Oh well. The season in a match, too poor in defence and not taking chances up front. Glad we created some today though! As Deeney said, tried hard but just not good enough. Whatever has been going on behind the scenes has seriously affected what happened on the pitch, that needs sorting out first & foremost. I don't believe the players didn't care. The collective loss of confidence did us in this season and our limited resources couldn't solve it. Nothing to do with cowardice. Three managers couldn't work it out. In previous seasons, we got away with it, but were found out this time. I'm devastated we're going down but whilst I am frustrated with the way we have mostly played I will not abuse our players and will never, ever want us to lose. If we're honest, five seasons in the EPL has been us punching above our weight. We did well to last that long and and after a miserable season I'll be looking forward to having another crack at it in the future.
Given that the introduction of technology was to *ensure* injustice did not occur and given that Aston Villa have stayed up and Bournemouth relegated, although it could have been us feeling a sense of injustice, how about we bury the hatchet with Boremuff and start a #VillaWatch movement. Everytime someone from Villa moans about a decision they can be reminded of their unbelievable luck first match out of lockdown . #VillaWatch just to remind them . At least it will give us some sort of interest in next season's premier League i.e. keeping an eye on any Villa decision whinging.
That was UEA saying he imagines we will get a statement something like that from the club.... NOT AN ACTUAL STATEMENT FROM THE CLUB SEE POST #639
Why ? They have benefited and imagine how we will feel if we have to listen to any Villa moaning next season ? Can't you see in your mind's eye villa fans celebrating in pubs at our expense? Well we at least can keep their GLT good fortune alive in everyone's mind
Muff were robbed, it was actually the "Hawk Eye" malfunction Villa benefited from against Sheffield Utd that has indirectly seen them relegated I really wish Villa had gone down with us rather than Muff seeing as Villa somehow had lady luck on their side during that run in........ OR YOU MIGHT ASK IF IT WAS SOMETHING MORE SINISTER
I'm genuinely happy for Villa to stay up, I think they're a decent club with a big fanbase. Feel less bitter going down because Bournemouth are too.
A lot of players may want to leave but there might not be many takers given clubs financial constraints
That VAR decision was a piss take. Not because it was wrong, it was clearly a pen, but because they took so long looking at it. We had only been playing a minute and VAR took 2 to decide. Ok there was a question of offside, but if it takes that long using computers & video replay to go into such detail to determine if he was on or not then I would suggest that a clear and obvious error hadn't been made. Just a shame VAR wasnt so thorough for newcastles equaliser at st James park. I really wont miss VAR next season
Fair enough. I think Villa would be stronger than Muff in the Championship, so I agree (also Bournemouth are ****s). Never really understood the argument that clubs with bigger fanbase's deserve more respect. It's a bit weird tbh.
Props to 'Mr Watford' ten-year serving Captain, Leader and Legend Troy Deeney for spending half of his team's post-relegation interview talking loudly about how he might well leave, but making it abundantly clear in words of one syllable (almost) that by that he does not mean retiring.
Statement from the club out now on facebook and website: "Watford FC would like to wish all their supporters sincere thanks for your support this season, we'll be back stronger and better than ever as soon as possible. We would like to announce Grahame Souness as manager on a 3 month contract. There'll be no further comment at this time"
Well deserved relegation. Recruitment aside, since the restart we have been awful at starting games. No belief. The games we won we had to come from behind and against the other teams they punished us for the bad first halves. Not sure what Pearson was saying to the players since the restart at the start of games. Whatever it was it backfired. Think it would've helped us if he played more, as it goes, if he carried the same threat as before. Playing 2 up top at times with Gray/Deeney or Gray/Welbeck would have helped us offensively instead of the same 4-2-3-1 with a crocked Deeney on his own up top every week. Given us a different impetus and making the opposition think. People wet themselves when Pedro looked good for about 5 mins, but Gray, albeit whilst not being the most skilful, scored 14 goals for us in 36 starts. I wouldn't have minded Pedro having more game time out on the left earlier in the season to try him out but Pearson didn't want to, he obviously didn't like what he saw. Either too soon, or Pearson not having a clue, I will let you's decide. I don't think Pearson was flexible enough. Had no plan B when things got tough. He was also to blame (along with the Captain to a degree) for not having the players up for the game and believing at the start of matches since the restart. Why was the opposition all over us when the first whistle blew?! Today was the usual fare, crap first half again and waking up when it was too late though Arsenal may have relaxed a bit. If we had gone behind they likely would have hurt us if they wanted to, our poor defence wouldn't have been able to handle it. Not Mullins fault, he was put in a god awful position of trying to get something from Man City and Arsenal. Onwards and upwards as they say. Proper rebuilding job needed, get better players that are going to play not just youngsters going out on loan that might be good in about 5 years time.
Yeah true, I mean more that Midlands has a rough time and just some very committed fans rather than the number of fans. I also just ******* hate Bournemouth
Gutted. But not surprising. Real feelings are losing a loved one or your job. This squad don't deserve that same emotion.
If I could be bothered I would be able to write a very very long list of reasons why we've been relegated. Inadequate defensive recruitment. Poor pre season No goalscorer Buying crock players all the time Man city playing reserves v rivals but not us Var Etc We can't have control over VAR or some of these reasons. But 85% of it we could have controlled and done better at - and a couple of points was all we needed extra. I'm not anywhere near bothered by relegation which is odd, I absolutley care about the clubs existance, which is at threat not being in the premier league. If the Pozzos don't put that existence under threat they'll be ok with me, given they got us up in this league to start off with they're just above level right now. But they should have learnt a lot of lessons.
It is necessary for the club to be taught a lesson about complacency, relegation was in some ways harder to achieve than survival with the kind of talent in the squad.
