saw on MOTD one of those mini tables pop up. It showed we have the 2nd worse success ratio in scoring good chances. Far from feeling negative I actually thought how amazing Javi is doing and how close we must be to being a real surprise success story. I’m not saying we will break into the top 6, but this great season may not be a one off, maybe cup finals and that elusive trophy are on the way. I could see us going far in the Europa League as well. Basically if Javi can get us to replicate this form next season but maybe with one or two slight upgrades in the attacking positions (in terms of scoring goals) we could even eclipse this fantastic season. Ps I’m not ignoring the current season , it’s bloody exciting and I’m loving the fact we are playing for two targets.
Yet only Everton, having played a game more than us, have scored more goals than us (two more) outside the Top 6. No one can deny we could be more clinical in the final third but it certainly isn't a disaster up there.
It's amazing we are creating so many chances to miss, it's just a shame we are missing them. As PO says we are having an amazing season, but we do need a striker or two who is capable of putting those chances away instead of missing them, then we really could be pushing to be a top six team.
Would have been more interesting to see what the sample size was. Agreed we are not short on goals but a lot of early season ones were worldies (yesterday’s wasn’t too shabby either) so a %age figure isn’t hugely meaningful outside not converting clear cut chances.
Sort of similar to this, I’ve also wondered if having a better right back would let Javi play Deulofeu on the wing and Deeney & Gray upfront
Some good points in the replies above. Being the 8th highest scorers in the league is a very good achievement, and our league position (plus cup semi-final) reflect that. But if we had say been average with taking good chances we may have all but cemented that 7th spot. I was also thinking, if we only play with one traditional striker, then actually the goal conversion rate needs to be upped by others as well. Deeney for example has been playing well recently, switch him for a poacher and we may lose in other areas. Having said that I would like to see a new striker come in, or even the development and use of Peneranda, Cucho or Pedro maybe. Either way it’s been a great season, I guess the point I’m trying to make is, this isn’t necessarily as good as it gets for us. It appears we have another level we could achieve, will be incredibly difficult but it’s possible.
I noticed that for all the ability & skill Del has, his shots seemed to be consistently weak yesterday.
I think it's tough to say our right backs aren't up to scratch. IMO I think with a 4 man midfield, having both Bobby P and Gerry D in there would leave us very light defensively. For me, Will Hughes does a great unsung job in giving us a defensive balance - especially against teams where we're playing 4 vs 5 in midfield.
The only surprise is that we are second in the list. I would have thought we'd be top. Taking chances at key moments is vital in elite football. It makes so much difference. VAR next season will help also, as I see yet another top 6 club gets two ridiculous decisions, which VAR would have overturned in the Cardiff v Chelsea match. We don't have a clinical finisher in the club, and this is something we have to rectify if we are going to be top half on a regular basis. Next season with VAR, there will definitely be a closing of the gap between 6th and 7th, and if there is, I think that will be proof positive that referees favour the top 6. If we retain our best players and make two key signings to add to what we have, I see no reason why we cannot improve on this season in regards to points total.
Eh? I genuinely think Kiko is one of the best right backs in the league, and Janmaat is a capable back up. It's probably our strongest position.
It's a real shame we're not taking our chances as we could've pushed 6th place if we had a decent finisher, we'll probably lose a couple of our star players over the Summer and be back to being **** next year.
Gray might have finished one during our good spells in the game if he had started. Got between 2 defenders toe poking it in. Deeney hard grafter as he is I wouldn't imagine him getting between 2 defenders any time soon. Gracia has done a great job but once in a while I'd like to see him mix up the Deeney Delefoo Gray combinations after studying the central defenders of the opposition to see which combination might do the greatest damage on the day.
The club could certainly use more clinical finishers. One thing that might help them, however is a bit of an upgrade in terms of creator in midfield. Someone who can place a few better balls in a few better places each game to make those chances just that much easier wouldn't hurt. We have a lot of midfielders with grit, pace etc., but that "lock and key" person is a need. Upgrades to our passing in all 3 lines couldn't hurt.
