Watford FC 0-3 Brighton & Hove Albion - 10/08/2019

Though look at the first round results from last season - they appeared to go "true to form" with regards to the eventual end of season positions.

 

Hildreth a steady 2 off 6 so far.

 

I’ve given up on sport for the weekend. How was the sainted Kate?

 

Book your holiday so it ends just as the football season starts I thought. That'll cheer you up I thought.

******* idiot.

 

3 years? That seems quite generous to me.

Do you want to buy Geoffrey Boycotts hat?
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p07jmvbm

Joking aside I feel crap after that. Opening day 3.0 home defeat against a team who will be mid table / relegation like us. Worst opening start I can think of in my 28 years to be honest.

We should have enough to be comfortable mid table but without fight and desire we will go down. Better teams than us have at the expense of "worse teams". we will never be at the stage where players can half turn up and things will still turn out "ok".

Clearly its too late to right off the season but the stats show how crucial a good start is and how a poor start can hamper a team for the whole season

 

Hildreth has grown a ginger beard & looks like Dyche!

 

Indeed. Football eh? Its twists and turns.

 

The first game. Means nothing when you lose but everything when you win. Like preseason friendlies.

 

We'll probably do a standard Watford and smash Everton 3 0 next week.

 

did the same ... flew back on Friday to be at the game ... makes you appreciate the holiday ...

 

Last season's first game results:

Man Utd 2 - 0 Leicester
Wolves 2 - 2 Everton
Watford 2 - 0 Brighton
Huddersfield 0 - 3 Chelsea
Fulham 0 - 3 Crystal Palace
Bournemouth 2 - 0 Cardiff City
Newcastle 1 - 2 Spurs
Arsenal 0 - 2 Man City
Southampton 0 - 0 Burnley
Liverpool 4 - 0 West Ham

None of the results were anomalies at all when looked at in the context of the whole season. Every team that won finished above the team they beat in the final table. Plus, the only two draws were between teams which finished next to each other in the table (which is actually rather spooky).

I know it can't be considered a trend from one season, but those results were clearly far from being meaningless.

 

Extraordinary.

She was about 22 at the time of the first tour. Hugely imaginative choreography & the first, I believe, to use the headmike thingie.

Splendidly poised as a performer.

And then no performances for over 30 years.

Banton reminds me of KP.

 

Probably?

 

Watch Banton!

 

England player in the next three years, probably sooner. @Malteser spotted him early.

 

'Football.......f**kin ell' I feel numb. Reminds me of 1983 when our runners up side disintegrated before our eyes against relegation candidates Coventry in the first game.

 

Come on, what Watford fan honestly thought we win today? Be honest..
We ended last season in dire form and a with a total lack of confidence.
The transfer window was poor, apart from Sarr, who is an unknown at Premiership level. Dawson is just a paper plaster over a seeping defence.
We put out the same side, played the same way and got the same result.
Brighton have a new Manager, one who has massive respect and had done so well in Sweden. He took over at Swansea and started to make a difference before Brighton came calling. At Brighton, he has bought in the players he wants and to play his way. We were outclassed at times. Outclassed, not by a Man City or a Liverpool, but by Brighton.
The general opinion on this forum for 2019/20 was one of concern and apprehension. This result will add fuel to the fire.
I had Southampton, Newcastle and Watford to finish within the bottom 5. Let's see how the season pans out.
I hope for the best for Watford. Change must happen and happen before we end up with zero points after 6 games as many on here are predicting.
Watford FC, show some guts and passion on the pitch...

 

I remember that clearly. We even scored an own goal in that match as well...….two in fact. Rice and Bolton I believe. Still the score was a better one, at least we scored a couple in a 3-2 defeat. We bounced back though and didn't get relegated.

 

Sweden.

 

You are right..

 

Buckinghamian.

 

Oh God, I remember that well. Felt like the first real bad day I had ever had as a fan (est. 1980).

There have been plenty worse since.

 

Where to even start with that?

Our first half play was so slow and ponderous, making it ridiculously easy for Brighton to defend. We really missed the movement of Deulofeu up front, and despite the criticism he’s had, Pereyra on the left. Deeney and Gray have linked up well on occasions, but they were totally dominated, though the latter should have scored.

Perhaps it’s wishful thinking, but I’d love to see us go 4-2-3-1 when Sarr and Welbeck are fit. Welbeck has all the tools to play up front by himself, with Sarr on the right, Pereyra on the left and Geri in the middle to link play. We’d have so much more pace and movement in forward areas. I don’t doubt that there will be moments this season where Deeney has a positive impact, but that needs to be his role now - impact player from the bench.

Brighton were supremely clinical, credit to them. Whenever we seemed to be building any momentum, they struck and took away any initiative we’d created. Defensively, we were all over the place.

A lot of work to do now. A performance against Everton is an absolute must now.

 

We never do that. It's not standard. The myth is though.

 

I fancy Potter & Dean Smith are very capable managers.

No Fulhams this season.

 

Skinny and with a silly falsetto. Never floated my boat. Give me Joni anytime. Hildreth and Banton? You're losing me. KP? Right-handed batsman. Preferred number 4?

 

100 off 51.

Precocious.

 

Not mutually exclusive.

We’ve tacked over to Somerset cricket.

Coping strategy.

 

Not for those of us who support Somerset.

 

I think it took us til December to get out of the relegation zone and we bought in Sinnott and Bardsley after it became obvious Rice and Bolton were shot. Basically replaced half our defence.

 

Don't panic, don't panic!

 

You are correct.
No Fulham or Huddersfield.
Have the Watford owners underestimated the strength of the other sides in the Premiership,?
Complacency was the concern. Has this happened? Too good to go down ?
Get real Gino and Scott..

 

We’re dooomed.

 

Oh I see. We have moved onto cricket. Nostradamus didn't forewarn me. C**t.