It's unacceptable from a spectacle point of view to have a game played on a pitch like that in 2024. Has the weather been particularly bad in Sheffield or did they let go of their groundsman at the start of the season? We were pretty poor tonight particularly Dele-Bashiru who wanted half an hour to make every decision. I do think it would have been a completely different game had it been played on a proper pitch.
Not to mention the saver Hamer made at the end only came about because TDB simply gave up chasing the guy who shot. I get Ismael wants to be supportive - but how he played the full 90 rather than being hauled off and giving a dressing down after the game is beyond me. At times, letting people know it's not good enough and letting fans know can be beneficial.
That was the one for me, just jogged behind him and even turned away. We had a clean sheet for once, but we didn't deserve it. Hamer and the upright joint MOTM.
I've been thinking the same. We've got a half skilful bunch of midfielders who can look OK in the oppo half but lack cohesion in a midfield battle. Kayembe is decent but he probably also makes TDB and kone look steadier when he's playing?
We look a tired squad and that isn't going to improve anytime soon TDB didn't play at the weekend due to a tight hamstring/slight strain which may be because of fatigue and tonight he just couldn't run after 70/75 minutes. I wouldn't be surprised if he was managing himself late on and misses more games soon Pollock is doing well considering his lack of games/starts in recent seasons. Shows some poor decision making defensively but if it's mainly down to not playing I'd hope some of those poor body positioning moments and subsequent hanging out of a leg will become less frequent as he plays more Chak, Kone, Martins & TDB were all poor in the final third. They are average players who looked tired on a ****** surface so I'm not surprised, with hindsight, how ineffective they were going forward. Also, Chak wide left was horrible to watch and if Martins had just played football there was the opportunity to get his full-back sent off without throwing himself on the floor in the defensive half. Several times he got behind his marker around the half-way line and they felt it necessary to stop him with fouls I thought Bayo did well closing down their CB's, causing turnovers a number of times which our midfield couldn't capitalise on Andrews also looks spent. Lewis is incredibly weak physically and struggling with stamina - no surprise considering he hadn't played for over a season before coming here and the little niggles he's picked up since As a side I thought we set up better defensively in the main. At least it looked like there was a plan and positions are known. Again, average players will always make mistakes so we'll allow chances but generally it looks like the coaching of defending as a side is bearing some fruit Despite all the negatives and disappointment of such a scrappy game, we still managed a first clean sheet for heaven knows how long and are unbeaten away from home in something like seven games I haven't looked at the upcoming fixtures but we'll get a hammering off someone soon though and I think it will be fatigue playing a part in that, while I also think Hamer is due a nightmare game at some point
Even if not naturals in that position, I’d have rather seen Asprilla, Giorgi, Ince or even Sema put in centrally given the all-time stinker that TDB was having. They’d have certainly made better decisions than he did with the ball.
Two home games coming up, Cardiff then Leicester. Unless we catch them on an off day, I wouldn't be surprised if the foxes run riot a bit if we are not on our game. Beating Cardiff would actually be more beneficial to us before hand however.
Better hope that Wes the hunk doesn’t get injured, cos then we’re only going down the table. Best outfield player, after Jake. And I’m not imagining it, Raj is definitely getting better with the ball. 15 minute cameos is about right for the lad. So good to see Ken back. If only he got a bit more on his cross then Raj might have scored. Rubbish game. Disgraceful pitch. Would have been fitting for the bog owl to have shat in their ****** owls nest.
We are going to fade massively in the second half of the season due to the squad being so small. The players are knackered and there are very few reinforcements coming in. It will be another season of if only but if the funds aren't there there is little you can do.
We're seriously shyte and going backwards. Can one of you people please explain, in detail, how being in this league is more fun than the top division. Thank you
1. More games 2. No VAR 3. Not getting whupped every week 4. Not having a team polluted with couldn't care less mercenaries 5. Not having to go to the kennel
The comedy value of seeing Bayo miss from so many different angles is worth the season ticket price alone, surely? But I've been regularly slaughtered for my opinion, but this team is crap. They are honest and hard working, which seems to have won over 90% of supporters, but there is virtually zero quality. We're solid enough and competitive, but cannot build moves successfully in the attacking third. Nearly always the pass is overhit, under hit, misplaced all without any real pressure on the player in question. Moves invariably break down, and when we do finally create a chance we've got jokers at the end of them who create new ways of missing gift goals. (See Martins and Bayo last night...or Asprilla at Bristol etc). It's a repetitive theme. I personally don't get much joy from this Watford team. I understand people love the fact we seem to give a damn, but I usually come away with feeling frustrated at the failure these players show at even getting the basics right. I'm still ticking off the points total until we get to that 50 point mark, because believe me, if it wasn't for Hamer's (and Bachmann before that) heroics in goal, we'd be in serious peril this season. We're just a poor goalkeeping run of form away from a long losing streak.
lol that was awful, League 2 stuff. Both teams should be punished for such an awful display of football and all fans reimbursed.
