Could our fans lose us promotion?

Goldstone Rapper said:

A lot of myth-making has been created around the Burnley match. Yes, the crowd was loud but it did not tangibly affect the result. We still lost.

The Brighton players played well, because they showed tremendous character, and worked like crazy to cover the extra space. Any team that is reduced to nine men is either going fight or surrender. Thankfully, our players chose the former and it is they that deserve the credit for their performance, not us.

Cheering CMS on did not mean he developed better technique in finishing in front of goal. It is technique, organisation, tactics, man management and having the right blend of players, that will win games, not how loud a home crowd is.

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El Presidente said:

Burnley at home, with 9 men for 75 minutes, meant that the players needed a lift from somewhere to give them extra energy as the opposition took advantage of the gaps.

That lift came from the stands, it showed that we could create an atmosphere that was both uplifting and intimidating. We had genuine chances at the end of the match to get at least a point from it too, but profligacy in front of goal meant we lost 1-0.

My view is that if we can create at environment that tips the balance in the Albion's favour, even if it's only by 1%, then we should get off our backsides and give the team additional vocal support.

I fully understand the alternate view is that some people go to matches to be entertained, and want to sit and watch in relative comfort and clap only when something has inspired them to do so, but I'd rather get behind the team and shred my tonsils for 90 minutes.

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El Presidente said:

I agree with what you say, but if the crowd can lift the players by even a small amount, then let's do so. A passionate environment can't make a poor player a good one, but can encourage someone to stretch a little further, chase a little harder, and challenge a little stronger. Arsene Wenger always says that most matches are won by inches rather than yards, and we can be an extra inch, but only if more people buy into that viewpoint.

The atmosphere at the Amex (and nearly all all seater stadia TBH) is not great, but given that the average age of someone attending a PL match is 42 perhaps it's not surprising, just a shame.

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tip top said:

Many times last year the management, staff and players were frustrated with the lack of vocal support. 'Don't they know more then one fecking song' was mentioned a few times.

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El Presidente said:

Burnley at home, with 9 men for 75 minutes, meant that the players needed a lift from somewhere to give them extra energy as the opposition took advantage of the gaps.

That lift came from the stands, it showed that we could create an atmosphere that was both uplifting and intimidating. We had genuine chances at the end of the match to get at least a point from it too, but profligacy in front of goal meant we lost 1-0.

My view is that if we can create at environment that tips the balance in the Albion's favour, even if it's only by 1%, then we should get off our backsides and give the team additional vocal support.

I fully understand the alternate view is that some people go to matches to be entertained, and want to sit and watch in relative comfort and clap only when something has inspired them to do so, but I'd rather get behind the team and shred my tonsils for 90 minutes.

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Soulman said:

Yet those who try and start new songs usually get the moaners having a pop.

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Goldstone Rapper said:

A lot of myth-making has been created around the Burnley match. Yes, the crowd was loud but it did not tangibly affect the result. We still lost.

The Brighton players played well because they showed tremendous character and worked like crazy to cover the extra space. Any team that is reduced to nine men is either going to fight or surrender. Thankfully, our players chose the former and it is they that deserve the credit for their performance, not us.

Cheering CMS on did not mean he developed better technique in finishing in front of goal. It is technique, organisation, tactics, man management and having the right blend of players, that will win games, not how loud a home crowd is.

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Goldstone Rapper said:

I think your analysis of the possible effect of a crowd (with use of the word 'inches' ) is far more realistic than those claims frequently made of a noisy home crowd somehow being a '12th man'. Taken literally, I'd certainly think a team's chances of winning are enhanced far more by actually having a 12th player on the pitch than a loud fan base cheering them on. I imagine a vociferous set of supporters can lead to an extra rush of adrenalin for players. Certainly players may 'feel' better during a game, but I wonder how much they actually play better, whether it is likely to make them go for tackles they have no chance of winning (like Gazza in the 1991 FA Cup Final) or shoot from impossible angles as well as all the things you mention, which undoubtedly contribute positively to their team's performance.

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Commander said:

This. And the last bit is very true about Brighton fans, I think. There's a lot of 'the players need to entertain us and get us going' instead of 'we'll create a cauldron of noise so the players are fired up right from the start'. Which is a s
hame, because an intimidating and raucous home atmosphere clearly helps some clubs with their home records. Anyone that says the fans don't make any difference is talking nonsense. It might be 0.1%, it might be 10%, but they definitely do make a difference.

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Diego Napier said:

Of course it is but if that was all there was to it why do managers and players so frequently encourage their own supporters to be noisy and remark so often on how the fans have given them a lift or been their 12th man? This doesn't just occur in football by the way, look at how modern athletes like long or high jumpers encourage the crowd to get more vocal or clap to give them a lift.

I don't think that anyone is suggesting that it has to be either the factors you mention or the volume of the support. Surely a combination of the two is ideal?

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El Presidente said:

Burnley at home, with 9 men for 75 minutes, meant that the players needed a lift from somewhere to give them extra energy as the opposition took advantage of the gaps.

That lift came from the stands, it showed that we could create an atmosphere that was both uplifting and intimidating. We had genuine chances at the end of the match to get at least a point from it too, but profligacy in front of goal meant we lost 1-0.

My view is that if we can create at environment that tips the balance in the Albion's favour, even if it's only by 1%, then we should get off our backsides and give the team additional vocal support.

I fully understand the alternate view is that some people go to matches to be entertained, and want to sit and watch in relative comfort and clap only when something has inspired them to do so, but I'd rather get behind the team and shred my tonsils for 90 minutes.

Click to expand...

Commander said:

This. And the last bit is very true about Brighton fans, I think. There's a lot of 'the players need to entertain us and get us going' instead of 'we'll create a cauldron of noise so the players are fired up right from the start'. Which is a shame, because an intimidating and raucous home atmosphere clearly helps some clubs with their home records. Anyone that says the fans don't make any difference is talking nonsense. It might be 0.1%, it might be 10%, but they definitely do make a difference.

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Goldstone Rapper said:

Because it makes supporters feel they are participants, and buys into their sense of their own importance, if they feel they can actually affect the outcome of a match. Those supporters are more likely to part with their money if they are glowingly talked of as a '12th man.'

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Goldstone Rapper said:

Because it makes supporters feel they are participants, and buys into their sense of their own importance, if they feel they can actually affect the outcome of a match. Those supporters are more likely to part with their money if they are glowingly talked of as a '12th man.'

Click to expand...

Goldstone Rapper said:

Because it makes supporters feel they are participants, and buys into their sense of their own importance, if they feel they can actually affect the outcome of a match. Those supporters are more likely to part with their money if they are glowingly talked of as a '12th man.'

Click to expand...