Watford Short News Items

[Luther]

I feel that the author is expressing his own frustrations, but to assume that he is speaking on behalf of most fans is just wrong. I felt that with Pearson we had taken a step in the right direction, but something went badly wrong behind the scenes. What it was I have no more idea than the author of the letter, so cannot say that Gino was right or wrong. It is easy to say that players do not perform as we believe they can or should. There are countless big name signings going to much larger clubs than Watford that raise expectations, but for whatever reason fail to bring the promise of success that the fans expect. This letter seems to me to be one from someone who feels entitled to watch players and the team that never put in a display that is below his expectations. Football is one of those things that by its very nature has to produce winners and losers, promotion/relegation, yet it is possible to be one of those clubs that spend most of their existence in the same division year after year. If you support such a club does it stop you hoping that next season will be the one that lifts your team up a league? The success of being in the EPL for several seasons is great, but no Watford fan is entitled to expect us to be there every year.

I agree that with Pearson we had taken a step in the right direction, but that something went badly wrong behind the scenes. Pearson later said he thinks that he caught Covid-19 during the lockdown and that he suffered from the long-term effects: he certainly did not appear to have the same drive as before the lockdown and Shakespeare took some of the press conferences. It was still a strange decision to dismiss him two games before the end of the season and the end of his contract. There was no major falling-out with Gino Pozzo at the end of the West Ham game (despite reports to the contrary) because Gino Pozzo was not in the stadium. Watford would probably still have been relegated, but I would have thought they would have had more chance of getting something from the last two games with Pearson and Shakespeare still in charge rather than Hayden Mullins.

 

[Luther]

Yes good points

What are they going to say anyway?

"We tried to get players in but for whatever reason some didn't come whilst we have a lack of revenue and heavy wage bill to cope with (I suppose you could argue 70k for Gray is too much but easy to say now) "

And I don't really see why there is a demand to sack Munoz now - it's hardly like we'd appoint some great super coach with loads of experience and a proven winner.

We had 10 points form 12 before the other night and whilst that was a poor performance it would be very knee jerk even for the Pozzos to sack another manager.

Anyway that would cost more money and take it out of the club again.

Sure the lack of goals is a worry but sacking managers isn't going to change that and I mean even Norwich aren't scoring loads.

Clubs like us will always get relegated eventually and whilst I suppose it could have been avoided we probably would have not gone up with them giving us a load of talented players and having an in form Deeney.

I am sure we will cope if we don't go up this season - we always do!

I mean we managed to reach 2 semi finals under Lewington whilst on the brink.

As you say OFH there a lot of clubs who don' enjoy any sort of success.

I do not understand the rationale behind the appointment of Xisco Muñoz (unless he was the cheapest option) because it seems to have been a massive gamble. Were there not safer options available such as Paul Cook (who has won promotion with 3 different clubs from Division 1 and Division 2)? Cook also had Wigan playing attacking football under difficult circumstances and they were relegated only because of the points deduction. Muñoz showed a lack of tactical nouse in the QPR game; the previous games had shown that Hughes is not comfortable on the left wing because he lacks speed and is not left-footed. Ngakia was exposed playing at left back (where there were other alternatives such as Wilmot or Sema) and Navarro is not good enough to play at this level. Why was Zinckernagel brought on to replace Chalobah as a central defensive midfielder? There was a new manager bounce in the Norwich game, but have Watford really played well in recent games (apart from occasional short periods) or improved under Muñoz?

Muñoz was brought in because he was supposed to be a more attacking coach than Ivić. I think that someone on this forum has already posted the statistics (comparing Ivić with Muñoz) which Tom Bodell put on his Twitter account. More shots and more chances under Ivić!

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[Markthehorn]

True he maybe could do with an experienced coach next to him.

It was strange how quick Munoz was appointed- almost as if they had him lined up even before Ivic went .

I certainly agree Monday was disappointing and needs to be corrected in the next game .

Hopefully the full backs will be fit and Sema plays out wide as he did well after coming on .

We did well I think up till Monday but definitely was a set back.

