**Away Record**

[sirpiechucker]

We all know that 74/75 points will secure a play off place but how many points should be picked up away from home?

Below are the away points accumulated by the teams in the play off places for the last 10 seasons:
2008/09: Sheffield United (38), Reading (36), Burnley (29), Preston North End (23)
2007/08: Hull (29), Bristol City (28), Crystal Palace (35), Watford (39)
2006/07: Derby (39), WBA (30), Wolves (35), Southampton (30)
2005/06: Watford (41), Preston (37), Leeds (32), Crystal Palace (30)
2004/05: Ipswich (31), Derby (39), Preston (26), West Ham (32)
2003/04: Sunderland (32), West Ham (31), Ipswich (34), Crystal Palace (35)
2002/03: Sheffield United (34), Reading (37), Wolves (39), Nottingham Forest (25)
2001/02: Wolves (43), Millwall (29), Birmingham (30), Norwich (24)
2000/01: Bolton (47), Preston (36), Birmingham (33), WBA (30)
1999/00: Ipswich (36), Barnsley (33), Birmingham (27), Bolton (29)

Preston last season achieved a play off spot with just 23 points away from home, which as you can see is the lowest points accumulated on the road and still managing to achieve a play off position. The average if you add all the above up divide it by the 10 seasons and then divide it by 4 is 33. Although the average is 33 almost half of these teams listed finished in the top 6 without achieving that many points. If like Preston you have a fantastic home record then you away record doesn't need to be as good but 23 points should be the bare minimum that we should aim to achieve. Any total in the high 20s or early 30s not only will take pressure off your home record but should mean the difference between 7th and 6th.

Important to note though is that Blackpool achieved 33 points away from home last season but their poor home record (23 points) meant that they spent most of last season nearer the bottom than the top. Southampton who were relegated managed to achieve not only 5 points more than us away from home but their away record matched that of Preston's. The last time QPR achieved better than Preston's away record of last year was in the 2004/05 season. Points away from home are crucial for making the top 6 as long as it's backed up by a a good home record.

[Cogster]

I want the mentality in the team that all games are equally important..

Home or away. Play to win, or don't play.

[sirpiechucker]

I want the mentality in the team that all games are equally important..

Home or away. Play to win, or don't play.

Couldn't agree more. There is 138 points on offer and I don't care where we get them whether its at Loftus Road or away from home.

[qblockpete]

I'll be honest, getting points away from home does worry me

[Hertford Hoop]

Each season is different (obviously) but one season a team say like Ipswich, are almost unbeatable at home and don't get many points away. The following season they do the opposite earn many points away from home and fall short at home. So what I think I'm trying to say is we could do the same this season. Looking at Sirpies stats 30(+) points away is what is required, now thats not a huge amount for 23 away games.

[90minutes]

would never back qpr to get a win away. been watching us too long. our home form has to be immense for us to have a good year imo

[vanhoop]

jim had a good away record with the tractor boys,his home record let him down,somethings gotta click

[sirpiechucker]

Agree vanhoop, if Magilton can get us picking up points away like he did with Ipswich and we can continue to be successful at home then there is no reason why we can't be in and around the play offs.

[qblockpete]

I know it was away in Croatia, but it was the kind of top team we would play in the championship. I know it was a friendly, but we were never in the game and defended too deep. We will probably need 7-8 wins away and that will be tough

[sirpiechucker]

I know it was away in Croatia, but it was the kind of top team we would play in the championship. I know it was a friendly, but we were never in the game and defended too deep. We will probably need 7-8 wins away and that will be tough

It will be tough but the teams in Croatia/Slovenia were at the end of their pre-season while our players were just getting started. I've no reason to believe that we can't win away from home - confidence will play a big part and if we can start well against Blackpool and Exeter than 7 or 8 wins is more than possible.

[vanhoop]

can you name 7-8 teams in the ccc that could be away wins,very tough,we seem to do better against the better teams,but ill have a go,leicester,peterboro,forest,scunny,blackpool,cov entry,plymouth,bristol city

[Sleeping Giants]

We all know that 74/75 points will secure a play off place but how many points should be picked up away from home?

Below are the away points accumulated by the teams in the play off places for the last 10 seasons:
2008/09: Sheffield United (38), Reading (36), Burnley (29), Preston North End (23)
2007/08: Hull (29), Bristol City (28), Crystal Palace (35), Watford (39)
2006/07: Derby (39), WBA (30), Wolves (35), Southampton (30)
2005/06: Watford (41), Preston (37), Leeds (32), Crystal Palace (30)
2004/05: Ipswich (31), Derby (39), Preston (26), West Ham (32)
2003/04: Sunderland (32), West Ham (31), Ipswich (34), Crystal Palace (35)
2002/03: Sheffield United (34), Reading (37), Wolves (39), Nottingham Forest (25)
2001/02: Wolves (43), Millwall (29), Birmingham (30), Norwich (24)
2000/01: Bolton (47), Preston (36), Birmingham (33), WBA (30)
1999/00: Ipswich (36), Barnsley (33), Birmingham (27), Bolton (29)

Preston last season achieved a play off spot with just 23 points away from home, which as you can see is the lowest points accumulated on the road and still managing to achieve a play off position. The average if you add all the above up divide it by the 10 seasons and then divide it by 4 is 33. Although the average is 33 almost half of these teams listed finished in the top 6 without achieving that many points. If like Preston you have a fantastic home record then you away record doesn't need to be as good but 23 points should be the bare minimum that we should aim to achieve. Any total in the high 20s or early 30s not only will take pressure off your home record but should mean the difference between 7th and 6th.

Important to note though is that Blackpool achieved 33 points away from home last season but their poor home record (23 points) meant that they spent most of last season nearer the bottom than the top. Southampton who were relegated managed to achieve not only 5 points more than us away from home but their away record matched that of Preston's. The last time QPR achieved better than Preston's away record of last year was in the 2004/05 season. Points away from home are crucial for making the top 6 as long as it's backed up by a a good home record.

From a very simplistic point of view, I've never really understood why a team can play better on a patch of turf in West London than they can on a similar sized patch of turf up North on a Tuesday evening. We have been ridiculously bad up North in midweek in the last few seasons.....why?