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Tucker

Tucker

So what gives a team Home advantage when they are playing at home?

Is it the fact they get to use their own dressing room and don't have to worry about catching aids off some manky toilet in the Emirates or Upton Park?

Is it that they don't have to pack any kit as it will already be there?

Or is it in fact the 36000 odd fans urging you on and lending you their SUPPORT?

At present Spurs look nervous and edgy at home, whilst away from home their football flows and is much more relaxed. I can see only one reason for this. The Fans, White Hart Lane is like a gauntlet for our players at the moment, don't score after 10 minutes and the fans are on your back, don't score after 30 minutes and the fans are getting worse, don't score by half time and you get boo'd off.

Now I understand that people pay a high price to visit white hart lane, and that they expect to be entertained. And in some respects some fans, are starting to treat a trip to the football like a trip to the Theatre, if they aren't getting a performance they are getting rather annoyed.

The trouble is Football just isn't like that. The players feed off the emotions and atmosphere from the croud. Booing and catcalling, is just going to make them perform badly. I have never ever seen Spurs improve when the crowd is booing them at home.

Aren't we supposed to boo the opposition, make them nervous?

I am glad we are not playing at home this week, or next week, we may stand a chance of actually performing with out the giant Elephant of our woeful home supporters on out back.

The fact is, the home fans are the piece of the puzzle that provide home support, and home advantage. At the moment we don't have any kind of advantage at White Hart Lane. We are better off away from home.

0-0 at half time against City, will our away support boo? I doubt it.
 
Right now I think we are set up better as an away team.

Predominantly because away from home teams attack us more, open up a bit, which allows our limiting factors such as Defoe more opportunity to perform.

At home teams sit back more, tighten up and completely nullify limiting elements like Defoe, hence we become toothless.

I also think there is a nervousness in the team at home because of the tension in the crowd, they are waiting for boos and complaints, they arent enjoying a huge wave of positivity from the terraces.

I do think when we get back to full(er) strength with returning injured players a hell of a lot will change, cant emphasise that enough.

In general I think the fanbase is the main factor behind home advantage.

It can buoy the team, it can also intimidate the opposition.

I also think having a familiar pitch and atmosphere really helps, as well as the fact teams allow you to dominate more easily as they have a "dont lose, sit back" mentality instead of "go and win".
 
This has been discussed quite a lot but I think it boils down to they type of people who are going to games now.

Obviously there are a lot of us that just support the team but there are also fucking loads of people that feel the price is so expensive they feel cheated when they pay good money to see games like the Wigan match.

People now (and it seems to be younger ones) think if you are going to give up a day of your life, travel to Spurs (for some a long way) and pay quite a lot for it, you want to see some kind of entertainment.

But I think these people care about Spurs, we shouldn't be losing at Home to Wigan, or playing awful second half of football against the likes of Southampton but that's football, sometimes it just happens like that. Unfortunately I think the likes of SkySports have impressed a certain 'consciousness' on football fans these days.
 
There's definitely added pressure on the team playing at WHL this year for some reason. I would guess that there has been some sort of dialogue about it in the camp because the coaches and a couple of the players have mentioned the need for the crowd to support the team in the past week or so.

I agree that they look more relaxed playing away from home. But if we pick up a couple of good results, starting tonight, and more importantly some good performances, I think the swagger will return to the team.

As everyone keeps saying, we have to be patient.
 
Is it all down to the fans or as a team that has improved dramatically over the last few years are we suffering from feeling a little to comfortable at home. Obviously away at United it's easy to get hyped up but against Norwich, Wigan etc??

This is obviously a problem thats been around for ages but I'm just a little bit bored of the fans these days are shit stuff (although I don't deny there are a lot of cunts).
 
Dru said:
Obviously there are a lot of us that just support the team but there are also fucking loads of people that feel the price is so expensive they feel cheated when they pay good money to see games like the Wigan match.

People now (and it seems to be younger ones) think if you are going to give up a day of your life, travel to Spurs (for some a long way) and pay quite a lot for it, you want to see some kind of entertainment.
Click to expand...

