Reflections on yesterday: 1. Sorry I missed you all at the Farmhouse. Unfortunately Onionman Jr was at a week's camp up near Newbury and I had to collect him. A late finish for them compounded by the A34 and M3 meant we only just made the game. 2. I didn't see a particular problem with the formation. I did see a huge problem with what I suspect were nerves with seemingly dozens of 10 yard and 15 yard passes going astray; not near-miss passes but straight-to-opponent passes. Awful, but can't last with professionals on the pitch so they picked up, however by then we were chasing the game. 3. Højbjerg. From the moment he came on we looked significantly improved. Didn't see him put a foot wrong. A few sparkling looking passes and key interceptions. Looks a great deal more solid in the flesh than on TV. Early days but I'll be keeping an eye on him. 4. Redmond. Looked like he enjoyed being put up front. Seemed perhaps to feel he had to do it all, couple of occasions where he might have laid it off, but I suspect it'll come with time. Technically terrific finish with his weaker foot. 5. Steven Davis. When he has a bad day, so do the team. He was poor for the first 30 minutes or so. So were we. 6. Matt Targett. Twenty six minutes (twenty six minutes) into the game, someone near me was shouting at him for being a useless twat who shouldn't be on the pitch. That during a break for someone to be treated. Matty was just standing in space waiting for play to resume and some twot thought it was a good idea to launch into him. I despair of football supporters, I really do. 7. Dušan. Skillz. Scared the willies out of their defence. At times they were sending three players out to deal with him. Looking forward to seeing him as motivated as he seemed yesterday. You have to love how he gees the crowd up to roar when he goes near to take a corner. 8. Sending off. At the time I wondered if their other defender might be covering. However: firstly, no hesitation at all from the ref. Secondly, I was 150 yards away in the Northam. Thirdly, no real protest from Watford. Fourthly, I saw it on MOTD and it was stonewall. Shane was round him and would have been 1:1 with the keeper. 9. Troy Deeney. He probably has a significant gravitational field. Watford fan friend of mine texted "He looks like he's eaten Troy Deeney". Vin
Well that's what I saw. There was a defender coming across quickly. There was definitely enough doubt there to only give a yellow.
Just about spot on! Welcome back. Shame about the pub (I couldn't hear you very well on the phone, sorry)
Fair enough Tom, I'm just amazed as you seem to be the only person on the planet who thinks there was any doubt. Not one other murmuring anywhere of doubt and you were adamant, with no doubt originally.
Agree with most of what has been written. This was my first competitive match since Vitesse last season due to surgery and subsequent recovery so cannot really compare to what was served up during the pre Christmas Koeman era, but suspect all the 'we need to change the formation' was echoed more loudly during that period. I have to say the most frustrating thing for me was the constant time wasting and lack of action by East. He kept tapping his watch, but did nothing meaningful until 85th minute - far too late to have any impact. Watford reminded me of a 90s Italian side - cynical throughout (blocking runs off the ball, shirt pulling outside of the apparent view of the ref). Without doubt we will struggle against physical sides this year unless we speed up our passing and make it more accurate and precise. This may well come, especially with Hjobjerg's 43 out of 43 passes in the second half. I quite enjoyed it (apart from the first 30 mins!).
I can understand why a red was given and to be honest, there's a case for those types of fouls to be red cards anyway even if it doesn't deny a "clear goalscoring opportunity". But with the law as it is, I was expecting a yellow to be given. It's ironic that the same referee failed to send off Lovren last season for one that was far more clear of a red card than yesterday (although in that case it was because he didn't give the foul at all).
You will be getting a red card if you carry on like this, are you trying to convince yourself? It is a lonely furrow you are ploughing. Watford got away with a few more indiscretions that don't seem to have been picked up on, Sky Choice even claimed we should have had a penalty for a blatant shirt tug on Redmond, it only showed up on the replay.
Of course you are and I would agree with you, problem is there is a danger that we would then both be wrong.
Ok, let's have that discussion now you've worded it like that. Are you saying that was not a goal scoring opportunity? (Please bear in mind that earlier you said "If Shane cut inside" and clearly from the TV images you can see he didn't have to do that)
It was a goal scoring opportunity but the law says it has to be a clear goal scoring opportunity for a red. IMO, the other defender who was coming across put doubt into my mind regarding that. Therefore that's why I thought it was a yellow.
I've found someone who agrees with you, Tom: http://www.wfcforums.com/showthread...C-13-08-2016&p=1257183&viewfull=1#post1257183 Back in the real world, someone on there made a point I should have mentioned. Deeney may be a porker but Virgil didn't miss a beat when those long balls were being punted up the field. Every single one without exception was taken by Virgil. What a diamond! (Can I still say "diamond" as though it's a good thing?) Vin
Ok. So clear to me though at the time as the defender was coming across from behind and an angle, with Long at full pace in a straight line to goal. TV shows that too.
Hello, Saints . I think we were thrilled to get a point, given our horrible fixture start (you, then Chelsea, Arsenal, West Ham, Man Utd are our first five games!). Of course we wanted all three points, but you looked strong in the second half particularly after your subs. So glad Long was preferred to Austin, who is great against us (5 in5) and looked like trouble when he came on - if he'd been on longer I definitely think you'd have had all the points. Don't judge your formation against a team playing 3-5-2, we'll be the only ones playing that this (or any? ) season. Redmond looked promising and that young lad from Bayern - very good. We have a solid bunch of players whose strength last season was QSF's organisational skills (which started to be found out later on) but we lack a joining of the midfield and forwards. That long diagonal cross from Amrabat to Deeney was all we had and that will get sussed and cut out soon enough. No argument re the red, Amrabat wouldn't have been able to intervene with Long, but I guess he preferred to go down (he didn't get much choice ) than go 1:1 with Gomes - better to play against 10 for 20mins, which nearly came true. Again, would've preferred Long to Austin in that situation. All in all, we're very happy with a probably undeserved away point. Good luck for the rest of your season, except in the return fixture obviously.
