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

Batting like gods.

206.

 

It’s only T20, though. Doesn’t really count. A bit like preseason.

 

It depends how you interpret his words.

 

Maybe Watford should consider a similar mid season pre season.

 

Overton (C, I think) scored 7 off 2 including his dismissal.

Modern times.

 

I thought it at the time, and having seen several replays, I’m not quite sure how we didn’t get a penalty. Looked like his arm was clearly sticking outside of a natural position by his side.

Our performance got us exactly what we deserved, but I was surprised VAR didn’t intervene and award the penalty.

 

Chris Sutton thought it was.

Case closed, I guess.

 

Yup. Conclusively proves it wasn't.

 

I think people will have to keep a mental note of this. If a ball hits an arm in a wall from a free kick, no penalties can be given this season. If that's the case, then I have no complaints, but we all know they will. As predicted having Andy Madley on VAR was a really short straw. He's just not up to it. Because it was Watford v Brighton, the FA just awarded their runts to this match, which they did a lot of times last season, when we played less glamous teams.

The ball clearly hit the arm, and in fact actually moved towards the ball. A penalty has to be awarded for this.

 

Evening all, just back. Long story later (bet you can’t wait). But first thoughts are why did we play a 4-4-0 formation?

 

Just wait until The Hundred TM.

Banton will seem like Sunil Gavaskar.

 

The return of Z Cars brought a genuine tear to the eye and the unveiling of Welbeck and Sarr a feeling of optimism

As for the game after a decent first few minutes all downhill from there

Brighton I feel now unshackled from the ultra negativity of Chris Hughton might surprise a few this season

As for us for Foster to say Brighton wanted it more is telling and worrying

Craig Dawson showed what he is a bargain bucket pro , rest of defence and Foster bang average. Normally a Holebas fan but he looked heavily legged.

Doucoure very wasteful on the ball, Hughes wasted out wide right, Delofeu wanting to cut inside, Gray ineffectual

As for Deeney lacked any influence either as player or captain. Trying flicks and tricks when would prefer he work hard, hard as a forward should.

Worrying times

 

So we lost on opening day for the first time since returning to the Prem (first time since 2006 i think?)

This is all part of Javi's cunning plan of course. Lose the first game and finish the season strongly.. a role reversal from recent years!

 

Would be more than happy with a point.

 

Agree 100%. We know VAR will award a similar one when a Norwich runt does the same against Man Utd.

 

What exactly made you optimistic about today’s effort?

 

No bite, no bottle, the team's attitude stinks. This wasn't 'a bad day at the office' or 'one of those days', it is a consistent trend, it was just the same as we saw at the end of last season, when we go a goal down, the heads go down, no togetherness, no fight. Plus as others on here have said, the tactics are well known by the opposition, they adapt to the way we set up, target our full backs (who by the way are not entirely to blame as they get little cover in front of them) and wait for easy pickings. So in a nutshell bad tactics, bad attitude and bad performance! This has to be down to the head coach doesn't it?

 

I find that whenever expectations are high the team are **** and often vice versa. It's always been that way hasn't it?

 

Bet you we don't.

 

One of those days today. Whilst we were poor and sloppy, at times I thought we were genuinely bereft of luck. We were the better team for large passages of play, and if Gray had passed the ball at height into the net at 0-1 then I think the result is totally different. We tried a lot of clever flicks and one-twos today that were a hairs breath away from working, which on another day come together. I'm by no means saying today was good, but most teams we play wont have three shots on target and score three, and I reckon more often than not Peyreras penalty shout would be given.

 

Not really. It's plagued us for years, typified by the usual post Christmas slump.

If anything, Gracia is doing a decent job trying to polish the turd and get some sort of cohesion. He's the only one who has had anything like a decent second half of a season.

No amount of social media spin can cover the fact that we don't have much of a team ethic and are a stepping stone.

 

That's the second worst opening day of the season I can remember. And the only reason I can think of a worst opening day was when someone literally died

 

So happy for you that after one game you think you’ve been proved right. Try supporting the team for once rather than joyously telling everybody how you said we were sh1t and it is now a fact. I find it very difficult to understand that kind of behaviour

 

How do you celebrate a heavy Watford defeat, Nath? Few drinks? Dancing in the pond with Going Down, maybe?

 

Well posters like you gave him grief all summer. Is it not possible that he had some valid points given today's performance?

 

So....moving on to happier things. Once our two new signings are in the set up, how will we line up?

4-2-1-3?

4 across the back, Doucoure, Capoue as the 2, Hughes, Pereyra, Cleverley or Quina as the 1, and a three pronged attack of Welbeck, Deulfeu and Sarr.

I think that sounds decent to me.

 

You're a myth

 

Glad my main team are playing tomorrow

 

I fear Gracia is wedding to his 4-2-2-2

 

I dont think I've been proven right about anything? I just think it's hilarious that some of our fans are so stupid, ignorant and naive that they genuinely look at us a team that have "no chance of going down", as if we're a big club with an air tight, top quality squad.

A team and manager that loses 3-0 at home to a side like Brighton and shows zero sign of learning from any of the mistakes of last season, with the same glaring deficiencies, most certainly has a chance of going down.