No Crowds = No Home Advantage?

[thfc]

With the football season about to kick off (in England anyway), I was interested in people's thoughts about whether the lack of crowds at football games is going to negate the normal advantage that is deemed to be given to the home team?  If you are a lower to middle PL team, going to a top 4 or 6 team must be a lot less threatening without a crowd on your back so perhaps they have a better chance of winning/drawing than if the stadium were full?

I guess i'm asking if you're going to be more tempted to take on the bigger teams when at home at long odds on, given the away team won't be subject to a hostile atmosphere, no pressure on the referee from the crowd etc.

Thinking primarily in the PL as that's what I know best, but the same argument can be made for any league, as it doesn't look like we'll be getting 100% full stadiums anytime soon.

 

[monty63]

2 hours ago, thfc said:

With the football season about to kick off (in England anyway), I was interested in people's thoughts about whether the lack of crowds at football games is going to negate the normal advantage that is deemed to be given to the home team?  If you are a lower to middle PL team, going to a top 4 or 6 team must be a lot less threatening without a crowd on your back so perhaps they have a better chance of winning/drawing than if the stadium were full?

I guess i'm asking if you're going to be more tempted to take on the bigger teams when at home at long odds on, given the away team won't be subject to a hostile atmosphere, no pressure on the referee from the crowd etc.

Thinking primarily in the PL as that's what I know best, but the same argument can be made for any league, as it doesn't look like we'll be getting 100% full stadiums anytime soon.

 

hello if you read the back page of the racing post (the big kick off) Kevin Pullein  has written a good article about home advantage 

[Torque]

Home advantage isn't just about having the crowd behind you. There's more to it than that. Once enough games have been played I think the number of home wins, away wins and draws will be about where it's always been.

[Mancpunter75]

I agree with Torque,it's also about familiar surroundings and the maybe the pitch to a certain extent.Psychology might play a part as well.I think knowing you are away from home may affect tactics to a degree.Having said all that there's nothing like a bit of crowd intimidation to make teams crumble.

[thfc]

It's certainly a subjective topic.  The BBC have today published an article about Liverpool's title defence not being straight forward (https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/53917751), and part of their reasoning for this is they won't have the crowd to support them so clearly there is a school of thought that home advantage will be weakened.  Will be interesting to see how Leeds get on against them at the weekend at long odds.

[thfc]

Just reviving this topic as sky sports have done some analysis suggesting home advantage has been wiped out

https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11661/12079338/premier-league-goals-and-away-wins-at-record-highs-has-home-advantage-been-wiped-out

Will be interesting to see how bookies react if the current trend of away wins continues another couple of weeks.