6 wins, 4 losses. 18 points from 30. 60% win rate. Scored 17 and let in 11. Stoke (a) 0-4 Swans (h) 1-2 Bpool (a) 3-1 Norwich (h) 2-1 Millwall (a) 3-0 Lootown (h) 4-0 Wigan (a) 0-1 Cardiff (a) 1-2 Coventry (h) 0-1 Reading (h) 2-0 I reckon he's done really well. After Edward's got the boot, the team needed a new formation and personality. Obviously, it is work in progress as the Millwall debacle shows. However, with the World Cup break coming up combined with being back in the play-offs and only 6 points off top gives me optimism. He's done well given injuries and suspensions too. A win away this Saturday would be a nice tonic before the break. It seems he is due a draw mind! I'd also like to add I am surprised how tight the table is after 20 games, which, given our start, has also helped our aim of going up. What do you think of him and his team so far?
I know they don't tell the whole story, but how do those stats compare with Edwards? I feel a bit more confident about Bilic in terms of I think he has more of an idea of what he wants the team to do, and they seem to be executing it more often than not. We are still a bit inconsistent (the Millwall game in particular was an utter disaster), and our squad looks threadbare in places, but it feels like we're heading in the right direction. I hope that after the world cup break, we'll have more players back from injury and a squad that knows what they're doing to iron out that inconsistency.
F1 Edward's ten games in: So, I wanted to look at ten games in. Here are our results so far: Watford 1-0 Sheffield Utd - JP WBA 1-1 Watford - Sarrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr Watford 1-0 Burnley - Clevs Brum 1-1 Watford - Manaj PNE 0-0 Watford - N/A (We lost in the Cup to MK Wrongs) Watford 2-3 QPR - Sema, JP Watford 2-1 Boro - Sarr, Bayo Rottenham 1-1 Watford - Bayo vollyassasso Blackburn 2-0 Watford Watford 2-2 Sunderland - Davis, OG. Won 3, drawn 5, and lost 2, is the blunt end of it all. My comments at the time: 3-5-2 ironically, but we have had a few formations out there, and 7 different scorers (8 with OG!). We've let in the same amount as we've scored, 11, and sit just above L$%&n in the table in 10th. Are the performances good enough? I am not sure. However, the Championship can be brutal and we've had a lot of changes over the summer, and we were DIRE last season overall, and SPINELESS. Are we on the way up as work in progress? Or set to become a part of the Championship midtablers again? I don't feel, from what I've heard, as I haven't seen any games just had the radio on, that we are going to score enough and keep it tight enough to go up or even make the play-offs.
Dunno what I think of that but I know that my attendance record from the Bilić ten is W2 D0 L4 and from the Edwards chapter W3 D3 L0. Read into that what you will. I've no idea what it means! I do find what Bilić is trying to get the players to do as entertaining and effective... except when I'm there, l*t*n aside.
I feel more confident with Slav, but I still think play-offs would be a good aim. Still, tight at the top ATM. A few wins on the bounce can change a lot.
The thing that seems strange to me is that despite everyone, not just here, saying that we have the best forward line in the division, we are not free scoring. So maybe it is not our forwards, but the midfield that contributes to the lack of goals. It is often said that it takes a new coach six to eight games to instill a new way of playing. There has been a change from three at the back which puts an extra man into midfield, to four defenders. The lack of a settled midfield because of injury or suspension cannot help. Maybe after the break we will see the change in formation starting to be fruitful.
This league is so unpredictable you might feel your're on a good run then suffer a couple of defeats. We've had the odd poor performance as Bilic as said but generally done well. Probably depends on how the squad should be doing in your eyes. We have fans who think it's so wonderful we ought to be winning the league then others who say it's so hopeless that you wonder how we win games at all! Obviously there is some excellent talent in the squad but as I say they might not be consistent and the defence seems to be a bit of a lottery in terms of personal but that is improving in recent games. Probably cannot afford too many more injuries though.
I would give him 8/10 so far...mainly due to the promise and energy he has brought to the team.........Feeling much more hopeful fo a top 6 finish.....
One thing he can't change - the number of injuries we seem to attract. One thing he could change - the number of yellow cards for stupid 'infringements', which lead to suspensions. One thing he seems to be working on - consistency in individual & team performance. One thing he has done - increase entertainment value. A thumbs up from me...