Not really sure why he's getting dropped in the first place. We look far better defensively without Porteous.
Yes he was terrible today and should not be starting games for us when playing like that, but to say he "should not be a professional footballer" is still absurd hyperbole. Just look at the utter dross that Rotherham had up front for them by way of a comparison, none of whom that have managed to score more than 3 goals this season. I've said that I'm not going to write him off entirely until he's had a full pre-season with us as he's still not had one at a level of club like ours. Even if he didn't improve, although I'd not want to be in a position where we were ever having to start him, he'd surely still have some use as an impact sub when we're chasing games. Whether that would be enough use for us to keep him around for very long is another matter though.
You can go and visit them anyway, whether Watford are playing there or not. And three of the current League One teams will be getting promoted.
Using Rotherham as the bench mark for Rajovic’s level is not doing your argument any favours. You don’t want to write Rajovic off, yet you have seemingly written Morris off?
My point was it’s no surprise he looked quite good against effectively L1 opposition when he’s looked poor against better teams. Whether he should be in the team instead of Porteous is a different matter. I’d agree with giving him a couple more starts; in fact I’d like to see Porteous 3rd in line to partner Hoedt, which says more about how poor the squad is than anything else.
Genuine question: Why is a pre-season with us any different to him playing in the league most weeks? How do we teach him to win headers in training if he can’t win them at all in real game situations? I get that training is ‘training’ and that’s the point - but I don’t see how Rajovic pitching himself against Porteous and Pollock in training over the summer will make him any better against full-blooded Championship CB’s in many aspects he’s poor at. I hope you’re right. But to me, he’s League One standard along with Bayo. No way should they be starting over an admittedly unfit Dennis. And I’d rather we put time into Forde and Hurtado in the long term given we unlikely can spend money on better.
Our season is like a patient on life support yet no one knows what is wrong with them and they will die soon if it can't be figured out. Asprilla just gave us a theory. We have to run tests as time is running out. But the patient is not yet dead.
I have to admit I’m gobsmacked at how bad tall players such as Raj and Bayo are in the air. I’m just 6 foot tall and regularly beat 6’3” strikers in the air, but that was at a modestly good amateur level; how can so-called professionals be so poor in that respect?
It's good that we won, but Christ alive, that was a tough watch. Val has made some bizarre decisions recently and our latest performance will have done little to silence his critics. We know our faults that any coach would struggle to deal with, but we are now without any of the intensity or guile that was evident even during the disappointing run of results we suffered at the start of the season. Now, it's plodding, aimless hoofing (barring a ten minute period in the first half, being fair) and standing around waiting for the ball to come right back at us. In other words, it resembles a particularly tedious version of the football many feared Ismael would play from the off as our manager. Perhaps it's to his credit that it's taken until now for such an insipid style to grip us so tightly, but that must rank as one of the most painful wins we've had in a long time, and not even particularly warranted, given the overall balance of play and Rotherham's laughable strikers doing most of our defending for us. Overall, a game which raised more questions than answers, most of which exist along the lines of 'why did we waste our time watching that footballing balderdash?'.
Pretty shocking performance , but we got the win . Another moment of magic from Asprilla. That was just the sort of game where we could have done with a centre forward who can hold the ball up .
Errrm, how? They are still very much "professional footballers" - irishorn was claiming that he "should not be a professional footballer" which I pointed out was clearly hyperbole when there are evidently loads worse than him. Well yes. Morris has already been at the club for 2.5 seasons - and while he has shown improvement over that time I don't see how he can ever improve further to the point where he'll be anything more than being worthy of the most emergency of emergency back-ups. Rajovic has not even had 1 pre-season with us from which it can be useful to gauge whether he'll be able to improve on the many aspects of his game which need it. Well pre-season training isn't only about learning "how" to win headers. In fact such things will be secondary. Primarily it's about improving physical conditioning. But if a player is more fit and agile as a result of a good pre-season then that will translate in to them being more able to jump for headers, or chase after through-balls, or win 50-50s etc. You only need to look at the development of Pollock and the aforementioned Morris compared to last season to see how much of a difference this can make. Last season Pollock seemed one of the slowest, treading-through-treacle CBs I'd ever seen and I'd commented that I thought it could be what held him back from making the step up from League One to the Championship, but this season after a good pre-season with Ismael he actually looks quite sharp and generally capable at this level. He's still not rapid, sure, but he's got to a point where he at least seems to be quick enough to be effective. Morris also seems a bit quicker this season than last, but alas his ceiling is still not quick or powerful enough to be a starting full-back at this level. Kayembe is another one who seems much sharper this season than last after the summer. So I'd be hoping that Rajovic could have a Pollock or Kayembe-esque uplift in his sharpness after the summer which would enable him to contribute more outside the box and gain a yard of pace. I don't know how likely that will be, but it's just that based on what we've seen from the aforementioned players I don't think it's impossible.