This is the problem, I traveled over for the Wigan match for my first game, spend an awful lot of money for travel and accommodation etc. But I don't sit in my seat and expect them to entertain me, I traveled that way to support the team and that's exactly what I did and will continue to do. I think regulars take for granted what it means to get to see the team. For me even tho was a poor result/performance it was a special occasion, I got to stand and sing with for my club, got to see all the players I watch every week in person, and got to be part of something bigger. It made me realise that a result is just that at the end of the day. And your support for the club shouldn't be dependant on it.

I think all these people booing need to step back and appreciate the fact that they are there because there are tons of fans all over the world that wish they could be instead, and by booing and not enjoying/appreciating it you're wasting a special moment. On top of that of course is the fact it doesn't help the situation in the slightest but I won't get into that because it feels like I'm flogging a dead horse.

At the end of the day, it's a privilege to get to go to the games and experience in person and I wish people would realise that and we could get a positive atmosphere going.
 
Agree with the principle of supporting your team no matter what but I also cant help but feel some empathy toward people who travel for miles that can only just about afford to go, who probably look forward to the trip for months and desperately want to see us win (who doesn't want to see us win) then have to sit though an awful game and see us lose.
Its difficult for these people who may not go that often to get involved with chants if nobody else is doing it, it takes a group of people to get the atmosphere going and I just get the feeling there are less of these people now days.
Could be wrong, just a feeling.
 
Dru said:
This has been discussed quite a lot but I think it boils down to they type of people who are going to games now.

Obviously there are a lot of us that just support the team but there are also fucking loads of people that feel the price is so expensive they feel cheated when they pay good money to see games like the Wigan match.

People now (and it seems to be younger ones) think if you are going to give up a day of your life, travel to Spurs (for some a long way) and pay quite a lot for it, you want to see some kind of entertainment.
Click to expand...
Fuck 'em. THey're too stupid to know what the word "sport" means.
 
Dru said:
Agree with the principle of supporting your team no matter what but I also cant help but feel some empathy toward people who travel for miles that can only just about afford to go, who probably look forward to the trip for months and desperately want to see us win (who doesn't want to see us win) then have to sit though an awful game and see us lose.
Its difficult for these people who may not go that often to get involved with chants if nobody else is doing it, it takes a group of people to get the atmosphere going and I just get the feeling there are less of these people now days.
Could be wrong, just a feeling.
Click to expand...

But what I'm saying is I was in that position, there's no need for hypotheticals I can tell you first hand, I traveled for 12 hours on the friday and then back on the sunday, as well as paying a lot of money, I had been trying to get over for years, of course the result is disappointing but not once did I feel the urge to boo, all I did was try and sing and make noise. I enjoyed the day for what it was, the result comes second to getting behind the team. I had such a good time I'm heading back for January :coys:
 
I think there's some clubs who have smaller, shitter changing rooms for the away team. Or the club has created an aura around their home ground which makes it intimidating to go there.

I think with us at the moment the problem is that away teams, especially those lower than us come and sit back, defending first and hoping to grab a goal. This makes it difficult for us, especially without someone like Modric and VDV who were able to play absolutely stunning balls, even through a crowded area to create a chance.

Oh and also the fans, they're a bunch of cunts :baletroll:
 
I know I've said it before, but seeing as this is an ongoing issue, I'll say it again.

We don't have to sing about how great we are when we're playing shit. We have songs for different occasions, some for when we're winning, some for when we're not. Generally, when I feel the team are performing shit, I feel the need jump up and shout COME ON. Obviously I don't want anyone thinking I'm starting on them so I address it to YOU SPURS. So, in frustration and annoyance I shout COME ON YOU SPURS!

I'm not sitting there happy clapping or delighting in our performance, I'm stating (as loud as I can) I want more/better. I'd be nice if that caught on....you know, get everyone shouting 'come on you Spurs'. It's got a nice ring to it, it's positive, it's encouraging, we could simplify it when writing to, COYS, or put it on a little sign with a smilie :coys:, like that.

Singing doesn't have to be celebratory...!
 
When Inter scored at WHL to make it 2-1, there was a hush, then there was a huge fuck off roar of COME ON YOU SPURS which was absolutely spine tingling! I love hearing that, last night was on a smaller scale but I love to see the crowd getting behind the team when we concede.
 
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