Goal difference does matter

[Kilwinning74]

As title suggests given the current goal difference and the mistake made by the ref today surely we need to put pressure on the officials and like other situations not just wait for VAR to solve everything and level things out (cough). Again don’t want to derail from what was a good days work at a difficult ground but I still feel short changed a bit.

 

[EndOfDays]

No it doesn't.

 

[Ünnëcëssärÿ Ümläüts]

It likely won't matter, however it might. So with that in mind it would be good if the referees could just do their job properly.

 

[kdy_bear]

As title suggests given the current goal difference and the mistake made by the ref today surely we need to put pressure on the officials and like other situations not just wait for VAR to solve everything and level things out (cough). Again don’t want to derail from what was a good days work at a difficult ground but I still feel short changed a bit.

Doesn't happen a lot, but without it we might have been on 54 and not 55

Edit.In season 1904/5 Rangers would have been champions if goal difference had been in force at that time. Both us and them finished on 41 points and it was decided a play off should determine who were the champions, they won. So that's at least twice teams have finished on the same points, in fact 3 because the very first championship was shared between us and Dumbarton.

 

[Kilwinning74]

Goal difference can keep you top which I feel breeds confidence and as pointed out by another poster it has won championships. Some folk may feel it’s trivial but I would like to ahead in both points and goal difference.

 

[nybear]

It likely won't matter, however it might. So with that in mind it would be good if the referees could just do their job properly.

cheatin beaton is the ref on the dark side, one team had four fouls and three cards the other has double the fouls and one card. ref doing their job will never catch on up here

must have red my post, red card mcgregor

 

[Gazza 8]

Anyone who says it doesnt matter is daft.

How many times did we say we were chasing 5 points + the goal difference last season?

If you can gain a points lead on your rivals whilst also being out of sight in terms of GD its a huge psychological advantage.

 

[Dr. Strangelove]

Anyone who says it doesnt matter is daft.

How many times did we say we were chasing 5 points + the goal difference last season?

If you can gain a points lead on your rivals whilst also being out of sight in terms of GD its a huge psychological advantage.

I think the point is when things are done, it's always a point or two dropped that decides it and on average goal difference once every 25 years or so.

 

[LarkfiedLoyalNS]

History shows it doesn’t matter that’s a fact.

 

[nybear]

History shows it doesn’t matter that’s a fact.

except 2002/03 season where we won it by one goal.

 

[Tino_Col]

History shows it doesn’t matter that’s a fact.

It was literally decided on gd in living memory. Do you mean that if you ignore some of the history then history shows it doesn't matter (Fact)?

 

[Big Vern]

I know the ifs buts and maybes side of what I'm about to say but, if you take away their freak 9-0 result, there's only two goals in it in terms of GD, and that includes the 3-0 shambles at their ground

 

[High Society]

History shows it doesn’t matter that’s a fact.

So its never been won on goal difference?

 

[TN8]

Always matters if/when the league goes to the wire, even if it doesn't end up deciding it. Determines what both teams need to do on the final day.

 

[RFC_Champions]

Why are folk saying that goal difference doesn’t matter when teams have won leagues (ourselves included), earned European football, been promoted and other relegated on the basis of goal difference

Ofcourse it matters. And games like today was the time to do something about it. Not next april after the split when it could be to little to late.

 

[wsb&warmy]

History shows it doesn’t matter that’s a fact.

LOL

 

[Texas ranger]

Why are folk saying that goal difference doesn’t matter when teams have won leagues (ourselves included), earned European football, been promoted and other relegated on the basis of goal difference

Ofcourse it matters. And games like today was the time to do something about it. Not next april after the split when it could be to little to late.

Yip, of course it matters. It’s worth an extra point. Whether the point is needed or not is another discussion but as plenty have pointed out it’s came into effect for us in a big way.

 

[basiltherat]

Yip, of course it matters. It’s worth an extra point. Whether the point is needed or not is another discussion but as plenty have pointed out it’s came into effect for us in a big way.

