I was riding the train today and was thinking........I have been to 8 Fire games between the beginning of the 2007 season and now. In those 8 games I have seen the Fire win ONE TIME. And that was against Toronto this season. So I did a little digging and discovered that we have just about the worst home record in the league. Right up there with the expansion San Jose team and an LA Galaxy team that features a handful of legit pros. We have scored 11 goals at home this season in 10 games which is a rate that is just ahead of Toronto. At home we have scored 11 and given up 8 in 10 games. On the road, we have scored 17 goals and given up 8 in 11 games. In short, we have given up WAY too many points at home and it is really getting embarrassing, embarrassing to the point that I don't think we want any kind of home field advantage. I didn't check last years record but I will guess our home record was not great then either. This can be a huge problem in the playoffs where you have home field "advantage" which in reality is a handicap. Anybody know why we suck so bad at home? Allegedly, Hamlett thinks that when we play at home the visitors are usually so compact that we have a hard time scoring. Judging from the games I have been to, he might be right. What does everybody else think? Does anybody else think that come playoff time we could be in trouble based on our bad home form?
The explanation I have heard is that when the team comes out onto the pitch at home, in front of sellout or near-sellout crowds almost all behind them, that they get really jacked up and want to put on an offensive display. As a result, they tend to push the ball more into bad situations. On the road, playing in front of a 10,000 crowd at an 80,000 seat stadium, this issue does not present itself. While I laughed at this theory the first time I heard it, it makes a good deal of sense. In the game against LA I was struck by how patient the team seemed to be at times, while not every touch was perfect, they seemed to do a good job controlling possession, so maybe there's something to it. Another explanation is the fact that we are a very defensive team. Our total number of goals scored is roughly middle of the pack for the league, but our goals conceded is far and away the best in the league.
One reason for that is because LA is shocking. I could picture a good chunk of the players on that team out of the league (and out of pro soccer) within a year or two.
Re: Why is this team so bad at home? Our coach sucks. He is doing what DS used to do...(playing players out of position)(and the 'Sarachan switch') He does'nt inspire the players. His lineups suck...(he has his favorites) His gameplan sucks. His substitutions suck. He is coaching not to lose...(all D and useless tactics) and he is draining this team of all possibilities of becoming a dominant force in this league because of this. And, our coach sucks.
It's all Kozy's fault? Should we make sacrifices to the Kozy so that he will change the future events? Or should we stone him for witchcraft?
Are you saying our coach is brilliant? Kozy is just saying what many have seen and thought for months. There has been way too much deja vu this season and not in a good way. It's clear to me that the talent in this team is not being utilized in anything resembling efficient planning. There's too much faded glory on the field and too much talent on the bench. And what talent that makes it on the field is too often placed in the wrong spot and not used where it could do the most good, free kicks and corner kicks come to mind. I've also seen way too many attempts at reclaiming that faded glory this year by players that should be on the bench instead of the starting 11. Are realistic fans to blame for that?
3 teams have .500 home records. LA, SJ, and Chicago. Everyone else has a winning home record. Salt Lake hasn't lost at home and TFC and NY have only lost one. It seems as though Section 8 isn't doing it's job. to create a dominant in-stadium force unseen in any American team sport and to establish a home-field advantage whenever the club plays Now we all know how big soccer posters react when coaches/players don't live up to potential I wonder if the Fire players and employees have started a Section 8 Deathwatch thread. Perhaps Blanco is the original poster. I bet you Barrett comes in trolling and coming in the thread saying that the Red Patch Boys are much better. And Thorton Says how much fatter the fans in Chicago are than in LA. Perhaps one day TP will be as intimidating and create a homefield advantage like that of the Cauldron.
Whenever I think of the Fire not playing well at home, the first thing I think of is a strange icon with bulbous protrusions, and than I think of Kozy. It has to be his fault, there's simply no other explanation, well, unless you actually ask Kozy.............
Who, exactly, is this "Thorton Says" of whom you speak????? I do not recall any player by that name or by the name of Thorton ever being on the Fire? There once was a player (and future Ring of Fire member) by the name of Zach Thornton, but I am sure that is not the player to whom you are referring. I am sure, Super Sting, that YOU would never make the mistake of calling a player by the wrong name.
I will tell you why they suck because of me! Not including the Everton game lets see with me in attendance they are 1-3-2 and of course I had tickets to the TFC game but couldnt go because of work!