West Bromwich Albion 2-2 Watford FC - 30/09/2017

4 points no? Two matches where we drew from a losing position and one we won from a drawing position.

 

My streams generally always freeze just before big moments?! I wonder if something about the noise or additional traffic jumping on causes an issue?!

 

Silva is saying to Pulis, **** off you ****, once you get there **** off again and then **** off some more. Your a disgrace to the game your tactics of time wasting should have you fined you ****


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

Innit tho.

I've said after a couple of games that if we'd lost I woukdn't have been totally pissed off.

We are thoroughly enjoyable to watch right now. It's actually pleasurable. Even at 2-0 I think I said in the shoutbox that we'd be ok. I even chucked £2 on us at 28-1 to win from 2-0 down.

Such a dramatic change to last year. We are such a great team to watch and enjoy. The formation. The attitude. The absolute skill levels that we are playing at. The play til the final moment and never settle mentality like Gomes going up for the corner.

Baggies, if you are reading these comments then have heart that it won't last forever. 1 manager change can get your team really going again so don't lose hope.

 

God I am looking forward to us stuffing those Gooners now.

 

I was painting my kitchen.

Shades of the Joka promotion team this season, the game is never over and we never give up. Under QSF and Mazzari going behind in a game pretty much guaranteed zero points.

If we had two decent centre backs I'd put money on us finishing at least 7th.

 

Is Shades of Joka a Farrow & Ball range?

 

That would be nice, and would make up for drawing today (despite today feeling like a win in the end)

 

We have a 100% record against them in 2017, so I can't see why not.

 

Although stats don't tell the whole story, it's interesting to compare them for today's game with those for the same fixture last season.

Similar to last time round, we had 60%+ possession and 6 more shots on goal without forcing many saves from the Brom keeper. The difference is that this time we kept our heads and hearts and kept going, patiently probing through their often massed and combative defence, never allowing ourselves to get dragged down to their crude long ball and aerial tactics. Three WBA bookings (and two of them for subs!) against our zero says it all. While the result will be forever consigned to the history books as a draw, that last gasp equaliser really did feel like a victory, not just for the teams and fans, but for football.

First 15 or so minutes was all Watford and they barely had a kick in our half. But then they somehow got their act together and became quite aggressive and this unsettled our team, with Kabasele becoming quite shaky, first giving the ball away straight to Phillips whose shot was blocked just before they scored, and being shrugged off the ball too easily by Rondon for their first, to the extent I was wondering whether Silva was going to swap him with a less than match-fit Britos. But to be fair, he along with the rest of the team settled after we went 2-0 down and became more like his assured self. Mariappa was better, got the ball forward well, but I wonder if he's a bit too lightweight to be a regular first team CB (in fairness, aside from the big teams, we're not going to play sides like West Brom every week).

Carrillo was good again, excellent crossing and wing play, something we've woefully lacked over much of the last two seasons, my only concern being he can be a bit wayward in his positioning, as for example there was a period in the first half when he spent a long time over on the left leaving the other side exposed, but fortunately West Brom aren't coached to take advantage of that. Doucoure had another fine game, and every game I've seen him to me he really lives up to his chant (admittedly I missed the dodgy pass mentioned by an earlier poster), being both a vital link between defence and attack and a more than useful contributor in either department, with an admirable versatility to his play that's always tailored to the moment without ever being showy, whether it's simple five-yard or long but accurate cross-field passes. I'd say he's a clear upgrade not on Behrami but Capoue, who aside from a couple of decent shots, didn't stand out much. Cleverley likewise on Watson, who did a good job keeping up with Rodriguez, one of the few skillful players WBA had on display.

