First time we've not lost in the league since the 80s? I remember beating them in league cup at white hart lane but we'd been smashed in the first leg...
Also posting about other games is a no no. Got my knuckles rapped for this once so don't do it, although posters mention L°°### when they're losing. Was about to mention the Wales - SA rugby today but thought better of it. Mollyboo annoyingly asked on shoutbox when he realised his stream was ahead of others - 'how far behind are you?'. Of course I received much kudos and acclaim (NOT) for my hilarious side-splitting response of 'I live in Devon MB so about 10 years behind' How I laughed
But "they" didn't fork out £18M though. Initial cost was around £10M plus up to £8 "add-ons". If Gray doesn't do the business we sell him back to the Championship for £7-8M and cut our losses - if he comes good then we gladly pay out the add-ons - either way the deal isn't as bad as folks are making out on here.
It’s a bad deal either way We’re paid big money + 60-70k p/w and he is absolute ***** I still maintain we function better as a team when he starts instead of Deeney (due to his pace and movement in behind creating space for our midfielders ) but he appears to have the technical ability of a league 1 player
I think it was Kane who was being held by Prodl. Kane held his upper shin, then his ankle. Cheat Son was leaning into one of our players, our player moved away so Son fell over when the Ball hit him on the bonce. Ref gave a free kick to them.
First of all it was a great point and a point fully deserved. However it’s a strange feeling to come away from game disappointed with that result. For someone who predicted us to get smashed 6-1 today, I should be jumping up and down, but I’m not. We deserved more than a point, we were the much better side and Atkinson did all he could to make sure we didn’t get more (slightly bias and exaggerated but I am too angry Atkinson) than a point. Yes Zeegelaar should have been off for a 2nd bookable offence late on, but that was really the only big decision that went against them. Whereas we had 2 stonewall penalties not awarded, multiple FK’s given against us that weren’t fouls. Multiple FK’s that weren’t awarded to us when they should have been, and their constant diving, which Atkinson acknowledged but went unpunished. He was an extremely weak ref and Mark Hughes’ comments about him after their game with Liverpool rang true today. I think we can hold our heads high tonight knowing that we deserved all three points and if not for weak officiating would have have taken all three. I am just so ticked that we don’t have all three. I think all of ours boys played well considering they were under a lot of pressure from Spurs’ pressing game today. We did look nervous in patches but the longer the game went on, we were in the ascendancy and our play deserved that pen at the end. Carrillo needs to work on his crossing big time, just horrific. Big shout out to Silva though. He has some pair on him. At 1-1 to change formation, go 2 up top and go for the win, had my screaming at the TV “what are doing, take the point. We’re going to lose now, idiot.” He proved me wrong and the players seemed to take more encouragement as well as belief from him doing that and thought they could win the game. Not sure why people are saying we played badly or poor? There were moments in that match, especially when we were going for the win, we were knocking the ball around like Barca (ok maybe not that good), making great runs, and had them on the ropes. The only thing letting us down was our final ball into the box. I was watching my team today with a smile on my face and loving the way we play. Deeney won some great headers today but it just wouldn’t fall for Richarlison or Gray later on, but thought he done well. Our next 6 games (Burnley A, Palace A, Huddersfield H, Brighton A, Leicester H, Swansea H) are all winnable, starting with Burnley next weekend. 18points up for grabs, think if come away with 12+ points from those games that would be a very good December. Anyway, writing this has made me feel a little bit better about today but I’m still slightly disappointed haha.
Richarlison I think got a yellow for blocking a free kick even though the ball was rolling and being taken from completely the wrong place. He briefly complained but switched on massively to get back and stop their winger. If you can appeal yellows then they should massively appeal that as you cannot be booked for blocking a free kick when the ball is rolling. It's not a legitimate free kick.
Unfortunately I think you have far too much logic to be in charge of refereeing / appeals - in fact it totally disqualifies you
It was a clear penalty..........http://sport.bt.com/sport-hurts/watford-have-been-robbed-by-martin-atkinson-91364234044457 Oh well......we normally miss last minute penalties anyway
My only minor negative thoughts (not complaint) is that we still made so many unforced errors that put us in unnecessery trouble, and again lacked the creativity to break down a team sitting back. We seem to have loads of attacking strength on the break but little to no penetration of teams who patk the bus. Saying that, this is Spurs' massive weakness this year so we are in good company.
