[Albion] Dunces to Heroes in a Week . . . How?

[Cowfold Seagull]

I suppose it's the Albion all over, and maybe one reason why we love the club so much, but now can virtually the same eleven players, (minus Bruno, and for most of the game Dunk, two of our most influencial players), go from being such pants at unfancied Watford, where we didn't even get one shot on target in the whole game, to completely bossing the great Manchester United just one week later?

It completely baffles me, any ideas?

 

[Bold Seagull]

I suppose it's the Albion all over, and maybe one reason why we love the club so much, but now can virtually the same eleven players, (minus Bruno, and for most of the game Dunk, two of our most influencial players), go from being such pants at unfancied Watford, where we didn't even get one shot on target in the whole game, to completely bossing the great Manchester United just one week later?

It completely baffles me, any ideas?

I think Watford will be a decent side this year. We've basically underestimated how good they were in making us look poor.

 

[Napper]

Maybe Watford are going to have an amazing season and we did well to keep it to 2-0 ;-)

Not sure the answer. We seem to have mental issues away. Something we need to get over this season.

At home you can tell we just fancy it.

 

[Green Cross Code Man]

I was completely dumbfounded after the match yesterday. Speechless. I can't remember being so surprised after a match in all the time I've followed Albion.

 

[Badger Boy]

We show no interest in competing in away games, or no belief that we're good enough to get results.

It needs to change. We're good enough to beat just about anyone in this league, we've proven that in 2018. Now it's time for the players to go into away games with the same belief and desire they show at home.

 

[brightn'ove]

Watford just battered Burnley at Turf Moor. Perhaps they are better than we thought, not many teams have done that in the past few years.

 

[banjo]

It’s a funny old game.

 

[Cowfold Seagull]

We show no interest in competing in away games, or no belief that we're good enough to get results.

It needs to change. We're good enough to beat just about anyone in this league, we've proven that in 2018. Now it's time for the players to go into away games with the same belief and desire they show at home.

Last season, in a way, I can understand why in every match, we set up with an ultra defensive strategy, and in such a cautious fashion. We were the new boys to the Premier League, and had no idea what we were going into.

This season though, surely that, to a degree at least, has to change and we cannot continue to rely 100% on our great home form at the Amex. Last season we picked up the fewest points on our travels than the entire league. The big question is though, will it? indeed can it? with Cautious Chris at the helm? Not a criticism of the man by the way

 

[Garry Nelson's Left Foot]

I think it's partly a response to the inexplicably poor performance against Watford, partly to do with the difference in our away and home performances/tactics and partly because 'the great Manchester United' were a whole lot worse than Watford.

 

[TheJasperCo]

Incredible that we stayed up last season despite collecting 11 points from our away games last season. I never thought "home advantage" was that significant these days. Clearly though, there's something in the team's psyche where they step up at the Amex and are poor on the road.

 

[Whitley Bayster]

Football is like that. No matter hard you prepare some weeks you turn up and you can't do anything right no matter how hard you try. Man Utd had one of those days yesterday and we took advantage. The next week everything comes off and your a world beater. It is this unpredictability that makes the game so appealing. Don't worry we'll return to form next weekend

 

[Uh_huh_him]

Maybe Hughton really earned his salt this week.

The fact that we knew he wasn't going to make any knee jerk changes also means that the players knew this.
I'm sure they were left in no doubt that Saturday's performance had opened the door to the new boys, but they've been given the chance to make amends.

IMO the fact they did so to such an extraordinary level, speak volumes about CH's managerial abilities.

 

[Tim Over Whelmed]

Some players play better in front of home fans and a few of ours fit the bill. Remember the Leicester away game last season, we were awful and then played well at home? Just need Gross, March & AK to thrive away from home and we'll be as safe as houses!

 

[TSB]

https://nortr3nixy.nimpr.uk/showthread.php?366293-Home-and-Away-Bi-polar-for-good-reason

You're welcome.

 

[withdeanwombat]

It’s because we were lucky enough to get Man Utd in our first home game.

 

[stss30]

https://nortr3nixy.nimpr.uk/showthread.php?366293-Home-and-Away-Bi-polar-for-good-reason

You're welcome.

Whilst I agree with a lot of that, surely we should still be able to turn up/put a performance in during away games? The Watford performance was completely abject, and it happened in the Huddersfield and WBA away games last season too.

 

[KZNSeagull]

How? Because in CH we have a man who has a plan and trusts his players to get it done. He has never made wholesale changes after a poor performance, he always asks for a response from the players, trusts them to deliver they invariably do. This is the secret to our success.

As for away performances, CH stated during the summer that he was well aware of our poor away form and he was attempting to do something about it what with the new signings etc. I expect that now that we have proven that a high press works at home, we will try it away. Sometimes it will work, sometimes it won't. I doubt we will try it against Liverpool though.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

I suppose it's the Albion all over, and maybe one reason why we love the club so much, but now can virtually the same eleven players, (minus Bruno, and for most of the game Dunk, two of our most influencial players), go from being such pants at unfancied Watford, where we didn't even get one shot on target in the whole game, to completely bossing the great Manchester United just one week later?

It completely baffles me, any ideas?

Last week after Watford, I quoted Kipling

If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same;

It still applies. It's hard to stop buzzing though


I'd also like to point out, we'd probably underestimated Watford, who gave Burnley a bit of a beating yesterday.

 

[TSB]

Whilst I agree with a lot of that, surely we should still be able to turn up/put a performance in during away games? The Watford performance was completely abject, and it happened in the Huddersfield and WBA away games last season too.

Replace Watford with Brighton and that's what United fans will be saying, I'm sure.
But yeah. You'd think so. It makes little sense to me why we could perform so well at West Ham & OT and so, so poorly at the weaker sides. Sometimes, every player on the team has a 3/10.
Wagner is one of the few who has bested CH consistently at their place.

 

[NooBHA]

Last season, in a way, I can understand why in every match, we set up with an ultra defensive strategy, and in such a cautious fashion. We were the new boys to the Premier League, and had no idea what we were going into.

This season though, surely that, to a degree at least, has to change and we cannot continue to rely 100% on our great home form at the Amex. Last season we picked up the fewest points on our travels than the entire league. The big question is though, will it? indeed can it? with Cautious Chris at the helm? Not a criticism of the man by the way

Always the same with CH teams. When there is a really really bad performance, they get a real bollocking. For most part he is supportive after a poor performance but when it's a really bad one, in no way does he put up with it so you always tend to get a belter of a performance in the next match. That performance against Watford might turn out to be a blessing because you heard Murray say it in the post match interview. They knew that the Watford performance wasn't acceptable.

There will be a few more Watford type perormances but not too many.

As for the way we play away from home. Thats just the way CH approaches away matches. It's about try and win but more important not to lose because a defeat to potential relegation rivals could be costly in the run in.