Why are we so crap away!

[Walshy5]

Its such a mistery we,re outstanding at home but its like a completely different team away. Not expecting any answers just a rant because I dont get it!

[cc_star]

Because we play the same team & formation as we do at home, where most away teams are cagey & try and hit people on the break we're naive

We need to play 1 up front & a 5 man midfield for the entire 1st half and maybe upto 60-75mins

Like it or not, his is how modern football is played 7 its naive to play 4-4-2 or 4-3-3 away from home it needs to be 4-5-1 or a variation of it like 4-1-4-1 or 4-4-1-1

[acooling08]

Maybe the mindset of 'It's away, therefore we will probably lose' is the cause. But surely Sven and Derek could solve it?

[Father Ted]

Because people are making it out like this!

We've won away at Leeds twice this season! At Portsmouth in the cup. And a cracking win at Barnsley. We have also been unlucky on the road at times as well like Bristol City and 2nd half at Watford.

Have some patient, we're not the only crap team away from home.

[Guest Mee-9]

Good question...

[Jackirius]

Why? Won away at Leeds twice, Pompey, Barnsley.

We should have won at Brizzle and Watford we played well in the second half, yesterday was ridiculous and it shouldn't have gone ahead, you cant really blame them for that due to the conditions.

Sorry Father Ted just read your post

[Asha]

As much I agree with calls for patience, it is quite frustrating given our home form that our away form is keeping us bogged down in mid-table and a good distance from the play-offs. Especially given Watford and Ipswich's respective win-less runs going in to their games with us, those are the sort of away games we really need to be taking points home from.

[Corky]

Because we don't recover from conceding the first goal. Only once have we gained anything from this situation, at Coventry.

We've scored the first goal three times, winning two and losing one.

Seems pretty obvious to me.

[Thracian]

Because we play the same team & formation as we do at home, where most away teams are cagey & try and hit people on the break we're naive

We need to play 1 up front & a 5 man midfield for the entire 1st half and maybe upto 60-75mins

Like it or not, his is how modern football is played 7 its naive to play 4-4-2 or 4-3-3 away from home it needs to be 4-5-1 or a variation of it like 4-1-4-1 or 4-4-1-1

Why's that then?

And why - because "that's the way modern football is played" do we have to follow like sheep?

Not that I'm entirely against 4-5-1 away but you have to have proper wingers to do that and we've let Leeds have our best one.

I remember Pearson's "modern" way of having defensive wingers while Gradel idled around the training ground!

Six goals and three assists the guy's got in 14 starts as Leeds climb to second on a fraction of the spending we've incurred to be in, or to flirt with, the relegation zone. They've won five and drawn four of 11 away games, scoring more than they've conceded, so they can't be too defensive. We've won twice and drawn once! The other eight have been lost which is hardly surprising given the rate we ship goals.

Here's a comment about Leeds scoring three at Burnley while we barely managed a shot up there. Cos it tells you a good deal of the reason we don't win away. We don't score enough goals yet concede too many (13 against 28). Even now though, people still talk of our marvellous defenders.

http://nonaynever.net/2010/12/tactics-report-the-folly-of-four-four-two/

We lost three first half goals at Ipswich for two simple reasons. We didn't close them down but instead let em come on to us at speed and in numbers. And we wanted to pass the ball around at the back in the snow. That's naivity, pal! In capital letters.

[Captain...]

Why's that then?

And why - because "that's the way modern football is played" do we have to follow like sheep?

Not that I'm entirely against 4-5-1 away but you have to have proper wingers to do that and we've let Leeds have our best one.

I remember Pearson's "modern" way of having defensive wingers while Gradel idled around the training ground!

Six goals and three assists the guy's got in 14 starts as Leeds climb to second on a fraction of the spending we've incurred to be in, or to flirt with, the relegation zone. They've won five and drawn four of 11 away games, scoring more than they've conceded, so they can't be too defensive. We've won twice and drawn once! The other eight have been lost which is hardly surprising given the rate we ship goals.

