Watching Norwich put up a fight against Brighton on MOTD and getting a point. We might be worse than them.
We have better players, hence why we have little trouble beating them so regularly, but there seems to be something seriously wrong with the club at the moment...
We played well at Norwich but haven’t since and been made to pay. That is the trouble . Our team/squad obviously isn’t as good as some thought.
I know this is minor, but it irks me still. No, he wouldn't let in goals intentionally of course but it still feels wrong and rubs the wrong way on top of his overtly friendly manner after that game with Salah.
I'm no expert but let's just look at the disjointed nature of the worst part of the team we put out today, the defence, look at some facts, make some fairly logical assumptions, and the issues become clear. Ben Foster - 38 years old, YouTube star. Promoted and relegated many times before, probably doesn't care too much. £3m. Craig Cathcart - 32 and 9 months. Been here for a total of what 8 years now? Relegated with Blackpool, relegated with us, on a contract that takes him till 34 and retirement. Comfortable. Free transfer. William Troost Ekong - 28. Shouldn't have immediate motivation issues. Just very average. Free transfer. Kiko Femenia - 30. We all know he's a bit weak mentally, suffered from anxiety attacks, when he's bad he's terrible. Previously relegated. Free transfer. Adam Masina - 27. Frankly never, ever been good enough. Previously relegated. £3m. Danny Rose - 31. At one point was excellent, has publicly disclosed suffering from depression. Still out of shape, probably still dealing with a fall from grace. Free transfer. That's a average age of 31 across the back 6 and an average of £1 million per player. Just not good enough. Then you factor in our midfield options used today: 32-year-old Tom Cleverley, 32-year-old Moussa Sissoko and 34-year-old Juraj Kucka. So our midfield averaged between 32.5 and 33 years old today. Sissoko & Clevs also share a relegation each. We constantly sign losers, I get there's financial constraints but there just HAS to be better scouting, better personality matches, better character checks. It's not unreasonable to expect a club to be financially savvy without shopping for complete and utter bargains. It is mismanagement at the top, simple as. The fact no obvious lessons have been learnt from neglecting areas that caused us to get relegated in the first place is extremely concerning and is now starting to look like ignorance/unwillingness to learn rather than naivety, mistakes or circumstance.
We definitely deserve the criticism today and the performance was very poor/lacking in desire but we seen to have gone from not doing badly in the eyes of some to the “Premier league team’s worse ever team” and an “embarrassment to football” in one game ! https://mobile.twitter.com/beINSPORTS_EN/status/1449366736948670469 https://mobile.twitter.com/beINSPORTS_EN/status/1449349782829424643 How is 7 points from 8 suddenly horrific when 7/7 was doing a solid job - why have you sacked the manager etc .
I'd rather stick my testicles in my Nutribullet than listen to what Richard Keys has to say on any subject in the world.
This was my first game back post covid. I live quite far from Watford these days so can’t get to games as often as I’d like too I kind of expected 4 or 5 nil. Liverpool clearly the better team and on form. We couldn’t handle them the first half and I think had only one shot on target if it could be called that. you could clearly see the formation change and especially noticeable in the second half where in my mind we clearly shifted on4 at the back. This game seemed like a chance for Claudio to adapt and learn what would and wouldn’t work in play against a top team with the players he has I have faith he will tinker and adjust us Sarr clearly doesn’t like playing in the middle and this was abundantly clear from His body language. Away from the game itself Driving into Watford gets worse and worse year on year. I know I am part of the traffic but the roads in are just awful and inadequate. the food in the ground still hasn’t improved. It takes so so so long to actually purchase a horrible dry overpriced pie. (Again I know, don’t buy from them, I was hungry as hadn’t eaten and the 2 hours I’d set aside before the game to eat was eaten up by traffic on the m25 and the Hempstead rd) they need to train their staff on the way out if you park opposition coaches by the graveyard it slows the flow out massively, idiots.
