We've got to keep the belief that we can stay up and not get despondent about what could happen. It felt like the players ran through a brick wall yesterday so they aren't giving up the ghost just yet. Important to take things a game at a time and remember that at present we're in the driving seat for survival. It would have been crazy to think we'd be in this position at the turn of the year.
We should just take our home mentality to Southampton and give them a test , it's one thing in 30 odd years of Watching football that baffles me, the difference in home and away games - it's just a football pitch
We've got the ability to get something from there and hopefully the way we finished yesterday's game and the spirit shown is carried on into the game. What we can't do is have a slow start like we did at Stoke and make the task harder for ourselves. Hopefully Marco will have them ready for the challenge
You would think with the way we break with our pacy wingers it would suite us to play away but we seem to let far to many goals in when under pressure. Its a must we tighten up on Saturday and hopefully get something out of the game.
I've been watching nearer 40 years and it baffles me too It's like all the managers get together and decide that they'll be more attacking at home than they are away Weird
Marco will start with the same back 4 as Saturday which should help. The defensive line up vs Stoke didn't work. We should look more solid with Robbo Ranocchia Harry Elmo, although Elmo is the obvious weak link there
It's fair to say the fans make the difference, you see it sometimes when the home side are getting stick at home from the fans that suddenly the team play better away, as they don't feel the same pressure and expectation. I think that is why Marco makes so much emphasis getting the fans behind the team. Also I read it has to do with familiarity of their surroundings, they feel mentally more settled.
sounds about right. I dont go for all this 12th man BS. some games are played behind closed doors........... they dont end up 0 - 0, do they? the fans are there for financial reasons. if the fans made any difference, they'd let spectators in for free to get wins every week.
Sorry to disagree but you ask any pro footballer, and I know a few, they will tell you they much prefer playing in front of their own fans, as they do get a boost of performance from encouragement. All human beings react favourably to encouragement, footballers are no different.
Totally agree. Of course I understand vocal encouragement helps, but why facilitate that by lining up differently? Just play your normal game. It's not like we could do any worse by going there with our home mentality.
Strange though isn't it. Also if the fans really do make a difference then it's inexcusable for any of our fans to sit quietly. Everyone should be at least very vocal
I absolutely agree, the one regret I have about being in the West stand corporate section is that you are frowned upon if you start to be vocal. At away game there is no one more vocal than me, and for that reason I enjoy away games more than home games. I have often thought that the club should ask pass holders if they would like to sit in a section that is vocal or not. That way even in the West Stand you could get a section of the support that was also vocal. But of cause we are talking about the Allams tenure, this is beyond their ken as they say north of the border.
