Sorry, Spurs fans … you might not be able to lord it over rivals after all
universal and while pitch conditions differ, it is not like switching from grass to clay in tennis, for example.
I believe familiarity is so beneficial to performance. When you’re at home, everything runs like clockwork: you meet at the same time, the drive to the ground is the same, you see the same people before the game, sit in the same place in the changing room.
You know the pitch dimensions like the back of your hand. If I was playing for Fulham at Craven Cottage and I wanted to play a high ball to Clint Dempsey on the left, I knew exactly where to put it. I knew how long it would take him to run from his starting point to where he needed to be to challenge the right-back for the header. This all happened without thinking; it was just natural.
The lay-out of certain grounds really helps home sides, too. White Hart Lane is one. Whenever I was there as a visiting player, I never felt as though I had any time on the ball. That is why Wembley has been so difficult for Spurs — it is just not as intimidating.
So it will be difficult for Arsenal, but they can take some confidence from their win over Manchester City at Wembley in the FA Cup semi-final, as well as the 2-2 draw at home last March. And with Alexis Sanchez in their team, they have a man who can change any game.
When you consider players with an ability to alter the momentum of a match, Sanchez is one of the top three in the country. Few can match his ability to carry the ball forward at speed and however dominant Spurs might be, they must always be careful of him.