[Football] Are players playing with less fear / more freedom without crowds?

[Bry Nylon]

So far this weekend, Everton and Spurs have scored 5, Leeds and Leicester have scored 4, Fulham, Palace and Brighton have scored 3. Is this just an early season abberation or are teams actually finding playing behind closed doors liberating?

 

[Seasidesage]

Possibly. It could also be that where pre season was so short teams are a little under cooked?

 

[Mellotron]

Webster pretty much admitted he was playing better without crowds. Understandable when our players are asked to take risks by Potter.

 

[Springal]

Webster pretty much admitted he was playing better without crowds. Understandable when our players are asked to take risks by Potter.

Yep. Multiple times Potter alluded to the negative home fans and the impact on players. Too many negative know it alls at the AMEX

 

[PILTDOWN MAN]

Believe we are especially away as we’re the form team. Never thought we’d ever go unbeaten for so many away games in the PL

 

[The Fits]

Let’s hope supporters take note of this when we’re allowed back into the grounds- those tuts and sighs really do make a difference you miserable buggers.


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[Mackenzie]

Yes.

 

[Seasider78]

Without the home crowd advantage teams are going away and having a real go which is resulting in lots of end to end matches.

Other noticeable thing is how much the standard of defending has dropped in the league really poor

 

[Swansman]

Probably good for young players/teams. Old players who are getting used to getting harassed etc probably care less or might even find it a bit harder to motivate themselves.

 

[Easy 10]

I think the OP makes a fair point. Since returning from lockdown in June, we've played with more confidence and less inhibition. Certainly the 3 performances so far this season by Albion and Albion B have been brimming with purpose, inventiveness, crisp passing and freedom of movement.

Is this aided by not having the GROANS that go up when we lose possession or f*ck things up ? Yeah, I think it probably is. Especially with such a young team out there. Maybe BHA fans are not the "12th man" we'd like to think we are. Maybe when we're there, we just sow the seeds of DOUBT.

 

[Stat Brother]

Webster pretty much admitted he was playing better without crowds. Understandable when our players are asked to take risks by Potter.

How very dare he.


I know who I'll be booooooing on Saturday.

 

[Swansman]

Without the home crowd advantage teams are going away and having a real go which is resulting in lots of end to end matches.

Other noticeable thing is how much the standard of defending has dropped in the league really poor

The goal kick rule change last year made the life of defenders infinitely much harder. They need to be capable players and they need to defend against more complicated attacks than just a keeper hoofing it over and over.

 

[Beach Hut]

I would have expected a massive walk out very early had the Toon Army been in

 

[vegster]

Looking at the results in the first 2 gameweeks it seems like a lot more goals are rattling in. I'm thinking of shifting the emphasis of my Fantasy Football to cheap as chips defenders, no point in paying out a fortune when no-one seems to keep a clean sheet.

 

[Stat Brother]

I would have expected a massive walk out very early had the Toon Army been in

Wearing their replica shirts.
Reading their programme
Still eating their concessions pie.
In their finest SolCal jogging bottoms.
Having arrived at the game on the back of the protest march from just round the corner.


Nobody can say they don't HATE Ashley.

 

[Acker79]

I suspect like most things it has benefits and detriments. There isn't that imposing wall of fans that an attack goes toward, or tries to take a corner in front of, there's no energy and alertness - the cries of 'man on', the sense that if you don't give 100% and chase back and cover, don't close the attacker you're going to hear from the fans. Neither is there the opposites to those - the wall of fans urging their team closer to the goal, the venom and energy that the opposition keeper stands in front of, etc.

 

[zefarelly]

I was just wondering if its simply a case of, everyone is 'lets come out guns ablazing' and see what happens . . . . . After 5 or 6 games we'll start to see winners, losers, and, Key, those who panic . . . Things will calm down, teams will shut up shop, park the bus etc . . . . Very early days. Only a few years ago Palarse lost their first 8? Games and survived comfortably . . . Teams have slid from the top 3 etc . . . .

 

[Easy 10]

Not a single draw in the Premier League yet... I would guess that's never happened before after so many games.

Also in the 15 games so far, there's been 5 home wins and 10 away.

I'd wager that empty stadiums has played a part in that.

 

[Palacefinder General]

It's an interesting debate and you can't help wondering if it is something of a leveller when big clubs play smaller clubs, the several hundred million difference in respective squad values notwithstanding.

 

[Gazwag]

Not sure really, we are still poor at home and still better away with or without fans.