Soz, don't know how to do tables, but check this out. Our away Prem form in the last few seasons:

Season...Won...Drawn...Lost...Total away points
01/02.... 7 ... 3 ..... 3 .... 24 (to date)

00/01.... 4 ... 5 .... 10 .... 17
99/00.... 4 ... 5 .... 10 .... 17
98/99.... 4 ... 7 ..... 8 .... 19
97/98.... 3 ... 6 .... 10 .... 15
96/97.... 6 ... 8 ..... 5 .... 26
95/96.... 7 ... 5 ..... 7 .... 26


-- Anonymous, February 03, 2002

Answers

I've not taken it further back as 95/96 was the first season of a 20- club Premiership. This brings up a few interesting points. First, if we win just one more game away from home, we'll have won a) more games and b) more points away from home than any seaon since 93/94 (our first season in the Prem - 9 away wins and 31 points). Since St. James' has become less of a fortress, this form is pretty crucial. The similarity of our away form between 96 and 2001 is quite startling, but this season it's improved beyond recognition. If we're measuring ourselves against the 'almost' season of 95-96, this form is incredibly encouraging. We seem set to eclipse the away form of that season, which of course begs the question, how does the home from compare? Well, there's the rub. Under KK we turned in a home record of 17 wins, 1 draw and 1 defeat. This season we've already lost 10 points at home, compared to the incredible 4 all season in 95- 96.

-- Anonymous, February 03, 2002

Dan you are clearly a genuis at this malarky - see my post below regarding stats and points!

-- Anonymous, February 03, 2002

It's even more remarkable when you consider how many more quality teams there are now compared with 1995/96.

-- Anonymous, February 03, 2002

The similarity of our away form between 96 and 2001 is quite startling

Kinda meant 98 and 01, but anyway. So, any explanations for improved away form? Hard, I think, to find any that wouldn't also apply to home form.

-- Anonymous, February 03, 2002

Pace Dan.

At home teams come to defend deep against us. That can make them tough to break down - Liverpool for example. When we're away teams try to attack us more, making then vunerable to Bellamy's (and Robert's / Dyer's) speed on the counter. We're perfectly set up to win away - as long as we knock 3-5-2 on the head - Oh that goes for at home too.

-- Anonymous, February 03, 2002

Yep, Pilgrim, I'll buy that. Presumably it says something about improvement in our defence too - if we're counter-attacking more away from home, surely we ought to be leaving the defence more open in so doing? Might try and add the away goals for/against later and see how they tally.

-- Anonymous, February 04, 2002

I was thinking about this over the weekend. We are lethal away from home because the opposition are usually driven to attack by their supporters, this stretches their whole formation, leaves gaps all over the place and Bellamy, Robert, Dyer kill them.

Now, which team's supporters will drive them forward the most, which team's supporters will demand an attacking, aggressive attitude when they play us. Who would we love to stuff because of their fans ?

-- Anonymous, February 04, 2002

That match is a little different though Mac....it's a derby and they are usually tighter because of the committment on show....too close to call....

-- Anonymous, February 04, 2002