SHA Small Heath Alliance

I don’t know if this is a hot take or not, but looking at it, could you argue the away results issue is a bit overblown when you consider we’ve only played away at 2 of the entire current bottom half? One of which we won and the other was a pre-unravelling Leicester.

We’ve been to 5 of the top 6 already.

Obviously we don’t want to be losing anywhere, but we’re narrowly losing the hardest games (whatever your opinion on the performances), which isn’t massively unexpected.

Once we start going to places like QPR and Swansea, I wonder if this will start levelling out? Rather than focusing on what we should be doing differently.

It’s not so much the sides that we have played I don’t think but the complete lack of threat in forward areas.We just don’t look like scoring.

Thrillhouse

I don’t know if this is a hot take or not, but looking at it, could you argue the away results issue is a bit overblown when you consider we’ve only played away at 2 of the entire current bottom half? One of which we won and the other was a pre-unravelling Leicester.

We’ve been to 5 of the top 6 already.

Obviously we don’t want to be losing anywhere, but we’re narrowly losing the hardest games (whatever your opinion on the performances), which isn’t massively unexpected.

Once we start going to places like QPR and Swansea, I wonder if this will start levelling out? Rather than focusing on what we should be doing differently.

I think you're right. I brought it up a few weeks back, I want to say after Bristol, and just got told that judging games by opponents league position is stupid. 🙄

We've had an abnormally difficult away schedule so far.

Playing Watford away isn’t going to be easy judging by last night, and I don’t think either of our next two games (teams below us) are going to be either.

We’ll get better results is we play better away.

Bristol was a perfect point in case of us not carrying any threat in a game we definately shouldn’t have lost.

I agree that that’s been the theme of the performances. But I do think it’s turned since that Bristol game, and I guess my point is it’s been exacerbated by a tough run.

I thought we were better at Boro but managed the game poorly at 1-1. WBA I saw less of but it seemed like we didn't really have any major chances to score.

If we don't sort it out we'll finish about 10th, the pressure on home games is immense as well, you need to allow for the odd slip up by winning some away games.

Need to win 8 to make the playoffs.

It'll be interesting to see how many points are required for the play offs this season, this league is just incredible but also frustrating at the same time. At home, ideally you'd want at least 45-50 points whereas away I feel you'll need 25-30 points but I could be very wrong

Thrillhouse

I do think it’s turned since that Bristol game

We didn't look that convincing against the Baggies, they arguably should have won that game with the chances they had

and before that we lost at Boro

It is improving slowly as the season goes on but we're still along way from looking anywhere near as good as we are at home

Southampton will be another tough test but am confident we can get something

Thrillhouse

I agree that that’s been the theme of the performances. But I do think it’s turned since that Bristol game, and I guess my point is it’s been exacerbated by a tough run.

I actually think that in general the Hull defeat was this season's Shrewsbury. Davies has changed tactics much like the aftermath of Shrewsbury and we look much better for it.

We've played four away games since then, lost narrowly twice against 2nd and 6th, drawn one and won one. We're improving nicely enough

I don't think it's overblown. You look at the the away form and we're 21st. We've been unlucky how the fixtures have fell for us it's still no great

I think it reflects perfectly where we currently are in the league. We needed to improve significantly home and away, home performances have done just that and Davies has shown his ability to adapt our style of play. Away performances are still lack luster but marginally better than some earlier away games like Leicester. If we can continue to improve / evolve our away style and tactics then I’m confident we’ll pick up more points… the positive thing for me is that we’re looking for answers to problems, not continuing down the same path and hoping for different outcomes.

We were Crap at Leicester, Stoke , Coventry and Bristol.

Played ok at Blackburn. Preston, Wrexham and WBA and rode our luck a little to get points.

I thought we played well at Boro and were very unlucky.

I would take 2 draws against Soton and QPR.

Conceding the first goal is killing us away, it allows teams to sit in and cede possession so that we're just playing in front of them. The pound the rock approach is much more difficult this season as teams are just so much more organised defensively (especially the top half teams who have been the majority of our opponents). One positive is that I dont think it's a character or mentality issue so ive got faith that away results will pick up.

On the flip side the early goals at home are allowing us to flourish.

It's not stupid, but particularly early in the season it isn't necessarily the whole story.

I think the next 3 away games Southampton, QPR and Sheffield United are all pretty tough.
We have a pretty poor record at both QPR and Southampton. Sheffield United seem to have turned things around and ar usually strong at Bramall Lane.

I'm not sure why some people seem to think Swansea away will be easy. The only away game I;d say will be 'easy' is Sheffield Wednesday and we almost lost to them at home.

It seems like a mentality issue, not a quality issue with Blues away. We are rarely out of games, but also we don't play with the same attacking threat as at home. I think it is a whole team issue. We just don't take as many risks.