointing home draw yesterday, but if they keep getting points they'll be out of the woods.

The talent factory is the country. All of these teams keep developing their own starlets, get a few years out of them, then sell them on to Europe to keep the club afloat.




I think back in 1983 it was more about TV revenue.

tbf they were shocking last night , If they keep playing like that they may yet struggle

River have their first play-off game tonight to try and stay in the division. They've been shite all season so it's not looking too good for them...

The £#%&!ing state of River :shakehead:

So many great players have played at that club. Batigol, Ortega, Cresbo, Ayala, Saviola, Aimar, Salas...to now be reduced to this ffs. Hope they don't go down

Originally Posted by The Watcher

The £#%&!ing state of River :shakehead:

So many great players have played at that club. Batigol, Ortega, Cresbo, Ayala, Saviola, Aimar, Salas...to now be reduced to this ffs. Hope they don't go down

they've only scored 15 goals this season. most on your list used to score more than that on their own

Originally Posted by Grimson

They developed this system back in the early 80s after a bad season put River in serious relegation danger. The AFA decided they couldn't have their most successful team relegated, so came up with this convoluted mess. It isn't long for this world. The Clausura-Apertura system is already being scrapped, and the Promedio will probably go with it.

It's still infinitely more interesting in Argentina though because the talent factory gives every club a chance to compete. 8 different champions in the last 8 tournaments.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1SMMTYZXjfY

well its got an argentinian linkington

8 different winners in 8 tournaments is fair enough, as long as teams can still be good enough to dominate.

sport at the highest level - most sports probably - have histories littered with repeat winners, dynasties, and dominant periods from the greatest players/clubs.

that's why maybe the main criticism you could throw at the CL isn't that it stops teams being able to compete, it's that it has never managed to produce a format that ensures a continuation of the pattern of the competition's previous history. it's a flawed criticism in so many ways.

then again, as a pseudo once said, before it was a life, after it will be a life


edit: hello thursday...

...it's a flawed criticism to say that the CL format atm prevents competition outside the top two or three clubs in the top two or three leagues - it doesn't, most of the rest only ever made an impact occasionally anyway, and none of them consistently. currently we're in a period where the format has deliberately changed the history of the competition, and no team has ever retained the champions league. the current era is for that reason almost entirely detached from the pre-CL competition, although it's fair to say that the domination of manchester united and barcelona over the past 6 seasons has gone some way to returning the competition back into its original context.

river got beat 2-0 last night so need to win 3-0 or better in the second leg to stay up

that wasn't it though, their fans broke a hole in the fence and stormed the pitch to have a go at the players

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xjh66g_incidentes-en-belgrano-y-river-plate_sport

No wonder Grimson is quiet...

Erik Lamela to Europe.... ?