I enjoyed yesterday. I was there.
I still can while I think there is still hope of snatching 4th bottom and moving on next season.
I am not so sure of all the criticism
I don't think we could have done too much about the goals
Full backs were decent and steady
Clarke- Salter is very good and we are much better at the back with him in the team
Jimmy had a great game. He won every header and every battle.
He pushed forwards from the back on several occasions into the space on offer and was unlucky not to score
I have seen his long passing worse!
The defence had a good mix of playing it around at the back and passing it long with success to Armstrong.
They mixed it up well and into both channels so I think Watford pressed us less than other teams have recently as we had a plan B.
Midfield was better/less bad than it has been for a while
I thought Colback had his best game that I have seen (this is a relative term)
That was until he got booked (could have been a red I suspect but I haven't seen it again) after that he palpably held back on the 50/50s in the middle of the park, which he had to to stay on the pitch. I guess a better manager would have subbed him earlier.
He seemed to pass it around quickly crisply and forwards until then
I take the criticism of his effort on the goal, especially when you compare it to Smyth? throwing his body on the line in defence at around 80 minutes.
Sam was solid as he normally is.
I think we benefited in midfield from No Dozzell, the defence mixing it up and having 4 players ahead to pass to.
There just seemed to be space and time to play in the first 66% of the pitch
At half time my mates thought we'd done OK
Chair was average but we have higher expectation of him.
I thought Willock did OK and rarely loses the ball. His ability to collect and shield it under pressure is very good. He is still the only player you want the final ball to go to as he is comfortably the most likely to put it in the net. For that reason alone I don't think you can ever sub him. (Until others start scoring 5 per game)
The benefit of having Armstrong on the pitch was clear for all to see. He gave much much more than 110%
He inteligently seemed to run both channels which helped the defence as per above.
We have all spent 12 months saying he is a young powerful beast with a poor touch who needs game time to improve
He is a young powerful beast with a poor touch who needs game time to improve
So we should let him get on with it, training him and keep off his back.
I like Dykes dropping and when he does he shows that he has the best touch of any squad member except possibly Willock.
(I write the above knowing our options from the bench)
We always always always look better with Smyth on the pitch. I would like him to get more game time
Yes we need to score more but we are creating chances which is progress
I thought Watford were decent going forwards but had no backbone, possibly due to being beaten up by us.
I would like to try
Our back 5
Field and Chair in the middle (Barry Bannan style). I'm sure I saw Chair in that role in his very very early days
Willock middle left a bit more advanced alongside Dykes - dropping collecting and advancing and attacking the space in anticipation that Smyth will deliver as he often does
Armstrong and Smyth running the channels with Amstrong running both channels and not staying on the left all game
Will we go down.? 55% likely currently but a little more luck and confidence and training that could shift that in our favour
Have we got any strength in depth. No
It was an enjoyable, but yes very frustring , game.
I can enjoy it provided we do not go down which we haven't yet.
I am being realistic given our squad