Is home still where the heart is?
As the grease was shaken from the hair of an £80million despairing Madrid superstar on Wednesday night, a lightning bolt struck me.
The all too familiar boos and hisses bellowing down from the stands at the Bernebeu pushed me towards a question that has troubled fans and coaches of the beautiful game for generations.
Why is there such a difference between a team’s home form and their away form?
But being just one little bloke, without a team of scientists and researchers at my side I cannot answer this. However, it did cause another little lightning strike.
Is there still such a thing as home advantage?
The pressure the Real Madrid galacticos were under to qualify for the last 16 of the Champions League was immense. You could feel it.
The history of the club, the size of the wage packets, the sick amounts of money spent on a new squad. It all adds up to one heavy, heavy burden.
Putting the special case that is Madrid to one side, I started wondering if the pressure of local fans outweighed the benefits of familiar surroundings at home grounds.
We saw the giants of AC Milan come unstuck in their home leg against Manchester United as well as Liverpool who were destroyed at former fortress Anfield, not once but twice in the group stages.
But these could all be cup game one-offs. So let us bring it back to the Premier League.
It wasn’t the Craig Bellamy ‘not going to comment on that guy’ interview that had me lurching back in my armchair after Manchester City’s stunning win at Chelsea last month. Neither was it the Bridge and Terry non-hand shake seen around the world.
It was the Chelsea machine finally grinding to a halt in front of their own supporters.
A penalty, two red cards and a couple of dubious offside decisions given in the away team’s favour at Stamford Bridge? No you have not entered the twilight zone but I must admit it was pretty strange.
For years it was unheard of to the rub of the green at any of the big four clubs, you were not even allowed to score from the half way line at Old Trafford. But is it all changing now?
Let us talk facts. On away points only, Portsmouth FC would find themselves sitting comfortably in 16th spot. Unbelievable I know but check the stats, it’s true.
While Brighton and Hove Albion in League One would find themselves cavorting with the playoffs in 4th position rather than 17th where they currently reside.
So what is the difference? Surely it is just another bit of grass to kick the ball about on?
Of course it has a lot to do with tactics and team selection in most cases but there is always that little spell of tension in the air. An expectation in front of the in-laws to perform and perform well lest you be cast aside in disgust.
It is unsettling for the players and the management but unfortunately in the time of ticket price hikes and begrudging fans, it is not uncommon. If the modern day money soaked players don’t play well on their own turf they will soon hear about it. Fans no longer take any prisoners. They cannot afford to.
But as they say in football, you have to take the rough with the smooth and to win titles you have to get results both at home and on the road.
And Chelsea’s players, more than most, know the consequences of only deciding to play away home.
Joe Bill
