It’s hard to believe that we have 25 players who are all not good enough and have also had a previous 25 who weren’t good enough when you consider what SOME of them have done / are doing elsewhere and what some of them do for their National sides. It’s also hard to believe we’ve signed / used some 50 odd players these last 3/4 seasons who all ‘don’t care’ ‘can’t be bothered’ ‘don’t try’. I’d say it’s more realistic to suggest we’ve not got the best out of them, plus they’ve missed vital parts of a good team (goalscorer, dominant CB, strong captain) Actually lost count of how many managers in that time frame. Doubtful every single one is a bad manager (again, check previous successes or current jobs) I’m absolutely certain (even more so than the above) that it’s not because some young people decide to talk about the club on videos they post places. Or that someone claps or someone boos, or someone sneaks a flask of tea into the ground. So I guess it comes down to the owner and the other (if there are any) decision makers in the club. I actually felt a bit sorry for the players today because it looked like to me they were trying hard and yet didn’t know how to unlock the opponents. No goal scorer in the box to aim anything towards. I hate seeing fans calling other fans this that or the other on here. If I were there today I’d probably have joined in with the anti Pozzo chant. I think he needs to go or genuinely change tactic. It’s clear whatever negativity people feel needs to go in this direction. But if others defend him then that’s their opinion. Pozzo in / Pozzo out thread vote would be good to see right now. I think our would currently win.
I've been saying for yonks, Pedro is not a forward. He is undoubtedly talented, but he just doesn't have the instincts of a forward. He doesn't score those scrappy goals 9's do, he never gets in positions for tap-ins or easy finishes, he doesn't ever try to force his way through a defense, he can't finish with one touch, he's just not a forward despite repeated attempts to play him there. Carlton Morris may have half the talent but he probably has those instincts and that brute hunger for goal that can get him to that tally. Pedro misses that. Pedro is good at beating the press, he has great workrate, he has a good passing range and a calmness on the ball, he is decent defensively, robust physically (fast and strong), good dribbler, I see no reason why he isn't played midfielder as all his characteristics suit it. He can do much more productive work there instead of trying to fit a square peg into a round hole and try to squeeze out goals from him as a striker when he is clearly unnaturally playing there.
When I consider how poorly Watford have been playing recently I find it disappointing that the number of put-downs directed from one poster to another on this thread probably exceeds the number of put-downs directed at the team.
Mrs Peel's view was that it was a team full of people who all thought they were doing enough and it was everyone else around them not pulling their weight.
Oddly, I thought we were doing ok, not brilliant, but looked the better team in the first half. Took a deserved lead and from that point should have gone into cruise control. These games against this sort of opposition, used to be a regular win. We've fallen so far from that heady day at Wembley only four years ago to the day. It's taken four years for Gino to undo all that good work he achieved. This day 4 years ago I doubt you could find a single person (apart from Uncle Ron of course) who would say anything bad word about the owner, so it's a spectacular decline we've gone through, to take us from thinking he was the divine saviour to the devil in disguise. Until the equaliser I thought we'd go on to carve out a routine 2-0 win. I just couldn't see Huddersfield causing us too many problems. But then we just imploded. Bachmann had probably his worst ever game for Watford. That first goal was just Sunday league stuff. A regular ball played in, our defence made a kamikaze clearance, and when the shot came in, Bachmann for some unknown reason, dived in the opposite direction. Bizarre to say the least. That set the tone, and from that point on the game was lost. Watford's brittle confidence was smashed to pieces and it was only a matter of time before Huddersfield took command. All five goals were soft, similar to the West Brom home match. All five should have been saved. Their keeper was just dreadful, but not as bad as ours. For Bachmann to lose it like he did, was comical and pathetic. He should never play for us again if he's that petulant and unprofessional. He was like a Sunday league player excited he was allowed up field and acted like a complete pr1ck. There was Choudhury gesturing to the fans at half-time with shoulder shrugs as if to say, "why are you booing us". I honestly feel the players just don't get it. In pre-season we were told we would win the league. We expect so much more from the overpaid pampered poodles. That is why we're booing you and your mates Hamza. I've been supporting Watford for 44 years, and I don't ever recall the chant "you're not fit to wear the shirt" sung so loudly before. The fans are anti-everything Watford right now. The owner and the players. Only Wilder is exempt, but he's coming up short himself. Only 4 points from 5 matches, and 3 of those games were against clubs in the bottom three or, in QPR's case, the team who have only beaten us since 17th December. It's utterly pitiful. I want all the regular players sold. They can all go. There's only about 3 or 4 I'd actually keep, and that's being generous. I like Wilder's honesty, but the team is even worse now than it was under Bilic. He's certainly not the man to take us forward. The summer has to see a total reset from top to bottom. New owner, new CEO, a completely new squad and a new head coach. Apart from that, everything is fine.
