Watford FC 1-4 Huddersfield Town - 16/12/2017

Thanks for the shout out, but I only stayed because my Dad refused to leave after their 3rd went in.

 

You may be a bit confused with the 2nd goal, when the whole team stopped thinking the ball was going out or something. That was bad.

But for the third, Holebas got a slight tap on the face, and then was coming away with the ball in our area, then amazingly fell on the ground (clutching his face), letting their player run through with the ball, and score.

 

I've been called a lot of things, but I don't think happy clapper is one of them. I do show consistency. I'm always ahead of the curve. . When things are bad, I reflect that before some on here can see it. I do the same when things are good also.

 

I think it's because even with all the injuries and suspensions, the team lined up today should still be capable of steam rolling a very Championship sided team who, lets be honest, were quite lucky to get promoted.

That said, they were by far the better team today, even after the c.a 10 minute stint of attack from us (which is so regular now with us). They bossed it today and it reminded me of our performance against Man U last season.

 

I feel your pain today guys. What a **** afternoon of football eh? At least Spurs are looking like they're going to get nobbed up at Man City.

 

I even stayed to watch them take the penalty. As close to self harming without the physicality as it gets

 

Bit harsh on Prodl and Mariappa - both been **** of late but at least look like they want to play.

 

Not sure if it's been said but the craziest thing is, I don't even remember Gomes having much to do? Yet we still conceded 4, that's even more worrying.

 

After the Newcastle game you said we had potential for top 6 with some signings in January? I’m really not sure it’s ahead of the curve to post that and then predict a relegation fight a month later after defeats to Palace and Huddersfield! You’re just over reacting (in both directions) to whatever happens on the pitch.

 

You keep saying Gray is disgustingly bad every week but no mention of Deeney who has started the games during the slump.

 

Think it was fortunate for Everton not to have been successful in their pursuit of Silva. It's looking like they made the right appointment in hindsight.

 

That was a shocker - I glanced at the ref to check he want going to give and penalty and was very confused when I looked back and the ball was just waiting to be hit by them. Embarrassing

 

It’s just hard to work out why things are going so wrong. Yes everybody can see what is going wrong, but finding out why is harder isn’t it?

How can the team that thrilled us just a few weeks ago with that win over Arsenal, and were given top billing on Match of the Day less than a month ago with that good performance up at Newcastle now have reached this nadir?

How can a defence which actually performed credibly in the early days of the Silva reign, with clean sheets on the road at places like Southampton, Bournemouth, Swansea etc now look so bad?

How can a coach who had such a terrific home record with various clubs all over Europe until almost the end of his reign at Hull have presided over a season with only two wins at the Vic?

How can a side who actually started the season well on the disciplinary front, bar Britos’s red mist, now have become the first PL side in three seasons to have three consecutive sendings off?

How can it be possible that every season we start well, get past the 20 point mark then fall dramatically?

How can a club that spends so much money on backroom staff and leave little to chance in many other aspects suffer so many injuries? We’ve spent this season losing key players at key times, such as wheh they’ve started hitting form. Hughes. Chalobah. Pereyra. Etc.

How can a club with such a renowned scouting network allow successive coaches to bring in players they’ve worked with before, usually ending up as poor signings? QSF was allowed to, so was Mazzarri and now Silva convinces the powers that be to bring in Carrillo ahead of other targets our scouts recommended.

How can Troy sink so fast from being a club legend, capable of at least ten goals a season, to what we’ve seen lately?

Why did we decide a striker with a poor goals return at a better PL club was worth £18 million, while one who had a better goals per game ratio than him and scored in our opening match should become a pariah?

I really want to join the masses tonight and just post about how awful today was, how we’ve been rubbish lately and how we could genuinely be in trouble this season now the likes of West Ham, Palace etc are on the up. But instead I’ve tried to find reasons as to why we are currently so poor. And I can’t. It’s baffling.

 

Here's Hogg - on his way to the dressing room

DEENEY!!!!! Already there.

 

Can’t play like that and expect anything other than a ****ing.

