Watford at home match thread

[Davefevs]

Just now, mozo said:

I understood people being unhappy with the Preston game. That was dire. 

But being a misery guts about us earning a good point at home to a tough team, off the back of knocking West Ham out of the cup... it's absolutely nuts.

The West Ham game is irrelevant really, today was a league game and we’ve fallen two points further off if the playoffs.

The performance wasn’t great at all today.  Has anyone said it’s dire?  In fact Preston we were fine first half, was just the second half.

The only positive in the result was that we came from 1-0 down.

I don’t think it’s being miserable, just reflecting on what I watched today.

[Shauntaylor85]

Just now, exAtyeoMax said:

On Tuesday, JP said that Tins told him that LM had to play a specific way, set out by him/club. How can LM respond if that is the case?

Pathetic. Tinnion ball was dreadful as a manager. 

[robin_unreliant]

7 minutes ago, Shauntaylor85 said:

I am really not convinced at all by this appointment. Will just sign central midfielder after central midfielder, no width, no pace and power which is what gets you off your seat in football, no plan B….sorry it is boring football! Nigel did not need to be replaced for this! Not going to sell tickets. 

Remind me, what have our last two crowds been? 

[exAtyeoMax]

Just now, Shauntaylor85 said:

Pathetic. Tinnion ball was dreadful as a manager. 

It appears the club is resting its future on that then!

[W-S-M Seagull]

3 minutes ago, cidercity1987 said:

Solid point in our quest for 12th...

From being 7th / 8th around the New Year and really looking upwards this run of results coupled with other teams like Coventry always winning has really cost us a play off push. We are about as far off now as we were at points in late winter last season 

It's worth mentioning that Coventry have spent nigh on 30 million plus wages. 

[Jose]

Just now, W-S-M Seagull said:

It's worth mentioning that Coventry have spent nigh on 30 million plus wages. 

They invested what they brought in. Fair play to them. 

[cellist]

Agree with the posters pointing out 13 points from 16 - and that this isn't what BT and JL promised, and certainly isn't worth sacking Nige for. However not sure today's effort and performance is to blame. It was a lot better than Millwall, Birmingham and Preston. If we'd gave played like we did today in those games we'd have got a lot more than a single point and no goals, I'm sure. So will take a point today (against much better opposition) and some signs of progress.

[ProfitInMyPocket]

It's a fair point based on how the game went.

They created more from open play then we did. I'm just bored of the same passive formation, why not push Bell left wing instead of RWB every time where he contributes nothing with his skill set. Get Twine alongside Conway/Wells, just anything trying to push the game our way. 

We need to create more at home if we want to beat teams.

Sides fighting for their life at the bottom would have lapped up how we played today. 

Show a bit more aggression, a bit more urgency instead of the same old patterns of play and behaviours. Pring once again driving us on and trying to be the difference maker, we'd miss him if he got injured. Wish we had a bit more of that.

We don't have to be world-beaters knocking the ball about, just a bit more pace in the play, get people out of their seats, get them shouting and driving the team forward. 

I look at the clock and 35 minutes disappear and nothing substantial happens.

Twine debut was fine, just needs others moving off him to create more, him and Mehmeti and Sykes would be a great attacking 3 in behind a striker.

[italian dave]

29 minutes ago, petehinton said:

 

I would just like to actually see some chances actually created in a home game, and see a home win that doesn’t need a penalty. That’s just facts to me, don’t think that’s being too overly negative.  
 

As I’ve said before, is just yet another season where it feels like “just get to the summer and go again”. 

We must have watched a different game, Pete! 

I saw an entertaining game in which we created a good number of chances. 

[Kid in the Riot]

5 minutes ago, mozo said:

But being a misery guts about us earning a good point at home to a tough team, off the back of knocking West Ham out of the cup... it's absolutely nuts.

Watford are a good side that have had a higher level of investment than us, and imo have a very good manager in Ismael.

I was looking at their results before the game and they've actually been in very good form since the end of November. 

Our 4-1 win on Boxing Day is very much an anomaly in their recent results.

I think they could yet finish 5th or 6th, so taking 4 points off them over the past few weeks is a very good return. 