 

[Luther]

Dan Gosling is injured and is not available for at least the next two weeks. LouOrns believes that Gosling has a problem with his knees and that he will not be able to play on a regular basis, That would explain - if LouOrns is correct - the reason why Gosling was not playing regularly for Bournemouth and why they were prepared to release him on a free transfer (before the end of his contract in the summer) so that he could join Watford. I hope that we shall have enough cover in midfield because some of the other three senior midfielders give the impression that they are injury prone, which might help to explain Ben Foster's comments in the Watford Observer about the importance of Watford avoiding injuries.

 

[Markthehorn]

Typical of our luck with injuries!

It hasn't helped us with Hughes and Perica out so often - 2 players who could help us in attack.

 

[Bolton's Boots]

Dan Gosling is injured and is not available for at least the next two weeks. LouOrns believes that Gosling has a problem with his knees and that he will not be able to play on a regular basis, That would explain - if LouOrns is correct - the reason why Gosling was not playing regularly for Bournemouth and why they were prepared to release him on a free transfer (before the end of his contract in the summer) so that he could join Watford. I hope that we shall have enough cover in midfield because some of the other three senior midfielders give the impression that they are injury prone, which might help to explain Ben Foster's comments in the Watford Observer about the importance of Watford avoiding injuries.

Where did you read that he is injured? He was taken off injured in their cup game against Oldham early last month, but was back in the squad ten days later for the match at Derby. I can't see any reports anywhere else.

 

[Markthehorn]

I don't think it's an injury but Watford Ob website says he isn't match fit.

https://www.watfordobserver.co.uk/s...dam-masina-return-watford-away-coventry-city/

 

[Chris 13]

the previous games had shown that Hughes is not comfortable on the left wing because he lacks speed and is not left-footed. Ngakia was exposed playing at left back (where there were other alternatives such as Wilmot or Sema) and Navarro is not good enough to play at this level. Why was Zinckernagel brought on to replace Chalobah as a central defensive midfielder? There was a new manager bounce in the Norwich game, but have Watford really played well in recent games (apart from occasional short periods) or improved under Muñoz?

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[/QUOQUOTE

Just to correct you on one point, Hughes is left footed although can play with his right foot as well.

 

[Luther]

Just to correct you on one point, Hughes is left footed although can play with his right foot as well.

Thank you for the correction. I had not realised that he was left-footed. However, I do not think it that alters the widely-shared belief he is not comfortable playing on the left wing because he lacks sufficient pace.

 

[Luther]

Where did you read that he is injured? He was taken off injured in their cup game against Oldham early last month, but was back in the squad ten days later for the match at Derby. I can't see any reports anywhere else.

Dan Gosling was on the bench (as an used substitute) for Bournemouth against Derby on 19th January, but he was not included in Bournemouth's squads for the next two games against Crawley (in the F.A. Cup) and Reading.

Someone on another forum mentioned that Gosling was not fit to start, but then LouOrns suggested that Gosling had failed his medical (although I am not sure whether he was joking). LouOrns then wrote "His (Gosling's) knees are ****ed - when I tweeted he was joining the other day, I asked about his injury; in short he won’t supposedly be available to play regularly" and "It was what I was told when I tweeted he was signing. We signed Dja Djedje with a broken metatarsal; this wouldn’t surprise me one bit." LouOrns' information is not always accurate, but he does often seem to know before other people what is happening and he gives the impression that he has access to some inside information.

 

[Markthehorn]

It just sounds likes he is short of match fitness and being held back for the busy run of games coming up rather than injured injured.

 

[Chris 13]

Thank you for the correction. I had not realised that he was left-footed. However, I do not think it that alters the widely-shared belief he is not comfortable playing on the left wing because he lacks sufficient pace.

I absolutely agree with that. He certainly wasn't played there to be a winger. I thought maybe it was part of the tactics to get Sarr and others to come inside and run beyond Deeney therefore creating space and cover. It is not working apart from the odd success so I hope he's back inside on Saturday.

