home v. away

[somervillain]

I have to ask about this, as it's something that has always driven me crazy as a follower of football.

I completely understand lowered expectations in terms of results away from home, but what is the deal with clubs altering their team/formation/tactics based on home/away?

It just seems to be something that is accepted by everyone without question, but to me it's completely counterintuitive. Over here in the States, the only time home/away comes into play is at the end of games when a choice is presented of equalising versus trying for the win.

The only time I can understand altering team/formation/tactics when going on the road is if you're talking about a dramatically different pitch than what you're used to, and you need to play a different style. The US National Team sees this when going to smaller Caribbean and Central American countries that don't have pitches the quality of which the US are accustomed. But this surely isn't an issue in English league football under normal weather conditions.

The notion of a team changing its approach simply because of the geographic location of a match seems to me the very definition of insanity. Why would an away side not attempt to put out the same lineup and play the same style they would play against that opponent at home? Play the style you're comfortable and accustomed to playing. It seems like changing up your approach on the road would only negatively impact your team's self-confidence, so it almost becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.

So please, someone explain to me the logic in this phenomenon.

 

[manchester blue]

I have to agree with you. There seems no real logic to it. A pitch, two goals and 22 men. See who scores the most.

I suspect it's to give the manager's egos a little rub as though they actually have to think things through and be overly tactical when in reality they should play the same home and away. The only difference is the partisan crowds, and the noise of blankets rubbing together at Old Trafford, but professional players should be able to overcome that.

 

[the armchair]

agreed dont understand what real difference it makes,even more so now where crowds dont play a part at most new stadiums

 

[crizack]

given that citys pitch is 106 x 71 metres and stamford bridge is 100 x 69, if city were to play chelsea at home and had 1 player sent of, that's an extra 22.5 sq feet that needs to be covered by ten men as opposed to 11. like when chelsea played us at home an beat us 3-0, their formation would of been changed to suit the size of the pitch they are playing on. if city lose a player at say, goodison park, given that goodison is only 101 x 68 metres, the city players are already playing on a smaller scaled to pitch to start on, so the manager will see this as a chance to play some players out of position and maybe find a decent formation to stick by.