[bexhill reds]

1 minute ago, Davefevs said:

The West Ham game is irrelevant really, today was a league game and we’ve fallen two points further off if the playoffs.

The performance wasn’t great at all today.  Has anyone said it’s dire?  In fact Preston we were fine first half, was just the second half.

The only positive in the result was that we came from 1-0 down.

I don’t think it’s being miserable, just reflecting on what I watched today.

I think you’ve underplayed Watford’s efforts, other than the pen, we gave them few if any clear cut chances, and they’ve got some very tidy players. Just one of those stalemate games. 
 

I think looking back we could question Manning’s lack of adventure to change the system during the game, the changes were the stereotypical like for like swaps that could be scripted, McCrorie for Bell, Conway for Wells, TGH for Williams.

 

[W-S-M Seagull]

3 minutes ago, Jose said:

They invested what they brought in. Fair play to them. 

Id say the wage commitment is out of what they have brought in. 

Its a bit like us after we sold Webster etc. 

If they don't get themselves promoted or don't sell more players further down the line then they'll be in the same mess as we were. 

Edited January 20 by W-S-M Seagull

[Mr Popodopolous]

I'm not fully convinced by this back 3.

Reasonable point, performance okay but not amazing.

Tanner into back 3, McCrorie RWB feels a bit shoehorned and forced. Square pegs etc.

When Naismith and Atkinson back and competing, by all means go bigger on it.

Edited January 20 by Mr Popodopolous

[mozo]

19 minutes ago, Davefevs said:

Disappointing performance today.  We were better second half, but created little from open play…but a threat from Twine’s set-pieces.

Kone (especially) and Dele-Bashiru gave James and Williams a tough afternoon….our spacing back to front often stretched.  Some crucial challenges by our defenders on their counter saved us a bit too.

Created little from open play... to quote the great Dave Fevs: you have to remember there is another team trying to stop us playing 

[JakeOTIB]

Scott Twine’s set piece delivery is what we’ve been missing for a few years now. Could’ve easily picked up one or two goals from corners today alone, I think we will nick a few between now and the end of the season.

[joe jordans teeth]

24 minutes ago, mozo said:

They're not 'supposed' if they actually happened in real life 

 

Watford haven't lost since we beat them, but given their fans probably expect them to be pushing for the title at this level, they'll be pretty despondent dropping points against us and Plymouth recently.

The money will be running out soon 

[bcfc01]

5 minutes ago, Kid in the Riot said:

Watford are a good side that have had a higher level of investment than us, and imo have a very good manager in Ismael.

I was looking at their results before the game and they've actually been in very good form since the end of November. 

Our 4-1 win on Boxing Day is very much an anomaly in their recent results.

I think they could yet finish 5th or 6th, so taking 4 points off them over the past few weeks is a very good return. 

Agree with that.

Against a team with some excellent players for this level and who had a clear week, I thought we did well and got a very hard earned point. Four points from the two games against them is a very good return imo.

Pleased with the performance and the point against one of the best teams in the division.

 

 

[Davefevs]

3 minutes ago, bexhill reds said:

I think you’ve underplayed Watford’s efforts, other than the pen, we gave them few if any clear cut chances, and they’ve got some very tidy players. Just one of those stalemate games. 
 

I think looking back we could question Manning’s lack of adventure to change the system during the game, the changes were the stereotypical like for like swaps that could be scripted, McCrorie for Bell, Conway for Wells, TGH for Williams.

 

No, not really.  I thought both teams worked hard, I’m not disputing that.  My post-match view is always about how the game went (I don’t take any match for granted), and I thought we weren’t quite on it today, we created a bit of pressure and chances from a succession of corners…but no real expansive play, patterns that opened them up per se.

8 minutes ago, Kid in the Riot said:

Watford are a good side that have had a higher level of investment than us, and imo have a very good manager in Ismael.

I was looking at their results before the game and they've actually been in very good form since the end of November. 

Our 4-1 win on Boxing Day is very much an anomaly in their recent results.

I think they could yet finish 5th or 6th, so taking 4 points off them over the past few weeks is a very good return. 

