Our away form.

[Zippity]

Concerning, no?

Home form-fantastic. Away form? Very poor...one league win

So what is it?

Could it be that the players need our crowd to feed off, especially under the current circumstances? The crowd was flat against Dortmund and we lost that so that might lend credence to the idea.

There might be nothing in it at all -most teams have a disparity between their home and away form but the difference here is so stark, it's got me wondering. Well, fumbling round for a question never mind an answer but you get the idea.

It's not a criticism, either, but, for me, a definite concern.

In a month, we'll be playing a team and set of fans who'll be more up for it than any team we've faced so far.

Set my mind at ease....

[Guybrush]

Absolutely not criticising but the difference in home and away is vast.

Eddies way is Eddies way… I just think that the extra man of the home crown roaring the players on is a massive help for the guys.

They are running on empty, and it’s easier to step up with 50,000 voices behind you rather than just 3,000.

So I think the high intensity press at home is driven by the adrenaline rush of the full stadium behind them.

Nice to know the fans make a difference mind.

[toptoon]

Unless my memory is shot, I remember us being like this in the 80’s. Almost unbeatable at home and couldn’t beat the poorest teams in the (then) second division away.
It’s got to be psychological. Our players don’t get the St James’ ‘lift’ and the opposition get the lift from their own supporters when we play away.
I was well impressed with our away form last season.

[GBruno]

It’s psychological and you absolutely should criticise them. It’s a failing of the manager and the individual players to perform drastically differently home vs away.

It needs sorting. We need to be mentally stronger.

[Kal]

Concerning, no?

In a month, we'll be playing a team and set of fans who'll be more up for it than any team we've faced so far.

Set my mind at ease....

OK i'll try. Sheffield Wednesday ?

[Zippity]

OK i'll try. Sheffield Wednesday ?

Now that, as you well know, is NOT helping...

[Guybrush]

It’s psychological and you absolutely should criticise them. It’s a failing of the manager and the individual players to perform drastically differently home vs away.

It needs sorting. We need to be mentally stronger.

I disagree about criticising the team. They are literally putting their bodies on the line for the sake of our entertainment.

Yes, they get paid handsomely for it too, but they are only human, and react to stimuli the same as the rest of us.

They get such a boost from the home crowd and that is given them that extra something to give a bit more, it’s not just mental strength, it’s physiological… it’s a reaction to the adrenaline dump they get from the Geordie roar.

I’ve been in situations where I would have given up if was not for the encouragement of the people around me - our guys need that from us too - I also don’t respond too well to criticism when all I’ve done is my best - kind of makes me think what’s the point if my efforts aren’t appreciated.

If they’re not trying, then criticise - they deserve that and they know they do.

Otherwise, get off their backs support them rather than crush them… that’s what’ll make the real difference!

Tripps was devastated on that pitch, he knows he made mistakes, he doesn’t need us to tell him that, sing his name and make him feel 5ft8

[Xamand]

I don't think the sample size is big enough to really worry about it tbh. One of the away games was against City, so you can remove that pretty much. Brighton was another, a very good team on their day, so not worried too much about losing that, same for Dortmund who are top of our champs league group. We have won 3 away games: Sheffield Utd (admittedly they are cráp), Manchester United in the Carabao (as previous) and I'm counting PSG as a win. Wolves and West Ham were draws, both credible results, as was Milan, so the only games we have really underperformed are Bournemouth and Everton, the latter of which was played with clearly tired, jaded players and it was fine until Tripps made a couple of mistakes near the end due to his legs not being able to keep up with what he wanted to do.

If we are still struggling away from home after we get a good number of players back and can start rotating and resting players, then we can think about getting worried, but at the moment considering our situation I'm not particularly concerned

[Cannylad]

Spurs are pretty much as f***ed as we are re injuries, not quite but I think this will help on Sunday. Even with our much depleted team I'm thinking 1-2 although I'd take a draw right now.

[HughieG]

Considering injuries, no, I’m not worried about our away form. Not at all. The Everton game was crap, but everything in and around Goodison is crap per definition.