Long's right foot is clearly putting him slightly offside - it's ahead of Wague's left foot and his head, and level with Wague's left elbow (which is not an area you can play the ball with so is irrelevant)
The 1881 did good and at times near enough the whole Rookery joined in which meant the clapping occasionally made it’s way to the SEJ stand. I often comment that the Rookery don’t make enough noise so today I’ll compliment their increased volume. Long may it continue! Southampton were pretty vocal too.
The way we played in the first half really summed up how we have been recently. Defence mistakes costing us goals and moving the ball so slowly sideways. You could see what was going to happen every time we had the ball - it got passed sideways until reasching Richarlison or Carillo who inevitably would have their back to goal with only the fullback for support so the ball came back then sideways to the other side of the pitch. rinse and repeat. No forward moment with the ball what so ever, no runners, no overlaps and rarley taking a player on. We really do look a shadow of the side that started the season. Doucoure was poor in the first half, easily his worst game for the club. Cleverly was rightfully substituted. Draw a fair result
"Anomalous"?! Considering most of our players have been crap lately then that word would suggest he'd been good... If you were to say that Cleverley had been very anonymous recently then I'd strongly agree with you - and were our squad not already down to the bare bones then he wouldn't be much missed. On the plus side it hopefully means Pereyra will now start our upcoming games.
I think it shows Wague's torso leaning back and just about playing Long onside. But whatever. It certainly wasn't worthy of the crazy reaction it seemed to get from the Rookery.
Yeah but Wilson is British so it's "gamesmanship" or being clever/professional. Doucouré is a foreigner and we all know they like to cheat. The media and pundits have this inbuilt xenophobia where they apply different standards to any suggestion of cheating to Brits as they do those from overseas. Same as the hysteria whipped up over Richarlison's "dive" against Arsenal when contrasted with Alli, Sterling and any number of other England players.
Yeah sorry, that's what I meant. Also agree regarding Pereyra. With Cleverly out as well I wonder if Silva will start with two up front?
<bitter and annoyed>Firstly surely now he will be sacked for being a bag of **** , secondly I’m sure if not sacked he will stick with one up front even though it doesn’t suit us </bitter and annoyed>
Is that good news or bad news? On what basis is the projection? With Silva at the helm, I’d zero base it. Where do we get any more points?
An interesting snapshot look at our previous three seasons after 23 games. 2017/18 - 26 2016/17 - 27 2015/16 - 32 So it seems better players equals worse points return!!
The first half was one of the worst displays I have maybe ever seen? That might sound a bit extreme but I have never seen such a woeful team shape, positioning, lack of effort, lack of commitment, lack of passion, dreadful distribution the list is endless. Zeegelaar was conference standard. He is absolutely appalling. It’s like him and Holebas have a bet on for who can put in the worst performance. Silva needs to go - there’s too much water under the bridge. You can’t dine out on the injury excuse any longer because that XI are capable of so much more than that. Deeney HAS to start with Gray up front from now on. Our performances have become no more than they were at the back end of QSF and WM reigns and in hindsight we all know what went on under those 2. We’re in trouble.
Don't quite know if I'm more satisfied with the point that we didn't look capable of snatching at half-time, or annoyed that we had to be 0-2 down before we started playing. And it's crystal clear that we MUST start playing with two up front, particularly at home. It was much more like the Troy we've admired over the last few years today, rather than the one who has endured such a frustrating season.
The movement of the ball today was nowhere near as slow as against Swansea, even in the first half. This was because Capoue wasn’t playing.
Well it looked like he had to ask to come off with a knock in the first place so will the medical team even know what they are looking for!
The only things projected for Watford are continued injuries, conceding goals for fun via our full-backs, and the clueless Silva brandishing his flashy watch at every press conference. Amazed Gino hasn't pulled the trigger; Mark Lawrenson has to stop saying we change managers too often! Gino's clearly gambling we will survive, but though we're 10th, it's a false position with our current form - those behind us gradually reining us in. Talking about gambling, Pellegrino and Silva are way ahead of the other managers to get the boot next!
