Haven't you noticed - threads sometimes get diverted. It's called discussion. Feel free to say something about Muff if you like - we won't stop you.
Positive performance, shame about the result. Good to see Pereyra, Hughes and Femenia back to something like their best - hopefully the latter two are close to being able to complete 90 minutes. I was actually happy to see Gracia make some positive substitutions towards the end, as it allowed us to press high rather than sit back. It should have worked - we had plenty of opportunities to kill the game - just that final pass wasn’t there. Last minute equalisers hurt but at least it was substantial improvement on the two previous performances. Can we play at home every week?
Very frustrating to not deal with that hoof into the area and to afford Defoe so much space. I was right behind Holebas and it was as daft as they come. Bournemouth have always surrounded the ref,hammed it up and mini Howe is always badgering the fourth official at every opportunity. Despite the frustration I thought Hughes was excellent and outshone Lewis Cook. Kiko was also excellent but I was alarmed to see so much physio tape on his calves and adductors. It was good to see Cathcart back and an entertaining game. I disagree with the AFC B fans that barker met,I thought we tried to kill the game but were wasteful and were made to suffer for such profligacy. Holebas may have yet again messed up but I'd never wish ill on one of our own.
Frustrating game - should have won, but I'm sure everybody in the stadium or watching at home sensed the inevitable happening. Thought we were the better team, but as the home side you'd expect that. Muff created enough to claim a point, only we should have been out of sight by then. Genuinely couldn't see the Holebas handball from my seat - all around me were perplexed by the decision. Would the extra money needed to have gotten Gibbs in been offset by the prize money gained from finishing higher - something we'd surely do if crazy individual mistakes such as this weren't happening and costing us points? Janmaat and Kiko were great together. Janmaat's crossing a mixed bag - when he did put a decent ball in, nobody was in the box. Mariappa seemed to have a good game, although I'm hearing it was his mistake to let Defoe in? Again, couldn't see from my seat so can't comment accurately. But it seems as though constant defensive mistakes are holding this team back. But IMO - the biggest mistake was taking off Hughes. The lad looked different class, and didn't appear to be tired. Our grip on the match started to wane once he departed - playing two up top was not required as we were constantly making chances. Against Everton and West Brom, Okaka was needed. In a far more open game, he made us worse. Initial thoughts on the free kick he gave away was never in a million years, but maybe I'll change my mind when seeing a replay. Still should have been easily cleared. Howe in the ear of the 4th official constantly. If we win next week, today won't have been so bad. But anything other than three points against Burnley considering our away form, and this result doubles in disappointment.
Can't wait to see Chalobah and Hughes playing together next season (maybe even before the end of this season).....
A standard Watford game. **** in defence, good in midfield, nothing really going on up front, silly individual mistakes, **** crossing and a last minute goal.
Regarding the "free kick" which led to their late equaliser, I haven't seen a replay, but my impression during the match was that the referee stopped the game due to a suspected head injury and at some point decided to award AFCB a free kick rather than restart with a drop ball. Maybe I am wrong, but it will be interesting to see on TV.
I think we need to address the elephant in the room. And when I say elephant I don't mean Holebas but that f**king annoying constant drum throughout the game. Seriously, happy for it to be used sparingly when we are on attacks or need to gee up the crowd when it falls flat but feck me it just didn't stop. Did the 2 guys even watch any of the game or just drum and encourage the crowd. Fair enough you sacrificed enjoying the game to keep the stand cheering but you may as well have been wearing chearleader skirts over your hairy legs and pom poms instead of drumsticks. I will be hearing that bloody drumming in my sleep tonight and if I'm sure I developed tinnitus.
That Liverpool (mis)match shocked me. Watford FC has (in my lifetime) been synonymous with fight, punching above our weight, aggression and a lack of repect for the big names. Against Liverpool we were not just beaten, we were tamed - put firmly in our place. And in post match interviews we accepted the humiliation and licked the boots of those that dealt it out. ' We were battered by the better side' . 'We'll learn from our mistakes'. Pathetic platitudes that don't even attempt to disguise the servile idea that Liverpool are so much better than us that we don't deserve to be on the same pitch. Every single last one of those horrible cowards can just f*** off.
Shame about the defensive lapses today, but would have definitely taken 4 points against Muff at the start of the season. Looking forward to the time in the next couple of years when Howe jumps ship, they will fall to pieces shortly thereafter.
