Goodison - help or hindrance?

[gazzaa2]

I've said a few times mate but I think our home form at Goodison without fans was the worst ever?

Looking at away form, combined with how Lampard thinks we can setup to compete away, I think only Goodison will keep us up. I'm also hopeful we could surprise Man Utd and Chelsea at Goodison when there's less pressure/expectation on our cowards.

The players were lost at Goodison last season without the fans. When some were allowed back in we started winning at home again (Chelsea/Arsenal/Wolves).

Nobody is more reliant on their home crowd than Everton.

 

[Gareth Gibson]

Prior to Sat most talk was of Goodison being the 12th man so to speak. A la Leeds vibe. I was in the Bullens stand on Saturday and just saw fans moaning and arguing with each other. And that was just the first half. Rarely did the vibe rise above luke warm. At the whistle it turned to verbal abuse aka Rafael days. I write as somebody who has no time for the thick unwavering uninformed and unintelligent false loyalty of Geordie and Leeds fans but come on. If Everton are to survive we have to be 100% behind the team right now. Save our fury for when and if we go down.

I think you’re right. It’s no coincidence that when Frank first came in and we fans were getting right behind the players the performances were different. After we thrashed Leeds their winger Daniel James said we had been like a 12th man and had really given our players the edge.

But when we fans are negative we’re REALLY negative. And that undoubtedly destroys the confidence of our players.

I remember being at the Wimbledon game in ‘94 and the fans really knew what was required that day. The enthusiasm and encouragement lifted the players. We needed that against Wolves and we didn’t really see it, apart from maybe the first half an hour of the match. As the Watford goalkeeper said the other week, we Everton fans are often seen as an asset… to the opposition!

 

[Bluedyhell]

I bet you were surprised by the atmosphere Saturday as it must have been very quiet

We played Sunday

?

 

[BigBlueConk]

I look at the fixtures and not a clue where the next win might come from.
It won't be away and so it is Goodison or goodbye.

We have to try and reclaim the fortress tag for a few more games and get us to the end of the season.
Over to the fans then.

 

[PhilM]

New member blues. Appreciate tedious repetitive debate but let's not be too quick to snarl at someone new creating discussion.

The game was Sunday though rather than Saturday as mentioned, just to note.

 

[roy vernon]

Well, I'm not sure, but, our terrible home form seems much better than our abysmal away form, perhaps it's not all down to the nasty fans.

 

[nikom court]

whos to blame for no away wins since august?

 

[The Littlest Yobo]

So the players can’t play in front of the fans at Goodison, they couldn’t get results in front of no fans at Goodison last year and this year, they don’t like playing away. We’re running out of options for our brave lionhearted warriors here. Is there nothing the Premier League can do about a team incapable of performing in any scenario?

 

[John from Bootle]

I fear people are missing the point.

Our fans ARE a joke. Every other supporter base in the land with at least a passing interest thinks we are a joke. They think we're crap fans, and they're probably right.

It's alright people saying 'we need something to cheer about' but, really? Even when we were chasing Europe and stuff, Goodison and our online fan base could still be shockingly bad.

Sure, Goodison would be rocking for games against Man U or another one of the big boys. But, sat in 5th place and 0-0 vs (hypothetical example) Hull after 20 minutes, and people would be grumbling about Phil Neville, Leon Osman, or the old favourite of Moyes not playing 2 up top.

Like I say, players and fans up and down the country think we're self entitled, crap fans. Deny it all you want, 'Putin,' it's how we're seen by everybody else.

We spent the best part of a decade sneering and looking down our noses at other clubs, whilst we overachieved. Now we're under achieving and there's players and fans up and down the country rubbing their hands in glee. And how have we responded? After talk of Goodison being the 12th man before Leeds, it appears many have now thrown the towel in.

 

[Ctyapt]

Most home fans are crap 90% of the time,

 

[Ctyapt]

most teams home fans are crap 90% of the time.

 

[Lob]

Next time people go to work, tell your boss that you are bringing along a load of cheer leaders to get behind you and support you so that you can do your job properly as you cannot be expected to do it without them. See how well that goes down. The idea of players being unable to do their job without having their ego tickled is ridiculous tbh and more fool us for allowing under performing millionaires to steer the narrative to that.

Everyone likes an ego tickle but it is a reward for doing well not a requirement to get you to do your job properly.

 

[18efc78]

I think the team sheet deflated the crowd a lot, lads I travel with were optimistic until the team was announced. We've never played well with 5 at the back and seeing both Coleman and Kenny starting people knew what was coming

 

[Dykovski200]

These guys are professional footballers on thousands of pounds a week, if they can’t play in front of an audience then should they be in this profession. If they churn out the same cack every week then what to they expect.

 

[John from Bootle]

Next time people go to work, tell your boss that you are bringing along a load of cheer leaders to get behind you and support you

So supporters make no difference then? There's moments in our history that have literally been attributed to the Goodison crowd.

It would seem though that our fans are not interested in making the best possible atmosphere.

It's a pathetic argument. A fervent Goodison can inspire performances, and intimidate opposition and officials. It might only be the difference in us getting one more point all season. Who knows? That point might keep us up. But a lot of our fans seem to think 'why should we?' Fair enough, I can't tell people how to act.

This is OUR club. Even if we go on an unprecedented run, and win the FA Cup followed by the title next year, only one or two of these players might still be here in 10 years time.

The fans need to remember that. Goodison NEEDS to be THAT ground where the fans make a difference now. If people really can't be arsed trying to make a difference then that's up to them, but it saddens me that people will point the finger before just trying to make a bleeding difference,

Oh, and try going to work with a bunch of impatient hecklers watching your every move. Works both ways.