Was saying this after Man City and watching MOTD has just confirmed this - Zeegelaar is the biggest ball watcher ever. Positional awareness and awareness of the man you are supposed to be f**king marking are probably your 2 biggest jobs and a left back so any danger you could fulfill them at some point during the game? F**k.
It's a big problem. I would say our biggest problem right now. The wing backs are a disaster. Constantly out of position, not doing their jobs. Are any of them amazing going forward? No, only average. Today was Janmaat's best game for a while, but he was still appalling defensively. After a good initial start to his Watford career, all Zeegelaar's faults are there for all to see. Same goes for Holebas. Just a dreadful player. Only average going forward, appalling defensively. None of them show a sense of urgency. None of them are aware of the dangers. It's baffling why the owners show such little regard to the quality of player needed for this position. The only one they have got right is Femenia. He is a super attacking threat, and although not a natural defender, he has the pace and desire to get back and make tackles and blocks. The others just amble back if they feel like it. Watford need far better than this, and a lot of it is just an attitude. I watch Burnley. Their players are technically inferior, but they know how to defend. The desire to block and just stand there and not flinch when a ball is hurtled towards them is incredible. Our players would duck if it came to them with any pace, that's if they were in the correct position in the first place of course.
Think that is the problem - they play like attacking ones who forget to defend. Janmaat doesn't want to tackle whilst Zeegelaar does but its often too late and once the player is past him. As for the handball - well Doucoure missing it with his head kind of sums up our form up really! I don't think it was the massive act of cheating some have suggested - seen much worse! Good job the goalie was probably blocking the assistant referee's view though.
I can see why the goal was given. From the angle the linesman was it looked like a perfectly valid goal. The only angle that showed it hit his hand was the one that was behind the players. As for cheating, of course a lot is being made out of it, but I do not see that as a deliberate act. He went for it with his head, missed the ball and it struck his hand. Of course it was an illegal goal and should have been disallowed, but for me it wasn't cheating as he didn't intend to do that.
Zeegeelar pathetically falling on his arse as his opponent just ran round him would be the perfect way to describe our defence in gif form.
For their 2nd goal we had 5 players standing on the half way line. Just not good enough. Without Deeney we would have had no threat whatsoever. Chalobah is the biggest loss at the moment and we need him back pronto.
Not a deliberate act? Seriously? Ive finally sussed out who you remind me of.. albeit with better English. "Referee is a ***"
I can't believe you would think he'd want to miss the ball with his head and use his hand. Why would anyone deliberately do that? It's ridiculous to even suggest it.
Three reasons to be cheerful. The bookies have us at 14-1 to go down, with 8 teams shorter odds. Silva knows he really has to extract the digit. If we go down, he will be unemployable in the Prem. Pragmatism rather than egotism is now more likely. The forum is on good form. A nice balance of measured commentary & splenetic ranting. Philip **** & vegetable surpluses have this week been added to our cultural bandwidth. Finally, which team would you rather be a supporter of at the minute? Citeh, of course. Glorious play with the promise of a glorious season. But not whiney, dull United. The other big 6 all underperforming. LFC just sold their best player in Jan. Plucky Burnley systematically dour & hitting a bad run. Everton blown away by Spurs & Rooney is a desperate, undignified lout. All the teams below us are below us. Which leaves only Lesta. Who as all of us, deep down, know, lost. My palms sore from all this clapping, I shall retire for the night. That’s Philip ‘Electric Sheep’ ****.