Not worth an extra point
You finish one point behind having a better goal difference will not get you level

 

[nybear]

Not worth an extra point
You finish one point behind having a better goal difference will not get you level

when points are the same goals make difference and when goals are the same the rest of the diddy teams get to vote

 

[yosser hughes]

you better believe it does, our title wins show that

 

[Youngbear4444]

I always keep an eye on it, as think as we get to the split it is good to have a superior goal difference, as it adds pressure.

 

[High Society]

Not worth an extra point
You finish one point behind having a better goal difference will not get you level

Now you’re just being stupid. If we finish level on points the team with the best goal difference wins the leagu
Therefore it would be worth a point
If we were 2 points ahead with a much better goal difference on the last day then a draw would win us the league
But you keep digging that hole

 

[High Society]

Now you’re just being stupid. If we finish level on points the team with the best goal difference wins the leagu
Therefore it would be worth a point
If we were 2 points ahead with a much better goal difference on the last day then a draw would win us the league
But you keep digging that hole

 

[Gibraltar Loyal]

Goal difference can keep you top which I feel breeds confidence and as pointed out by another poster it has won championships. Some folk may feel it’s trivial but I would like to ahead in both points and goal difference.

If you are ahead on points goal difference is irrelevant

 

[TN8]

except 2002/03 season where we won it by one goal.

And in 2005 it was why McDonald's 2nd goal was irrelevant.

 

[RangerInCanada]

It likely won't matter, however it might. So with that in mind it would be good if the referees could just do their job properly.

Agreed on the ref. But I feel even more annoyed at our team for checking out at half time and not going for goals. So frustrating. 4-0 is great but could have been so much more….

 

[Texas ranger]

Not worth an extra point
You finish one point behind having a better goal difference will not get you level

It essentially is if you finish level. I didn’t think that needed explanation.

 

[Meri]

Think it matters more psychologically and for confidence levels than the likely hood of it determining the outcome at the end of the season.

For example if Celtic draw they're still top of the table, maybe there'd be a little more pressure on them if the GD was reversed.

 

[Clementime]

Goal difference can keep you top which I feel breeds confidence and as pointed out by another poster it has won championships. Some folk may feel it’s trivial but I would like to ahead in both points and goal difference.

I stated this last season.
I agree 100%, it boosts the confidence and with confidence chances are more inclined to be positive.

 

[El Buffalo]

So if goal difference doesn’t matter, what happens if 2 teams are tied on points at the top of the league at the end of the season? MATTERS!

 

[bilkobear]

Let's be honest, if you take away that disgraceful surrender by a Dundee United team who had betrayed their contracts, then the goal difference would be fairly unremarkable.

 

[McCoist’sTinHat]

Celtic have a 10 goal lead and keep the foot on teams throats more than us. I’d be very surprised if we finish with a better GD than them this season.

But as long as we get more points, it won’t matter.

 

[basiltherat]

Now you’re just being stupid. If we finish level on points the team with the best goal difference wins the leagu
Therefore it would be worth a point
If we were 2 points ahead with a much better goal difference on the last day then a draw would win us the league
But you keep digging that hole

So would probably be fairer to say in the extremely unlikely event teams finish level on points then it matters / is worth a point. Rather than making a blanket statement that it is worth a point when in the vast majority of cases (around 97% of the leagues so far) it is worth nothing.

 

[blue genes]

Absolutely it does.

It’s an actual potentially league deciding part of the game!

It also breeds confidence, generates fear in the opposition, & allows more young players game time & spreads the goals around.

It also removes the type of scenario recently like Dundee United, where we were a set piece giveaway from dropping 2 points, & even yesterday, if Halliday’s header had gone in I wouldn’t have put it past us to concede a second.

Lastly, it entertains the supporters that pay hard earned cash to actually be entertained.

 

[OohAhHuistra]

I’m willing to bet any amount of money GD won’t matter

 

[OohAhHuistra]

So if goal difference doesn’t matter, what happens if 2 teams are tied on points at the top of the league at the end of the season? MATTERS!