Huddersfield- wanted it more, were stronger, had pace and defended well and fully deserved the win. There fans singing along to Gary Glitter style beats was excellent.

That’s all I can muster tonight.

 

When Richarlison, Hughes, and Gray have started with Doucoure and Cleverley in midfield and Fermina supporting we looked decent offensively as a team and were on a decent run.
So in theory we need Hughes, Fermina and Cleverley back, Gray to start, and we will be ok again.

We are suffering as we have been the last few seasons of having players who have had to come in to the side and not being good enough.

 

You’re right, my apologies.
I didn’t realise today’s game was a 6 pointer but after that performance it clearly was.
And our goal diff is now looking shyt e.

 

I saw that too. Do I get a prize? Or Compensation?

 

Holebas really was poor all game really. Think he was a key culprit for goal 2 as well. I’ve always been a fan but losing faith in him.

 

You say over reacting, I call it being spot on. I expect you're not too happy, as you were giving me plenty after the Palace game. I said we'd struggle today, and Michael Oliver would mug us off. Now it's clear that did happen, so am I a fortune teller? No, I just see it for what it is and reflect that in my posts.

I see trends in football and I know who the bad referees are. More often than not, you can predict quite accurately what will happen.

 

Repeat after me: DEAN AUSTEN

 

Actually would've been preferable to how we lined up today. Watson's career with us is clearly over but he literally couldn't be any worse than Capoue was today so let's hope he starts alongside Cleverley next week when once again we try to win a central midfield battle of 2 vs 3.

 

Having had time to reflect on that disaster I think the really troubling passage was before the red card. 2nd to every ball, ponderous and lacking in bite. We fully deserved to be 2 down. It’s odd that we seem to duck many challenges but then rack up red cards with random vicious petulant challenges.

 

All you get for that, is a lovely depressing following week

 

After Newcastle you think top 6. But now you think we are going to tailspin like under Walter. How is that predicting accurately? If we beat Brighton and Leicester you’ll probably be predicting Europe again.

Never mind. At least we can agree today was abysmal.

 

In all honesty I thought for large periods today the players looked uncertain when to challenge or not. I think Deeney was frustrated, yes, but ultimately trying to be positive in showing that a ball that was there to be won should be challenged for. Oliver was poorly positioned to judge it and presumably went with body language, as he can't have seen anything of the tackle.

 

But surely you highlighted a trend after the Newcastle game by saying we had top 6 potential that ended instantly, so it was completely wrong and you did the opposite of spot a trend?

 

Deeney needs a PR miracle to spin this one doesn't he

 

You called it spot on. Like me. I'm right with you. Ahead of the curve. Woke.

 

I hate to be proved right, but it was kinda obvious we'd be poo in the middle

 

You would think after the last few dismal results Silva might have gone back to basics, played a conservative 451 or 4231, and tried to build some confidence

Instead he plays 343 with Deeney, Capoue, Holebas and Mariappa, none of whom should be near a premier league team

He was asking for it and he got it

 

Yes, and in that moment we were, but now we're not. Things do change you know. This is what people just can't get their heads around, which is quite strange.

On here, if you say something, people want you to stick to that regardless of what actually happens. I've never understood why people take that stance. I have seen a change in form, and it's happened quickly. Others don't see it, or maybe don't want to see it. I have to be honest and post what I feel.

 

A bit OTT. Don’t know about the Deeney one, would need to see it again, but neither of the other two were particularly bad. We could easily have got away with them, like Dele Ali would have.

 

Thanks, Filbert. Nice to have somebody thinking of us at this difficult time.

Palace were dreadful last time out - any better at the Crisp Bowl?

 

'I don't want to talk about the officials' says Marco.

After spending most of the last two weeks talking about officials.

 

As I said - everyone was awful.

Deeney is included in that, but not quite as bad as the other two and has at least been decent in the past. His tackle was at least one borne of frustration rather than utter nonchalance.

Holebas and Gray are without doubt my least favourite footballers who have ever put on the yellow shirt. They are utter garbage and couldn’t give less of a ****.