What’s the difference between playing home and away?

[GoodyOwl]

So it’s one of those moments where i was sitting with alcohol and Chinese food wondering why Wednesday (and other teams) always struggle when we play away.

 

For as long as I can remember (early 90s) when ever we have played away I’ve always had a huge doubt in my mind that we would be lucky if we got a point. But why is this? Apart from it being a different ground why do we always perform so badly? Surely it’s not the crowd? We are one of the teams where the away support never lets them down. If anything the players should be itching to get on the pitch to make those that travel even more proud and make the long journeys worth it.

 

So why do teams struggle away from home? At the end of the day it’s 11 vs 11 on a football pitch with the same lines and rules. What is the change in mentality for players? If anything they should be more nervous at home knowing if they do anything wrong the fans jump on their backs. Whenever I see Wednesday play in anything other than the blue and white stripes we get a pummelling.

 

but why?

[Sparkwell76]

Good question.  Hard to pinpoint and I think during Covid some results were a bit odd.  
 

some interesting articles

 

https://www.chicagobooth.edu/review/home-field-advantage-facts-and-fiction

[swfcnathan]

Pitch size, pitch condition, crowd, familiar surroundings, not having to sit on a coach for potentially hours, other teams watering the pitch to make life awkward for teams who play a certain way. The list goes on

[SHUowl]

5 minutes ago, swfcnathan said:

Pitch size, pitch condition, crowd, familiar surroundings, not having to sit on a coach for potentially hours, other teams watering the pitch to make life awkward for teams who play a certain way. The list goes on

Yeah pretty much this. Pitch is the biggest one for me, anyone that's played at any level knows how important it is, even at pro level there's differences to bounce, surface, slip, everything. Those minor details make a big difference. 

 

I honestly think because of how poo our pitch is, it helps us because we're used to it and the opposition isn't.

[pat blondeau]

Quite a lot of factors:

 

- The home dressing room and the pitch you’re familiar with and play on every week.

- Not much travelling to a home game for players. Sleep in your own bed the night before a game and follow your same pre game routine for every home game. Every away game will have a different pre game routine, meet and travel time.

- The crowd influences games of football and referees get influenced by the crowd.

- The tactics of the opposition will also vary depending on whether they’re the home or away side.

 

Even Manchester City can struggle away from home against the top sides whereas at the Etihad they’re pretty much unbeatable 

[F. Spiksley]

What did you eat from the Chinese takeaway? 

[Willie Henderson]

It's a very interesting point, I've always wondered why it makes such a difference.

 

In my opinion I think it largely boils down to mental attitude. Having a familiar routine in familiar surroundings must help to calm the nerves and reduce anxiety, not to forget a largely supportive crowd.

 

But I could be wrong, I usually am.

[GoodyOwl]

I completely agree with some of everyone’s points. Though you have to think these are professional players who get paid to do this for a living day in day out. I’m pretty sure if I turned up to my own job and didn’t adapt to a situation I’d be out the door quickly. If they can’t arrive at a football ground and know within a few minutes of warming up that it’s going to be slippy or the pitch has been watered more, or it’s hard and going to bounce, windy etc etc then there is a problem. It’s one of those things that we need to normalise and make the players realise, it’s just like playing at home… but your away.

[island owl]

The support is always tremendous and is possibly more vocal. It could be down to tactics, nerves, tiredness having travelled a distance, or getting in the zone

[JohnnyQuinnsQuiff]

More concerning is that Swansea’s away form is as ‘good’ as our home form!

[Barnsleyowl1996]

1 hour ago, pat blondeau said:

Quite a lot of factors:

 

- The home dressing room and the pitch you’re familiar with and play on every week.

- Not much travelling to a home game for players. Sleep in your own bed the night before a game and follow your same pre game routine for every home game. Every away game will have a different pre game routine, meet and travel time.

- The crowd influences games of football and referees get influenced by the crowd.

- The tactics of the opposition will also vary depending on whether they’re the home or away side.

 

Even Manchester City can struggle away from home against the top sides whereas at the Etihad they’re pretty much unbeatable 

Yep . It’s obvious why teams perform better at home in general . Agree with all your points . Top post . 

[Lincs Owl]

2 hours ago, swfcnathan said:

Pitch size, pitch condition, crowd, familiar surroundings, not having to sit on a coach for potentially hours, other teams watering the pitch to make life awkward for teams who play a certain way. The list goes on

^^^^   This I would say.

Pitch sizes vary by club.  Differences would be very noticeable by the wide players. Might explain Bannans corners(tongue in cheek).

Having to spend a night in a hotel sharing a room.  Seems most do it that way.  

Having 25k jeering you compared to 25k at home (supposedly) cheering you.

Having to pass to team mates in a different kit when you're used to looking for someone in blue and white stripes.

Knowing you've got,maybe, a five hour coach trip after the game, compared to maybe a 20 minute drive in your own car after a home game.

 

Lots of tiny things which, individually, seem unimportant but all add up. 

I would say the difference in quality of the pitch is a big factor.  Length of grass, muddiness in goalmouth, wetness.  

 

[Since 1971]

If it is the conditions at stadia, changing facilities, surroundings and especially the pitch are hugely more consistent than 30 plus years ago. And travel is much easier on the human body than it was a couple of decades ago. But apart from covid years, aren't the stats on home wins pretty much the same?

 

Go back to the 1950s though and there were some good examples of home advantage. Two teams would play on Boxing Day, home team winning something like 5-1 and then the same two teams would play again the next day or so and the other team would often win by 4 or 5 goals! But that happened last May in the play off semi final didn't it?

 

As far as Wednesday are concerned, I can no longer blame terrible away from on not having a yellow and blue away kit anymore.