Will Hughes has been great and his ball retention/distribution in tight spaces has been excellent. He is no winger though. Might be an option to replace Doucoure if he leaves? My point was more that Javi doesn't want to play Deulofeu in his natural winger position, and it possibly due to the attacking nature of our right backs. Moving Deulofeu seems more sensible to me than just dropping him for a new striker. I do take your point on having both Bobby P and Gerry D but I think they are both much improved defensively this season. Well I won't dwell on some of the competition like Alexander-Arnold, Walker, Trippier, Wan-Bissaka, Azpilicueta... Kiko and Janmaat are ok going forward but weak defensively. Both are fine with a defensive winger ahead of them. Recent transfer windows suggest we can't afford a proven striker upgrade. Let's hope Cucho gets his work permit and hits the ground running.
I'd say the main problem is that our final ball in the last third just isn't good enough; either wrong option taken or we don't play the ball accurately enough. Remember the number of 3-on-3's & even 3-on-2's we messed up at Flam? That's being going on all season.
Agreed - Gray for sure should have been used more, especially away from home. The Man Utd game was exactly the type in which he'd do well. His technique can be erratic, but as with Ighalo he has an eye for goal and the knack of still somehow finding a way to stick the ball in the net, even if his finishes are sometimes a bit scruffy. He should be comfortably in to double-digits for goals this season already. Deulofeu and Pereyra are often both still too hesitant to pull the trigger while in good goalscoring positions, whereas Deeney simply doesn't get in to enough goalscoring positions to begin with.
Creating of chances isn't the subject matter here. It's when we DO create good chances we have the 2nd lowest percentage conversion rate. I'd say our general attacking play this year has been very very good
But then on other days we've seen Pereyra score a brace or Gerry score a hat-trick, which means they are more than capable of putting their chances away.
Do you think they were reading this thread? Considering how many goals we have scored this season, isn’t the truth more that we just have off days and miss as many chances as anyone else?
Just to say, I'm not criticising our strikers or our attacking play or our ability to score goals. This thread is based on a table MOTD showed that we have the 2nd worst conversion rate of 'good chances' so far this season in the Premier League, so a fact not an argument. What they class as a 'good chance' could be arguable, and it is only 'good chances' where our conversion rate is low. We score amazing goals for fun this season. The point is, I guess, that if we could put away at least an average amount of good chances we'd have even more goals, so more points. But it's more a conversation piece than a criticism at what has been an amazing season.
Goal of the season award is going to be incredible to judge. There are probably about 15 worthy contenders this season. I've been supporting Watford since 1979 and have been to virtually every single home match in that time. I cannot remember a single season where the goals have been at such a consistent quality. But, the point I think the OP and others are making, is that we rely on these unbelievable goals, when really they should be just the icing on the cake. It's the standard finishing we cannot seem to do too often. Like the goal Deeney tucked away last night, is actually quite a rare goal for us. We have had too many games this season, where we've been well on top, but a lack of something clinical in the final third has cost us dearly. Games at Newcastle, Arsenal, Fulham, Spurs and United. I think were it hurts us the most is when we play a top 6 side. We are the best of the rest in it's truest form. We have taken more points from clubs outside the top 6 than anyone else this season. Wolves, who have taken a whopping 12 points from top 6 sides, plus have knocked out United and Liverpool in the FA Cup, have found a way to compete and beat the best, but they are nowhere near as consistent against other EPL clubs as we are. I believe not taking chances, or being reluctant to shoot, has held us back against the top sides. However, because of these wonder strikes, we have scored more goals than anyone else outside the top 6. Scoring goals is not the problem, but ironically taking chances in tight games is.
It's that stat about Wolves that gives me hope. We all looked at how many top 6 we have left to play when really it's Soton away that is a more dangerous fixture for Wolves than Arsenal at home. Ultimately we still need to beat them ourselves but it would be nice to only need a draw.