But is it worth taking 4 points off Watford if you take 1 point off Preston and Brum.  Ultimately we have 37 points from 28 games and are now 6 points off of Coventry.

By all means put some positivity into it, just that’s not how I’m feeling this evening.

[bexhill reds]

5 minutes ago, Mr Popodopolous said:

I'm not fully convinced by this back 3.

Reasonable point, performance okay but not amazing.

Tanner into back 3, McCrorie RWB feels a bit shoehorned and forced. Square pegs etc.

When Naismith and Atkinson baxk and competing, by all means go bigger on it.

I think they mostly compliment each other, will be interesting if or how the formation changes when Sykes is fit again.

[redkev]

Did seem like a bit of shoe horning getting Ross & Scott in the side , also agree we deffo need a Carlton morris / Chris wood type forward at the moment Tommy at 21 isn’t the answer 

[joe jordans teeth]

17 minutes ago, robin_unreliant said:

Remind me, what have our last two crowds been? 

You mean the sight seeing folks right 

[Davefevs]

3 minutes ago, mozo said:

Created little from open play... to quote the great Dave Fevs: you have to remember there is another team trying to stop us playing 

Yeah, and I’m disappointed we couldn’t impose our influence on them...because I thought there was opportunity to do that today.

[joe jordans teeth]

1 minute ago, redkev said:

Did seem like a bit of shoe horning getting Ross & Scott in the side , also agree we deffo need a Carlton morris / Chris wood type forward at the moment Tommy at 21 isn’t the answer 

Chris wood is a lump but Jesus no 

[mozo]

22 minutes ago, Jose said:

A tough team? Every game in this league is tough? Ok let’s wait for an easier game? I know how about Millwall at home? 

True why haven't we thought of beating all the best teams 5-0

21 minutes ago, Davefevs said:

The West Ham game is irrelevant really, today was a league game and we’ve fallen two points further off if the playoffs.

The performance wasn’t great at all today.  Has anyone said it’s dire?  In fact Preston we were fine first half, was just the second half.

The only positive in the result was that we came from 1-0 down.

I don’t think it’s being miserable, just reflecting on what I watched today.

Has anyone said it was dire? Yes! Read back! I think the word abysmal was used by one fan!

As much as City would love to be in the playoffs, we're not good enough right now. 

Edited January 20 by mozo

[redkev]

By the way thought Watford were a totally different proposition than Boxing Day 

[Supersonic Robin]

14 minutes ago, Shauntaylor85 said:

Wells is our best striker. I’m still not convinced by Conway and wouldn’t be worried if we cashed in. We need a better number 9 overall who can stretch a defence.  

Watford have what we lack, edge of your seat players. They stretched us, we have nobody to stretch. He has no plan B Manning. 

I think our fans are very harsh on Conway at times.

He's 21 and averaging a goal every 178 minutes this season. His rate of return was very similar last season too. I think his all-round game is pretty decent, without him really excelling in any one particular area. I hate to use the term, but to me he feels like a natural goalscorer.

Personally, I'm not sure that we could expect to sign a better 21 year old striker than Tommy Conway.

If anything, I'd be inclined to try and move on Wells and/or Cornick in order to fund another forward option.

[Jose]

Just now, mozo said:

True why haven't we thought of beating all the best teams 5-0

 

This makes no sense.
 

Hey if you are happy with today and our points return fair play to you. 

[redkev]

2 minutes ago, joe jordans teeth said:

Chris wood is a lump but Jesus no 

That type , not him

[cidercity1987]

Since Manning came in how many goals have we scored as a result of the play he was bought in to achieve?

By that I mean after a spell of possession and pressure, some nice neat passing, bang goal.

All of our goals remain the type we scored under Pearson, on the break and or pinching the ball high up the field.

That is quite disappointing for me so far 

[mozo]

1 minute ago, Davefevs said:

Yeah, and I’m disappointed we couldn’t impose our influence on them...because I thought there was opportunity to do that today.

I guess we just saw it differently then. I thought Watford were really in our faces first half, and we in theirs second half. Neither team looked bad, neither had star quality. Fair result.