Away Form

It’s the way we are set up plus the fact that the game changes due to decision making at any moment in time.
Players are given instructions from the manager, games can change on a missed tackle, a moment of brilliance and many other factors. That’s the beauty of the game.

 

Aka McGoldrick ?

 

A classic example

 

We've never looked entirely settled away from home.
Playing available players out of their natural position because they have played once or twice at a previous club in a certain role is a gamble which hasn't really paid of for us and has obviously been singled out by the home opposition as a weakness in away games.
We all have our opinions on the timing of substitutions and their impact but away from home in my opinion we've seldom got it right.
To little to late.
Do we play it safe in the last two away games and park the bus? Or do we go out and express ourselves with our foot firmly on the pedal from the off.
Not sure what Alexander's tactics will be but I sincerely hope he doesn't go to either game setting up to defend a one goal lead that's if we are fortunate to be in that position.

 

I dunno if theres a site that tracks heat maps or team shape for L2, but I'm certain we sit back 5 or more yards deeper away and play far more for the breakaway than we do at home.

 

The times we've played well away from home, we've played on the front foot. Our strength is quick one touch football. Given time to think we tend to over play or pass sideways and backwards. I also think we err on the side of caution which means the defence drop a little deeper, the midfield them drop 5 yards deeper and the striker is then isolated. The opposition then push on and we end up on the back foot.

 

We've been absolute cat shite away from home this season but knowing us and how crazy this league is, we'll go and smash it on Monday and get 3 points and then blow it on the last day of the season.
It's what we do

 

I think GA does that a bit too early even if we are winning at home. We do try coasting in 2nd gear sometimes when we are 1-0 up and sometimes i think his changes are a bit too early or a bit too negative. But i think we are at the point now where we cant depend on a counter attacking goal, we are going to have to apply pressure away to Chesterfield and Doncaster and figure out a way to do so. Because this long ball down the channel hoping Kav can out run the CBs isn't really working.

 

I am not sure that our away form over the season will have any bearing on the next two games. At this time of the season anything can happen, witness yesterday's Carlisle v Port Vale result. Try not to worry what may or may not have happened in the past, and hope that after the next three games we are where we all want to be.

 

I've done nearly every away game this season.
3 things that are different.
We play a little deeper away which means our wing backs don't get as high up the pitch and we invite teams onto us.
Opposition pitches are slightly wider than VP which leads to gaps between the back 3 compared to at home when it's a lot tighter. Our pitch at VP has been narrowed this season.
Last thing is speed of possession across the back 3.
Away from home when it's been successful, I'm thinking of Bromley away which for me was the most complete away performance of the season, we've maintained possession across the back 3 really well, drawing teams towards us then we can get in through the gaps.
The worst away performance of the season, against Vale, with the pitch been the widest in the league, we were slow in getting the ball across the back line and resorted to lumping it forward, panicking.
Second half, playing higher up the pitch and with Shepherd on for Huntington we played a lot faster in possession meaning we had more control and looked a lot better.
Those for me are the reasons.

 

Whoscord.com have heatmaps and average player positions for league 2 games. Looking at the last 2 home games and Port Vale & Accrington away i don't think there's much difference in terms of average position other than Adaramola who tends to be a bit deeper away from home. On the stats I did notice that have been playing more long balls away from home with 66 in the 2 home games and 85 & 86 away. Our overall passes are a long way down at home we've made 290 & 333 passes but away that is 460 & 436 so a big jump. It seems to be that teams are either allowing us to have the ball more or we are going into the away games trying to control the game by keeping the ball which is having the opposite effect.

 

I’m sure Donny have one of the best away form, but not so sure that their home form is that good. Hopefully we get “at them” and their fans anxiety gets to them (like I think what’s happened to us the other night). It was very tense/anxious I felt.

 

It’s a strange one, I don’t think we are quite as bad as some think but also certainly nowhere near the amazing home form. But we could easily have had 10+ more points, but for a lack of what seems concentration.

Colchester away, cheap set piece goal in the 97th minute resulting in 2 points dropped.

Crewe away, silly red card when in the ascendancy. Potentially 2 points dropped.

Barrow away, despite losing our top scorer we were cruising and the Baldwin does the most idiotic foul of the season and the game turned on its head. Definitely 2 points dropped.

Gillingham, they never threatened but for a cheap goal which we slipped off from. Certainly a point dropped.

Then there’s Swindon, well less said about that the better, certainly 3 dropped.

Even Port Vale, people forget we actually started well and probably the better team until a freak goal then our heads seemed to go. We seem to respond a lot better from set backs at home and I don’t just mean a goal, it can be a poor decision by the ref or a missed chance etc.

There are probably other games where it is all ifs and buts.

For me our worst away performance was Accrington, when we just never offered anything despite being against a crap team.

 

We play 2 ways
Long balls, hit and hope
Or
Passing game on the deck, precise and leathal

Depends which we do but we achieved this top spot with the passing game that most division two teams can’t live with

 

I think it’s down to our midfield hopefully Sarcevic will help this week but the performances of the trio of Pointon Pattison and whoever else so far have been lacking away in comparison to home

 

Doncaster are the best away side in the league (38 points, W11, D5, L6) but their home results aren't bad either standing 6th best in the league with 37 points, W10, D7, L4.

 

I think we need to play a different style and maybe a different team away from home especially if we are in league one next season.