Manaj and Bayo have played 350 league minutes odd combined. In that time both of them have scored points-winning goals. Have to say it is clear the hate has been fuelled by team performing poorly rather than their performances.
My first game of the season. We're both rather good and pretty terrible all at once, aren't we? Only looked like scoring through a magic sequence of play. And did so. Then a random winner from our baby giraffe Mr. Bayo. Might post negatives later but busy enjoying it for now
Lovely 3 points, when perhaps a draw would have been a fair result, but that makes up for QPR Saturday when we didn't deserve to lose. Sierallta too passive in the build-up for theirs, and Bachmann didn't himself no favours either, although he a made up for it with a great save in the second half. JP was flawless all night, always wanted the ball, and glided forward with it at every opportunity. His work rate really can't be overlooked either. Great driving run to set up Sarrs first, and wonderful control on his chest on the turn before the winner. Hopefully he stays, our promotion could rest on whether he does or not. A masterstroke from Edwards as Gaspar and Bayo combine for the winner! Solid cameo from Hause, and Kamara should never be used on the right again! Another win at Rotherham on Saturday and it'll be a very good start to the season. Oh, and after the start he's had, and on the 100th year anniversary of the Vic, is there anything more Watfordy than Bayo getting the winner, you just have to laugh!
Fkn lol - get in! Gaspar deflected scuffed shot landing in the right place. Bayo has gotten in to plenty of good situations in his brief time with us so far, and finally he slots one away. Boro are such a dull, but solid side. So pleased we found a way to edge passed them. We were a mixed bag - decent going forwards, but weak defensively. Our biggest issue for much of the match was Kabasele's inability and unwillingness to pass the ball forwards; we really struggled to get the ball up the pitch down the right hand side. The second biggest issue was Kamara playing on the wrong side again, he looked much more comfortable on the left. Gaspar looked crap again when he came on, albeit still made another contribution for a goal. We really should sign another RB/RWB to allow Kamara to switch over to his natural side. Sema wasn't so good today at LWB, perhaps just save his starts for when we can play him in the front 3. Hause looked very good when he came on. Based on what we saw briefly today I think we def made the right choice for the long-term in going for him over Clarke. Clarke seemed solid enough but you can see why he's never played above the Champ with his lack of agility and rash decision making. Hause brought some much needed composure to our defence as soon as he came on. If we're sticking with 3 at the back we might need another right-sided CB, as Kabasele is alright at defending but can't pass, while Cathcart is alright on the ball but a liability in defence. Bachmann has saved us a bit in our early games, but had an absolute mare in missing the cross for their goal. A few more positives - as with vs QPR our heads didn't seem to drop when we fell behind, which I think is testament to the manager and the team spirit. The sub was also the correct one with Asprilla losing the ball a bit too much and a lot not coming off for him. Having the extra aerial ability of JP dropping deeper with Bayo ahead of him, helped us in making the ball stick a bit more, especially as the combination of Boro pressing us fairly high up the pitch and our CBs not being able to pass forced us to hit it long too often. With Sarr playing like that through the middle, then is someone like Archer really essential or our biggest priority (even though he'd obv still be a good additional luxury)? Once Davis is fit then a front two of Davis and Sarr, with JP in behind, should be very good. Despite his trademark couple of misplaced chipped passes to the flanks, Kayembe did well in our outnumbered midfield, a real warrior. JP was also class today. PS Sky seem so desperate for us to sell JP and Sarr, the tw@ts.
Started awfully - Giles was always going to be the threat - and didn’t look like a football team until about 20 mins in. Joao Pedro was instrumental. Head and shoulders the best player on the pitch. How anyone was happy to take £25m I will never understand. After half time we dropped our levels again and should consider ourselves lucky to have won. It’s an important 3 points though; much needed after our recent hiccup. So ironic that Gaspar should get the assist for Bayo, when in every other aspect of their respective cameos they summarised our woeful recruitment of recent years. We’ll take it, and with a bit of luck it kickstarts their time here!
Poor performance, great win. Bayo took his goal very well and calmly considering the situation. Boro will feel robbed. Vital we keep Sarr and JP in the next 2 days or this squad finishes midtable. With both of them every chance of autos I think. Also thought Kayembe had best match so far.
If Davis is the target man who can bring others into the game that he's been described as, I think we'll look better attacking-wise. Quite often our... 'limited' centrebacks were hoofing forward to one of Sarr, Pedro or Asprilla, obviously to little effect. Davis as a focal point could help, with the others running behind.
I still can’t get over the fact that we won that game thanks to a last minute scuffed Bayo finish assisted by a sliced punt from Gaspar… you couldn’t write it Gino, you’ve done it again
I wouldnt be shocked if somebody came in with a late offer for JP after that performance, it had better be north of £40 million though. A good game between two sides that should be up there come the end of the season I thought. The control from JP to get the ball to Gaspar before the goal was beautiful to watch, what a player!
