Match Day Thread Watford v Gillingham

Gills defending well, but they need to with the constant pressure they are under.

 

FULL TIME: Watford 1-2 Gillingham

 

Drat and double drat.

I hope "fans" don´t get on WM´s back and give him time.

Well played Gills, a deserved win, hope you get a good draw in the next round.

COZ WE FING AREN¨T GOING TO!

 

The way the Sky reporter said it, we eased up after taking the lead.

 

What I heard numerous times was that we didn't look like the same team after Vydra went off. Will he stay or will he go now has to be asked.

 

That was by far the worst game of football i've seen in a long while that wasn't a pre season game. It felt like a preseason game! I was waiting for a complete team change at half time! Vydra going off was bad, but oh my goodness, such dreadful peformances from Nyom, Anya, Deeney..in fact, almost everyone on the pitch! The only stand out for me was Kabesele, who excelled, and Tommy Hoban looked ok, but Capoue was a completely different player tonight, Guerds might have blown his chance, Peredes was hobbling for most of the extra time, Watson looked sluggish and clueless...i could go on...but i won't. Suffice to say, £10 was too much and though i don't boo, i totally get why most people did. Shocking, embarrassing and clueless.

The subs were all wrong too, and where was Sinclair!? We paid all that money to not even bring him on in a cup game?

I need to take a deep breath.

It was bad. Badder than bad, it was dreadful.

Get the picture?

The Arse must be licking their lips for Saturday!

 

Last line a tad graphic, but I get your point.
Did they look like they didn't want to play, or didn't know how to play? This is important to me because I worry that the new system is too much of an ask, but I'll worry more if the players couldn't be arsed to fight for their places. I'm not ruling out the formation, but is it too different for boys used to four at the back and how they interchange responsibilities with a five man midfield?

 

We have to give WM masses of time as his changes are radical. I have faith in him, just doubts about our players being able to deliver what's in his head.

 

Only about 3/4 players turned up and one of those went off after an hour (Vydra)

Typical league cup performance from us - we lacked ideas even before we scored and the passing was awful putting ourselves under pressure so often.

The combination of Nyom and Paredes was a disaster and none of the midfielders really attacked..

 

ha!
The didn't want to play and those that did, weren't sure how. Mark sums it up nicely. I don't think the formation was a problem, i think it just went out the window, simply because nobody turned up, except maybe Vydra and Kabesele. When Vydra went off it all went to pot. it was a very poor show and a rough and long night. How we got through extra time without dozing off is beyond me!

 

This is my fear for this season. Time to buy more defenders then?

 

My interpretation is that they were fitter than us, and lasted the pace better.Remember they have played more games than us, so should be fitter. In extra time our players slowed to walking pace, and were going down with cramp all over the pitch. We could have won it in the first half when Anya had a couple of excellent chances, well saved by their keeper.
Deeney looked sluggish--one incident when he had the chance to run on goal but lacked the pace to do so summed it up. Vydra was O.K but we did not play to his strength, i.e. playing the ball through their defence for him to run on to. Nyom blew his chance to stay in the squad with another penalty blunder.. I was beginning to think we were overloading on new players, but on this showing we do need some additions. Pereya and Janmaat could be good.

 

I personally don't think formation or tactics had anything to do with. The problem was intensity and passion. It was played like a pre season friendly or a training ground match. I felt the whole game through that once we get out of first gear we would win easily, but we didn't get out of first gear!
Yes there were only two of last weeks team starting, and it won't be our first team this coming weekend, but we brought in Big Pants, Parades, Nyom, Anya, Watson, Vydra, who all have premiership experience, Kabasele, who was in the Belgium Euro squad, Doucoure, highly rated, and Tommie Hoban - easily enough to beat teams like Gillingham. The team selection was not an excuse we can use, only how that team applied themselves to the game.

 

Would have got Spurs away - saves on another loss there!

 

More than a little worrying. Thanks, Goldentrue. I can't fathom why. I would've thought they'd all be out to prove their worth to WM, you know like the player who's on loan looking for a permanent contract, then eases up when he's got it. They're easing up before the Premiership squad is announced. This could seriously affect their future careers, couldn't it?

 

absolutely. It didn't seem like they were fighting for places, more like they knew they wouldn't get one.

 

Away to Spurs was not a draw I would have wanted - bit of money but not a great chance to progress - so in some small way it mitigates the pain

 

Wow, do you think they've been told already whether or not they're part of future plans? Even so, you'd think they'd be out to look good for a decent loan move or, less likely, sale.

 

Sure. But if we weren't up for it, I'd rather the Gills got the chance at progression and the money.

 

We wouldn't have got Spurs away as the teams were in alphabetical order with the exception of the 4 teams that won on Wednesday night.