da premier bet： This article is part of Football FanCast’s Opinion series, which provides analysis, insight and opinion on any issue within the beautiful game, from Paul Pogba’s haircuts to League Two relegation battles…
da brwin： There’s no two ways about it – Crystal Palace’s home form in the 2018/19 campaign was utterly dreadful.
Only 20th-placed Huddersfield had a worse home record, losing 14 of their 19 games at the John Smith’s Stadium before being relegated with just 16 points to their name, per The Guardian.
The Eagles only scored 19 goals at Selhurst Park all season – working out at an average of one per game – with five of them coming in the 5-3 win over Bournemouth on the final day.
To compound that statistic, the south Londoners scored two goals in one game on four occasions at Selhurst Park in the following matches:
Crystal Palace 2-0 Burnley
Crystal Palace 2-2 Arsenal
Crystal Palace 2-0 Huddersfield
Crystal Palace 2-0 Fulham
These games, along with the 5-3 win over Bournemouth, mean that only six goals were scored in the other 14 matches at Selhurst Park.
That is simply not good enough.
The south Londoners were also the only team in the Premier League to win more of their points away from home in 2018/19.
However, this season, things have been different in SE25.
Roy Hodgson has overseen four games at Selhurst Park so far this term, and is yet to see his side lose a game.
Palace’s home campaign started off with a 0-0 draw against Everton, before the south Londoners managed to record a 1-0 win over Aston Villa in their next game on home soil.
A 1-1 draw against Wolves followed, a match that really should’ve ended in victory for the Eagles but for Diogo Jota’s 95th minute equaliser.
A more convincing 2-0 win over Norwich followed that draw and was Palace’s most recent outing at home, a result that means they have earned seven of their 11 points at home.
Bear in mind that it took Hodgson’s men until 15th December to record seven points at Selhurst Park last season, and the upturn is rather telling.
So, why has the Eagles’ form at Selhurst Park improved so drastically?
The football seems the same. There hasn’t been a truly marquee signing who has changed things – some may argue Gary Cahill has, but the defensive solidity was already present last term with James Tomkins and Mamadou Sakho.
What doesn’t seem the same, however, is the atmosphere.
What’s changed in that respect?
Well, you may have heard of the Holmesdale Fanatics group who were previously situated in the bottom left of the Holmesdale Road end at Selhurst Park – you know, the ones who often create eye-catching tifos like the one below.
The group are the heartbeat of SE25 on matchdays, bringing their collective voices and that ear-deafening drum to every game up and down the country.
They were, however, absent for the start of last season as a dispute emerged.
The ‘HF’ wanted to move into the centre of the stand to spread their noise out amongst the stadium, rather than have it lost in the gap between the Arthur Wait and the Holmesdale Road stand, as The Independent report here.
Obviously this was easier said than done given the fact that those residing in the centre would have to be relocated.
Exactly how much of a difference the atmosphere has on the players is impossible to quantify, but Wayne Hennessey’s comments amid their absence at Selhurst Park last year are pretty telling.
“Obviously it’s not as loud.
“It’s disappointing they’re not there because they would’ve given us a good lift, a good boost even when we were losing and especially when we were shooting towards that end. I know they’re not there anymore and there is conflict – but we won’t go into that. They are a miss at the moment.”
In addition to the Welshman’s input, respected Crystal Palace blog HLTCO generously shared his thoughts on the Fanatics’ move into the centre of the Holmesdale Road stand.
“The Holmesdale Fanatics’ move from Block B to Block E this summer was something which created a mountain of debate across the fan-base but in the early stages, I’d say it’s been a mild success. The team’s form has improved and whilst it’s impossible to prove a tangible link between the group’s relocation and our results, it’s obvious that with time and a sense of willing from those around the core Fanatics, the general atmosphere across the stadium will improve.
“There have been one or two worries as to the general noise level in the opening weeks of the campaign but with the HF now situated further back in the lower tier, it will take patience and involvement from those surrounding them to see the shift reach its full potential.”
Eventually, the dispute was ended and the Ultras group now have their wish, although they did have to return to their corner for the second half of last season before moving centrally for this term – coincidentally (or perhaps not), their return to Selhurst Park coincided with Palace’s first home win of the campaign against Burnley on the 1st December.
As a season ticket holder at the club, I cannot see too much difference in the playing style of Crystal Palace at home this season.
I can, however, vouch for the atmosphere being significantly better.
Whether that correlates to the upturn in results is a tough one to substantiate, but there is most certainly a case to be made that HF’s relocation is benefiting the players.