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Home v Away

Bullyhammer's picture
Submitted by Bullyhammer on Thu, 02/04/2015 - 14:12

While on the subject of going to Leicester to batter them (or not), a subject which has always bothered me arose again. Why do most teams (and most definitely ours) play SO differently away from home? The only research I've seen says that while officials can be significantly swayed by a vociferous home crowd, the players don't give a toss that a few thousand people are booing, jeering, or casting aspersions on their female relatives. Very few players are intimidated by noisy crowds, and not a few are actually motivated to play better when jeered at! To my mind it's all in the head, if they are prepared properly psychologically I see no reason why we shouldn't play exactly the same away as we do at home.

plaistow-man's picture

I have often wondered the same thing, in our promotion year for example we beat Blackpool 4-0 at home and 4-1 away yet we beat Doncaster 1-0 away and Watford 4-0 away yet drew with both at home ... I know speaking to an old pro a few years back he did say that it sometimes was the pitch if you played with wide men your opponents would narrow a pitch and vice versa. Other than that it has to be the players mindset though I do agree re officials.

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Bullyhammer's picture

Good point about narrower pitches. In my days (long LONG ago!) of playing local football, the pitches were so variable as to often give the home side an advantage (knowing where the boggy bits were etc. lol

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moore 6 legend's picture

Good interesting post, never really known the answer to that bully, you'd think teams should be able to play their same game wherever they are,with all the advances in football today, sports psychology etc these guys should really be looking to get into the heads of players and changing this mentality on away games and force them to play in a way that would be to our advantage and that would unsettle the crowd it's always baffled me that playing the same team at home you would attack 442 or 433 and away 451 Damn you've got it bothering me now LOL

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