Here's a comment about Leeds scoring three at Burnley while we barely managed a shot up there. Cos it tells you a good deal of the reason we don't win away. We don't score enough goals yet concede too many (13 against 28). Even now though, people still talk of our marvellous defenders.

http://nonaynever.net/2010/12/tactics-report-the-folly-of-four-four-two/

We lost three first half goals at Ipswich for two simple reasons. We didn't close them down but instead let em come on to us at speed and in numbers. And we wanted to pass the ball around at the back in the snow. That's naivity, pal! In capital letters.

That was his point though, away from home we get attacked more, players come onto you much faster and you have no time at the back to pass it around. At home it's different the opposition are more cautious, and we have time to play a more passing game. We don't necessarily need to adopt a 451, but a more direct approach at times, or just a hoof to row Z is necessary. We need to clear the pressure away from home not bringing it on to ourselves by playing pretty football at the back (regardless of the snow).

[Lineker's Left Foot]

We are still in touch with the playoffs and we are due to go on a run at one point. We'll get there I'm sure and I'm still not ruling out automatic as the league is so tight - just let Sven get his players in January he needs first. It says we lack a leader, but since Sven has been here, we've had to make do with loans - and loan players generally seem to be the younger ones out to get experience so not necessariy the commanding player we lack. Maybe we should have been like the Chavs up the M69 and gone for somebody like Lee Carsley on a freebie, but then again, even he had already joined them by the time Sven turned up. That commanding player I'm sure will be here in January.

[Earlydoorsjones]

First and foremost, Sven has done a good job in a short space of time he has been with us. Secondly, every team has a better home record than their away record.

With these two things in mind, lets look at our current situation...

Teams win games by scoring more than they conceed. Currently, we have no recognised goal scoring striker and no stability in defence.

Problem 1: We do not have a solidly consistent defencive unit at home or on the road.

Reasons:

I do not care what anyone says, loan players are less likely to give a shit than our own players. Four loan players in a back 4 is a non-sense. Especially when Berner and Hobbs are on the bench and good. Especially when the loan players in their possitions are currently going through a bit of a bad spell.

Solutions:

Berner would strengthen the defence and could make a more mature captain than the very young and gifted Andy King. (He has a lot of expectation on his shoulders at the moment - is the captaincy benefiting his game?). Look at the games won and lost last season and then look at the games Berner played in. He has something about him that we currently miss.

Also, try to sign some of the decent loan players - then their attention will be for their Club and this will be the one that they are playing for!!!

Problem 2: Who is our main attacking threat? Answer - it is not a centre forward.

Reasons:

With the current formation, we are not going to accomodate the Howard/Fryatt, Howard/Waghorn formation and with new players like that tall one I can't spell and Mr. 'Fast, but where is my first touch' Vassell in the team, players are going to get their chance in the first team only occasionally.

Solutions:

So, what or who are our first choice strikers and will they score regularly? Not if they are played out of possition (not convinced Vassell is a 4-3-3 wide sided forward - he has the pace but not the ability to control the ball. He should be running onto flick ons in the box. He can finish, so use him as a finisher. And how easy to predict is Howard's game in the Winter of his career? Fryatt - something is wrong there??? (answers on a post card). Bednar - well, the man is yet to be conclusively judged. Dyer - was a better winger than a wide striker for me. Gallagher - no way. Waghorn - play him in his best position and lets get a proper verdict.

Therefore, the solution is, decide upon the best formation and players and lets make small changes over time. We have had far too much change at the club, and we need to get some consistency rather than wack a team 5-1 only to loost 3-0 in the next game.

Any all this moaning after the start we had. We are not going to win every game, but by the same token, lets not be so easy to beat. The midfield need to get a bit nasty if we are going to grind out a few draws away from home.

