Overall, after our recent history against them, 3-1 feels like a win, however, it doesn't tell the full story. We continue to look like 75% of a good team, but that back four is not fit for purpose. Kiko was constantly out of position, both centre backs are woefully low on quality and any defensive talent and as for Rose, he needs his contract terminating. To be this fat this late into the season is an indicator of the fact that he doesn't give a squit about Watford and us leeching a wage out of us. Bachman pulled of some good stops for a great showing between the sticks. Sissoko, Dennis, Pedro and Cucho all comfortably good enough for top ten, but none of it matters when WE SIMPLY CANNOT DEFEND WORTH A DAMN! It's so frustrating because we are making progress in terms of performance and tactics, bu we have nothing to show for it, because we are just so damn easy to score against. It's beyond a joke now how pathetic our defending is. Beyond a joke. Just wait until the PR machine gets into gear in Jan to explain why we've made either no defensive signings or have a derisory, Wague like inbound as our solution. And also watch how our fans lap it up like the mugs they are.
Well we drew the 2nd half . Quite an achievement ! Looked dangerous in attack when we could and Bachmann will gain some confidence . Big games coming up - let’s hope that defence improves.
Well I would have taken that result before the game and although City were clearly the better side, IMO other than the first 15/20 minutes when we could have been 4 or 5 down if it was not for Bachmann I don't think we gave that bad of a display overall.
Our starting defence tonight cost 0... that's right a big fat ZERO. Its not all about transfer fees as it has shown this season what can be done on a shoe string budget with the additions of Dennis, King and Sissoko whom have all been fantastic to date. The defence has never had that level of attention and its shows badly. The 2nd goal just epitomised what WTE is all about... he is the most useless defender I've even seen play for Watford and I've seen David Mirfin in a Watford shirt. With WTE in the starting 11, we are 2-0 down before the whistle blows and unless our front line scores 2-3 goals, we come away with 0 points and relegation is all but a certainty. Yes we have a few injuries but we need investment in this area, desperately
Strange how a 3-1 defeat almost feels like a win. The relegation picture feels a lot clearer this time than 2 years ago. Sign some decent defenders and we most likely survive, don't and we almost certainly go down.
Everything you say is spot on, but I reckon we’re just about good enough to get to January and be there or there abouts, and I genuinely think they’ll do things differently this time. If they can find £10/£15m to spend on some defenders it pretty much guarantees PL survival, so I can’t see them being so stupid this time, after all they’re surely seeing exactly what we’re all seeing.
Please quote the post where I said Cucho was "terrible", Smudge. I'd have thought an admin could do better than such tacky slander. It is worth keeping in mind though that Cucho's 3 goal involvements for us in the PL have all come as a sub and when we were already either comfortably winning or comfortably losing - basically when there's lots of space from the game being stretched and/or finished as a contest and he has a bit more energy than others. He has done absolutely nothing as a starter.
Again, a performance to be proud of, they didn’t disgrace us when facing a big team, something Ranieri has to be given credit for. Nice to see Bachman come off his line to catch corners. Bold subs too. Rose a disgrace. Femenia my MOTM. Sissoko is so good at football until it comes to doing things with a football, one fantastic run aside. Love him though. Really happy with what Ranieri has done so far, have total faith that he can keep us up if backed in January. Very disappointed that Rose hasn’t sorted the left back issue, thought we were sorted in the summer, just adds to a long January defensive shopping list.