We were utterly clueless as we've been for most of the season, we had some potshots from outside the area, but in terms of good chances, I can only count that one from Asprilla which he should have done better with, they did look more threatening all game really. On paper, we should have a decent team at this level, but despite having Louza's supposed creativity and Kone's athleticism, we just don't seem to be able to make anything happen in midfield, nobody seems to want to take any responsibility (which is probably a mix of poor coaching, poor effort and a total lack of confidence). I'd persist with Sema (and Morris formation permitting), Porteous (though I doubt we bin Hoedt so quickly), Asprilla, Kone (not one that will be universally shared, but I think there's something there for one so green) and possibly Ferreira (though that's probably being optimistic, he is bright going forward but has more than a touch of the Kikos about him which is not what you need when the going gets tough) Wilder certainly says all the right things, but how much is him taking the heat off himself, and how much is genuine? (Not saying he's the main problem here at all mind you!) I'd still be surprised if he's here next season, and if he is, he's can't be doing much to persuade Pozzo to bet the farm on him and give him exactly what he wants
And, just as I thought things couldn't get worse, Mrs Lloyd poisons me. Spent last night throwing up - can only be her fisherman's pie. That isn't a euphemism by the way. Thinking about it, she hardly touched hers. I suspect foul play.
I really didn't think it could get any worse, then it did. I expected last week to be the kick up the jacksy we needed. But it wasn't. I thought we'd beat Huddersfield comfortably before the game started. How wrong was I? We showed more fight in the last minute and a half, than we have all season, but in completely the wrong way. Bachmann was pathetic, only to make it worse by petulantly throwing his gloves to the floor after being sent off. Idiot! His behaviour was disgraceful. Words fail me.
In tennis we'd call it tanking. Deliberately not trying and losing without an effort. He completely bailed out of that match and lost what little of a brain he had at the end. A metaphor for Pozzo if ever there was.
Season is over so pleased that we will get a chance to see another keeper. we have issues all over pitch but the keeper issue is a must to resolve. Bachman should not be keeper if we have any ambition to be a top championship side. People will say a good shot stopper - unfortunately that is one aspect but the rest is dire and that makes the defence look nervous. Every time there is a corner or free kick you know the defenders will get little help from the keeper. don’t get me started on distribution - both quality and speed
Poor as were and have been all season the abuse the players got yesterday made me uncomfortable. Of course people are free to say what they like but it just seemed wrong
Have always found that the most ridiculous term ever used about a goalkeeper. No f'kn point him being there if he isn't. Acknowledging that the season is dead (& has been for a month or so), and having enjoyed the U21's win over Peterborough last week, surely it's "throw the kids in" time ? Have a look at as many of them as possible in the senior environment during the last six games, and see if/how many of them are ready to move up for next season.
Misdirection. All the ire has to go to Pozzo and *****bury. They thought they'd cracked it four years ago and we all know the rest. More banners,in and outside the ground. Throw everyone out,aside from the twelve year olds who still genuflect at the altar of Pozzo.