Not much more to add that hasn't already been said - one of the most insipid 45 mins of football in recent memory, followed by a very decent one (when you consider how poor we've been lately - pretty sure nobody expected us to turn that around). Zeegelaar just cannot defend to save his life, and Janmaat seems to be getting slower with every match. He has a decent shot on him, but his defensive failures render his plus points moot. Deeney was magnificent - not just in endeavour and effort, but also with his deft touches, flicks and passes. His cushioned header for Doucoure's "goal" was not the pass of a useless donkey. As pretty much everybody has said - Gray and Deeney together made them look ten times the players we've seen so far. But I'd bet my house on only one of them starting next week. To change to two up front now means Silva will have to admit he's got it wrong. And I don't think he's the type of bloke to ever admit getting something wrong. Just as we were really on top and Andre and Troy were linking so well - he subs him for Okaka?? The irony of most fans wanting to see Okaka on the pitch but him never getting a look in - then finally coming on when everybody for the first time ever wanted Gray to stay on couldn't have been lost on many. And just for a change - match of the day chose not to show the two penalty claims; one possible, one blatant. Had VAR been at that game of course it would have ruled out Doucoure's goal - but it would also have certainly given us at least one pen. And with Troy on the pitch, I'd have backed him to score it. Doucoure now getting hammered in the press and on social media for the handball, people even calling for a ban?? Yet that slimy **** Dier catches the ball in the box and nothing is said, and Wilson laughs his incident off in interview and calls it a touch of magic, and all anybody says is "oh, cheeky Bournemouth, gotta love 'em". The hypocrisy and double standards really piss me off. As far as things leveling up - I'd say we're still about 5 or 6 big decisions in arrears. Haters gonna hate, as they say. I still can't see us getting anything next week with a defence so bad, and unless our injured players return very soon I think it'll be nip and tuck as to whether we go down. Silva still two consecutive defeats from the sack imo. I'm certain Gino is searching for his replacement as we speak (or type?) Finally - here's a picture of Okaka having both his shorts pulled down by one player, and his shirt ripped off by another. I forget now if there was another incident where he was manhandled in the box, but either way - nothing given of course..............
Not to mention Thierry Henry's v Ireland. It will no doubt be forgotten in 2 days by everyone bar Southampton.
Never ever called for a Watford manager to be sacked, but I am now. Silva to go asap. He's dispiriting and devaluing the worth pf the squad. The midfield surrendered the centre of the park in the first half. Too far apart. Cleverley too advanced to support Doucoure and Watson, well, he's poor and has been for weeks. For their second goal both Watson and Zeegelaar switch off. Doucoure loses the ball faffing about yet Watson is ahead of Tadic when a simple ball is played out to Long form their 18 yard line. Tadic trots away. Watson doesn't and jogs as Tadic sprints. No, Watson ball watches the centre back Wague, whom we bought in for his pace (whale oil beef hooked) , get roasted by Long despite a four yard start. When Ben Watson realises he should be getting back as no other bugger can be blamed, his man Tadic is 15-20 yards ahead of him. Tadic lays the ball off for the untracked, unmarked Ward- Prowse to score -who was actually behind the unbothered Zeegelaar when the initial clearance /pass was made! For this dereliction Zeegelaar should be dropped for Holebas and Watson, well, he shouldn't play in this side again. Silva arrogantly persists with his set up formation, as if to say, buy me better players Gino! Or sack me, I don't care I'll get more money somewhere better. Call the feckers bluff somebody. The lone focal point up front cannot be Andre Gray. It's destroying him. Yes to the Okaka penalty and Richarlison was hauled down more than once in the first half with nowt given. Law 12 states handball has to be deliberate. Not sure that was when Doucoure is both trying to head it and not collide with the keeper which maybe why he took his eye off the ball trying to head it. Which means its not to be penalised even if it hit his hand. I accept many won't accept that but them the rules. The shambolic first half, impossibly cautious build up play and the way Silva is being repeatedly outcoached and his team don't react to in game events must not be forgotten. Only desperate blocks prevented us being 4-0 down at half time. The scarves display was poignant and impressive. I'm not sure that would be a repeated future success because if the away fans don't join in like Soton graciously did, the Watford fans will be quiet. Blokes aren't singing, shouting and clapping while they're holding up a scarf like that. Not against it, just saying it makes us noticeably quieter just when the players come out. Yes please to Jokanovic. If fact I was rather hoping to hear his Amarillo song at the end of the first half as a message rather than booing.