Agreed on Kayembe, he even pulled out two party tricks, much improved. Performance wasn’t great overall, 0-25 was poor we looked lost, 25-45 mins was excellent, second half really was a non event, then we score a winner and the roof comes off. Weird game football. There doesn’t seem to be quite be an attacking plan to create chances at a regular rate, it was a wonderful run from Pedro and great finish from Sarr for the first, then fantastic control from Pedro from a hopeful lump which he turned positive, Gaspar mishit a shot and Bayo took the goal well, although he was awful otherwise. Can you rely on individual quality week in week out? We must create as a team. I thought our left side functioned a touch better with Hause & Kamara both there, it opened up different angles. But I was screaming for that so not sure if confirmation bias is in play here. Sarr still not in full flow and very frustrating, had a chance for a first time shot in the second half after a great Pedro pass but just done nothing, over complicated it and chance went. Pedro far more effective. I can’t stop talking about Pedro, he was everywhere, left to right, he even followed up his own switch of play once, it felt like every throw in we had went to his chest as he was the only one moving, just sublime. A real, real joy to watch tonight and one of the best individual performances I’ve seen at home in a while. Lots to still be concerned about in our general play, incomings needed but **** it we won!
Boro played some nice stuff too, can see what Wilder is trying to do but unlike us, lack those game winners.
Bayo looked like a competition winner man, his touch was bouncing everywhere, he’s so gangly and he didn’t even win many headers.
We need to see JP and Sarr playing off Davis, that is genuinely a Championship winning attack. Shame about the defence but that's never going to improve.
Very happy with the win, some very good performances too. Hopefully Bayo will get better after scoring his goal, nice confidence booster. Oh and Joao is such a classy player. I really hope he stays.
Not sure why the timer never came up on Sky tonight but I thought bar the last 25 minutes of the first half we looked fairly poor. Pedro was the best player on the pitch however, a joy to watch when he's on his game. Kayembe also put in a good shift. Let's see what the next 48 hours brings....
Is there anything more satisfying than beating some muggy Northern team at home and sending back up north to even more misery?
We know what he is. He's a poacher that was brought to score goals and many strikers in that mould, especially at lower levels, don't have very good technique and associative play. He's fast and big and supposedly can bury chances. Davis is supposed to be the more technical, associative one, but also isn't much of a goalscorer. You can't have a perfect CF at this level, its give or take as we can't attract top players.
Sorry but Bayo's finish wasn't scuffed! It was composed and he placed it where he wanted to. He's got enough stick on here already to slag him off unnecessarily when he actually did something. well.
Satisfying to beat a team who were clearly in contain mode by then, which I thought was a bit strange as they gave as good as they got really! Agreed on Kabasele, I'd consider moving Cathcart there on the right as he's a bit better with the ball at his feet (albeit not great in the air, and has cost us some goals this season already). I wonder how serious Sema's injury is, because I do like Kamara more on that side (despite Sema already chipping in with a decent goal contribution), although Gaspar was much of the same keeping it safe with his passing (even his assist was a scuff, although I guess it's good to see him leave his own half!). Bachmann was Bachmann, never been fully comfortable with crosses but a good shot stopper. Kayembe was very good, and looked very strong and even more agile than usual too! JP class, central to much of what we did well (even though we weren't exactly sparkling), very nice finish from Sarr even though you can see it's not his best position (was it him who missed that big change soon after we equalised?), although I'd be interested in seeing him in a front 2 with Davis if we sign a proper RWB
There was some "hold me back" handbags nonsense from some of the Boro fans by the coaches after. About 10 of them acting like there were about to kick off until one geriatric steward stepped in. Hilarious.
Pedro simply sensational tonight - what a credit to the club after all the recent speculation. Very entertaining game I thought with just about the right result.
Credit where it’s due, that was not a scuffed finish, he placed it exactly where he wanted to. A very good finish considering the circumstances
The great - Pedro. What a player. Kayembe. What a player when he's on it like tonight. Kamara on the left. What a player. The not so great - Sierralta turning his back again, Kabasele too slow and bullied again. Rob Edwards got them over the line there. Full credit for not playing for 1-1. Shame he made a sub just before the 72 minutes for GT so the start was missed.
A credit to him, there are certainly players out there who would have thrown a hissy fit and hidden, but not our JP!
Was great to celebrate a win at the Vic! And you can’t beat a last minute winner ! it was an odd performance though . Poor start and then we were dominant for about the last hand hour of the second half . I think that’s the best period of football we’ve played this season and should have had a couple of goals. Kayembe was excellent during that spell . Not sure about playing Sarr as a centre forward but I guess it paid off with his goal which was a good finish. Then we were anonymous in the second half . Created nothing and Boro could have gone on to win . Only for us to pop up with the winner. I’m pleased for Bayo especially given many have written him off . Pedro was excellent throughout . The defense looked nervy and we were cut open on quite a few occasions with simple passes as with qpr . So thats still worrying . Though I thought Hause looked like a cool customer when he came on. All in all I like to think we are a work in progress and moving in the right direction . If we hold on to Pedro and Sarr we have bags of talent but need that bit more control in midfield and hopefully Davis will add something up top.
The BBC website has it that we have been playing at the Vic for a lot longer than one hundred years. “But Bayo kept his composure deep in injury time to tap in the winner on the night Watford celebrated the 100th centenary of football at Vicarage Road” Mind you there have been games when it has seemed that we were never likely to score in 10,000 years.
Least the fireworks were worthwhile then. Bit of a strange half time thing - most of the guests didn't speak or say much then Tom Cleverley said the most. And well he is at the Vic most weeks!
Let's not sugar-coat anything here. We were pretty poor tonight and Pedro carried us. We are so ridiculously unbalanced and our bench today was poor. I see Laird scored for QPR tonight, why the **** did we back out of that deal? .If we don't recruit well in the next few days, we will struggle to even reach the play offs. Not usually so negative after a win but quite a few warning signs there for me tonight.
