Fantastic win, thoroughly proffesional and comprehensive!! Just as a quick side note: we all know that Cardiff are now running away with this division - they have, however, won 1-0/2-1 on 16 occasions this season, whereas we have now scored 3 or more goals in no fewer than 10 matches. I know which team I'd rather watch!
The one glimmer of hope is that I think it might take 90 points to clinch second. Slip up against Brighton and Boro, and all of a sudden Cardiff are looking over their shoulders at three or four teams capable of doing the business.
Just heard that we are the joint top scorers in all 4 divisions. A great day only marginally spoilt by the worst and most aggressive stewards I have encountered. I hope they are all blues fans!!!
Just seen the result and very satisfied. Just shows what I know. If anyone was wondering why I don't post in the prediction leagues, well, now you know !!
Just back - another brilliant day out and top support by the travelling horns. Totally controlled the game and Casetti as a centre back was inspirational. I walked back from St. Andrews to New Street on cloud nine and I cannot see myself coming down - only downside is Mrs W_Y will not let me go out into bandit county on the wind up...so I am sitting in the Dacha drinking my best wine...COYH
I hope, like I am sure of all you do, that he makes fewer changes. Maybe a certain S. Loach in goal might help us too
Cheers NNW, but the credit goes to AK. He used to do it on his threads and I just pinched the idea. But im glad you like them. Have they sorted the issues with that then? Cos you cant split frequencies on DAB, so im not sure how they would manage to cover 4 teams on one day. Butland was their motm by a country mile. It could have been 5/6 if it werent for his heroics. My dad and I did a better job of polishing off 10 pieces of KFC than the entire arsenal team! It was like a library in their end. They just stood there and took all the banter we had to give. It was fantastic, everyone there chanting and partying. Then Hogg came out to warm down and he got involved too. What a fantastic atmoshpere and day in general. Were they bad? I know they were disorganised and were telling people it was unreserved seating when it wasn't and that lead to people standing in the aisle, which is illegal, but I didnt think they were the worst.
I witnessed two separate incidents where the stewards reacted violently to celebrating Watford fans. The first one saw a steward reach across the barrier to shove a Watford fan. in the end he was taken away by his own stewards. The second incident saw a senior steward come through the barrier to the fans side. I think he wanted the fan to return to his seat and attempted to do so by shoving him quite violently chest up the stairs, which of course made him fall backwards. When there were protests from several Watford fans at this treatment the self same steward piled in with his mates and dragged two Watford fans out. So yes, worst I've seen.
Ahh, fair enough. I was on the right hand side and they never even spoke to us. They just allowed fans to stand in the aisle. There must have been 50+. Even when they fell during their celebrations the stewards did nothing.
i won't read back because it's probably all beens said, but for me, MotM was Cassetti. That man is just incredible and goes relatively unnoticed every match. And yes, the stewards were a bit rough at times...but the atmosphere was rocking...well done to the Hornets ...we were blinkin' awesome all round and it was a fab day
I also agree on Cassetti - in fact the back 3 yesterday were the 2nd string notionally and were pretty comfortable. Bodes well for rest of season if we can continue to tighten up. Apart from Almunia throwing the ball out to put us under pressure. As I asked elsewhere, does he do it to keep the defence on their toes, or does he think he's still at Arsenal ? If we look at the goals conceded per game staring from the season start, after the first 10 which is too small a sample,(where it stood at 1.8) it has declined very steadily ever since. It now stands at 1.31 for season as a whole, (and only 1.09 per game after the first 10). I reckon that is very encouraging for remaining 14 games.
i don't agree with you on the throw out from Almunia..when he kicks it up the pitch we rarely win it...if he passes it out...we have far more chance of keeping hold of the ball...imo...but i do agree...we have a lot of very good options at the back
When I watched the Palace game last week Almunia's kicking was awful. He kept kicking it into no-mans-land and well away from any of his own players. So based on that I'd rather he threw or passed it out.