Away form

[Salford Trotter]

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Only Wolves have a worse away record than us (so far), just imagine where we could have been if we could have improved that by just a few points....comfortably in a European spot I reckon

[Worthy4England]

Aye, but if you'd offered me 46 points with a good few games left, safe at Easter, on any of the last 3 seasons, I'd have snatched your hand off

[hi there, i'm chris]

For some reason it doesn't even feel that way. When we play away I don't think it's a foregone conclusion that we will lose.

I think the cup away wins make it seem better than it is.

[TANGODANCER]

Aye, but if you'd offered me 46 points with a good few games left, safe at Easter, on any of the last 3 seasons, I'd have snatched your hand off

If everybody were totally honest they'd say the same. All in all a good season with lots of reasons to be cheerful.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Easier-to-read table here. Note we're fourth-bottom but now have a game in hand which could lift us to 13th. Eeh, remember when we had those thoughts about the full home-and-away table?

Mind you, there's the kernel of a problem here. Our home results are the fourth-best in the league, and we've just won five straight home top-flight games for the first time since God's dog died (Sky commentator said 13 years, but I can't find evidence of that) - and now, we've beaten our first top-four visitors in a good wee while (note also that they're the best away team in the league). But the corollary of that is that employing the same devil-may-care set-up on the road isn't working as well. I would hope that we have, or get, the players to play in a slightly different style away - even if it were just getting, for example, Elmander to play as fifth midfielder rather than up top. That said, both our forwards (whoever they are) frequently end up deeper than the wingers anyway, such is the work ethic...

[Prufrock]

Aye, Davo spent more time in our half than theirs second half yesterday. Did a LOT of running.

[malcd1]

Easier-to-read table here. Note we're fourth-bottom but now have a game in hand which could lift us to 13th. Eeh, remember when we had those thoughts about the full home-and-away table?

Mind you, there's the kernel of a problem here. Our home results are the fourth-best in the league, and we've just won five straight home top-flight games for the first time since God's dog died (Sky commentator said 13 years, but I can't find evidence of that) - and now, we've beaten our first top-four visitors in a good wee while (note also that they're the best away team in the league). But the corollary of that is that employing the same devil-may-care set-up on the road isn't working as well. I would hope that we have, or get, the players to play in a slightly different style away - even if it were just getting, for example, Elmander to play as fifth midfielder rather than up top. That said, both our forwards (whoever they are) frequently end up deeper than the wingers anyway, such is the work ethic...

Not quite 13 years ago.

We won 6 straight home games at the end of the 99/00 season (Ipswich play-off game season)

FULHAM W 3-1
SHEFFIELD UNITED W 2-0
PORT VALE W 2-1
WALSALL W 4-3
WOLVES W 2-1
NORWICH CITY W 1-0

We also won 6 straight home games at the end of the 96/97 season (98 Points - 100 Goals)

WEST BROMWICH ALBION W 1-0
SWINDON TOWN W 7-0
PORT VALE W 4-2
QUEENS PARK RANGERS W 2-1
OXFORD UNITED W 4-0
CHARLTON ATHLETIC W 4-1

We had 5 straight home wins earlier in the same season but one was a League Cup game.

[CAPSLOCK]

Top flight

I think its 1979

[BWFC_Insane]

Can look at it both ways, slight upturn in away form and we could be 6th and in line for Europe.

However with our poor away record wouldn't take a massive dip in home form, to see us in the bottom half.

Away form needs addressing because I'm a firm believer in that the more points you take on the road the more confidence it builds. I also think that as we found with Allardyce once you're considered to have a fortress at home teams come to play more defensively often happier with draws than they would have been previously and things get a little harder.

[Armchair Wanderer]

But the corollary of that is that employing the same devil-may-care set-up on the road isn't working as well. I would hope that we have, or get, the players to play in a slightly different style away - even if it were just getting, for example, Elmander to play as fifth midfielder rather than up top. That said, both our forwards (whoever they are) frequently end up deeper than the wingers anyway, such is the work ethic...

It'd be good to play different styles depending on the opposition. I've said/thought something similar this season but I don't know how easy that would be with out size of squad.

Another thought I was thinking earlier is that we seem to be phased by big atmospheres (i.e. Wembley) so maybe going on the road with a big opposing fanbase phases us aswell. Any thoughts?

[hisroyalgingerness]

Whilst 2 wins is low, it hasn't struck me as a disappointing away campaign. There's been plenty of games that we've been in and maybe scored first and eventually conceded, including some half decent points away at St James Park, Villa Park, Goodison and we were desperately unlucky at White Hart Lane, Anfield and Old Trafford conceding to late goals. Even the point away at the Hawthornes is looking well-fought.

[TANGODANCER]

Whilst 2 wins is low, it hasn't struck me as a disappointing away campaign. There's been plenty of games that we've been in and maybe scored first and eventually conceded, including some half decent points away at St James Park, Villa Park, Goodison and we were desperately unlucky at White Hart Lane, Anfield and Old Trafford conceding to late goals. Even the point away at the Hawthornes is looking well-fought.

Agree with all that. Luck hasn't always gone our way, it never does, but we're no different than quite a few other sides. All in all we've had an encouraging season.

[jmjhb]

Without meaning to sound hyper-critical, this is one facet of Coyle's management which I'm unsure about. I know they would have struggled anyway, but Burnley only managed one away point last season when he was in charge, though admittedly that was a 3-3 against Man City.

[Lord Kangana]

Can look at it both ways, slight upturn in away form and we could be 6th and in line for Europe.