One last comment regarding entry. Obviously chaos queued the longest I ever have for 20 minutes SEJ stand at 12:10-12:30 by 12:20 they were just letting anyone holding a mobile phone with something g resembling a qr code or a yellow page get in the man behind the turnstile just pushed the button to let people in. I strongly suspect this is how some Liverpool Fans without tickets got in. I heard more scouse accents in the concourse than Home Counties ones the club needs to address this and just issue everyone with a season ticket a physical card for this season. A significant proportion of people can’t use their phones for entry
The system they used was a bit confusing as so many of us has seen it so differently. For me it was not 5 at the back and I am basically agreeing with Your version. The only difference being that it was more like 4-3-3. I think Masina was used in three man middfield to help out with defending Salah and Cucho was supposed to be on the font line. As they were so dominant Masina was often dragged to defend from further up the field and Liverpool were able to play it to Salah with ease. For me the problem was that Rose lost some early fights (and confidence) too easily and it was all Salah after that. I actually liked the idea that Ranieri tried to leave three on the top to give us any chance of gaining some control. As some has said earlier; there just wasn`t anyone to make a decent pass and then hold on to the ball.
Tbh the people struggling to get in seemed to be those not using the QR code. The steward at the gate said how relieved he was when he saw that I was brandishing that as I approached. I don’t know why the club doesn’t advise everyone to do this - many people don’t even seem to realise there is one and are just waving their phones hopelessly in front of the sensor. Just get the QR code up, pop it under the sensor and you are in the ground in 10 seconds.
Very much agree and can also add that Kucka played in a Parma team that went down last season with only 20 points from 38 games. These players are used to losing top flight football games, they expect to. Got to play the likes of Pedro and Ngakia now, they're not mentally shot to pieces like the others.
Also, re the attitude of the players, I hate to say it but I think this is our chickens coming home to roost re the system we use regarding the running of the club. I know it has “worked” in so far as we previously got to the Premier League and stayed there for longer than before, and then bounced straight back up this time around. But having a system where the players know there is no loyalty from the heirarchy towards their boss, and that said boss could change in a heartbeat, probably doesn’t do much to foster (excuse the pun, considering everything that’s coming out re our keeper and tickets, fantasy teams, etc) an attitude of “fight for the shirt” among the players.
A few posts earlier in this thread claiming that Foster had Salah as his fantasy team captain this week.
Anyone still in that ground for the second half needs to seek urgent medical attention. Special mention to the whopper who shouted 'support the team!' at us as we walked out on 40 minutes. I just burst out laughing. I wonder if he was still sat there urging on those cowards with his unwavering support at the end? I'm seeing worst team in premier league history written all over the Internet. At what point will drones like him realise we are utterly ****ed?
The day didn't get off to a good start. At the last minute my Granddaughter wanted to go to the match for what would have been her first game. I tried the ticket office and one or two other sources but no luck. I was disappointed but my wife said "Don't worry, they're playing Liverpool, probably lose 5 -0 and you'll be pleased you didn't take her". Wives are very good judges aren't they? This was to be the one crumb of comfort for me as I drove home later! The day didn't improve when it started raining and I discovered I'd lost a windscreen wiper. Tricky on the motorway, not the end of the world but irksome, quick call ahead to let the guys I meet know that I'm going to be a bit behind. Actually, just about made it on time. I got in OK but one of the group is stuck at the turnstile. Eventually, to cries of "let him in!" they let him in. What's this enormous queue in the corner of the Rookery? It's for coffee. Well, I'm driving so a coffee is definitely on the agenda but there's only 2 people serving. I wander along under the Rookery looking for somewhere, now desperate for a coffee, no coffee anywhere? I must've missed it, I'm getting panicky as KO approaches but I'm told it's best to go all the way back under the corner of the GT or upstairs (but it's rammed up there). In the end it sort of worked out well as there were no queues for 'cold' drinks On the way in I had had a rush of blood. I stopped buying a match programme ages ago, I decided it was content free and expensive, but possibly excited by the new manager bounce I decided to invest. Needn't have bothered, still far too big to get in my pockets, you have to fold it in half, very bulky. So maybe lots of good stuff to read? Mmm, 8 pages bigging up the opposition, 7 pages on 'laughing boy' Ben Foster and even 2 pages on "Mr. Integrity" himself. Still, a great pull-out of Kiko to give to my daughter? "You're not giving her that, looks nothing like him!" says my wife, 'nuff said. Why don't they just do a simple 4 pager for a couple of quid with comments by head coach, captain & players plus fixtures, results, tables and team sheet? Ahh, team sheet Fortunately, these days, we've got the app for the team sheet. I use BBC Sport but they're absolutely clueless. Admittedly, the names announced for the team are puzzling, but on the BBC graphic they've got Rose playing at LCB, haha, haha! and Masina at LWB, haha, haha! Obviously, they've got that wrong but Sarr as a CF is worth a shot, said someone, "NO!" we all chorused at once. Five minutes in and already we know that it's not the BBC that are clueless. Liverpool could easily be 2 up and ripping us apart. Change it while you still can! Too late, the first goes in and we all know the rest. There was no belief, the attitude was rank and there was no desire. This team had been prepared to be SCARED! This quickly translated from the players, to the opposition and into the stands. There was only one outcome and we were lucky it was only five. What next? I would love to be a fly on the wall at the training ground today. Time for WTE, TC, Sissoko (a man amongst boys yesterday) and the true leaders to stand up and be counted. If you don't believe in this guy there's no point in pretending lads. Can Tinkerman regain the confidence of the players? I'm really not sure but guess what? I'll be there at Goodison next week hoping (certainly no expectation...) to see our first ever win there. It's a fabulous old ground, views are not much but there is a fantastic atmosphere. I've seen us pasted so many times in that stadium yet the one I like to remember was when we got a 2 - 2 draw and Iggy scored a great goal. Hope springs eternal but I don't think I'll take my Granddaughter!
