I understand that this is a little late but I have been busy recently and I felt this would be appropriate for my last article on 606 and my first article on not-606. Here goes: This season has been all about defying expectations. The general thought was that without the talents of Cleverly and Lansbury and a lack of transfer activity seeing the arrivals of just Aldred, Deeney and Gilmartin all pointed towards a season of discontent. www.soccerbetting.info/news/... has Watford as ââ¬Ëa poor Watford teamââ¬â¢ and favourites to get relegated, needing Graham to better his tally of 14 goals from last season. This he most certainly done, beginning with the opening of the new season in the football league with a Friday night fixture away at Norwich. The revitalised Canaries were hot favourites, but goals from Eustace and 2 from Graham sealed a 3-2 victory, and set into motion a season of constantly upsetting the odds. This sparked a superb start to the season, which saw the Hornets float around the play-offs, as a young side built around the spine of Martin Taylor and John Eustace gained some notable victories, none more so than away at Millwall. The Hornets produced one of the biggest away wins in the clubââ¬â¢s 129 year history, with six different scorers in a 6-1 crushing. All seemed to be going well, with the side in 3rd position. However, it fell apart at the end of October with a home defeat to basement club S****horpe, and it seemed as if we would suffer the same collapse of the season the seen last year. The problem was that had started in early December with the club in 6th position and 13 points above relegation, and ended with the Golden boys just surviving relegation on the penultimate weekend. However by early December of this season no wins in 7 left Watford sliding down the table, just 4 points above relegation. However, the key turning point Leicester at home. With a two goal-lead, it seemed that a dodgy penalty and a free-kick from the Foxes had yet seen a crucial three points thrown away. However, Grahamââ¬â¢s late winner saw the spark of another incredible run, both from Watford and Graham. It was the season to be jolly over Christmas and New Year with 7 straight wins in all competitions. Included in that were two astonishing performances over QPR and Cardiff, with the former a 3-1 crushing in front of the BBC cameras and the latter seeing Cardiff full-back Lee Naylor being substituted in the first half such was Will Buckleyââ¬â¢s dominance, with the Sun Newspaper describing his performance akin to ââ¬Ëa monster truck on a scar-electric trackââ¬â¢ as he led us to a 4-1 victory. In the middle of all this Danny Graham scored in seven consecutive games, equalling the club record. A large majority of fans were sceptical at his signing in 2009, however his style of covering every blade of grass has endeared him to the Watford faithful. With satisfactory pace and heading ability at this level, and something of a fox-in-the-box, he was at the lynchpin of all that was good about Watford. Such was the success that Mackay was heavily linked with the vacant managerial job at Burnley. However, Cardiff were to have their revenge with the return fixture in late January with a 4-2 victory, which sparked a frustrating run as Watford saw their play-off ambitions disappear, giving away leads against Doncaster, Reading, Crystal Palace and Middlesbrough and losing to key rivals such as Nottingham Forest, Burnley and Hull. On the pitch things may be done and dusted, but it seemed the saga might just have begun off the pitch, with the takeover of the club by Laurence Bassini. Overdue and vague answers have led many to believe we might have just left the frying pan and jumped into the fire. The goals kept flowing from Graham, who finished with the golden boot for the Championship, but the defence was somewhat porous. Key injuries and the loss of quality loanees in Andrew Taylor and Mutch all led to a season petering out, with 4 wins in 22 games seeing a safe finish in 14th, and a great season all round if it badly flat-lined towards the end. Everything that has been achieved is put into context with the average squad ages barely above the very early 20ââ¬â¢s, with on occasions nearly two-thirds of our squad coming from the academy. It could be the end of a two-year era that has surpassed all expectations. Mackay, with the likes of Eustace, Graham and Buckley, who could all leave, managed to survive relegation when heavily tipped for two-season straight. The team have played a good style of passing, and even though it hasn't always worked out, the overall feeling is that the football has been enjoyable to watch, and with so many academy players Watford FC seems to have returned to a community club. This is my first real posting on Not-606. It's been great how the community that was built on 606 has so easily transferred over here, and am looking forward to the new season on this format.
It's a given that Graham will leave, and conceivable that Mackay could end up at Norwich. But if all four of them leave, I'll be demanding a refund on my season ticket. I know full well I won't get one, but I'll bleeding demand anyway.
Malky's own review of the season published in the WO was revealing. In the first part he spoke of his "frustration" at seeing the teams he has built broken up every 6 months or so, as players are sold on or loanees return. In the second part he seemed to be saying "job done here... now I can move on..." The search for a new owner which started a couple of years ago, was supposed to end with the arrival of someone who would take on the debts and inject new capital. It has not. The new owner has no money and no coherent plans for the future of the club (none that he is willing to share with the people he hopes will buy season tickets anyway) so that is a destabilising factor. This season was more enjoyable than expected, and less anxiety making. There was much to take pleasure in---performances, development of players, some good results. But it is hard to feel positive about next season. We will not be building on the achievements of this season A more competitive division, a weaker team , probably a new manager. This season may look like a high water mark in retrospect.
We had a great run of 8 or so wins on the bounce and a similar run of losses draws. Lose either and we go down or make the play offs. Next season could well be more of the same - mid table would b a good call.
emiatss, a fantastic review, a great summation. i'm very glad you've made the trip across here! Thanks for this.. 5* from me!
