Tonight we've gained 3 points on Derby, 2 on Norwich and 2 on Bournemouth. So we're now 5 points clear of 4th place. That's more progress made. We've cemented a place in the Top 3, and even one defeat will keep us there. As I said earlier, just think how 'desperate' our chances of a top 2 finish looked after Norwich thrashed us at the Vic. In just SIX matches since, we've climbed from 5th to 1st. In that time we've gained a massive FOURTEEN points on Derby, who were the leaders back then. Obviously we've gained on every other club too, including FIVE points on Norwich. We've hit our best form of the season just when it matters most...
I concur with the DO sing we're top of the league. I always liked the "now you're gunna belieeeeeve us" bit. The 'orns are going up. If we believe it may transfer more confidence into the players. Not sure about the rules for the b'mth disallowed goal, but wth was the cardiff keeper doing?
Btw, random fact for you..In two matches this season Deeney's scored more times AGAINST Malky (4) then he scored FOR him in his season playing for him (3)!!
Deeney was on 5 Live last night saying how all the players are really enjoying things at the moment. He sounded totally relaxed. A good sign. There's still so much hard work to do, but right now the table looks great! As I posted earlier, we've gained so many points on other clubs in just 6 matches, including a 14 point swing over the then leaders Derby. When you look back at the last few weeks, everything now feels like a promotion campaign taking shape..the injury time winner at Brentford, the thrilling comeback and late victory at Bolton, beating Leeds after being 2-0 down..if you believe in fate and destiny, there have been so many 'turning points' over the last few weeks.
Not to take anything away from the rest, but it's really great to see those who were part of the 12/13 heartbreak playing such a huge role. Abdi has been altering space and time, Ekstrand is suddenly really good again and Deeney is just the Godfather right now. As for Forestieri - it's so heartening to see him having a big impact. Promotion with him in the shadows would be completely wrong. I never want this guy to leave Watford. The next three games look terrifying. I want to vomit all over them.
If you're top, unbeaten in 6 and taken 16 points out of the last 18, nothing should look terrifying. As the table stands this morning, we don't have to play anybody ABOVE us in our run-in!
My 3 year old has been running round in her Watford shirt singing the Troy Deeney song so she thinks we will do it. I thought the Leeds game was a turning point when I really thought we could do it. I didn't think Derby would implode like they have and in fact Norwich are now wobbling. I'm hoping for a Boro win Saturday as well as obviously so we would go in to the break 5 points clear. Will we have a wobble, I'm not sure we will but time will tell. One thing I know for sure, I am loving it!!! COYGB
To be fair - Norwich aren't really wobbling. They've only dropped 7 points out of the last 30. It's pretty much impossible to do much better than that in this division.
I do believe I might have been foolish enough to question your motivation on another thread recently. Boy is it possible to get some things completely wrong on occasion! Profuse apologies. COYH as in COYH.
Morning all. Breathe deeply. The air's quite thin up here. After Norwich all the talk was about hopefully securing a play-off place with the most optimistic hoping for some sort of last ditch sneak under the radar into the last two on the last day of the season. Nobody, as in nobody, was predicting this with eight games to go. So let's enjoy the ride and let's be confident. COYH ...
Although you (presumably) say it in jest, it's true - we haven't beaten the bigger teams this season, and that what continues to worry me. We're in great form for sure, but going head to head with another confident team that is vying for the same thing of as you, and beating them - this takes a large set of cajones. Like doing what Boro did to Derby at the weekend - this kind of result/performance still eludes us. I want to be super confident, but for all our positives, this is still the proverbial monkey on the back. Even if we miss out on automatics, smashing a Boro or Derby will give these players a new level of belief. Look back to 05/06 - we largely underwhelmed against our promotion rivals, but completely battered Sheffield United away from home. I'd argue that this performance was the catalyst for our eventual promotion.
Only thing I would say regarding playing the better sides is how many games have we gone into knowing "this is a massive game"? Only Bournemouth and Norwich, both ruined by the ref. Derby at home we went into in poor form and shouldn't have lost. Norwich away was ruined by the linesman. Wolves weren't in contention when we lost at home so that was just a poor loss in those circumstances. Ipswich away was daylight robbery. Also, we're getting stronger as we go along, due to the managerial turnover etc, so we should be going into these big games now and asserting ourselves. If we bottle them, we don't deserve to go up, that's the way I look at it.
Interestingly enough (one for Malteser) this week whatever happens on Saturday will be our longest period at the top, before on both occasions we have risen there on a Saturday and been knocked off the following Tuesday whereas this week gives us at least one extra day there
I think we definitely get knocked off top spot for a while with Muff v Boro being the early game don't we?
Yes that's right, I hadn't thought of that, hopefully we will then start our next period of holding onto it even longer, A question of, if it's worth having its worth waiting for!
I know the ball is in play after it leaves the penalty area and if a player touches it before then it's retaken, however. He looks to be just outside the penalty area. So whether its the right call or not is probably down to someone who knows the rules a little better..
I agree. I'm not sure either. That's why I asked. No doubt UEA or another in the know will be along at some point to enlighten us ...
