...and we are sitting in 14th. I feel we are in a half-decent position considering the start to the season and all the changes that were still taking place once the season had kicked off. We have a good squad, lots of competition and it sounds like we are starting to play a good passing game. This 'project' isn't going to produce results quickly, it is going to take time, we need to give the team and management time. I think...so far so good. Thoughts?
i agree. I do worry that we are beginning to have a reputation with the refs and the opposition that will encourage situations like we had on Saturday. But i'm still feeling very positive about this season, and think we'll finish in the top 10... One thing is for certain. We have a team that seems to be settling and everyone in a yellow shirt plays for Watford...team and Manager...there isn't a lazy one amongst them, and that's a joy to see.
Top ten IMO.... which could mean a play off place... Such a refreshing surpise to see up play passing football with confidence... just need to get in the net more often..
Agreed Mex. And I think it is only a matter of time before we give an unfortunate opponent an absolute gubbing.
Careful, I remember when Boothroyd declared that someone was going to get a drubbing as we sat at the foot of the premiership, not entirely sure but I think we went quite a few without winning and continued to get drubbed ourselves! This is a different scenario but I do expect the season to be of the 'knit one pearl one' variety where, starting with the Posh, we should knit.....
I think the odd thing are the results at Vicarage Road. As visitors Watford are getting better results than we have seen for many years but it is at home things are not going well.
There's been a lot to adjust to in a short space of time and you never quite know what to expect before a game (if we ever did!). Personally I've enjoyed some of the skills...first touch of many of the new players is an improvement. It's been good not having to worry so much about a keeper lacking in confidence but the rest of the defence has made up for that by conceding some soft goals. The disappointments are not winning more games at home and the inevitable loss of some of the 'local' feel of a Sean Dyche side. Anyway, 36 games to go...
I'd say we are still very much a work in progress, but we are progressing just fine I think many might be surprised how quickly some have grasped the passing game, and have responded well to it. This is a good sign, especially with our own players, which leaves us less reliant on all the loanees, which I hope we will be able to send many back and keep a decent core of quality! It also bodes well for the future, people wanting to come to Watford to play this football, and to work under GZ. I don't expect us to ever have anothe summer of so many loaness, but rather see the scouting network start working for Watford by identifying suitable permanent signings for us! The worry now is if we have started to get a reputation of going down too easily. It does seem to be mainly one player, but a team can so easily be tarred with the same brush! Hopefully the break will put that in the back of people's minds, and FF starts using longer studs! I would say it's still very early, but we are on the right road, and we are 'getting there'
If you want an interesting look at the first ten games in geeky statistical format take a look at this: http://experimental361.com/ It's a bit of a marvel. Interesting stats for us, particularly the majority of our goals being conceded through set pieces and through the centre of the pitch.
Interesting analysis. If we concede most from the centre is that because of our weaknesses from set plays?
Looks like it. We're pushovers in defence AND a constant threat going forward. It's interesting to note where our goals were conceded from and how many from set pieces as opposed to open play.
My expectation is top ten at the end of the season, based solely on the fact that Dyche took us to 11th. I think that's a challenging but reasonable target: Zola has a big job on his hands with tactics and man management, but on the other hand he has as good a keeper as we had at any stage last season, a wealth of attacking options (centre forwards aside) and the perfect pitch for his style of play. 10 games in, we're three points from where I'd like us to be, with Peterborough at home up next. Not a disaster by any stretch of the imagination. As for the side discussion, I don't think it's geeky to say that our defending has been flaky at times. But then we have also shown that we are capable of putting in a heroic rearguard display. Time will tell whether we can do it consistently.
I did a comparison with last year on a team by team basis - replacing those that went up or down with their "equivalents" and we are 8 points behind last years points total on that basis - lost 5 games that we won last year - so that is not good - however it is still early days and I expect us to end up mid table
Playing with stats again Leo? Seems to me that there has only been the one game where we lost the plot, and quite a few others that we could/should have won. The view around clubs that have a lot of team changes in the summer, is wait until mid-November to see if they will come together as a team. I think that with the available talent things should be fine for us, but there are still a number of players that we have seen little or nothing of.
Depends if we can keep everyone fit or on the pitch. FF will be a great player but won't be any good if he gets banned for diving each game!
I know a lot of people like to take stock after 10 games to see how the season will pan out, but maybe for us this season, taking into account the wholesale changes at the club, 15 games will be a better indication - promise I won't say 20 after 15
