Arsene Wenger has recently admitted that whether a side plays at home or away does make a difference to the outcome of the match. The Frenchman claimed to Arsenal Player that the home support a team receives can hugely influence the outcome of a game, but also claimed that scoring the first goal is the most important thing.
When you look at the history of all these games, most are decided by the first goal, a new scientific study within the Champions League last year found that, more than ever, the team who scores first wins.
Why? Because it puts the team in a very strong position to be able to counter-attack, and that is the easiest way to attack without opening yourself up.
However, Wenger conceded that playing at home does ultimately play a huge factor in deciding the result of a match, no matter which sport is played. The Frenchman suggests that scientific research even proves that a correlation exists between playing at home and winning games.
Having said that, I think on a longer distance the current numbers about away games will be reversed. I recently read a scientific study that covered all types of sport and what came out was that home teams are still favourites to win games, and not because of the motivational factor of the players but purely because of the support of the crowd.
In a variety of sports, they came to the scientific conclusion that the biggest advantage of the team that plays at home is the support of the crowd. That’s not my impression; it’s the result of a scientific study.
They eliminated all the other factors that could come in. It was a simple conclusion – it’s the home support that gives the advantage of the team. This home support can also turn against the home team if you don’t start well and if you are 1-0 down, but it also shows that influence is very strong.
It seems Arsenal may be the exception to this rule as they have only managed to win two of their home games while winning three of their away fixtures thus far this season. The Gunners take on German champions Bayern Munich in back-to-back UEFA Champions League fixtures in the hopes of clawing their way up their group in the to be in with a chance of qualifying for the knockout stage of the competition.
As such, Wenger will be hoping that home advantage helps his side overcome the Germans at the Emirates, and that his side don’t end up conceding the first goal in either of the two games.
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