My golden rule is never go back for players who left the club. Now I must include managers. However there is one exception that proves the rule.I think the club management were left unprepared being over confident in Gracia. Whoever you appoint, you must immediately have options in the filing cabinet.( cos the red hat still has the keys to the safe.
Afternoon all. Thanks for stream OFH. Just back from my sing song so have a sore throat so will not be typing much
only been watching for a few minutes but I get the impression Watford feel like the England Rugby team.
Knowing we have nothing up front puts all the pressure at the back. Can't expect much out of teams like Chelsea.
It is very difficult when you have just lost to see the game in the same way that a sports reporter might. According to some reports it was an entertaining match. It didn't feel very entertaining from here until we we given the penalty.
VAR was our friend - was the only way we were going to score . Summed up when Foster comes the closest to getting another goal ! Really outplayed in midfield and they showed what a real striker can do . Maybe weren't expecting much from this game but points are a must in the next few .
I actually thought Dawson would have scored if Foster didn't take it off his head. It was frustrating to see Kiko for Jamnatt but with the forced sub of Cathcart early and the Jamnatt yellow it meant it was wiser not to sub on Success. I was not inspired during the match apart from one or two times, almost bored tbh and had to tolerate 2 American football tourists sitting next to me supporting Chelsea and in particular Pulisik (is that his name?). Sadly I have to admit that 3 things I enjoyed the most were Foster saves, then the other 2 things were about Chelsea- The through ball for their first was exquisite, then the shot that Foster tipped onto the bar. Nothing otherwise of Watford, not even our well drilled formation.
The bovril was my highlight although my friend queued for over half an hour for it. He obviously does not possess the half time timing skills my wife has painstakingly acquired over the last 50 years.
I found the game open and entertaining. I didn't really expect us to get anything from this game so not overly upset but shame we did not steal a point at the end. Much of the same from us, more solid defensively, teams have to work hard not to cut through us but there is no one up front making telling runs into the box. So many times I see us on the break but there is no on to pass the ball so it goes backwards and usually ends up with Foster, so frustrating. I thought Dawson's yellow was an appalling decision, it was a fabulous tackle. The next few games are crucial, if we don't get 6 points the I think we are done for unless the Pozzo's have a cunning plan.
Our lack of options (= power) up front is painful to watch. Gray only succeeds when he has a partner - and I don't mean that as a criticism. Easy in hindsight, but the summer recruiting has shown us up. Given the results towards the end of last season, it is isn't entirely excusable. Then again, we are probably only one player short - a class CF. Rare as hens teeth maybe, but we DO have the players to create chances for a reliable goalscorer.Anyway, we don't seem to be giving up, which is something. Dawsons tackle was nigh on perfect. What actually was wring, unless the ref thought her might have injured the player if he had missed it. And another thing. WHY on EARTH don't they just stop the clock whenever play is stopped. (e.g. players trudging off). Timewasting would disappear , apart from the goalkeepers antics, which is easily momitored, and guessing the extra time would be unnecesary.
So logically Dawson gets a yellow if he gets it wrong, we don't want to stop superbly timed tackles, just encourage them not to be reckless. These types of tackles are becoming a thing of the past sadly. Good idea about stopping the clock, could learn a lot from Rugby, as has been said many times.
Dawson's tackle was text book perfection. Anthony Taylor is an idiot who has never kicked a competitive football in his life. Even by Watford's extremely low bar this was as poor a decision as it gets.
