h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Hi Egon,

One thing we're going to have to sort out soon is what happens in the knock-out stages over games that are level after 90 minutes. Do we take into account (golden) goals in extra time, and/or the results of penalty shoot-outs? Obviously, this doesn't affect any of the predictions that have been made so far, but I just wondered what you thought.

An interesting issue. I suppose we've got to count something. Golden goals should be no problem, its just like having your standard 2-1 or what ever result, except it took 114 minutes of play to complete it.

Penalty shoot outs are a bit more tricky. Didn't it used to be (possibly still is) that the bookies pay out on the result at 90 minutes and ignore what happens after that? Meaning of course that Brazil won USA-94, nil-nil

Good call Ormy, that could be a tricky one..

My 2 pence:

We cant really have people predicting Team A to be 4 goals ahead at the end of 90 minutes getting the points for the result if Team A go on to beat Team B in a penalty shoot out I dont think.

HOw about effectively extending the duration of the match to 120 minutes? So that people predicting a draw would be predicitng a draw after extra time has been played, and people predicting a win after 90 minutes would be given the points if Team A scored a golden goal.

Possibly predicting draw after extra time would deserve an extra point more than you get at group stages, as it is probably statistically less likey.


I think any system which tries to incorporate predictions for outcomes/scores of penalty shoot outs into the grand scheme of things is going to be very difficult to devise without bias against predictions of a straight victory, and also too complicated anyway.

HOw does that sound?

should nt have taken 30 minutes to write that post

hi GreyDesk

Well type a bit faster then

Hi yourself

I am open to suggestion. I'll just go over to the last fantasy football competition (season 2) and see what we did for the cup finals.

OK, let me run this one past you



SECOND ROUND, QUARTERS, SEMIS AND THIRD/FOURTH PLAYOFF:

Predict score. This counts over 120 minutes (as vogonpoet suggested)

If you guess who will win in the 90/120 mins, you get your usual point.

If you predict a draw, you get a point.

Penalties are immaterial.



FINAL (DOUBLE POINTS):

======================

First scorer 4 points
Correct scoreline 4 points.

======================

IF YOU CHOOSE SOMEONE TO WIN INSIDE 120 MINUTES:

If the team you predict to win the match win in 90 minutes or in extra time, you get 2 POINTS.

If your team win on penalties, you get 1 POINT.

======================

IF YOU PREDICT A DRAW YOU MUST ALSO CHOOSE SOMEONE TO WIN ON PENALTIES.

If it is a draw and your team win: 2 points

If it's a draw and your team lose: 1 point

If your team win inside 120 minutes: 1 point.



What do you think?

Also, they are using Golden Goals, aren't they? Just thought I'd better check.

GOlden Goals yes.

SOunds like a reasonable set of rules to me...

What an amazing job y9our doing Egon

vp

I'd like to second vogonpoet's sentiments. I'm really enjoying this! And I think that's a great solution to the extra time/penalties problem!

One small refinement.

The bit about predicting a draw after 120 minutes and getting a point if a team wins before the shoot out seems wrong. We've never got points before for predicting the wrong result

I think I'll sit down later at home and think through all the permutations.

I've had another read. I agree with everything for the next rounds etc up to the final.

One change I suggest for the final only. If you choose a draw (and accompanying penalties winner) and your team win (or lose) before 120 minutes you get nothing. That seems fair to me as you got the result wrong

I decided on that because I think there should be a point for correctly guessing who wins the cup.

It would apply only for the final, as that is double points.

Can I make a suggestion for the final?
Rather than double points, we could predict....

Winner
Final score
H-T score
First goal scorer
Last goal scorer
Game settled after 90 / 120 penalties

Or something. What do you think?

Otto

So - just to get this 100 per cent clear - we can predict draws in all the rounds before the final without needing to name the winner of the penalty shoot-out?

I ask mainly because some people are naming shoot-out winners in the Second Round threads. I thought that was only needed for the final.

Shoot-out winners will be ignored.
Straw poll- what are peoples opinions on mine and ottos ideas for final points?

The final points system is up for revision until the semi-finals are played.