My only thoughts about today before I descend into a drunken haze: 1. Carroll is a grade a **** 2. West Ham supporters are grade a ****s 3. Zeegelar (sp) is a monster 4. We played some brilliant stuff for long periods of that game especially leading up to the 2nd goal 5. Carroll is a grade a ****
Can't help thinking Ighalo would be decent in this team No slouch, has the speed to play off the shoulder and in behind, also physical enough to play target man
I thought Gomes showed how important he is agian today. The double save was world class. Great performances today from Zeeglaar, Cleverly, Doucs, Richarlison, Kiko, Hughes and Kabaselle. I thought Gray did well - great assist and now desperately needs a goal for his confidence. Nice to see Bobby P back. Didn't miss Troy at all today. Well done boys. Now let's pray that Silva stays.
I think a special mention needed for Gray for our first. Turned on a sixpence to create space for a shot at goal, but unselfishly screwed a disguised pass to Hughes, wrong-footing the defence and setting up an easy chance. Then (joking aside), to cap off a busy performance, he took a defender away helping to create space for Richarleson with a good diagonal run.
It's more what he didn't say. No mention of Watford and completely non committal about the club. Negative body language and lack of eye contact with interviewer, he seemed ill at ease with the questions. The thing is he seemed a bit like that in interviews before this ghastly Everton link so I don't know if hes just moody and conceited. I don't know if I necessarily blame him if he's interested in doubling his salary. I would be. We also expect loyalty but these players and managers aren't watford fans (apart from Iggy) so why should they be loyal. It'd be worse if he professed loyalty like Rodgers and then pi55ed off. I just hope the speculation ends although it didn't affect the performance today.
I can see why Silva isn't committing either way. It would put him in an awkward position if we did accept an offer from Everton (I know the club have said "not at any price", but realistically every asset has its price). My gut feeling is that Silva would be just as happy to stay as he would to go, and we have to hope that Gino and co stand firm. As an aside I think it's pretty classless from Everton to go after a manager 13 games into their current job.
In all seriousness I think Gray had a great game today. The reality is football has changed and only a handful of top sides have prolific strikers. We’re top half but our strikers have only scored two goals between them. It’s not really about the number 9 or 4-4-2 anymore, it’s about your midfield and thankfully we have a really good one. A few more goals wouldn’t go a miss but overall all I think he does a pretty good job for us.
Do you like apples? HOW DO YOU LIKE THEM APPLES?!!! Has anyone ever been more nervous over a 2-0 lead before??? The midfield was outstanding. Dacoure bossed it. Hughes was inspirational. Richarlison is another level. The speed of passing and understading was phenomenol. Gray up front was tireless and really deserves a lot of goals. They will surely come soon. If only Kiko could cross a ball! Defensively... well without Gomes we would have maybe drawn what was a completely dominated team. Britos was ok defending but OH MY GOD HIS PASSING WAS SUNDAY LEAGUE!!! West Ham were awful. It was clear from the start, they were there to be as dirty as possible. Aside from all the big talking points, they were so dirty off the ball. Trips and elbows all over the place. Doesn't strike me as a Moyes team as he seems to have more class?! But they were horrible and cynical. Felt a bit sorry for the fans after outside. Feels like they've been royally screwed by the board. Not that sorry mind. Onwards.
Just been on Knees Up Mother Brown!! What a bunch of ***** some of them are. One tool compared us to Stoke City !!!!! However, we did get some praise, especially our midfield albeit half hearted!
Some uncharacteristically gushing praise from the Beeb: "For Watford supporters concerned at the prospect of Silva leaving, there is some consolation: the scouting team that identified Richarlison from Fluminense in Brazil and decided to take a chance on Hughes, long-linked with a move to the top flight, will remain regardless of who sits in the dugout. Both players caught the eye against West Ham, who invested on more tested Premier League talent in Hart, Pablo Zabaleta and Arnautovic in the summer but are nine places below Watford in the table. Under former Italy international Andrea Carnevale, the Hornets have one of club football's most envied scouting units, and owner Gino Pozzo has an equally sharp eye for managerial appointments. Losing Silva after only 13 games in charge would hurt, but it should not derail one of the league's most impressively run clubs competing with those with far bigger budgets."
That 3 man defence didn’t concede. Just. And if I’d seen the team sheet before the game I’d have been very nervous. This teaches the importance of a good midfield. The modern game isn’t about defence and a forward line so much as a decent midfield - we certainly have that
On Derby's forum there's 7 pages about Will Hughes' performance today, https://dcfcfans.uk/topic/27665-will-hughes/?page=32
The Gomes double save prompted me to look at "the greatest double save of all time" on You Tube from Jim Montgomery in the 1973 Cup Final. Montgomery's second save was wonderful, but in truth he probably should have done better with the first. The first Gomes save was incredible considering the deflection and the second nearly as good.
Will Hughes was a class above today. His touch and vision was sublime. If he can utilize the ‘pockets’ as a number 10 then we have (another) quality player on our hands. He needs a much better song though
To be fair, harts save from mapps was ******* good too but his attempt to save the second goal was piss poor. And there you have his career in 10 minutes
no one had a bad game, Gomes was outstanding and West Ham are in serious trouble if they continue to play like that
But we don’t play that way - gray is similar but we don’t do the early ball anyway so it makes little difference
Absolutely agree on the midfield, we have seriously upgraded it. Last season Capoue played 37 times and Behrami 27. The former slows the game down so much and the latter couldn't play anything other than the most simple of passes. Comparing the stodge of last season to the fluidity and movement we have now, is like night and day. We don't hoof it half as much because we actually have players capable of working the ball in tight spaces and then moving to look for it again, rather than playing it backwards to a centre back looking like a rabbit in the headlights who just wants to get rid of it. And the key to it all is Doucouré, he is always available and never stops running. Whenever the centre backs have the ball, his first move is towards them, to get it off them and get us going again. He is the metronome for our performances, setting the tempo and driving us on. Also, Will Hughes reminds me so much of Almem Abdi. He's not fast, he's not strong, he can't tackle or head the ball... but his footballing brain is excellent. The weight of his passes and the timing when he releases it are Abdiesque - the person recieving it never has to break stride. He doesn't seem to have the long range shooting of Lord Almen of Abdi but I think he's a more creative passer around the penalty area. Really glad he's got his chance.
Good win, could easily have scored many more. We played well but Moyes really is screwed. They were dreadful and their fullbacks were not existent for most of the match. Midfield looked so good (as did everyone), and that's without Pereyra, which is absolutely mad. Ref had an absolute shocker though.
Good comparison. I was thinking earlier about who he reminded me off and for me it was youg Jack Wilshere (when he had so much promise and potential) the way he uses the ball sometimes without even touching it.
Not giving a single straight answer is my problem with it He has a right to move job as we all have, I have no problem with that, it's every answer being overly clever and evasive that grates
As Donald Fagen would say; 'Nice'! I'm as happy as a Frenchman who's just invented a pair of self removing trousers! Hughes has an astute football brain and was a joy to watch,I think he looks a little like Richard the Lionheart. Carroll was very fortunate to remain on the pitch and the West Ham fans didn't take long to turn on The Unholy Trinity.Mind you,you can't blame them.Thinking about Sullivan makes me feel decidedly umpty. To save the West Ham fans the bother,I beat myself up on Occupation Road. Lots of love for Iggy!
I find it difficult to accept any sort of comparison to our lord and God Almen Abdi (PBUH), but Will Hughes has the potential to be spoken about in the same terms.
Incredible to think that Hughes has scored a sixth of the world's best player Jack Wilshere career goals. In one game. Only has 14 more assists to go to catch up as well.