Grow some horns Andy King, so when you are not scoring, you are still influencing the game.

[Daggers]

First and foremost, Sven has done a good job in a short space of time he has been with us. Secondly, every team has a better home record than their away record.

First and foremost - bollocks.

And secondly:

Home form

Away form

[B52]

Communication between GK and defence. I've seen some horrific passes.

When the defence has learned to co-operate you won't see the amount of silly mistakes.....

[ta-fc]

Simple solution...

Bring back, Berner - Hobbs - Brown - Gilbert to sure up the defence.

Midfield of Gally - Wellens - King - Dyer

Forward line of Fryatt and Howard, with Waggy/Nobby as impact subs.

Naturally Weale would be in goal, Pearson would be manager and Shakey would be taking training. Things have changed, move on, roll with the punches. There are so many topics on this board are getting out there pram and losing the plot over whats turning out to be a fairly average season, actually its starting to sound a bit like the RL Monday Moan in.

In my humble the reason were so hit and miss at the moment is due to the level of consistancy in the management structure at our club. Think back over any sort of success we've had in the past 20 odd years anytime we've done well (Little, O'Neil, Adams and more recently Pearson) the manager has had at least a couple of years to get things right.

Pearson is a prime example... Brought in to get us out of L1, built a side got us promoted and then almost got us to within a few kicks of the PO final in sucessive seasons. Mandaric basically sacks him to bring in his mate (or doesn't work hard enough at keeping him) and we start the first half of the season flirting with relegation, Sven comes in and we assumes he's the new mesiah.

Like the managers before him SGE needs time to build a proper squad and funnily enough he may not like the same players that previous managers (or current fans) like. The reason he's been brought in is because he has his own ideas... surely thats the whole point?

Have a little faith, given a season or two i'm sure Sven will come good... if Top doesn't do a Blackburn on him!

Ash

[Father Ted]

Away games this season:

Palace LOST 3-2 - deserved nothing from it.

Burnley LOST 3-0 - clueless Sousa

Leeds (Cup) WON 2-1 - deservedly won

CovScum DREW 1-1 - imo deserved more from the match. (2 points dropped)

Portsmouth (Cup) WON 2-1

Portsmouth LOST 6-1 - clueless Sousa.

Norwich LOST 4-3 - Deserved a draw (Fryatt sent off, Hoolahan scored a wonder goal and Norwich got a dodgy penalty. (1 Point dropped)

SOUSA SACKED

Leeds WON 2-1

Swansea LOST 1-0 - woeful performance.

Barnsley WON 2-0

Bristol City LOST 2-0 - deserved something from the match (1 point dropped)

Watford LOST 3-2 - deserved something from the match after the second half performance (1 point dropped)

Ipswich LOST 3-0 - we all know what happened here.

As you can see, bar the Swansea performance where we were totally outplayed, we have been an improving side away from home under Sven and perhaps unlucky at times. Under Sousa we were absolutely clueless at times, but then again he did play Neilson at right back

You will all see what an overreaction you lot are making when we start winning away from home. Starting at Millwall

[Chrysalis]

ta-fc, pearson got it right from the go tho. It didnt take him 2 years to start winning games.

sousa's form was nothing to do with consistency he was just a bad manager for us.

sven may get better over time but I think he wont if he doesnt adapt better to away games. we got similiar problem's under both sousa and sven in which the team is now too soft. clearly also a problem with attacking tactics/training. How often do we score long range goals and why are 'all' strikers performing so badly.

[phillthefox]

Away games this season:

Palace LOST 3-2 - deserved nothing from it.

Burnley LOST 3-0 - clueless Sousa

Leeds (Cup) WON 2-1 - deservedly won

CovScum DREW 1-1 - imo deserved more from the match. (2 points dropped)

Portsmouth (Cup) WON 2-1

Portsmouth LOST 6-1 - clueless Sousa.

