Question about fans...

The Don

Metrosexual Candy Shagger
Joined
Jun 18, 2011
Messages
12,908
Location
Dayman, ahhhahhhahh, fighter of the nightman
Does anyone else think, that apart from signing Bruno and having everyone else back fit, that we might be benifitting from playing behind closed doors?

I mean, surely there is less pressure not playing in front of a full stadium?

Or, can we carry on the confidence and momentum and perform even better, when the stadium is full and the players are feeding off the atmosphere?
 

Rood

nostradamus like gloater
Scout
Joined
Jun 21, 2008
Messages
21,232
Location
@United_Hour
It may benefit us away from home but at Old Trafford, I definitely think that the fans help the team so No
 

Annihilate Now!

...or later, I'm not fussy
Scout
Joined
Nov 4, 2010
Messages
49,674
Location
W.Yorks
I think it benefits us in the way that the majority of these behind closed door games are being won by the better side (not always... But mostly)... Though that's generally helping us more away from home then it is at home.
 

AFC NimbleThumb

Full Member
Joined
Apr 21, 2019
Messages
8,280
Had we gone 1-0 down in the manner we did yesterday in front of a packed OT & given the way we conceded the second I’m not sure the collective frustration wouldn’t have had a bad effect in the team.

I think this behind closed doors stuff is helping our team massively & is giving fans a lift at a distance.

The eruption at OT once fans are back will be huge but I think we’ll see our the season easier with no fans against the relegation candidates we’ll be facing in particular.
 

baskinginthesun

Full Member
Joined
Feb 5, 2014
Messages
1,102
This form is a continuation of what we were previously doing pre-covid. However, possibly the away games are helping. But, when we score early (like we have been doing) and stay on the front foot we would silence the home crowd anyway.
 

SirScholes

Full Member
Joined
Jan 26, 2014
Messages
6,183
Certainly think it helps penalty takers to stay a little more calm

less outside pressure will likely lead to better decisions and lack of crowd noise will help communication

negatives would be the occasion that fans encourage their team to the final minute when they need that vital goal.

a premier team’s chief exec gets pt where I work and says some of the players down tools when they’re a goal down so hes worried they’ll be even worse with no crowd to shout them on
 

Mr Smith

Full Member
Joined
Oct 4, 2015
Messages
4,012
Location
Australia
I had this thought but more in terms of individual players being more relaxed. But I think you could say that for a lot of teams.
 

12OunceEpilogue

In perfect harmony
Scout
Joined
Oct 2, 2016
Messages
18,392
Location
Wigan
In his post-match Ole said we'd have got six or seven against Bournemouth with the fans cheering the team on. Obviously he may have been looking to score few points with the home fans by praising them but I don't have trouble believing him that he prefers a full Old Trafford than what we have at the moment. I'm not sure about the players though, it could be some of them prefer it this way.
 

711

Verified Bird Expert
Scout
Joined
Dec 10, 2007
Messages
24,207
Location
Don't sign old players and cast offs
The home fans are boring but if they actually harmed us it would show in the percentage of home wins to away wins. I've never heard it said United are unusual in that respect, so I have to think it doesn't matter a lot. Contrast Spurs, who were known to play shit at home for years.
 

SadlerMUFC

Thinks for himself
Joined
Dec 7, 2017
Messages
5,746
Location
Niagara Falls, Canada
Does anyone else think, that apart from signing Bruno and having everyone else back fit, that we might be benifitting from playing behind closed doors?

I mean, surely there is less pressure not playing in front of a full stadium?

Or, can we carry on the confidence and momentum and perform even better, when the stadium is full and the players are feeding off the atmosphere?
So playing at home to an empty stadium is an advantage some how???
 

Devil may care

New Member
Joined
Jan 7, 2010
Messages
35,976
It crossed my mind yesterday if we would have responded as well and as camly to going 1-0 down had Old Trafford been packed with groans.
 

The Don

Metrosexual Candy Shagger
Joined
Jun 18, 2011
Messages
12,908
Location
Dayman, ahhhahhhahh, fighter of the nightman
So playing at home to an empty stadium is an advantage some how???
I'm not saying it is, for sure but I think there are some slight advantages, maybe. As @AFC NimbleThumb and @Devil may care have already mentioned, a slow start at home can get an anxious, frustrated crowd and that can sometimes transmit to the players. There is also the added pressure of pleasing the fans, that you don't get behind closed doors. I think playing in front of no crowd is slightly more relaxed for the players and they perhaps could be more focused as a result.

