Home truths

[Monty]

We've been shit at home for far too long. When you think about great home seasons of the last 30 years, there are depressingly few.

This is the number of home wins each season, starting with last season.

5
4
8
8
7
10
7
6
8
9
11
8
8
8
10
9
11
11
6
8
13

And that covers the PL era, hopefully I didn't miss one. For a club that has regularly been top 6-8 during that time that is pretty shit.

It's things like this which make me wonder if Dave W isn't right, and that the ground, the atmosphere and the club is just too big for any team we've had recently.

[PeterWithesShin]

I should add that the first 3 seasons (last 3 on the list) were from 21 home games.

[Chris Smith]

We've been shit at home for far too long. When you think about great home seasons of the last 30 years, there are depressingly few.

This is the number of home wins each season, starting with last season.

5
4
8
8
7
10
7
6
8
9
11
8
8
8
10
9
11
11
6
8
13

And that covers the PL era, hopefully I didn't miss one. For a club that has regularly been top 6-8 during that time that is pretty shit.

It's things like this which make me wonder if Dave W isn't right, and that the ground, the atmosphere and the club is just too big for any team we've had recently.

Without knowing how that compares with similarly inconsistent clubs it's difficult to know how bad those figures are. A cursory glance suggests 8 is about our average, add in half a dozen draws and that's thirty points from home games.

[PeterWithesShin]

How about if I compare with Everton? I can only be arsed to do one club 

[Chris Smith]

How about if I compare with Everton? I can only be arsed to do one club 

I'll just take you word for it that they are better.

[PeterWithesShin]

Everton

12
10
9
11
8
11
11
8
12
8
11
8
6
7
6
7
7
10
8
8
7

[Virgil Caine]

I have to admit that I am beginning to think that the £800 spent on season tickets for my lad and I is returning very poor value- I have already said that if things do not improve then I would rather spend that amount of cash going to more away games as the enjoyment factor is increasingly higher.

I am getting so fed up of building my level of expectation throughout the working week only for Saturday night returning home in a piss poor mood. I am not expecting a Sunderland result every week but it would be good just to witness a run of comfortable 1 or 2 nil wins with us dominating possession- too much too ask perhaps?

[PeterWithesShin]

The last 2 seasons under Pubey when we finished 6th is where it really cost us. 08/09 only 5 clubs won less at home than us, even bottom club Albion won the same at home.
09/10 only 1 club in the top 13 won less, and relegated Burnley won 7 to our 8.

[Chris Smith]

Everton

12
10
9
11
8
11
11
8
12
8
11
8
6
7
6
7
7
10
8
8
7

So pretty similar up until the last few years.

Overall it does support the opening post though in that is where there is the biggest room for improvement.

My feeling is that it's defensively where there is the most urgent need for improvement. Even when we play badly we make chances but our inability to keep clean sheets means that we can't get away with the attacking side of our game being below par.

[dave.woodhall]

It's things like this which make me wonder if Dave W isn't right, and that the ground, the atmosphere and the club is just too big for any team we've had recently.

To carry on from that, when was the last time  Manchester United, Liverpool, Spurs or Arsenal (the biggest four proper clubs) had an off-day at Villa Park? There's definitely something about the ground that brings out the best in the opposition.

[PeterWithesShin]

It's things like this which make me wonder if Dave W isn't right, and that the ground, the atmosphere and the club is just too big for any team we've had recently.

To carry on from that, when was the last time  Manchester United, Liverpool, Spurs or Arsenal (the biggest four proper clubs) had an off-day at Villa Park? There's definitely something about the ground that brings out the best in the opposition.

Everton will disagree that. Both for off days and being less of a proper club than Spurs.

[Legion]

I think that assuming we are alright this season, the signings we make in the summer have to for the most part be obvious improvements on what we already have.

Which is pretty similar to what was said last season.

[Matt Collins]

Lots of posts I agree with here. The trend is a lack of creativity and potentially a lack of confidence and personality at times.

I don't think a change to 442 would help. We'd get more width, but I don't think we've got creative wide players in the way we did with Downing and Young. Gabby and Weimann are clearly best running onto the ball than with the ball at their feet. And we don't really have a central midfielder - beyond Westwood potentially - who can pick a pass through a team. The fullbacks should help to provide the width but if you don't pass it well enough for long enough you won't give them the chance to get forward into space.

Bacuna looks similar - lots of energy but not great passing technique. Tonev and Helenius potentially more interesting, but I wonder if they're ready.

Tonev clearly has ability, but I have to say he looks like he could be quite a head down, frustrating player. For someone who shoots as much as he does, to have never got more than 5 goals in a season suggests there's a lot going way over the bar.

helenius behind Benteke could be more interesting. But it's a bit step up for him. And it leaves the midfield looking weaker, and it looks weak at times already.

Worth noting however that most games I've seen this season haven't exactly been festivals of creative football. So we're not alone.

[PeterWithesShin]

It's also worth remembering that after THAT 3-0 win Spurs had at the beginning of 86/87 they won something like one of the next 20 odd games at VP. And only about 4 in total since 86/87.

[dave.woodhall]

It's also worth remembering that after THAT 3-0 win Spurs had at the beginning of 86/87 they won something like one of the next 20 odd games at VP. And only about 4 in total since 86/87.

And in the last few years they've hardly broken sweat. The top teams seem to save their best form for us.