We lost to Manchester City - we always lose to Manchester City, but for once we actually looked up for the game. Let's get the minor positives out the way. Great movement and finish for our goal finished by Cucho who is becoming a very good impact sub. King should of also scored but played well overall, Dennis was too busy being fouled to do anything really magical but he was far from bad. Sossoko again was really good, rallying the side as Captain and Bachmann made one or two really good saves. We knew our last two home games were loses before a ball was kicked before them, but we have played generally alright in both games. Now the negatives. Rose. What an inept performance, and that is me being kind. Totally at fault for their opening goal - after just 4 minutes gives us an uphill battle and all the post match talk from Claudio goes out the window. Brain dead moment, no actual ability to get tight or make it harder for Silva to score. He never really got any better, actually worse as the game went on, and I am sure most of Watford breathed a sigh of relief when he was hooked second half. Another negative was Troost. I hate to keep picking on him but he never makes it any harder not to. At fault for one of the goals and actually allowed some of the best forwards to have a strike at goal on a few occasions while not doing his job. Cathcart has a mixed bag today, played average to poor first half but was pretty good second half, with some decent blocks. Referee had another "let's not book any player of the big six" match, at least one of their players should of been sent off - reckless challenges all game. Grealish is a total farce of a player, 100M and looked worth half of that. It has to be said, all three of their goals were avoidable, and with a half competent defense, we maybe not lose that. Whatever our strikers and midfield do - they can do nothing about our shambles of a defense. It's a real shame, because we actually look quite good going forward and gave City a few frights second half. Rose and Troost need dropping that is certain. Neither have been good lately and are costing us goals each game. That's finally the end of our tough run of games, now we go to Brentford and host Burnley. Not sure wins, but games we can expect to get something out of. Amazing how we care clear of the bottom three after that run of games, now we have a chance to pull away by getting a good result in the next few games. Shout box was brilliant again, thank you everyone who took part.
Mate, I've been seeing it for 5 seasons and we signed Dawson, then got relegated. I don't believe our stubborn owners will change what they do. They have their priorities and unearthing another winger we can loan to a Segunda team and sell for €15m without ever seeing him in our shirt is far more important to them than us having a balanced first 11.
Rose and Troost need dropping from a height. Their defensive interventions have led to four of the five goals conceded this week. Even someone semi competent in their roles could have averted that. I am sure Claudio is on the blower for reinforcements and with his seniority his words will actually carry weight unlike dear Xisco.
Lame excuse. You can't find it because it doesn't exist. I don't fabricate other posters' opinions and try and put words in to their mouths which weren't there, which is probably why it touches so many nerves as I have respect for accuracy. Trying to pretend another poster said something which they actually didn't in a desperate attempt to try and recover a scrap of your own dignity is extra pathetic.
Agtee with all bit Kiko MOTM? He was inside out and upside down all game. Utterly pathetic showing from the weak lightweight.
I'm giving Kiko some slack given his opposition, although he was beaten multiple times he didn't give up and kept trying to block crosses at least rightR5o the 90th minute. Rose though has nothing to show and actively created 2 goals for them. Ngakia's passing is wayward at times but he has a presence neither have and is a problem for the oppo both directions. Have Kiko LB, Ngakia RB please.
To be fair to Kiko moogling he did make some good interventions and covered WTF several times tucking in as usual to compensate for the empty space in WTF's head. First half for example WTF just wanders out of defence leaving an enormous space for Goblin to pass into before Kiko made a saving intervention. He's played well under Ranieri. Looks confident, motivated and touch wood fit.
That wasn't a bad performance and probably a fair result. It is encouraging to see us create opportunities against sides like Manchester City and Chelsea. Yes we rode our luck at times but we were always going to against that attacking line up. We are starting to make progress in terms of tactics and performances.
I'd like to see Ngakia develop under Ranieri and his coaches direction as opposed to Xisco. They can bring him on. What is certain having Ngakia and Kiko is better than any line up with Rose in it. Stealing a living at the moment and does not seem prepared to put the effort in on his fitness.
As others have said, nice to see an improvement on the scoreline and a goal, but it's still utterly pointless even playing City. We won't ever get anything from them. We are beaten before the game kicks off, especially with the circus act we call a back four, and we may as well just forfeit every fixture against them and save our morale and energy. Did someone say Kiko was MOTM? ******* hilarious.
With his loping, hunched running style, Ngakia reminds me of a more cultured Lloyd Doyley. I like Ngakia. I would like to see him given a run. At least he has the decency to turn up looking like a footballist rather than a darts player.
I agree with this also he was often caught out of position trying to cover for another player who was out of position. He did play a nice little pass for the goal also.
He gave too much space and backed a foot too far off his attacker, just like our other inept defenders. He was arguable the least cancerous of our back 4, but comfortably worse than every other player who wasnt a supposed defender.
To be fair to him even Cafu or Zanetti would struggle when they look to their left and see WTF playing there.