It’s the typical issue of either people not being ready , turning up late on when they are advised to get there early or the connection not being good enough to get a clean process. Sometimes the phone scans ok but turnstile doesn’t open . Work in a shop and you get the same problems. The technology is great when it works but a pain when it doesn’t!
True but others don’t do “nasty” things like sack managers 7 games in etc in the eyes of the media . And according to many (and some fans this too ) we were “gutless , not putting in the effort , disinterested” etc . Whereas now Newcastle have been taken over they are the media darlings and everyone feels sorry for Steve Bruce .
We noticed this too. Went to a UGT kiosk with my dad to order a coffee and a beer. They could do the beer but not the coffee, which you now have to queue up for separately. In fact it appeared all hot drinks are now served elsewhere?
Feels like we are going round in circles with the Pozzo’s. This performance, attitude and result was no different to those in 2016/17. This is what happens when you fill the team with cast offs and has beens who don’t care about the club, have no desire to win and have 4 managers a season. Again, it feels like there is no connection between the team and the fans anymore as a result of this.
The odds on Watford to concede 10 goals in a game have dropped alarmingly. I imagine that the groundstaff at most Premier league away grounds are checking that the second unit on the scoreboard is functioning. They are thinking ahead.
We got relegated with no fans last time. When we get relegated with fans this time, ho will it be our fault? Do you need more data?
The players were at times sloppy and woefully exposed, but the team selection was absolutely terrible. Almost everyone connected with football could have done better. Play a back five of largely out of form players who will pushed back immediately. Play two ageing warhorses, on their own against the most nimble of midfields. Play three up front who all have a tendency to become uninvolved. That’s probably unfair on Cucho, but as willing as he is, he’s not at the level. If that’s what 50 years in the game teaches you it would be better to be coached by someone’s nan, disinterested in football, who chooses players on the basis of who has the nicest smile.
Noticed that in the SEJ too. One place for beer in a yellow cup and another for the hot drinks (Aero hot chocolate- yuck!!)
This sickened me when we went down. Fans leaving the ground despondent to go home and kick the cat, whilst one of our most experienced players, supposedly with a longer term connection to our club was laughing and joking with the opponents, on the pitch and in front of cameras. Given that I don't watch post match interviews and storm straight out of the ground after defeats, but am aware of it, means that the club must be. How can they allow it? Firstly, the minimum you should ask of your players is that they care enough about their jobs to feel frustrated and angry when they've failed at their tasks and secondly, even if they don't, is it too much to ask that they go and give a reacharound to the architects of our demise in private, instead of in front of the fans?
Absolutely correct. It's almost as if the Pozzo Family are banking on relegation. There must be a reason for this. I had asked the same question in the Watford Finances thread. How has the club become a laughing stock, not because of the ever changing mmanager policy, but on the pitch? When was the last time so many fans have given up, conceded that relegation is almost upon us and it is only October? Christ! I am repeating myself. We could too far back before the snow comes. Yes, it is all downhill from here now.
Getting in to the Rookery thsi season I haven't once scanned my phone, every time it's been a steward taking a glimpse at my phone and then scanning me in with their card. Feels like this is ripe for abuse, all you need is a screenshot of a random season ticket pass and they'll wave you in. They obviously felt the need to search everyone at the turnstiles but didn't care about who got into the actual ground. The whole ticket process has been very amateurish this season.