Is that the same Graham Poll who was being slated on here a few weeks ago for suggesting that Richarlison dived?
Just found this on twitter. Clearly a FIFA player. Mind you Richardilson is probably only worth £20k. Richarlison on the other hand is worth about £75mil in today’s inflated market. Liverpool and Andy Carroll ruined the transfermarket for everyone.
First game at the Vic after 3 months abroad. Can’t believe how excited I was to go and watch us play. Wholly different to last season where I would make any excuse not to go Just shows how far we have come for us to be disappointed not to get 3 points In other news, are there any bigger c@*+@ than armchair spurs fans. We all know one
Still haven't seen the replay but at the time I was quite philosophical even though it looked clear cut. If even Poll says that we were robbed then my mood may sour slightly...
Interesting thought I bet the FA are hoping Spurs don't have a cup run, if they do reach the semi and final how fair would it be that they have home advantage!
But on their current home form it might not be an advantage! Trust Shearer to say the Sanchez red was harsh being a master of the sly elbow but he did admit we should have had a penalty..
Having been convinced that we were going to get tonked, I have to be happy with a point. But it could, and probably should have been more. I don't think we were necessarily worse today than we have been - you have to take into account the level of opposition. The way Spurs play, with their pressing tactics throughout most areas of the pitch, it was always going to be difficult for us to be as fluid going forward as we know we can be. And forget the nonsense of them being out of form - when they thrashed us in the corresponding fixture last season, we'd only managed one win in seven yet that wasn't factored in during the praise they got for their performance. Thought we looked more solid in a back four - but that could have been because Spurs were playing with ten. As for the red card - a running forearm into an opponents face! How is it even up for debate?? I hope they appeal it and get their ban increased. Kane is a whinging cheat; Ali is just a horrible, niggly, overrated moron (anybody see the dive after the slightest of touches during the first half?); Son is also a cheat and Dier is a great example of somebody having received praise and plaudits way beyond his level of ability. Maybe players such as these are the reasons I have no real interest in the England team anymore. I'd love Chalobah to get fit, play superbly and take Dier's place in the side for the world cup. I don't need to mention the handball. You've all seen it by now. Imagine the whinging had it been denied at the other end!! The club usually have their own camera behind the goal which they use to put together the montages on the Watford YouTube channel. I think that'll have the clearest footage of the incident, and highlight even further what a terrible decision Atkinson made. Amazingly - clueless, armchair spud fans think they were hard done by and that we kicked them off the park?!! And in the same breath complain that a smash to the face on a player running at speed is definitely not a red??!! Maybe Nazi Billy can enlighten us how that works? Overall - I think having had this game immediately after the Utd game did us no favours. I'm certain that in the back of their minds, they wanted to keep it a little tighter than they had done a few days earlier (even when Spurs had ten), and therefore our attacks were blunted slightly. But it's a point against a team who will finish somewhere in the top five come May, so I think we have to be happy with that. If we can pick up the points we know we're capable of over the next few weeks, it will make this a nice Xmas. But this is Watford, so we all know not to take anything for granted.....!
We drew 1-1 at home during our prem season under GT. Allan Smart scored. Under Aidy, we drew 0-0 at home.
Can’t help but hope it works out. Does he look like a Prem ref? If so, SEJ is open season. Or underneath turnstiles. Magnificent when Bobby P persuaded the lino to change his mind to give a corner (which led to the Doucoure shot). I’ve told my son for 12 years not to debate with the officials as they never change their minds. Well, that gormless herbert did! We weren’t overwhelmed by Harry’s new footwear. Looked like bowling shoes. Btw, when was he banned from the pre match handshake line? He had to pretend to limber up in the centre circle. And the blue team in the half time pens represented a pitiful all time low. Corbynista ‘everyone’s a winner’ inclusiveness manifest as parody. But I did like Martin from the other team. Clad in Bobby P tights, he smashed in his pen & then slipped off the school top to reveal a textbook WFC #9 shirt! The natural heir when Penaranda retires in 2030 as our all time top scorer, having just pipped Andre Gray’s record.
