Why we are better away than home? It was the same last season. If we played all our league games away we’d be in the top two. There’s just no logical reason. Yesterday’s performance was as bad as any bad away performance of the past few years. Not just the result but performance.
Confidence. It's like a hoo doo. The performance was poor to say the least. Those with me at the game prior and after. Said worst weather to play in. Wind swirling all over the place. (Whereas against Brum. Easier to manage) But Orient certainly handled it better. The games we have lost/drawn apart from one or two. We should have got more points and won on a few occasions. I would not get shut of the manager. The players have to accept most of the responsibility. Goal shy at home. (Hence imo lack of confidence in front of our own fans) and it doesnt make pleasant reading. Or owt to entice people to come. I remember Donny having the same issue. Terrible home record decent away in recent years. We would be top 3 of an away league. So for some to say sunday league. Is plain bonkers. Lampard anyone. January window will be enormous for us. We need to get it right.
We weren't shot shy against Wigan or Bristol Rovers and failed to score once in 210 minutes+ of football.
3 of the teams we’ve beaten away are currently in the bottom 4. Crawley being the worst team I’ve seen us play, closely followed by Shrews & Burton. As much as I’m hanging on to our away form, it’s not without some of the traits we see at Oakwell. The substitutions have still caused problems, like at Lincoln where we were 2-0 and ended up defending for our lives. Lost lead at Blackpool following first bit of real pressure, last minute goal conceded at Wrexham, reasonably comfortable at Stevenage and then collapsed, similarly at Huddersfield. I’d say Exeter was our most pleasing win. The lads had a bollocking at half time and came out with purpose. That’s probably why Saturdays no show was such a surprise, even at home. That said, it’s a different vibe away from home.
We are a counter attack team. We don’t have the tactical nous or players who can break down teams that come to defend. Even when we play better against teams like Birmingham it’s because they attack us don’t sit back and defend.
At Oakwell teams sit back and let us attack them. We're no good at it. We can't break them down and we're vulnerable to counter attacks (and set pieces won after a counter attack). Away from home the opposition are more adventurous and as much as people may not want to hear it, as they're in full on moaning mode, we're actually very good at exploiting the space left by teams that come at us. That was true under Collins and has continued under Clarke.
That doesn't apply to the latest debacle though. Orient attacked us from minute 1 and were still attacking us in minute 94.
It's not applied to a few. Off the top of my head were Mansfield on the opening day who were all over us for the first 20 minutes and went two up, then Stockport, Wycombe and Reading who all came to have a go and we didn't win any of those.
I honestly think that it’s at least partly because we have no genuine wide attacking players. This wing back system, with our current personnel anyway, seems too easy to set up against because it’s way too predictable. Plus we don’t have a ball-carrier in midfield. So away from home the onus tends to be on the opposition to be positive, while the away team can sit back and look to either hit on the break, or wait for the other team to make a mistake (which we’ve become world-beaters at). Just my view obviously, but I would add that football seemed much more exciting with wingers.
I was surprised in DC's presser this morning when one of the interviewers mentioned that we'd conceded only 8 in the first half, and 22 in the second half (L1 goals only). Fitness? Concentration? Tactics?
Yup, I think we only have Humphrys and cotter who can beat a man. Impossible for humphs when he’s playing up top as he has to play back to goal or just chases aimless long balls. And cotter who seems to be on his way out. On another thread, and I’ve mentioned a few times 4-3-3 needs to come to fruition or 4-2-3-1, but the recruitment for that would take 2 windows at least.
I’d say more 50/50 he beats a man v trips himself up. But I’d rather that than turning back and keeping the ball. It’s entertainment value, sometimes comedic entertainment lol.