Our own fault yet again for not being at least 3-1 up if not more. Referee was again bad and partially to blame but should we finish even one more of our many chances we had, nobody is talking about the ref. Points to the person that can be bothered to run a poll about which season was worse, this or last? A struggle to decide but last year is just about making it for me so far with us playing so well in the first quarter this season.
This season has had higher and more consistent (although not actually very consistent) highs, I'd say; we've played better football for most of the season, even in losing, than we ever did under Wally, and we have a few more exciting players to boot. As you say, the first quarter of the season was very exciting indeed, and, for example, of the 6 Prem meetings we've had with Bournemouth, every single one has resulted in a draw except the away leg this year, which we of course won, so that's a nice thing to hold over them for now. That being said, I was more genuinely concerned about the eventual prospect of relegation by the end of Slither's reign of terror than I ever was last year. I think rather than being a fairly rubbish straightforward season, this time round it has been a very frustrating one thanks to missed opportunities and the pulsing 'what might have been' feeling.
Just seen the highlights - what on earth was Cathcart doing for their equaliser? Aké was his man but he ran away from him meaning Deeney had to make a last gasp effort to get in front of him. Can't understand those saying that Prodl was poor, he made an excellent goal saving tackle on King in the first half, as well as a crucial interception and another perfectly timed tackle to stop a break that the ref gave as a foul. He started to struggle against Wilson in the second half but that's hardly surprising given the pace differential. Also thought that Holebas played well apart from that one moment (having seen a replay now, I retract my earlier suggestion it was accidental!). He looked like he was determined to make up for it and I can't remember him doing much else wrong. Hughes is our best player, should build the team around him next season, with pace in the other three attacking positions.
Wow, so negative. Not sure you and I were watching the same game? Yes, Holebas' decision was stupid and bizarre. From where I was sitting (up high in the Rookery behind the goal) it seemed both deliberate and unnecessary. But I thought the rest of the crew put in a reasonable shift; as ever, it was the final ball that let us down repeatedly. Yes, Janmaat's crossing is hit and miss but thought overall he had a good game. And Hughes made an enormous difference. So good to see him back and excited to see the team play with both him and Chalobah in it again. The equaliser was so frustrating and, from where I was sitting, the "foul" that resulted in the free kick leading to it looked very questionable but maybe I'll stand corrected when I see it again. Overall I thought there was more to feel positive about than negative and also thought the atmosphere was pretty good. The negatives for me (apart from the ridiculous penalty and annoying equaliser): 1. I didn't get a free creme egg with my programme 2. Eddie Howe: I don't usually take part in the "Howe bashing" on this forum as I know one of his brothers and he is a lovely guy so I feel disloyal slating his brother. But Eddie's constant badgering of the fourth official left a bad taste in my mouth (which a free creme egg definitely wouldn't have). Happy Easter everyone!
Highs have been oh so much higher, lows have been as low as I've felt in the Premier League era. Our season really has been batshit insane. Overall, I'll probably take that over last season. At least we've had a bit of excitement, whereas last season was average and just painfully dull
Perhaps it's for the best they didn't give out Creme Eggs. When you're feeling nervous, a sugar rush is never a good thing, makes me feel proper sick
If our delivery of the ball into the box was half decent, we'd have had that game killed off long before Defoe equalised.
Pretty sure we didn't have the chance as we couldn't afford him. Bournemouth have more money than us.
Well to make you feel less guilty about slating the weasel-faced ******, he thought we should have had three players sent off today... https://twitter.com/solentsport/status/980117197250056195?s=19
Defoe and 2-2 was written in the stars at 2-1 As I said on shoutbox in such an open game you always have to think of the headlines for the game in tomorrow’s paper. We are the bad boys. Muff equalising was always written. At 75 mins muff to draw was 4/1. Defoe to score his fairy tail, hasn’t scored since December goal was 8/1. Was a no brainer Put a fiver on both and you are quids in. If it doesn’t happen we are safe from relegation and you won’t care. As it happens 37 at this point is a good place to be. Plenty of teams will come to take a point. We are virtually safe Hughes played well Someone ( slither) is paying Holebas to throw games
With Hughes and Chalobah we have two excellent young midfielders to build around next season. Really nice to be able to say that. I'm also of the opinion that Rich is just burned out after playing the Brazilian and English leagues back to back, so you can add him to that list too. I think this was always going to be the reality - cast offs/end-of-career types interspersed with a few young signings for a few seasons until we've replaced the entire squad with up-and-comers. It's just not feasible to do that in one summer, we don't have enough money for transfer fees. I suspect we'll see more Chalobah and Hughes style transfers this summer again.
