Do those teams with fans have an unfair advantage?

[YouGottaRaulWithIt]

As a result of the latest cha ges to the tier system, Liverpool, Everton, Southampton and Brighton are the only teams that are allowed to have fans. Although I am pleased for the few fans that can now see a live game does this give those teams an unfair advantage?

 

[Oh When the Wolves]

Certainly does IMO

Premier league clubs don’t need 2000 fans to survive .

No fans should be allowed until all grounds can have fans .

 

[Golden Arrow]

I believe any ground with fans inside helps the cause.
Molineux crowds were so pivotal during the last two seasons and often saw us over the line in close matched games.

 

[Ewok vs Wolf]

Yes I thought at the weekend in games I saw it helped Palace and Fulham

 

[Macman]

Yes, except West Ham.

 

[MasWolf]

Yep! Especially given how much better we seem to be with a full house.

 

[maws]

Yes

 

[Summer_Wolf]

100%. Gives the players an extra edge with fans getting behind them

 

[Contrarian]

Yes, except West Ham.

Mainly due to their ground. I know a West Ham season ticket holder who despises it for all the obvious reasons. No atmosphere, too welcoming for away supporters etc.

 

[pacamac]

No fans should be allowed until all grounds can have fans .

Which would just delay the full return of fans everywhere even more!

No, its not 100% fair but its professional football it isn't 100% fair (is it fair we have more fans than Burnley? Is it fair Man Utd have more fans than us? For normal games....by the same sentiment ground capacities should be reduced to the capacity of the smallest in the league.

 

[Macman]

Mainly due to their ground. I know a West Ham season ticket holder who despises it for all the obvious reasons. No atmosphere, too welcoming for away supporters etc.

I know one too, and they say the same! Having an empty stadium, I believe, has actually helped them to be high up in the league. Cuz when they do have fans there, you can see the energy drain from the players waiting for the criticism.

 

[jrpb-3]

having fans support can help so yes some small difference, fans can also get on teams backs too. Where we are now and going forward with different places most likely going up and down in tiers there's not an easy solution, but would leave as is for now, and hopefully once vaccine starts rolling out more widely we can get some fans at least back in all grounds

 

[WickedWolfie]

Yes, except West Ham.

.... and Arsenal....

 

[Wednesbury Wolf]

Yep! Especially given how much better we seem to be with a full house.

A full house is probably the start of next season if we're lucky.

 

[sedgwolf1980]

Given at this level the decision to allow fans is isn’t a financial one, I personally think it’s a disgrace some clubs can have fans and others can’t.

I’m actually surprised more hasn’t been made of it. Maybe now London is affected it will be.

 

[ombyman]

Let's see how it goes when there are 2000 fans booing the home team for being rubbish

 

[thisisgil]

Yes, it absolutely does. I fully expect Brighton to win the league and cup double now.

 

[Olivergoldblack]

Yes massively. Neto won a free kick in front of the kop the other day, and the liverpool fans gave him absolutely dogs abuse. Was very clear abuse too, probably amplified because there was no ambient atmosphere noise to drown it out. Which is all fine, except there was no wolves fans in the ground to reciprocate to Liverpool's forward line, so totally unfair. And then obvs we can't have fans in the stadium so the opposition haven't got us lot to contend with, so makes it much easier. I.e I don't think we would have lost the villa match if wolves fans were allowed. It needs to be 2000 fans for all the clubs or none of the clubs, not based on tier ratings.

 

[WolfLing]

Given at this level the decision to allow fans is isn’t a financial one, I personally think it’s a disgrace some clubs can have fans and others can’t.

I’m actually surprised more hasn’t been made of it. Maybe now London is affected it will be.

Yeah, now that 5 of the 'big 6' can't have fans, there's bound to be more of a cuffuffle.

 

[Wenlock Wolf]

100% yes it helps the home team. Effectively Wolves only have away or neutral games. At least there's only four teams with home advantage now (initially ten).

Wholly unfair and I believe a 'compromise' due to the lobbyists which has backfired ..... it's got to always be the same for all teams.

Whoever decided to allow fans according to tiering is bonkers!

 

[Direwolf]

Undoubtedly yes they do.

 

[YouGottaRaulWithIt]

Undoubtedly yes they do.

Fan advantage + being favoured by VAR = Liverpool for the title

 

[SA Wolf]

Of course they have an advantage. Even 2000 fans in an otherwise empty stadium can make a noise and the players can certainly hear the support.
Having said that, I still support the fans being gradually brought back as the pandemic allows, even if we are disadvantaged. Matches with no fans at all are sterile and devoid of any atmosphere, even for us watching on TV.

 

[SA Wolf]

Fan advantage + being favoured by VAR = Liverpool for the title

Yawn!

 

[Flump]

Normally, home teams win 46% of the time. In "Project Restart" last season, home teams won 46% of the time!

Realistically, a lot of the "oohhh us fans make the difference" is just unimportant people, trying to make themself feel like they're part of it. Neto's winner against Chelsea was exactly the kind of goal that fans would normally like to pretend they were a part of by "driving him on".

 

[Contrarian]

I know one too, and they say the same! Having an empty stadium, I believe, has actually helped them to be high up in the league. Cuz when they do have fans there, you can see the energy drain from the players waiting for the criticism.

Yes, that's the other side of it. Some of the abuse players get from their own fans can be quite disturbing. It's from a tiny minority, but a very noisy one. We all must have been near "that guy" who picks one player and yells insults at throughout, whatever they do. Must be great to be able to play without having to put up with him.

There was one player in the Bundesliga, I believe, who said that after the initial strangeness wore off, he was enjoying the matches without fans as it took him back to playing youth football, without pressure and fear of making a mistake. Every player is different but I can see that being a factor for some. Not all will thrive on a crowd.

And then Molineux did have a reputation of being a home crowd that gets edgy quickly and passes this nervousness on to the players. I think that has pretty much gone now, thanks to Nuno, but it was there for much of the past 20 or 30 years and must have influenced the players. The point is, it's not just us, the home crowd though mainly positive, is not all positive.

 

[Deleted member 11157]

I cannot recall seeing a player that has become better by not playing in front of a crowd. In any walk of life if you cannot take criticism ( or rather be able to filter it to those you respect) you are ****ed. That is how life works.

 

[Oh When the Wolves]

Palace lose 7 0 the first game without fans
Makes a massive difference

 

[DanishWolf]

Makes a massive difference, yet I am still fine with it...
Its been such a long dark time without fans in grounds, so even if its an unfair advantage, and it makes me miss seeing fans at Molineux even more, seeing fans at some grounds still feels so incredible good. Gives hope to all of us,