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Interesting to see on another thread that someone has raised issues with both our own away form (or performances) over the last year, along with seemingly a similarly poor record for our new manager.

We have lost something like two games in 3 seasons at home in the league, and I expect a lot of that is about teams coming and not really expecting anything out of the game and thus offering little threat. But villa offered no threat today, had 4 shots on target and scored 3 of them. I find it hard that in that time, we have not lost more at home, given how often it seems that a bit of bad luck, a bit of poor refereeing, and a bit of shite defending, all conspire to see us lose or draw away games despite (like today), the home team really not turning up.

So if we dominate a game at home, and have a stunning record, how is that different to dominating games away from home and not having such a stunning record.

I expect answers will be along the lines of any of the following:
Teams are more prepared to have a go at home - well villa didnt, they were fucking dire but put their chances away
The crowd makes a difference - really, should it / does it really make a difference when you are a seasoned pro?
We setup differently away from home - again, that may be the case, but that setup sees us dominate the game and still lose

I just wonder why none of this bad luck / bad defending / bad officiating, ever sees us lose a home game, surely if bad luck and decisions even themselves out over a season, then we would have as much bad defending or as much bad luck at home - the refereeing i'm not sure as i think most refs are 'homers'

So why do we have such a different record away to at home?

Does it really just come down to the fact that we really arent clinical enough around the box to give our strikers good chances, and in turn the strikers just arent clinical enough when through on goal? Is that really the crux of the problem?

I'm sure there was some research that players just feel more comfortable, they know when they reach x hoarding they are in y position etc it's why some teams struggle when they move stadium (didn't Arsenal?) - as players take time to get used to their surroundings. Away from home is less instinctive

Home side getting favorable calls. Smaller pitches that make it harder for us to break teams down. But mostly just a mental thing, I think.

Dunnylad wrote:I'm sure there was some research that players just feel more comfortable, they know when they reach x hoarding they are in y position etc it's why some teams struggle when they move stadium (didn't Arsenal?) - as players take time to get used to their surroundings. Away from home is less instinctive

Even things like travelling to the away game can have an effect since humans are creatures of habit. It's why some managers have tried equalising as many variables as possible between home and away games (like everyone staying in a hotel before a home game).

I'd venture a guess that the 40 thousand swing in support unnerves the odd player.

The away team panick when the. Home crowd and team are up for it.
In citys case they don't do the basics when they are cruising defend a lead!!!

Sideshow Bob wrote:Home side getting favorable calls. Smaller pitches that make it harder for us to break teams down. But mostly just a mental thing, I think.

yes that probably sums it up

3 points, we will settle down,no panico.

A big part of it is the crowd I am sure.Teams nowadays don't just attack at home and defend away as we saw with Villa yesterday especially against teams like City. It's about sitting back and trying to break and if they don't have many chances they need to take them or get lucky.

That's what happened yesterday and it was also noticeable how hard the Villa players were running right to the end urged on by the crowd.That crowd fervour needs to be dampened partly by keeping the ball and scoring first but also by having a defence or should I say a team that doesn't look dodgy when being attacked.Sadly on the latter point we are currently failing.

Is it the fact that we take our home mentality into the away matches?

What I mean is that at home not many teams come out to play against us and we are able to take the foot off the gas and cruise once we are ahead (we've said this on a few occassions and many said we could've scored more). Away it's a different mentality for them and they know, as the home team, that they at least have to get soemthing. They carry on playing while we think the game is already won.

I read/heard somewhere that Vince said we weren't even thinking about defending yesterday meaning that we were all out for the win. If that's the attitude being drilled in then it's quite obvious that oppo managers and teams will put in the effort to expose this weakness. We as fans can see it, they as the oppo can see it, but can our team see it?

Two things. We have had the biggest pitch in Premier League eversince we moved to COMS. We also water it alot before the games so we are used to it.
I doubt the crowd have even half the meaning to it that the average supporter would like to think. Whether for or against, it's just noise when you are playing.

Niall Quinns Discopants wrote:Two things. We have had the biggest pitch in Premier League eversince we moved to COMS. We also water it alot before the games so we are used to it.
I doubt the crowd have even half the meaning to it that the average supporter would like to think. Whether for or against, it's just noise when you are playing.

Villa actually have the biggest pitch, it was on bt sports the other week about pitch sizes

Niall Quinns Discopants wrote:Two things. We have had the biggest pitch in Premier League eversince we moved to COMS. We also water it alot before the games so we are used to it.
I doubt the crowd have even half the meaning to it that the average supporter would like to think. Whether for or against, it's just noise when you are playing.

