To what extent does "Home Advantage" really exist?

[bealios]

Perhaps because every player wants to be fans favourite. And stupid as it sounds, you would lift yourself that extra 10% in a home game, and not in an away game.

 

At a professional level that extra 10% makes a difference - less so at a lower level, since there is a wider range of abilities - the good team is usually a hell of a lot better than a bad team in the same league. Also, I'm not sure the concept of being a fans favourite exists in Sunday League!

[jdckelly]

while a lot of home advantage stuff is  down to psychological  factors there are other factors for instance stoke have a tighter pitch than an arsenal one which means that flanks can't be exploited as much and the long throw is more effective

[OzzieMandias]

Man U have a heated dugout for the home team, an unheated one for the visitors. I always thought that was clever.

[Ketsbaia]

I've often wondered this myself; at the end of the day its a field, a ball and 22 players....there should be no difference. Psychology definitely plays a role though. At home you're surrounded by familiarity (family, house etc) and expectant fans, whereas away you're on the receiving end of that. But thats why the top teams are where they are....they're above such psychology and acknowledge that nothing should really change.

[OzzieMandias]

I've often wondered this myself; at the end of the day its a field, a ball and 22 players....there should be no difference. Psychology definitely plays a role though. At home you're surrounded by familiarity (family, house etc) and expectant fans, whereas away you're on the receiving end of that. But thats why the top teams are where they are....they're above such psychology and acknowledge that nothing should really change.

 

I think factors concerning how comfortable and "at home" you feel in your surroundings are very real indeed when it comes to any work that involves concentration and creativity. It's important also to be able to travel well, though, sure.

[AyeDubbleYoo]

Man U have a heated dugout for the home team, an unheated one for the visitors. I always thought that was clever.

 

There are a lot of examples of that. Even at SJP they home changing rooms are a lot better than the away ones.

[maybe_next_year]

Man U have a heated dugout for the home team, an unheated one for the visitors. I always thought that was clever.

 

There are a lot of examples of that. Even at SJP they home changing rooms are a lot better than the away ones.

 

didnt they even design the colours of the away dressing room at SJP to try and put the away team team off?

[JH]

It's all in the mind. At the end of the day, it's pretty much the same 22 that would play at the other team's stadium so it shouldn't be different, but it is.

[Dave]

Kick, punch, it's all in the mind.

[Village Idiot]

I think referees are more easily pressured by home fans, and they play a part in cementing the home advantage. Not that they do it intentionally, or that they will conjure penalties out of thin air for the home team. But maybe they will call less fouls for the home team, be hesitant the get the cards out, etc... that can mean a lot.

 

[UV]

How often do you see Man Utd change their game plan for away games? Pretty much never.

They play their football the same way whether they are at home or away and the success they've had doing this is unrivalled.

Ferguson instills extraordinary mental strength into his players and I would imagine part of that involves talking about how home advantage means fuck all.

 

 

 

2  Man Utd  24  10  1  1  31  8  7  1  4  25  12  36  53

 

31 points at home

22 points away

[Jordan]

Man U have a heated dugout for the home team, an unheated one for the visitors. I always thought that was clever.

we do that to

[Exiled in Texas]

I think travel has a lot to do with it as well. Playing at home you get to be around your house, wife, kids etc...on your travels you are staying in hotels, living out of suitcases and kept under strict in-house rules.

 

Probably - and when your playing away you can tear into French Underware Models without worry.

[Greg]

Man U have a heated dugout for the home team, an unheated one for the visitors. I always thought that was clever.

we do that to

 

We were the first club in the country to have these heated car style seats, we were also the first club to have these cannabis growing lights on the pitch, Shepherd used to brag about it.

[Village Idiot]

All these "make opposition feel uncomfortable in our stadium" tricks are a bit unsporting, don't you think?

[Greg]

All these "make opposition feel uncomfortable in our stadium" tricks are a bit unsporting, don't you think?

 

Loads of teams do it, when we played Sunderland a few years ago we put the heating on in their changing room full blast so it was like a sauna without them having any way of turning it down.

[Heron]

Less than it used to...

[David28]

Depends very much on the club and the fans. We have imo a quite big advantage whenever we play at home as teams (at least in the CCC) fear about coming to SJP and we also have those shit away dugouts as someone mentionend before. I was at a stadium tour at SJP and have seen the away showers and the home showers... I certainly know which one I would preffer to use.

 

But a club like Wigan that have 1.000 people watching them play would maybe enjoy playing at a bigger, more crowded ground and it could raise their game.

[Guest Stephen927]

All these "make opposition feel uncomfortable in our stadium" tricks are a bit unsporting, don't you think?

 

Yes, to a degree, but it is all part of making home games all important, do they not do this in Spain?

[Village Idiot]

All these "make opposition feel uncomfortable in our stadium" tricks are a bit unsporting, don't you think?

 

Yes, to a degree, but it is all part of making home games all important, do they not do this in Spain?

 

To be completely honest, I have no idea. I know that the Barça home dressing rooms have a jacuzzi and the away ones don't, though!

[gazza ladra]

All these "make opposition feel uncomfortable in our stadium" tricks are a bit unsporting, don't you think?

 

Yes, to a degree, but it is all part of making home games all important, do they not do this in Spain?

 

To be completely honest, I have no idea. I know that the Barça home dressing rooms have a jacuzzi and the away ones don't, though!

 

And an open bar and plenty of hookers!

[BlueStar]

home advantage means fuck all.

 

 

 

2  Man Utd  24  10  1  1  31  8  7  1  4  25  12  36  53

 

31 points at home

22 points away

 

But surely even if Man U play with the same mentality home and away, some teams going to Old Trafford give themselves a disadvantage by not doing so, which could account for the higher number of home wins Man U get?

[Kaizero]

I was under the impression that for a stadium to be available to be chosen as a CL/Europa League final stadium and such, both the home and away changing room had to be the same and such to make everything neutral?

[maybe_next_year]

I was under the impression that for a stadium to be available to be chosen as a CL/Europa League final stadium and such, both the home and away changing room had to be the same and such to make everything neutral?

 

correct i believe, hence why stadiums like SJP are never considered.

[TheGuv]

Hmm its a tough one. But it HAS to be pyschological. For players to play infront of loud fans who are close to the pitch a la Stoke or play infront of thousands and thousands of fans, against a side renowned for getting bias towards them must be hard to overcome...

 

 

Shame we have a shi*e record home and away for years before relegation