Late to the party here, and haven't read all the comments yet so sorry if I repeat what others have said. Just want to shout out TDB though, who gave the phrase 'pony' new meaning with his utter toilet display. Guy was lazy, didn't track or work particularly hard, and couldn't make simple passes to keep moves going that my dead Gran could do from 6 feet under. Sadly TDB you stank the place out on that cabbage patch pitch. Honourable mention to Bayo as well and Martens for missing an open goal. Good work lads! Also, thank goodness for Hamer.
I'm not convinced it doesn't follow, like being a bit of a grammatical t**t for example. Does that help?
Surely all the other Championship teams must be suffering with fatigue. Why should it only effect us, particularly when our level of injuries are no worse than anyone else?
You do realise that is the goalkeepers job don't you . What was so bad about last night? It was a poor game but 3 defeats in 19 we actually kept a clean sheet against a much improved Sheffield Wednesday side who have drawn with Leicester at home beaten a good hull side recently We are within 3 points of the play offs We may not make the play offs but I'll m perfectly happy this season so far
A hard-working squad that seems to care about the club has undoubtedly been one of the pleasures of this season after some of the rotten attitudes of the last few years BUT many more performances like last night and the novelty will soon wear off. It only gets you so far eh. A smaller squad no doubt fosters a better team spirit BUT surely the downside is a lack of competition for places and a lack of freshness too. Again, I think we saw that last night. VI has done a terrific job, even allowing for some of his seemingly strange selections and use of the subs. I totally got him wrong during the summer. That we are 9th is I feel largely down to him. He’s clearly getting no support from the owner, who continues to run us into the ground. How much difference a few new additions could have made for the coming weeks eh. Our kingdom for a horse. Re last night, a lack of quality, a first clean sheet since November and another unbeaten match (we’ve had 18 of those on our last 21 matches now). And well done Hamer. Saved us at the death. I don’t like saying ‘without him, we’d be in lots more trouble’ line, (even though it’s true) as he is one of our players, he’s part of the team and therefore we do have him! It’s like saying ‘without that striker scoring a few goals, we wouldn’t be winning as much’. Hamer is doing his job, doing it well and helping us get points. It’s different from saying ‘with better referring decisions…’ as that’s something outside of our control.
If you're relying on your keeper to make 'worldies' on a regular basis, then something is fundamentally wrong. It's like saying we're relying on Hoet to score our majority of goals from the halfway line (ok an extreme example) but it shows you cannot just be so reliant on one person...all the time. It's just papering over the cracks. When Hamer had a below par game, like he did against Bristol City on Boxing Day, we got trounced 4-1. That would happen far more regularly if Hamer wasn't is such a purple patch of form. He's single handily saving our bacon during key moments in so many games and I just feel it's being overlooked and people are being fooled by the results. The performances, in general, are not matching the results. Results have been far better than we have deserved in a lot of those past 21 games. To only lose 3 in 21 is very good of course it is, but I think we've relied on a lot of luck and individual moments of magic at key times during this run. I just cannot see it being sustained, as I do not believe in the quality of player we have outfield. I think we've got very lucky to have stumbled across Hamer in the form of his life.
A rubbish match, but I've managed to think of five things about going that were good. 1. We weren't forced to stop overnight in Doncaster on the way home (see Plymouth story). 2. The chippy on Leppings Lane does an excellent large cod. 3. The programme thoughfully tells you what the day of the week it is. 4. The pitch was a nostalgic reminder of lower league pitches in the '70s. 5. We won't be going there next season.
Doubt it affects only us but I would say given we're running such a lean squad it sure is stupid how little we control controllable games and/or have given ourselves unnecessary mountains to climb almost since August. Even when we've won it's often been hard fought stuff, coming from behind and so leaving us having to press and chase down the ball far more than if we took earlier chances that came our way. Val's already that's a big part of it.
He's made some really good saves but they are saves I expect keepers at this level to make. It's their job