I've been watching football for over 37 years, and know from that experience, you will never get two big decisions against a big side in the same match. It's impossible. We got the red card, and there's no hope in hell we would get a penalty in the final few seconds, no matter how blatant it was. Football just does not work that way. Had it been the other way around, away from home, at Old Trafford, Stamford Bridge, Anfield, The Etihad, White Hart Lane (Wembley), The Emirates etc, in the final minute, we all know what the outcome would have been. That's a fact of football life, it's not fair, but that's the way it is. It will never change, unless one day we morph into one of England's elite teams with a massive noisy crowd following, only then maybe we would get those types of decisions for us.
Just goes to show Shearer knows how to score goals but otherwise knows nothing about football. That was a straight red all day long. It was a high dangerous elbow that could have caused a serious injury to Richarlison. High challenges are banned in Rugby for similar reasons. We should have had a late penalty for Dier's rather obvious handball. All in all still very happy for our point.
Surely the range of movements a footballer makes is greater than those of a tennis player. Also, of course, there is a great deal of physical contact with your opponents. In some respects fatigue is in the mind, though.
I’d never previously noted Spurs’ diving but they outdid Saint Eddie’s Speedo clad heroes today. The Son effort in the first half was abhorrent. Hoolihanesque. Pereyra is misused out wide. Surely he has to be #10. Deeney was making channel runs which were never exploited. And we didn’t unleash Richie. How many times did he receive the ball at pace? Generally he got it when static & only about 2 yards from Trippier. And why was Trippier allowed to operate in his own postcode? He was their main source of attack. Having said this, Silva did well to change things in the second half. With our increased pressing & greater width, we beat them at their game. Finally, is there really a Rookery effect? It seems like it. In the next ground upgrade, I suggest Gino creates a replica Rookery at the Vic end &, whilst he’s at it, installs a handsome & capacious trophy room.
@Ray Knight writes in the style of James Joyce, @RookeryDad In the manner of Ernest Hemingway! Great stuff.
A few thoughts: Trippier is an object lesson in how to cross a ball. He may have had a lot of space yesterday but he doesn't really need it because half of them are volleyed in (his crosses) anyway. So look no further if our players need to see how it's done. Who is Dacoure? Or for that matter Doucourae? It's Doucoure guys. Let's get it right for our player of the season eh? I wasn't on the Shoutbox yesterday. Was at the match. But I get what the argument's about. So Mollyboo makes a c.nt of himself and then doesn't even have the decency to hold his hands up. Maybe somebody should offer to change his nappy.
A point often raised by tennis players when football/football fans say players are tired. As a tennis player I would offer these points in defence of footballers m'lud; 1) Football is a contact sport,therefore more knocks and dead legs than tennis,unless you were unfortunate enough to be 'tubed' by Lendl! 2) Whilst the tennis season is 10.5 months long,most players will have gaps in their schedules.The 'right hand side' of the draw will take three/four weeks off after a major tournament if they have reached the last four and beyond,in order to prepare for the next major.They are in a financial position to do so.They are only obligated to play the ten Masters Series each year,plus the four majors.The rest they can select which gives them the biggest appearance fee, and few play Davis Cup. The left hand side of the draw will,by definition, lose early so may only play one match a week,none too taxing. 3) We tennis players do get a 90 second break every other game and two minutes and the end of a set,plus the point can be over in one shot! Definite penalty and I shall be instructing Mr IBB to assault Dier senior when he next sees him at the AELTC!
I'm not sure why people are happy with a point given they had ten men and we could have had 2 penalties, certainly 1 to win it at the end. We're doing well this season, but if we dont throw away a 2 goal lead at Everton and get the win yesterday, we're 6th, comfortably. Even the first game v Liverpool (who were rubbish amd missing coutinho), we should be thinking if we dont concede 3 at home we get the 3 points. From the position we're in it isnt too difficult to make that jump to a team that is dissapointed with missed opportunities. Maybe thats why silva entertained evertons approach?