I acknowledge that the performance was poor. But luck and quality are 2 different things. Sema at Swansea, Asprilla today. They are moments of quality not luck.
Rajovic is Dave Bamber without the injuries. Got to play Dennis up front next game and play to our strengths, one of which isnt lumping it up to an unsupported target man.
Firstly, why does it have to be either or? For one thing, they'll take more time than I've stated I'd be willing to give Rajovic before entirely writing him off. I'm also not sure how Forde could work as a CF under Ismael at all as he doesn't even try and be a target-man type CF and probably never could be. I think if he gets minutes next season it will be more as a sub RW if we need to nick a goal. But even then he's a bit like Ince in that he's good at shooting with his left foot but can't really dribble or offer much else. Meanwhile Hurtado has still not yet started a game at League Two level. He's an intriguing prospect, but also has a hell of a lot to improve upon.
Quite glad we won, particularly as I have tickets to both Huddersfield and Swansea games. Hoping with the win and without a midweek game we can find some confidence and energy for next week. Also happy VI survived a bit longer. Can't be chopping and changing again this season.
Or, as a chum of mine who works in the A&e department at Guys would say, the patient is Fubar Bindy - f***ed up beyond all recognition but is not dead yet
A wins a win, 3 points away is always a good result P33 W11 D11 L11 - we are a bang average championship side turning out bang average championship form & performances Objective this season is to finish mid table & that's exactly what we will do
“Errrm, how? They are still very much "professional footballers" - irishorn was claiming that he "should not be a professional footballer" which I pointed out was clearly hyperbole when there are evidently loads worse than him.” Yes, Rotherham players are “professionals”.. I’m not disputing that. In the same notion though, they are by and large the worst team in this division.. and Rajovic was worse than all of them today... Their centre halves had him completely pocketed. Comparing Rajovic to players that are poor, yet still played better than him today, is not exactly proof that he should be a professional footballer. Ali Dia springs to mind.. “Well yes. Morris has already been at the club for 2.5 seasons - and while he has shown improvement over that time I don't see how he can ever improve further to the point where he'll be anything more than being worthy of the most emergency of emergency back-ups. Rajovic has not even had 1 pre-season with us from which it can be to gauge whether he'll be able to improve on the many aspects of his game which need it.” Morris has been at the club for 2.5 years but has played less games/minutes than Rajovic in that time. I’m not saying Morris is the next Messiah, far from it.. but the lad’s 22, and hasn’t done a lot wrong in the games that he has played. Yes he has his draw-backs, but let’s be honest, they’re nothing compared to the astronomically poor draw-backs that Rajovic has presented us with. Yet in your own words, one player [Morris] can’t be developed any further, and is no better than a back up, to the back up’s, whilst the other player [Rajovic] just needs a Pre-Season warm climate jolly up with the lads to really prove his worth. There’s little to no logic in what you’re saying.. And i’m not buying that a player needs a pre-season for us to gauge whether they’re actually good or not. Defeats the whole point in the January transfer window doesn’t it? If a player can’t play well because they missed out on a pre-season, that’s because 9 times out of 10, it’s simply because they’re not good. Not being funny here.. You can see, I can see it, Rajovic’s nan can see it - he’s farking shiite!!. you don’t need to wait 4 months to see us lose 1-0 to Stevenage in a Pre-season friendly to finally come to the conclusion that he is utter tuuuurd.
