In Defence of Turnovers – or – Seizing the Means of Concession
Let’s do a quick thought exercise: Most football matches are played in league competitions. League competitions are won by collecting the most points possible. Most leagues now award 3 points for a win, 1 point for a draw, and 0 points for a loss. This point distribution system creates an interesting phenomenon: more points are allotted, in total, for matches where a side wins, than matches where the two sides draw. This results in a curious dynamic: a side that draws every match in a 38 game season will end the year with 38 points, while a side that wins half of its matches and loses half of its matches will end the year with 57 points, despite the two efforts having been seemingly the same (half success, half failure). Now, if we are attempting to win a league title, let us assume that we have greater quality players than the majority of the league. Sides with lower tier talent generally do not target league titles, they target relegation survival, a mid table finish, or oc...