Great review Emiatss This season has passed all expectations but, of course, we are disappointed with the way it has ended. We should not be surprised. We have a thin squad with lots of youngsters, but those youngsters have gained an amazing amount of experience which they wouldn't have got anywhere else. From so far away I can't really comment on what is happening at the club for next season. It is a bit like trying to work out what was hapening in the Politburo of the old Soviet Union. A different position on a line up of members resulted in all sorts of speculation. I have no idea if Malky will stay. That will depend on other clubs too. It is taken as a given that Graham will leave, but then again he may not, and if he does who knows what the consequences will be. That depends on how much we get for him and how much Malky, or his successor gets to spend of it. I can't be as dispondent as Roger yet. Maybe I will be come August but again so much depends on other teams. Neither Birmingham nor West Ham may be as strong as we think they will be because of their financial plights. Will they hang on to their better players? Blackpool could be another of those teams that have on season in the premier league and then settle for mid table obscurity. They will definately lose players. I have said elsewhere that I think we will score fewer golas next season but I think that we will also score fewer. The key to the season will be whether the reduction in goals scored is greater of less than the reduction in the number of goals conceded. This has been a good season because our expectations have been far exceeded. Lets enjoy what has been before we get to worried about what is to come.
Roger - I think and hope you are being a little too pessimistic here. Malky will not leave unless he gets a fabulous offer or NOrwich lose Lambert and come for him. We will lose Graham but I doubt both Buckley and Eustace will go - there is a lot of wild speculation going around. Essentially I see us as next season being minus Graham but plus better defenders - surely this has to happen so expect a similar finish - slightly higher if the increase in experience runs through the team
It will not take a "fabulous" offer for Malky to leave. Just the opportunity to progress to the next stage of his career. That means a Championship club where he has a reasonable chance of building and KEEPING a team that can challenge for promotion; there must be 5 or 6 clubs in the Championship that could offer that. This is not to doubt his loyalty to Watford or his desire to do his best for us, but just to credit him with a serious ambition as a young manager who wants to go as far as he can in his career. If the change of ownership had brought us the kind of new owner we need, rather than the one we seem to have got, then he might have been expected to stay. As things stand--no. And the division WILL be more competitive than last season. West Ham are in debt, but have huge assets and owners still prepared to invest more. Their wage cap will not be ã5k a week, you can be sure of that. They will dominate the division, while teams like Ipswich and even Brighton seem to have the resources to offer to buy our best players. I don't see this as pessimism, though I have been called "Eeyore" in the past.
Thanks for the comments It does seem like it could be a summer where the club is somewhat broken apart. But isn't that what happened two seasons ago? We lost Rodgers, MacAnuff, Williamson, Smith, Priskin and key loanees like Rasiak and Cork. What did we do? We rebuilt. That's what we'll do again this season as well. Indeed it will be a competitive division, but I think there will be three teams worse that us this year.
Spot on emiatts - if we get money for Ashley Young moving and DG - someone estimated it at 30% would give Malky ã1.5m on "building" - which is a fair sum. How much did we buy DG for? Roger - opinions differ and I think it WILL take a fabulous offer to get Malky to move. He showed zero interest in Burnley - a bigger club with less financial problems. Why would he want to do it all again in the Championship and risk it all - did not work for Aidy or all of your favourites' BR at Reading. Here he has an academy giving him new blood and already knows and likes the set up - I would be amazed to see him leave except perhaps to West HAm - who willstill be viewed as Premiership-in-waiting.
Leo- i think we signed him for between 250,000 and 500,000 and that was only in compensation imposed by the courts. He was comming on a free after his contract expired but then Carlisle got all teary eyed and took it to court.
Spot on emiatts - if we get money for Ashley Young moving and DG - someone estimated it at 30% would give Malky ã1.5m on "building" - which is a fair sum. How much did we buy DG for? Roger - opinions differ and I think it WILL take a fabulous offer to get Malky to move. He showed zero interest in Burnley - a bigger club with less financial problems. Why would he want to do it all again in the Championship and risk it all - did not work for Aidy or all of your favourites' BR at Reading. Here he has an academy giving him new blood and already knows and likes the set up - I would be amazed to see him leave except perhaps to West HAm - who willstill be viewed as Premiership-in-waiting.
I would have a sneaky bet at the hammers going down again ! look at the odds its worth a couple of quid!
I agree with Lenny on Malky (although that isn't to say that a fabulous offer won't come along). He is in the position to wait for a good offer. He won't get us relegated, come what may. If he can lose Danny Graham, keep the relegation favourites in the top 16, and do all of that without moaning and with the fans onside, bigger and better clubs will take notice. His stock can only go higher than it is now for as long as he's here. As for your West Ham comment though Lenny, under the current circumstances I think he'd probably be better off going to Burnley.
I think to go to west ham would be a backwards step! they are deep in the poo!to the tune of 100m I think the question is would MM go to Cardiff?
Cardiff have potentially great debts. In the grand scale of things I don't think ã100m will trouble West Ham - when you are talking of taking over a stadium worth hundreds of millions it is all a completely different game to Watford's debt status. I don't think MM will go to West Ham either
They aren't getting that stadia for free you know! although very cheaply at market rates I concede! but it is still costing millions they dont have! and upton park is already mortaged to the hilt, to my understanding!
Exactly - they are just operating in a totally different financial league - one where ã10m debt would be laughed at. With their support and revenue, prem compensation payments and sales of players they will still be streets ahead of us in terms of what thye will spend on briinging in new faces. Also look what Gold did for Birmingham who were in a similar mess a few years back
