Every time a wrong decision is made in a game, you frequently hear that old cliche offered: the notion that bad decisions/luck go both ways, everything evens out over the course of a whole season. Thinking back, I can't help but feel that this isn't really true of us this season. We've had really, really horrendous luck with just about everything: red cards that were rescinded later, penalties beyond count not given, and compounding injuries in certain areas of the team (defenders, goalkeepers yesterday - has anyone ever heard of a team losing their main and sub keeper on the same day?). While I can recall there are a couple of situations that we were fortunate in, those moments seem overshadowed by our misfortunes this season. I struggle to think of another season where quite so many things have gone against us. Still, maybe all these things conspired to send us to another Wembley final, in order to continue the seven year cycle.
Totally agree with you. We have a possible 3 matches for it to all even out. So I'm looking forward to playing 9 man Leicester twice and seeing us get 20 penalties. Should be a lot of fun......unless that saying is not entirely true of course!!
We were one of the most penalized sides in the Championship in terms of cards and penalty awards not given. Some of the decisions ie Deeney being hauled to the ground when 1-0 up against Blackpool and yesterday when Hogg was brought down are season changing events particularly in a division of such fine margins.
If we kick penalties in the play offs then it doesn't really make up for all the missed pens and points... but it goes some way
6 sendings off for Watford this year which appears to be the most in the league. http://espnfc.com/stats/fairplay/_/league/eng.2/english-league-championship?cc=5739# Thought clearly needs to be given by Zola next season as to how we present ourselves better. Fact is we pick up a lot of yellows for petulant technical rule breaches and too many of our players spend time in the ear of the referees.
There is a PR war to be fought along with the way we actually play. It's not enough to be a fair team, you need to be "seen" to be a fair team, as refs have seemingly decided to buy into the idea that we are a bunch of diving, cheating foreigners and behaved accordingly.
True and we aren't in the Premier league or have the big name players so we won't get away with any abuse of officials etc. I bet the bookings for dissent are much higher in the FL than in the top flight.
