Is the first goal even more essential than usual this season?

[andrew1957]

It has always been said that the first goal is very important at Championship level but it seems to me that this is even more important this season.

Taking Reading as an example our record after scoring first is 14-0-2 whereas our record when the opposition scores first is 1-2-8. All three games we have got something coming from behind were away from home. At the Madstad we have a 100% failure rate when we concede first.

I am wondering if particularly in home games the lack of crowd encouragement - particularly at the end of games - could account for this. I remember being as many games where the roar of the crowd has spurred on the team to get a late goal and at least come away with a point. Whereas in games this season - such as yesterday - when the team gets behind they seem devoid of ideas and just don’t have the energy to get a goal back. Perhaps it is easier to raise your game when you are away as there is more of a trench mentality. It certainly seems to me that this applies across the division and there seem to be far more away wins this season than in a normal season.

[Zip]

We are mentally weak. Brentford conceded first in three successive games including our game recently and won the lot. The biggest problem is that we then concede a second within the next ten or so minutes so often as illustrated elsewhere in this portal. So before you know it 2 down and game over.

[Stranded]

Yes it probably is. Interestingly* only Norwich and Swansea have conceded first less than us.

Going on point average per game when falling behind we are bang average, sitting in 12th place, 7th on average points when scoring first.

Interesting* point. Forest have a 100% record when scoring first. 8 wins from 8.