With the crowd at OT being so big and passionate, although players can feed off that energy, there is also an added burden of expectation.
 

lsd

The Oracle
Joined
Jun 5, 2016
Messages
10,784
I do think having no fans could help certain players especially younger players be a lot more relaxed and not feel as much pressure as there would be with 70 000 fans groaning if you make an error .

There is also a chance that some opposition teams will find it harder playing above themselves in a game in a packed Old Trafford as that seems to happen too with some smaller teams
 

Maluco

Last Man Standing 3 champion 2019/20
Joined
Jan 4, 2014
Messages
5,765
No. I just think we have better footballers in the pitch. As seen with the Norwich game, if you take some of them out, we revert to pre-lockdown standards.

No mystery, the obvious answer is usually the right one. Much better players = better performances and results.
 

ivaldo

Mediocre Horse Whisperer, s'up wid chew?
Joined
Nov 15, 2012
Messages
28,699
Yes and no. It's not effecting us much, but I think the smaller clubs are struggling without the support of that core fanbase. We were on a fine run before the break.
 

Cutch

Full Member
Joined
Nov 13, 2008
Messages
16,377
Location
Northern Ireland. Stretty W3102, Row 2, Seat 129
I think home support can help bridge the gap in quality between 2 sides. I think we're benefiting playing behind closed doors quite simply by being better at football than our opponents. There has been very few shocks throughout the league to date. It feels far less intimidating for us to go to the likes of Burnley or Palace away when no fans are there. I think it might actually affect Liverpool a bit next season (assuming if its still the case) who seem to be driven on more by their support, particularly the tempo of their play and scoring early goals.
 

Sean_RedDevil

Twitter bot
Joined
Sep 12, 2004
Messages
21,364
Location
NYC (Before Manchester+Hamburg)
I would like to play right now one match against Liverpool (And they are hypothetical not champions) at Anfield with no fans and one match against them without fans.......the results would be secondary but our performances would be very interesting for me.
 

SadlerMUFC

Thinks for himself
Joined
Dec 7, 2017
Messages
5,746
Location
Niagara Falls, Canada
I'm not saying it is, for sure but I think there are some slight advantages, maybe. As @AFC NimbleThumb and @Devil may care have already mentioned, a slow start at home can get an anxious, frustrated crowd and that can sometimes transmit to the players. There is also the added pressure of pleasing the fans, that you don't get behind closed doors. I think playing in front of no crowd is slightly more relaxed for the players and they perhaps could be more focused as a result.

With the crowd at OT being so big and passionate, although players can feed off that energy, there is also an added burden of expectation.
So you really think it's a disadvantage to have thousands of fans cheering you on? How has this thread not been closed by the mods yet???
 

The Don

Metrosexual Candy Shagger
Joined
Jun 18, 2011
Messages
12,908
Location
Dayman, ahhhahhhahh, fighter of the nightman
So you really think it's a disadvantage to have thousands of fans cheering you on? How has this thread not been closed by the mods yet???
I'm not sure you read my post properly. The first line literally says "I'm not saying it is, for sure" I go on to explain the reasons why I think there might be some slight advantage, playing behind closed doors, that you don't get, playing in front of a packed crowd. That is not me saying there are no advantages to playing in front of a full stadium. We know there are. Both of these things can be true.

You need to check your attitude. This is a legitimate question, that I haven't seen asked before. If you don't like the question, or the discussion or the thread, then just ignore it.
 

Dr Fink

Full Member
Joined
Jan 8, 2014
Messages
606
Location
Purgatory
Do you all not get a bit anxious and groan in front of your TV when we go a goal down? Nah I do see your point, it transmits to the players but this was way early on so probably not a good example.
 

The Don

Metrosexual Candy Shagger
Joined
Jun 18, 2011
Messages
12,908
Location
Dayman, ahhhahhhahh, fighter of the nightman
Do you all not get a bit anxious and groan in front of your TV when we go a goal down? Nah I do see your point, it transmits to the players but this was way early on so probably not a good example.
I would say it's been a feature of OT since SAF left. The fans have been very vocal in their reaction to some shocking performances, over the last 7 years (rightly so) but that has definitely transmitted to the players. Is it enough to compound the situation and make it worse? I don't know.