Villa actually have the biggest pitch, it was on bt sports the other week about pitch sizes

Niall Quinns Discopants wrote:Two things. We have had the biggest pitch in Premier League eversince we moved to COMS. We also water it alot before the games so we are used to it.
I doubt the crowd have even half the meaning to it that the average supporter would like to think. Whether for or against, it's just noise when you are playing.

Villa actually have the biggest pitch, it was on bt sports the other week about pitch sizes

Damn phone, apologies for same post 3 times

Here are pitch sizes as of 2011

1. Manchester City, City of Manchester Stadium, 116 x 77 yards, 8932
2. Manchester United, Old Trafford, 116 x 76 yards, 8816
3. Blackburn Rovers, Ewood Park, 115 x 76 yards, 8740
4. Everton, Goodison Park, 112 x 78 yards, 8736
5. Aston Villa, Villa Park, 114 x 75 yards, 8550
6. Middlesbrough, Riverside, 114 x 75 yards, 8550
7. Arsenal, Emirates Stadium, 114 x 74 yards, 8436
8. Derby County, Pride Park, 114 x 74 yards, 8436
9. Reading, Madjeski Stadium, 111 x 76 yards, 8436
10. Sunderland, Stadium of Light, 114 x 74 yards, 8436
11. Wigan Athletic, JJB Stadium, 114 x 74 yards, 8436
12. Portsmouth, Fratton Park, 115 x 73 yards, 8395
13. Chelsea, Stamford Bridge, 110 x 75 yards, 8250
14. Fulham, Craven Cottage, 110 x 75 yards, 8250
15. Liverpool, Anfield, 110 x 75 yards, 8250
16. Birmingham City, St. Andrews, 110 x 74 yards, 8140
17. Newcastle United, St. James’s Park, 110 x 73 yards, 8030
18. Tottenham Hotspur, White Hart Lane, 110 x 73 yards, 8030
19. Bolton Wanderers, Reebok Stadium, 110 x 72 yards, 7920
20. West Ham United, Boleyn Ground, 110 x 70 yards, 7700


Read more: http://qprreport.proboards.com/thread/2 ... z2gHXev5C5

I think the pitch size is irrelevent these days as it was brought in last season that all pitches should conform to a set standard of 105 x 68 metres unless physically impossible due to stadia design. The bigger grounds have the set standard and those that can't adhere to it (Fulham, Chelsea, Everton etc) have to get as close as possible.

The closeness and verocity of the supporters maybe a bigger issue, not the size of the pitch.

harveytravis wrote:Here are pitch sizes as of 2011

1. Manchester City, City of Manchester Stadium, 116 x 77 yards, 8932
2. Manchester United, Old Trafford, 116 x 76 yards, 8816
3. Blackburn Rovers, Ewood Park, 115 x 76 yards, 8740
4. Everton, Goodison Park, 112 x 78 yards, 8736
5. Aston Villa, Villa Park, 114 x 75 yards, 8550
6. Middlesbrough, Riverside, 114 x 75 yards, 8550
7. Arsenal, Emirates Stadium, 114 x 74 yards, 8436
8. Derby County, Pride Park, 114 x 74 yards, 8436
9. Reading, Madjeski Stadium, 111 x 76 yards, 8436
10. Sunderland, Stadium of Light, 114 x 74 yards, 8436
11. Wigan Athletic, JJB Stadium, 114 x 74 yards, 8436
12. Portsmouth, Fratton Park, 115 x 73 yards, 8395
13. Chelsea, Stamford Bridge, 110 x 75 yards, 8250
14. Fulham, Craven Cottage, 110 x 75 yards, 8250
15. Liverpool, Anfield, 110 x 75 yards, 8250
16. Birmingham City, St. Andrews, 110 x 74 yards, 8140
17. Newcastle United, St. James’s Park, 110 x 73 yards, 8030
18. Tottenham Hotspur, White Hart Lane, 110 x 73 yards, 8030
19. Bolton Wanderers, Reebok Stadium, 110 x 72 yards, 7920
20. West Ham United, Boleyn Ground, 110 x 70 yards, 7700

Read more: http://qprreport.proboards.com/thread/2 ... z2gHXev5C5

Thats 2 years ago lad. I'm just repeating what pat nevin was saying on bt sports the program was about the subject of away games. I was under the impression ours was the biggest until watching that program.

Thanks for the 'lad'.

You've made a 68 year old man very happy! :)

harveytravis wrote:Thanks for the 'lad'.

You've made a 68 year old man very happy! :)

Just a figure of speech young man. Ha ha.