Holebas has disappointed this season with his set pieces, but this time he delivered when it mattered, and his defending was very solid. Deeney I'm sorry to have to say was poor, and although apparently was instrumental in the build-up to the first goal (I didn't notice it before people pointed it out post-match), struggled to win or control many headers and was slow of movement, seemingly preferring to moan at Holebas and Richarlison for not delivering perfect pin-point crosses than venture much out of the penalty area. It could be just that he's still not 100% fit for the full 90 minutes, as he was very effective as a late sub and played a key part in our win last week, but he and Gray don't look convincing as a strike partnership and it was quite fitting that Richarlison got us the point as he's looked much more capable of scoring so far this season than either of them. I understand why Silva tried them together though and I have faith that under him they will gel and become effective as the season progresses.

Finally, what a beautiful irony it was that after all their time-wasting, we get a goal from a set piece in the 95th minute having been given four minutes of injury time. As silencing vociferous home fans who arrogantly think they have it wrapped up go, it could hardly be sweeter. I've said it before and I'll say it again - what a wonderful contrast the mood in the stands and heading home is to what the likes of Hull and Sunderland was last year. And how great it is to have players like Doucoure, Carillo and Richarlison who you're confident can deliver the goods, rather than the hope over expectation that was such a frustrating feature of our play so many games last season. It really feels like having Joka back with the spirit we have in the camp, not to discredit Silva of course, who's proving every game what a capable manager he is in his own right.

 

Nah still there. Mum's missed the flight and disowned me in the aftermath of all this. Worth it

 

my Son put a fiver on us getting a draw at 2-0 down at 10-1, that's after him winning around £240 last week with an accaumlator that included us winning happy days for him and us!

 

Are you Hornetgags' father?

No, that's not true. That's impossible....

 

So the great Alan Shearer and Ian Wright have delivered their verdict: it was a foul. You're wrong Tony. Not because they say so. But just because you are. A whiny, blinkered, moany, dinosaur of a manager.

 

Liked because I assume it’s not true

 

Pfft...I won't get out of bed for less than a grand...he's no dad of mine.

 

Yep it's what I was painting my kitchen with. ******* £60 a can though.

 

Correct.
Whether a player 'wins the ball' or not is completely irrelevent as to whether a foul has been committed. I sometimes wonder where these pearls of wisdom come from. It certainly isn't from the FIFA rulebook.

 

It was only £30 before we got promoted, must have put his price up. That is why I went for Shades Of Flores in 2015/16. Shades of Mazzari promised much but turned out to be non-discript and depressing so I’m glad that I swerved this range. My wife likes the look of Silva for the bedroom but that’s something I’m not so keen on.

 

Another great result - eventually - considering how difficult it is to get anything out of a game when going behind to West Brom. According to Opta, the last time they failed to win when two goals ahead was back on the 28th September 2015. That stat, plus our miserable record at the Hawthorns imo really puts this result into some kind of perspective. Had it not been for two bits of poor defending, I think (and I'm sure most of you will agree) we'd have ran out comfortable winners.

Typical Pulis, moaning about fouls given (without irony) and time added on when - as everybody on here has noted - it's a minimum amount to be added, and they were time wasting from half hour onwards!

Here's a great picture that sums up the difference between our manager and theirs (can't post here because of ***** watermark, but it's worth clicking the link as it's a great picture):

http://media.*****images.com/photos...g-the-premier-picture-id855901068?s=2048x2048

Richarlison continues to amaze. Lets enjoy this lad whilst he's here, as surely greater things are destined for him.

Loved seeing the Tweet from Chalobah after the equalizer. We've all noticed how together the team is right now, and it's great to see.

Somewhere in South America, as each week goes by - Tim Vickery's reputation as a journalist who knows his football is gradually decreasing in credibility

Somehow MOTD managed to edit the highlights to make it seem like we were fortunate to get away with a point.

As per last week - a collection of quality pics I've collected from various sources (lets enjoy the good times whilst we can):

 

High quality pics.

In picture 10 Richarlison looks like he wants another minute to go on and win the game. I like the attitude.