Last time it happened was 02/03 nearly 20 years ago before that it was 1900s. It really doesn’t matter as much as people think it rarely happens

 

[Chris the Bandito]

Last time it happened was 02/03 nearly 20 years ago before that it was 1900s. It really doesn’t matter as much as people think it rarely happens

Just for the sake of accuracy the points were also tied in 1965 when Killie beat Hearts on goal average ( and Hearts would have won on goal difference) and 1986 when Hearts lost on goal difference to Glasgow Hibs (but would have won on goal average)

 

[nybear]

And in 2005 it was why McDonald's 2nd goal was irrelevant.

aye but the second goal made it even sweeter with Sutton chasing the helicopter

 

[Parma]

Goal difference could matter in any given season, however going for a superior goal difference is not consequence free.

To maximize GD you don't make the changes we made when we did. You keep your best players on the park for as long as possible & keep the intensity up meaning injuries are more likely.

Fitness has to managed over a long season & this season is different to any other.

 

[Kirkwall Blue]

I know the ifs buts and maybes side of what I'm about to say but, if you take away their freak 9-0 result, there's only two goals in it in terms of GD, and that includes the 3-0 shambles at their ground

The exact point I stopped in to make, although wasn't it a 4-0 shambles? Not looking it up as no desire to re-live it.

 

[captcaveman]

it could matter and tbh, we did score 4 yesterday but, we should have won by much more.

 

[RFC_Champions]

I know the ifs buts and maybes side of what I'm about to say but, if you take away their freak 9-0 result, there's only two goals in it in terms of GD, and that includes the 3-0 shambles at their ground

You’ve actually posted if we take away some of their goals, the goal difference would be closer

Can we take away some of their points from last season?

Or can we take away one goal from Frankfurt in that final?

 

[Cahoochie]

See at the end of the season if both us and the unwashed are on the same number of points but one has a plus one goal difference over the other who gets the trophy?

Unless the SPFL follow the old B.B. football thing of counting corners ( Christ, they might just bring this in if Timothy has more corners than us ) then Goal difference is used as the deciding factor.

The scenario may not arise, but in the event then them’s the rules.

 

[Man on the post]

Of course it matters, small margins and all that. If your going into the run in neck and neck, absolutely that gives a physcologocal advantage.

Ask Alan Thompson and Chris Sutton

 

[ThorntonMM]

No it doesn't.

Of course it does. If it's going down to the wire the goal difference effectively becomes an extra point.

 

[JerseyLoyalist]

History shows it doesn’t matter that’s a fact.

How do you make that out?

 

[Tpol_rfc]

Have to laugh at folk that contest that goal difference doesn't matter as the league rarely gets decided on goal difference.

It's like being fine with losing 1-0 and having an obvious goal ruled out and shrugging your shoulders saying "ah never mind it's fine the league is rarely settled by a single point"

 

[simply_the_best]

Doesn't happen a lot, but without it we might have been on 54 and not 55

Edit.In season 1904/5 Rangers would have been champions if goal difference had been in force at that time. Both us and them finished on 41 points and it was decided a play off should determine who were the champions, they won. So that's at least twice teams have finished on the same points, in fact 3 because the very first championship was shared between us and Dumbarton.

Hearts finished 2nd to Kilmarnock in 65 and lost the league on goal average, they finished 2nd to Celtic in 86 and lost on Goal difference, they'd have won the league in 65 on GD and 86 on GA.

 

[Arkanoid]

We effectively handed them a 8 goal swing and Dundee Utd a 9 goal advantage. 17 goals is some handicap to overcome. I get your point though but there’s nothing we can do, we all know when VAR comes in. You don’t get goals, points or a competent ref awarded to you for highlighting errors

 

[Donsky]

It does when you are even on points but it shouldn’t. I’m more a fan of using head to head games as the first metric then goal difference, especially when you gave freak results like them against Dundee united.