However with our poor away record wouldn't take a massive dip in home form, to see us in the bottom half.

Away form needs addressing because I'm a firm believer in that the more points you take on the road the more confidence it builds. I also think that as we found with Allardyce once you're considered to have a fortress at home teams come to play more defensively often happier with draws than they would have been previously and things get a little harder.

One step at a time.


We were shit at everything just over a year ago.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Top flight

I think its 1979

You're right.

Sat 25 Nov 1978
Nottingham Forest L 0-1
Sat 9 Dec
Wolves W 3-1
Fri 22 Dec
Man U W 3-0
Sat 24 Feb
Chelsea W 2-1
Sat 24 Mar
Southampton W 2-0
Mon 26 Mar
Arsenal W 4-2
Tue 3 Apr
Everton W 3-1
Sat 7 Apr
QPR W 2-1
Sat 14 Apr
Middlesbrough D 0-0

Seven straight wins. Nobody got anything off us at home between November and April... although to be fair we only played one home game between Christmas and Easter...

(Out of interest - our away form between those seven home wins - LDDLLDD)

[BWFC_Insane]

By my count our record over the last 10 league aways is...

9 defeats and 1 draw.

Something is not right on our travels.

I know some will say its the system. I'm not too sure. Certainly I think there are instances where we could try packing the midfield more. But I'm not sure its as simple as that. Man Utd away for example a game where you'd think blocking up the midfield would be paramount our system was working we were right in the game and even when Holden was injured we had a chance to take the lead.

My own opinion is that our midfield is great when they're buzzing around teams at home but away we don't have the right balance. We haven't got that midfield dictator who relieves pressure, we haven't got someone who can take the game by the scruff of the neck, so we end up running around a bit aimlessly. Put an extra man in midfield and I'm not entirely sure too much changes.

I also think away games expose our back four, who IMO make too many individual and collective mistakes. I take the argument about them not being shielded by the midfield but I still think the back four is not nearly solid enough for us to do well on the road. We get away with it more at home because less pressure is applied.

End of the day we know that realistically we're not going to win 5 on the bounce away from home. But out of the last 10 it'd have been nice and entirely plausible to win a couple and perhaps pick up a draw or two. 6 extra points now and Europe would have been a possibility. Equally as I say if we struggle a bit more at home next season then away form will be crucial.

So what can/needs to be done in the short and long term. How do we go about rectifying it at Blackburn and then perhaps looking to improve it slightly for next season?

[Lofthouse Lower]

By my count our record over the last 10 league aways is...

9 defeats and 1 draw.

Something is not right on our travels.

I know some will say its the system. I'm not too sure. Certainly I think there are instances where we could try packing the midfield more. But I'm not sure its as simple as that. Man Utd away for example a game where you'd think blocking up the midfield would be paramount our system was working we were right in the game and even when Holden was injured we had a chance to take the lead.

My own opinion is that our midfield is great when they're buzzing around teams at home but away we don't have the right balance. We haven't got that midfield dictator who relieves pressure, we haven't got someone who can take the game by the scruff of the neck, so we end up running around a bit aimlessly. Put an extra man in midfield and I'm not entirely sure too much changes.

I also think away games expose our back four, who IMO make too many individual and collective mistakes. I take the argument about them not being shielded by the midfield but I still think the back four is not nearly solid enough for us to do well on the road. We get away with it more at home because less pressure is applied.

End of the day we know that realistically we're not going to win 5 on the bounce away from home. But out of the last 10 it'd have been nice and entirely plausible to win a couple and perhaps pick up a draw or two. 6 extra points now and Europe would have been a possibility. Equally as I say if we struggle a bit more at home next season then away form will be crucial.

So what can/needs to be done in the short and long term. How do we go about rectifying it at Blackburn and then perhaps looking to improve it slightly for next season?

It's called 'the formation'

[James B]

really puts you in the mood for saturday

[BWFC_Insane]

By my count our record over the last 10 league aways is...

9 defeats and 1 draw.

Something is not right on our travels.

I know some will say its the system. I'm not too sure. Certainly I think there are instances where we could try packing the midfield more. But I'm not sure its as simple as that. Man Utd away for example a game where you'd think blocking up the midfield would be paramount our system was working we were right in the game and even when Holden was injured we had a chance to take the lead.

My own opinion is that our midfield is great when they're buzzing around teams at home but away we don't have the right balance. We haven't got that midfield dictator who relieves pressure, we haven't got someone who can take the game by the scruff of the neck, so we end up running around a bit aimlessly. Put an extra man in midfield and I'm not entirely sure too much changes.

I also think away games expose our back four, who IMO make too many individual and collective mistakes. I take the argument about them not being shielded by the midfield but I still think the back four is not nearly solid enough for us to do well on the road. We get away with it more at home because less pressure is applied.

End of the day we know that realistically we're not going to win 5 on the bounce away from home. But out of the last 10 it'd have been nice and entirely plausible to win a couple and perhaps pick up a draw or two. 6 extra points now and Europe would have been a possibility. Equally as I say if we struggle a bit more at home next season then away form will be crucial.

So what can/needs to be done in the short and long term. How do we go about rectifying it at Blackburn and then perhaps looking to improve it slightly for next season?

It's called 'the formation'

You think? How would we change it for Saturday though? Would playing 4-5-1 or whatever make a huge difference?

[Lofthouse Lower]

Not against Blackburn.

Against that lot we start 4-5-1 and then when we're three up we go back to 4-4-2.