 

This clip was posted earlier, but it's also now been posted on youtube:

And here's some mobile phone footage from our fans during/after the late goal (you don't need a Twitter account to see the vids):

https://twitter.com/GeorgeS2411/status/914160332377124864
https://twitter.com/davidbellpr/status/914225185515085825
(These are brilliant - well worth a watch)

And Jon Marks commentary
http://wfc.net/17-18/goals/WBA_a1.mp3
http://wfc.net/17-18/goals/WBA_a2.mp3

 

They didn’t get that penalty that you were fairly insistent they would though??

 

From a West Brom vantage point...I was smiling as I was thinking..."Yeah keep singing Albion fans, I know how this one ends up"

 

Whilst I do get the sentiments. And also I realise that you can’t win every game - but I’ve never really understood the premise of being happy as a fan if you lose. If we’d put the same performance in and lost 2-0/2-1, whilst recognising that we were the better team, I’d have felt an overriding sense of annoyance that we were very careless to give them a 2-0 lead so easily. In front of the camera’s Silva will be praising them to the rafters - but I’d imagine it’ll be a different story on the training pitch when they are all back together. We should never have drawn that game given the performances of both teams over 90 minutes. WBA got very lucky.

As it is, I’m ecstatic with a point. And we look so good right now. But, and maybe this isn’t the time to say it, not many teams will be as easy to come back from 2 down against. Whilst it’s not a first choice backline, we really need to get better defensively. Kabasele was nowhere near good enough for their first goal, watch how easily Rondon shoves him aside. I really hope we can keep this form going until the halfway mark and maybe encourage Gino to splash out on a couple of quality defenders and really make a push for something special. We may not get a better chance of the big boys come sniffing for our top performers in a years time. Long way to go before then though I admit!

 

Because we've been playing such utter dog***** for 2 years.

It's a pleasure to watch a Watford football team.

 

Reminds me of the ecstasy to despair scenes in the closing stages of THAT Leicester game as seen from the away end.

 

Agreed. Totally. I just don’t get any sense of happiness from playing well and losing. Just me. Comes from the same place as disagreeing with the people who posted last season saying they enjoyed watching Man City beat us 5-0 because they were good to watch. It’s just not they type of mindset I subscribe to, that’s all.

 

We didn't lose. I think it's a general combination of the way we played and the way we came back.

As I said before, I chucked money at us winning at 2-0 down as I had utter belief that we could still win it. I would never have done that in the past few years.

We were easily the better team by a country mile.

Yes I hate us losing but we comfortably look like one of the best "other teams" in the division right now.

Compare that with the last couple of seasons.

No I don't like not winning but in perspective I'm just so happy that we look so fantastic, confident, and so likely to score whenever we get past the halfway line.

I mean, we battered them. And that's in their fans own words. We absolutely battered them aside from a 3 minute spell.

It's like a watershed moment. We are finally here and we are finally competing on the same level with the best, not by sticking 10 men behind the ball, pinching a goal and grabbing onto it for dear life, but actually out playing and completely outclassing opponents.

Yes I hate losing and once/if this kind of performance becomes the norm then I will be annoyed.

But for the time being I'm going to just enjoy how well we are playing, win lose or draw.

I've had a few beers, it's late, and I'm probably rambling now.

 

People moaning about the defensive weaknesses as well should realise that, man city aside, we've only conceded 3 goals in our last 5 games, 3 of which were clean sheets, and that we were effectively playing with our 4th and 5th choice centre backs because of unforeseen injuries.

Take the 3 first choice centre backs out of any team in the league and they will concede goals.

 

But is your wife still living at home?

 

Can you please stop talking sense, people are busy moaning about us being weak at the back while we are 5th after 7 games, thanks.

 

Brilliant hahaha

 

Extended highlights from the fischal site

https://www.watfordfc.com/matches/match-review/match-review-west-brom-2-2-watford

 

Is anyone else really screwed up in the head after a night out in Guildford or similar? You Horns. Great equaliser. We used to be the team that I was always worried would concede in the 90th minute or injury time but we've reversed the trend and that must breed awesome confidence (I'm sure someone has made a similar point earlier in the thread)