First thing above all is that was 3 points. Huzzah. Right, now for everything around it. Hamer was solid without being overly challenged shot stopping wise. Pollock and Hoedt were both rock solid, especially Pollock in the air who was a monster. Lewis continues to be an underwhelming left back with little of note going forward whilst Dele-Bashiru looked serviceable at RB for once, given he was playing against League 1 opposition. Sierralta was what we expected at CDM which is good in the air, poor at his feet but no huge clangers in fairness. Koné seems to have a bit of second wind after a lethargic few weeks and did well overall. Asprilla flots in and out of games but is a difference maker and now is I believe our 2nd top scorer. Sema huffed and puffed but overall didn't have a massively effective display today. And now Rajovic. Oh boy. I do think he worked hard enough when in our half but going forward? Horrific. Utterly devoid of any ability to pass, hold, occupy, link, run, jump or shoot. He's not a bad egg (Which can be said of the whole squad which is nice) but he's also hopeless in most respects from what you need from forward at this level where pure poaching is not enough. Chakvetadze I thought had a very good sub role today. Made a few tackles, carried it forward and helped provide a missing spark and unpredictability. He's inconsistent but the talent is there. Ince was unremarkable in a good way in that he was solid with the right decision making and running choices and helped see us through last 15 minutes. He also helped initiate the Watford FC Space Program with that volley, but I don't blame him for shooting as it sat up nicely. Andrews was fine, but I feel he would have been better off being fully rested if fatigue is a problem. Dennis did a lot to help relieve pressure centrally where his rusty touches and dribbles weren't as harmful and his pace pushed them back. VI got the substitutes correct today and have to give him that no matter how reluctanctly. Today was a must win, even a draw would not have helped but where still in dire need of addressing bigger problems. Porteous being suspended is perhaps the single best thing to happen to us this month as his rash rushing out of defence has hurt us so much and must not start games again this Season. Our much vaunted fitness has tailed off and we lack a consistent creative spark throughout games, leaving us vulnerable when the opposition inevitably get a foothold in games. Between Koné. Asprilla and Chakvetadze we should have some level of creativity in this team but VI can't put the pieces together.
I totally agree with you and in all honesty ability in the air (for me) is 40pct ability and 60pct pure gonads (OK + timing). I played a lot of football as a 5ft 11" fairly fit "grafter" - started at LB then LM. Learned how to attack the ball because most players seemed to be frightened of it. Gradually I gained confidence and won 90pct of ariel duals. Loved roughing up 6ft 3" strikers.!! Played CB for a while then at CF as target man. I was too "Peter reid" skill wise but never walked off the pitch feeling I hadn't given it 100pct. That is roots football tho, and these days the youngsters that work their way thru the academies have NO effing clue other than trying to be a Beckham clone, so we get what we get....
Think Morris has his natural limitations, he's never going to be Ryan Andrews, but as a defensively-minded LB, he's fine and can get better. Rajovic isn't exactly old himself, I think he might get a little better (he did show some ability to hold the ball up at QPR as we just about saw the game out), but he's never going to be a complete striker
Raj never fails to surprise me. He looks like a bulked up Deeney and can muscle his way into a position when he wants to, but has the finishing touch of Bayo and the touch and technique of Andre' Gray at times. Amazing really, we have signed a player who has most of our previous strikers' (and current) poorest attributes. I know we have little to no money, but surely we can scout in the Summer and find a decent striker? Or is the plan to stick with Bayo and Raj as there is no chance Dennis will be signed even if that became an option due to the fee.
Disappointed to see so many of you not cutting Rajovic a bit of slack. We can all see that he's not Pele but he's scored a few goals, is hardworking, seems like a thoroughly honest decent lad and has shown signs of improvement. He's young and this is his first season in a new country and a league that's several notches up on what he's played in before. I think he has real potential. Remember how awful Ross Jenkins was before he became one of the greats
Be fair to Rajovic, he's a much better finisher than Bayo, sure he's missed a few good chances, but not nearly as many as Bayo. Bayo it has to be said does give defences more to think about though, and at least he's in the position to miss those chances I guess
Whatever you think of big Raj he is still our top scorer and that is what football is all about scoring goals and winning matches!!!
