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What is the problem with playing at home?


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Seems to have been an issue for a number of seasons now. Previously you could blame it on the crowd turning, bad atmosphere etc... but that hasn’t been the case for a year now.

Started under Johnson, carried on by Holden and now the early signs are Pearson may have an issue with getting the results at home.

When you look at the points picked up on the road, it’s staggering the problems we are having on our own patch!

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My best thought is that we’re naturally not a possession based or front foot team with the players we have. Some extremes under Holden, but even pre/post him I don’t think we had over 50% possession in most games.

How that relates to home is interesting. You’d think with empty stands and no crowds, the inherent onus to attack would be gone. But it isn’t - home games are still seen as more winnable than away, and as such the home team both expects itself and is expected to force the issue.

So, we play better out of possession and not on the front foot (or like to play out of possession), but when at home we are expected to do both of those things. And that in turn means we don’t play to how we like to play, and play worse.

I don’t like playing without the ball but it’s a style that was developing under LJ, and got worse under DH. We have players who have been drilled to play that way, so asking them not to will require heavy training or turnover.

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Big Nige addressed that in his last interview. Says that not having any fans is a problem as some players find it hard to stay motivated by the homec supporters and that there has been above average away wins the BBC this season.

1 minute ago, Finley_Smith10 said:

We’re awful at actually playing football and creating chances. That’s the reasons

It’s not that simple.

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1 minute ago, Robbored said:

Big Nige addressed that in his last interview. Says that not having any fans is a problem as some players find it hard to stay motivated by the homec supporters and that there has been above average away wins the BBC this season.

It’s not that simple.

Yes but we were terrible at home last season too. So it can’t just be that

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Just now, Robbored said:

Big Nige addressed that in his last interview. Says that not having any fans is a problem as some players find it hard to stay motivated by the homec supporters and that there has been above average away wins the BBC this season.

It’s not that simple.

I think you’re missing half the question old bean. The form was poor at home under Johnson. Although that answer was on the OS, it doesn’t actually give the full story.

Quite what the BBC have to do with it, god knows.

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5 minutes ago, Finley_Smith10 said:

We’re awful at actually playing football and creating chances. That’s the reasons

Spot on,away from home and having 30-35 possession is not good but it’s been like that for a few seasons but we have been lethal,at home is the same but teams put it on us,if we continue to have no possession then the outcome will eventually be the same 

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Slow tempo, too many square and backwards passes, nobody who can consistently play the key final ball, lack of movement up front, inability to defend crosses, no leaders on the field.

All of which have been there for a long time yet never addressed.

Ultimately though the roots lie in the culture of the club imo. Cushy life with no real pressure that encourages a distinctly meh attitude.

That's been the case for most of the 60 years I have been a supporter. Let's hope NP stays and stamps his authority on the players and the club in general otherwise it's more of the same.

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1. Outlets to move the ball up the field. Which of the players wingers, strikers, 10s etc can receive the ball and hold it long enough to allow people to move to support them. Who is a threat in behind?

2. Lack of mobility/quality in central midfield. These players have to have the ability and desire to get forwards and create passing opportunities both as goal threats and as options to receive the ball.

3. Who has the quality to beat a player straight up? Semenyo sometimes.

 

Where are the difference makers against a team that sits in. It's hard, but we don't really have them. We need space and counter attacking opportunities to do well.

Since LJ became afraid after burning his players out with the high press, we're so slow and insipid.

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When Ashton Gate got redeveloped and the rugby came in, the pitch got considerably narrower. 

Also, Lee Johnson narrowed it further because he thought it would benefit our high press.

The result is that we the attacking home team have less width, less space, and it plays into the hands of teams who want to frustrate us by initially not conceding.

It also looks poor aesthetically to have 4 yards of pitch on the linesman's side of the line. 

Such a shame when Ashton Gate was traditionally a huge pitch with space for wingers and wide men like Alan Walsh, Dave Smith, Mark Gavin, Junior Bent, Darren Barnard, Jim Brennan, Mickey Bell, Greg Goodridge, Brian Tinnion. It was entertaining with those players out wide. Now we have less space it is not just poor results, it is very poor football to watch as well. 

 

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Last 4 away games 10 points from 12 scored 9 conceded 2

Last 4 home games NIL points from 12  scored 1 conceded 7

 

Promotion form in away games  but relegation form in home games. The thing is that this has been us for the last couple of seasons, and I think it is mainly down to LJ’s approach - being happier trying to counter the opposition( fine in away games) than taking the initiative and dictating games (the onus for which rests with the home team) . Has this mentality become inbuilt with too many of our players?

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25 minutes ago, Robbored said:

Big Nige addressed that in his last interview. Says that not having any fans is a problem as some players find it hard to stay motivated by the homec supporters and that there has been above average away wins the BBC this season.

It’s not that simple.

We had fans for the last 3 seasons previous

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11 minutes ago, downendcity said:

Last 4 away games 10 points from 12 scored 9 conceded 2

Last 4 home games NIL points from 12  scored 1 conceded 7

 

Promotion form in away games  but relegation form in home games. The thing is that this has been us for the last couple of seasons, and I think it is mainly down to LJ’s approach - being happier trying to counter the opposition( fine in away games) than taking the initiative and dictating games (the onus for which rests with the home team) . Has this mentality become inbuilt with too many of our players?

Until we can deal with balls in the box/setpieces in a consistently efficient manner, we will always be susceptible at home when many away teams use that method to not lose/win on their travels.

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24 minutes ago, chinapig said:

Slow tempo, too many square and backwards passes, nobody who can consistently play the key final ball, lack of movement up front, inability to defend crosses, no leaders on the field.

All of which have been there for a long time yet never addressed.

Ultimately though the roots lie in the culture of the club imo. Cushy life with no real pressure that encourages a distinctly meh attitude.

That's been the case for most of the 60 years I have been a supporter. Let's hope NP stays and stamps his authority on the players and the club in general otherwise it's more of the same.

Just under 40 years for me but yes, you are correct.

Apart from under Jordan and Cotterill.

And hopefully Pearson. ?

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