Norwich LOST 4-3 - Deserved a draw (Fryatt sent off, Hoolahan scored a wonder goal and Norwich got a dodgy penalty. (1 Point dropped)

SOUSA SACKED

Leeds WON 2-1

Swansea LOST 1-0 - woeful performance.

Barnsley WON 2-0

Bristol City LOST 2-0 - deserved something from the match (1 point dropped)

Watford LOST 3-2 - deserved something from the match after the second half performance (1 point dropped)

Ipswich LOST 3-0 - we all know what happened here.

As you can see, bar the Swansea performance where we were totally outplayed, we have been an improving side away from home under Sven and perhaps unlucky at times. Under Sousa we were absolutely clueless at times, but then again he did play Neilson at right back

You will all see what an overreaction you lot are making when we start winning away from home. Starting at Millwall

I agree with you points, however we lost 2-0 at swansea, but were outplayed from start to finish.....

lets start the away run from millwall would be great to get one over them animals........

[Fox92]

We don't take our chances.

[SMX11]

I have been to a few away games and we just shoot ourselves in the foot. Bristol City was complete travesty, but we didn't create any great clear cut chances in that game and individual errors cost us a result there. Prety much every other away day has been similar, we have just not defended well enough away from home. The concentration levels have been poor and thus decision making poor.

[marbelladave]

We have two primary issues, both of which appear to be more obvious away from home.

1) We create plenty of chances but few of them are clear cut and our strikers are not quite good enough to put away the fleeting chances. We need to be sharper and quicker through midfield so that the chances created are against a defense that are not set, additionally we need to pose a real threat from set pieces.

Create clear chances and our players will score, just as they did against Donny, that's my view anyway.

2) We play with attacking fullbacks and a center back that likes to get forward, we are often caught short at the back. Our centerbacks, Davies in particular, need to be more disciplined positionally and assuming we continue to encourage our fullbacks to get forward we need to give them cover.

Simply put, we need a holding midfielder, someone who sits in front of the back 4 and covers the gaps while the fullbacks get forward.

Errr..... thats it.

There are other issues but get the above points right and the rest will fall into place...

[kevblue]

Because we are incapable of playing in a few flakes of snow and Sven is nothing but a whinger trying to get the game called off with ipswich. It was the same for both teams!

[deep blue]

Chrysalis "ta-fc, pearson got it right from the go tho"

But to be fair, Pearson had the pre-season to sort things. Sven hasn't had that, and was thrown in with a disfunctional team with low confidence. To his credit, and in contrast to Sousa who dithered, Sven identified the main problem areas and tried to fix them very quickly.

Marbella "we need a holding midfielder".

Thought Yuki filled that role, but it clearly isn't working perfectly. Apart from his individual error at Ipswich, which can be attributed in part to the conditions, why do you think that is?

[marbelladave]

Chrysalis "ta-fc, pearson got it right from the go tho"

But to be fair, Pearson had the pre-season to sort things. Sven hasn't had that, and was thrown in with a disfunctional team with low confidence. To his credit, and in contrast to Sousa who dithered, Sven identified the main problem areas and tried to fix them very quickly.

Marbella "we need a holding midfielder".

Thought Yuki filled that role, but it clearly isn't working perfectly. Apart from his individual error at Ipswich, which can be attributed in part to the conditions, why do you think that is?

No.

Abe does not hold, he hustles and harrasses the opposition but he does so all over the pitch, often quite well forward, if he gets beaten or, more likely, bypassed there is no one sitting deep. If you are going to utilise the pace of our young full backs to attack you have to have cover for when they are caught upfield, we have been caught out at the back too many times this season.

In addition, when we are under more sustained pressure having a defensively minded player closing people down some 20-30 yards out will cut down on shooting opportunities, might even stop weale from being embarassed from range quite so often.

The Ipswich game was a nonsense, I will not criticise any of our players who, like Abe, made the effort, several though, did not and that is unacceptable!