We as fans are obviously frustrated and that frustration can transfer itself on to the pitch and it can effect the players. The Goodison crowd many many times have been like a 12th man. Bayern at home, springs to mind, when 1-0 down at half time the crowd were determined to 'suck the ball into the Gwladys street goal'. The Chelsea quarter final the other week. The crowd played its part no end and this lifted the players. Just as the 'get behind the team' lifts them then the moans and groans can deflate them, which is par for the course when a team isn't doing as well as it should be. It wont be the first time a team has found it difficult to play at home and are 'nervous' and it wont be the last.
Supporters have every right to moan and groan when things aren't going well. Goodison park is not toxic at the moment and neither are those same supporters on the whole 'toxic' towards Martinez.
Attendances will fluctuate as the team's fortunes fluctuate. From Moyes last season, Martinez's team has put 2 000 on the gate. This season the sell out signs are much more common now than they have been for many a year. Evertonians want to turn up and see this team. Why? If there is a feeling that not all is well and Martinez has 'lost the supporters' then why are we still going through the turnstiles? The opposite would be the case. I've got a season pass at Hull KR and the attendances are falling because the team isn't doing too good. That is the natural response of supporters.
Attendances have gone up so much that attending a certain amount of games will not get you a ticket for the semi final. Unlike the last 2 semi finals when you could get one if you had attended 3 or more. We have record numbers of season tickets. We must be a very odd bunch of supporters to buck the trend of attending games when our team isn't doing well. We are turning up. And we are not doing a mass walk out at half time or near the end, even though there were more than usual left early on Saturday.
Our home form isn't good enough. Which goes without saying really. Those 38 000 that are turning up want to see us win games and we are not doing it. Why? Those same players go away from home and don't look nervous and can play and we are always in the game. So why are we not doing better at home?
At home we have conceded the most goals of all the top 5 leagues. Away from home only 5 teams have conceded less in the top 5 leagues.
The way teams are set up and the way they play is changing. High energy, pressing and counter attacking is what is bring results. Leicester and Spurs are the best at this. And neither of their achievements, so far, should be sniffed at and pooh poohed. Both managers are bucking the trend that had developed of possession based football. It is not that possession isn't important it is where you have that possession and what you do with it. Leicester and Spurs get it forward quicker than most as do Liverpool. The former 2 have been more successful because they leave 4 back most of the time as do Arsenal.
This season there have been less home wins than usual. Counter attacking football is the order of the day and we are good at it away from home. As was Martinez's Wigan when they humiliated us at Goodison in the quarter finals.
Martinez has raised those expectations and we as supporters have responded by turn up. A few tweaks here and there. Keeping 4 back for instance with only 1 full back bombing on. And finding a starting spot for Delofeu would help.