That said, the conundrum is Chalobah DM, Gosling BtoB, Cleverley and Hughes, then Sarr & Sema as Midfield wingers - what formation do you play to get the best out of that lot?

My opinion is that 2 of the main midfielders have to be benched. We have to find a way of getting into the opposition box far quicker and create double the number of chances. Hughes and when fit Gosling may be the best combo with wingers outside of them.

 

[Luther]

It just sounds likes he is short of match fitness and being held back for the busy run of games coming up rather than injured injured.

I hope that you are right and that LouOrn's information is incorrect, but Dan Gosling has had serious knee injuries in the past. Deeney seems to have managed to play despite problems with his knees, although he is no longer the player that he was.

 

[Luther]

I absolutely agree with that. He certainly wasn't played there to be a winger. I thought maybe it was part of the tactics to get Sarr and others to come inside and run beyond Deeney therefore creating space and cover. It is not working apart from the odd success so I hope he's back inside on Saturday.

That said, the conundrum is Chalobah DM, Gosling BtoB, Cleverley and Hughes, then Sarr & Sema as Midfield wingers - what formation do you play to get the best out of that lot?

My opinion is that 2 of the main midfielders have to be benched. We have to find a way of getting into the opposition box far quicker and create double the number of chances. Hughes and when fit Gosling may be the best combo with wingers outside of them.

What about Philip Zinckernagel?

 

[Chris 13]

What about Philip Zinckernagel?

Yes, one of the options as a winger

 

[Bolton's Boots]

Dan Gosling was on the bench (as an used substitute) for Bournemouth against Derby on 19th January, but he was not included in Bournemouth's squads for the next two games against Crawley (in the F.A. Cup) and Reading.

Someone on another forum mentioned that Gosling was not fit to start, but then LouOrns suggested that Gosling had failed his medical (although I am not sure whether he was joking). LouOrns then wrote "His (Gosling's) knees are ****ed - when I tweeted he was joining the other day, I asked about his injury; in short he won’t supposedly be available to play regularly" and "It was what I was told when I tweeted he was signing. We signed Dja Djedje with a broken metatarsal; this wouldn’t surprise me one bit." LouOrns' information is not always accurate, but he does often seem to know before other people what is happening and he gives the impression that he has access to some inside information.

After the Derby game could equally have been the time he was told no new contract offer was forthcoming and he was free to look elsewhere though.

I've no idea who this LouOrns is - some sort of rival for either Adam Leventhal or the young lad Jason who runs WD18? Or just a random guy posting his thoughts somewhere?

 

[Markthehorn]

Think he is random and feels he is "In the know"

 

[Luther]

After the Derby game could equally have been the time he was told no new contract offer was forthcoming and he was free to look elsewhere though.

I've no idea who this LouOrns is - some sort of rival for either Adam Leventhal or the young lad Jason who runs WD18? Or just a random guy posting his thoughts somewhere?

I also have no idea who is LouOrns, but often he seems to be more in-the-know than Adam Leventhal (the Athletic) or Jacob Culshaw (WD18). I suspect that LouOrns is friendly with someone at the club and, for example, he was one of the first to know about Pochettino's son being signed (for the U-23 team) as well as the arrival of Dan Gosling. I used to look at his Twitter account, but people now need permission to read his tweets and I do not wish to sign up for Twitter.

I did not renew my annual subscription to the Athletic because Leventhal no longer appears to have an inside contact at Watford. It has been suggested that Adrian Mariappa was passing on information to him last season, but Mariappa has left so that may be the reason why Leventhal seems to have lost his source. Now most of his information appears to be passed on by other journalists at the Athletic (such as the Burnley correspondent who told him about Watford's bid for Vydra) or on the odd occasion when the club decide to release breaking news to Leventhal. Otherwise, other sources sometimes announce news items relating to Watford before he does.

 

[Markthehorn]

The club havre videos of players scoring very good goals in training .

Can they replicate this on Saturday!!!

 

[oldfrenchhorn]

A
@DomHutchinsonn
penalty and an absolute stunner from Pochettino see the Golden Boys ahead at the break. 2-1 v Ipswich