Home advantage is real, but it is not what separates the top from the middle. Look at the away table and the picture becomes clear.
The sides near the top travel with a plan. They defend a little deeper, accept less of the ball and wait for the moment to break. It is not always pretty, and it works.
A question of mentality
Players talk about treating every pitch the same. In practice, it takes experience to stay calm in a hostile stadium, and experienced squads show it.
By the end of the season, a handful of hard-earned away draws often add up to the difference between two league positions.