I have been saying this for a long time now….I’ve supported Watford for 50 odd years and I’ve never known a time where I hate the ownership, the players and all that surround the club in such equal measures as for reset….we have no money. Most of the unsaleable assets will be playing next season with a sprinkling of new blood who will not change anything Pozzos will only go if there is somebody available to repay them the money they have loaned the club. Can’t see that happening so I’m just not going to renew and stop going. That makes me very sad as end of an era but just don’t enjoy it at all anymore
Erm, has anyone ever said differently about him? He's always been a decent shot-stopper but dodgy from crosses
At least my daughter has no interest in going to a Watford game again. The toxic atmosphere and the fighting at the end was almost enough to make up for the previous 85 minutes of boredom, but thankfully despite the ending she’s not interested in going again. Nice of the Hudders fans to chant USA towards the end for her though. She appreciated that. My son cried off sick before we left, which proved to be an excellent choice on his part. There’s no hiding it, we’re the absolute reincarnation of Stoke or Sunderland a couple of years removed from relegation. A frightening hodgepodge of overpaid, under-motivated losers who think they are far better than they actually are. Basically no fight, no heart, and no stomach for doing the dirty work that you have to do to win games at this level. Nobody willing to take the game and demand the ball, or take risks to make us better. We were sideways and backwards until we got bored and lumped it forward to a striker who wasn’t a striker. There’s hardly a player in our squad you’d look at yesterday and feel like they could be part of team capable of challenging for promotion next season. Porteous, Louza, Kone, and Asprilla at least look like they have potential to develop into decent and reliable performers, and who else is there? Sema is dependable and versatile, but out of those who might be there next season, we’re really scraping the barrel beyond those 5. We’re a broken club. Top to bottom, we’re broken. At least the fans are slowly starting to come around to the fact we’re absolutely broken, although the anti-Pozzo sentiment will need to grow a lot stronger before it can become truly uncomfortable for Gino.
Guess Kone is only 20 but like Asprilla be unfair to expect him to suddenly take control of a tough physical Championship game .
Take Choudhury and the whole DM role away for this team and we become an 11 man team instead of 10. You don’t need an enforcer in midfield if you play attacking, fluid football, especially with 3 players who are confident on the ball in tight areas. Asprilla, Kone and Louza get in any championship team and has the look of a promotion winning team, although I would swap either Kone or Asprilla out for a player of more experience. Choidhury had a terrible game yesterday and lost his player for pretty much every goal. We looked decent when the ball was played to feet fast with some neat one twos. The passing out of the back is ******** and gets us nowhere
Either the owners don't get it, or they do get it but are stuck with their player buying and selling model. Showcasing future Richarlisons (Pedro, Asprilla) in the Championship while ignoring the bread and butter functions of GK defense and holding midfield because there's no real money in player trading those positions is never going to build an effective Champ team. And if by some fluke you do get promoted, you have to start again with whatever 2nd rate 'PL' players you can coble together in a couple of months, start the season undercooked so you are going to come straight back. Yesterday, until we gave them the equaliser, our fancy dans were cutting through Huddersfield's midfield with ease (although the end product was still missing). Then we literally hand them an equaliser because of the usual shambles at the back. Desperation sets in, stupid flicks and tricks don't come off, shambles again for #2. Build a good championship club, built on graft and guts and team ethic, and add some glitter if you do go up.
It's very true - you wonder what went so wrong at Stoke and Sunderland, then you see it happening in front of you. In a funny way, I actually enjoyed yesterday and felt the passion again. A line was crossed and the fans were finally together against the incompetent morons that run the club. After two years of utter dross, I'm looking forward to the campaign against Pozzo.
I think most people know that most of the players are not culpable for the mess we are in, but they are the only ones out there for fans to vent their ire against.
A few points I thought Sarr tried hard when he came on Louza was terrible 3 at the back doesn’t work Bachman finally comes off his line ands up 100 yards down the pitch Their goalkeeper was worse than Bachman If you think supporters should riot and if they don’t they are strange what does that make you
