Well, the league has got nothing to do with the FA Cup, your point doesn’t make any sense. In the league you play 19 games away every season, so who cares. Playing a neutral game at your home court is unfair, playing a final at home is also unfair. The final is ok though, this was always the case from the start - but the semi as well? They could/should have easily moved it.
United will have 50% of the ticket allocation, so it'll hardly be 'home court' for Spurs, and moreover it's not our normal/real home ground.
More to do with the occasion.
It can be both a disadvantage in terms of it being quite as much of a home as White Hart Lane was and an advantage in that they’re much more used to playing at this neutral venue. The two aren’t mutually exclusive.
Isn't a reason why cup finals are played at neutral ground to avoid any team being used to that ground so it removes home advantage?
Pretty much every football pitch is essentially the same @Scarecrow, but almost every single stat in history tells us that being comfortable in your surroundings (home) equates to better results.
It is only one season. What was the other option?
Not England then either.
I dunno. Share with West Ham or somet. Build it in a different location. Playing at Wembley should be earnt.
I'd rather just see it held at the ground of the first team drawn out of the hat, like all the other rounds. That's how they do it Germany, I believe.
We get drawn against Spurs in the semi and like clockwork we're questioning the neutrality of Wembley.It does make sense, because I am saying that overall Wembley has handed Spurs more disadvantages than advantages, as it has affected their home record through the season (worst home record in the top 6 bar Chelsea) and they had to play European games there even when White Hart Lane was still their home. We seem to be only crying "unfair!" as soon as it gives them the slightest advantage, and that slight advantage being pitch dimensions and surface hardness that they will be more accustomed to. The momentum of the support from the stands is equal and that is most important. Spurs don't have an advantage there. Teams losing European finals in the own ground is a testament of how minor this issue is.
That would give United the same slight advantage Spurs are gaining regarding the playing surface. Is that a fair comparison though? You're talking about the ground where United have been situated forever, to the national stadium which Spurs are temporarily using as their home ground and have played only 15 games there in the league this season.
It's not the same situation when you take our the biggest factor (fans) and the pressure that comes with that. Not to mention that Wembley is hardly a traditional home ground for Spurs. We have won trophies there, they haven't. We will have more fans there. That's not really equatable to any of the situations those "historic stats" have been measured in.
This sums it up perfectly. The semi finals are supposed to be on a neutral ground. London clubs already had the advantage of not having to travel far to Wembley. When you have played a whole season of games at the ground, it also means that you know all there is to know about the pitch and conditions.
With Chelsea finally resolving the issue with that family there stadium revamp is going ahead and the’ll be moving in to Wembley. Probably for more than just one season as well since Spurs built at least half of their stadium before moving in.
You mean in this case or in general?
A bit of both really. I get travel and so on can be an advantage but for me a pitch is a pitch and you should be able to do on one pitch what you can do on another. Fair enough in the past pitches could be in a horrendous condition compared to what you’re used to but now they are mostly all like bowling greens.
I don't think your league game will have any bearing on the outcome of the semi final. Jose is very good at getting his teams through these type of games. Like I say, the pressure to perform will weigh heavily on Spurs, a lot heavier than on United, who'll also be buoyed by a much larger contingent of fans cheering them on than there were in the league match. United have proved via the league table that they're a better side. It'll be close, but I expect them to do the same at Wembley.
There are loads of suitable stadiums in London. The only reason they are allowed to use Wembley is because Wembley needs the money. It is not a needs must situation for Spurs.
If players were robots then what you said would be correct. It's nothing to do with programming something in their heads. Without even checking I can say at least 95% of the teams have far better home record than away record.
As depressing as it sounds, this was my first thought too.
Your results there tell a different story. Didn't you struggle initially but have now adapted?
I’d totally believe that about home records but why is it? What makes people feel more comfortable playing at a certain stadium, on a certain pitch. You can programme people or make them believe something or go along with something if it’s over a period of time. It is just something they believe people believe so it does become a thing.
Yeah we have but the FA Cup semi will be a much different atmosphere to our usual home games.
Maybe there are 1000s of managers who worked in football till date, clubs employ psychiatrists and lot of other support staff, you think none of them said "what's so different? It's just a green grass field and the same ball"?
I can't remember which player it was, but they said that playing at home just isn't an advantage because of the atmosphere, it is also because of how well you know the pitch. Things like knowing the positions of advertising boards give an indication of where you are on the pitch which helps the players to know what to do in given situation.
That being the fan support.
