(Apologies for lack of photos etc as in previous pre-game threads...I’m doing this as I wait for my train at Euston!) So it’s here....Christmas. Or more accurately...the ****-ton of games we have coming our way for a month which invariably tells the story of our season to come. The case for the defence - We have undoubtedly looked a much more solid team this season. Hard to break down for the main-part and with the majority of the squad performing admirably, either to an acceptable level or hitting the heights that we know they can. The case for the prosecution - The last 3 seasons. The wheels simply come off around this time. Have we had a pre-cursor this time with recent form or are we simply mastering the art of being a genuine ‘Meh’ PL team...sometimes we win, sometime we lose, and occasionally we might draw. Either way, Everton are now ahead of us and that is simply unacceptable to me.... LEICESTER CITY - Whilst appreciative of their recent tragedy, which I know the 1881 will rightfully recognise with their banner this weekend, and kudos to them for doing so! - I hope we can take advantage of any malaise that is happening with their team currently. We all know they have some decent players, some not so much and some players who are game changers depending very much on their form. I see them very much the same as us really in terms of squad make-up really - perhaps with 3 or 4 players in the 25 that I’d take over ours. The Officials - I’ll leave that one down to HB1... What do I want? - A performance better than Newcastle and Southampton as it will be needed. And Penaranda to be named on the bench. He has a future at the club given his 5yr deal...Okaka patently does not. Plus he’s gonna score the 9 goals in a 9-4 win. Get Janmaat back in the team too due to Femenia’s wishy-washy performances. Keep Masina in. Bring Kabasele back in. Personally I’d bring Chalobah in for Hughes, move to 3 in the middle and bring Deulofeu back wide with Pereyra the other side...give Doucoure an advanced role to wake him up out of his current malaise and have Deeney or Success up top - leaning more towards Success but Deeney always has a good battle if Morgan plays. Score - 9-4
As I said on another thread, there's nothing wrong with the appointment for this game. Graham Scott isn't a lucky omen for us, but he's a decent enough official. As long as it's not Taylor, Oliver, Moss, Mason or Probert, I'm happy or rather relieved. https://www.football.london/watford-fc/news/referees-named-watfords-fixtures-leicester-15473429
If we can get close to 30 points between now and the new year we will have done exceptionally well. A point here would be a great result and I fancy us to get it and maybe even all 3. COYH!!
Shame Maddison isn't banned for this one - will serve his suspension tonight. Be a tight game - they don't give much away or score much.
I don't want to distract too much from the purpose of this thread but, since I'm sure members of the 1881 are on here and since I'm also sure that Leicester fans will probably visit this thread, I thought I'd put this here for both to see. I know the mother/mother-in-law of two of the helicopter crash victims. She has told me that she was very moved by the messages and tributes left at the ground by Leicester fans. I told her about the tribute planned at Watford and she was touched by this gesture too so thank you to everyone involved.
May as well sticky it for every game from here on in. I will join in the meltdown come January. Promise.
Are you trying hard to be Post-modernist ironic, or are you just a trolling ****? Either way, you're a ****.
All of this makes a whole lot of sense except for one thing ... you would DROP Hughes...? My opinion is that Gracia seems monumentally slow to reintegrate people back into the squad. Taking Delofeu off repeatedly on about the 55 minute mark suggests he gets literally stuck in some sort of formulaic thinking about someone having been injured at some point and therefore needing to play no more than two thirds of a game for ever after. What has actually happened with the reintegration of Chalobah I’m not totally on track with at this stage. BUT - I absolutely wouldn’t be dropping Will Hughes. I’m a great fan, think he would run through a brick wall for the team, has improved huge amounts since joining us, and that a few performances a little below what fans have come to expect from him is insufficient reason for him to cease to be one of the first names on my starting 11. My two cents on the man for what it’s worth *shrug
Deulofeu has had spells in the Premier League spread over five seasons. He's started 39 games and been subbed off 30 times. He's also come on as a sub 36 times. Put another way, he's made 75 appearances in the Premier League and only played 90 minutes nine times. I suspect he can't really last 90 minutes at the best of times, so can understand why he's coming off at that stage after having had no pre-season.
We don't stand a chance, we'll create plenty of chances but won't be able to finish. Leicester 0-4 Watford Gracia out. Referee MOTM
I’ll post something tomorrow but here’s a teaser..... We’re ****. Properly **** and given that I’m going off football a little bit at the minute I’d like it if we lost in order to dislodge the manager.
Of course I want Watford to win tthis one, but the Leicester fans have been very complimentary about us in the past, so good luck to them.
Yes. I like Hughes but he needs time out to regain what it was that made him exciting in the first place. He’s seems to be a bit burnt out to me. It’s no reflection on his ability overall. Leicester isn’t an easy place to go so we one up top with 2 wide players supporting makes sense and this seems like a good opportunity to properly reintegrate Chalobah to me. He’s an international player and shouldn’t be considered as someone who should be on the bench every week. The last few performances have shown and opened the door for some other players to get a chance. The ones who have been average or off form should be at risk. IMO, Hughes, Femenia, Mariappa and Doucoure fall into that bracket most.
Wow you two should get a room. SCG you should know by now RC is a wind up merchant. He’s also pretty intelligent too and has some interesting theories on life subjects, parameters and diversity. On to the game, not easy. Thought we did OK vs Liverpool for the most part and yes I’d probably call that a free hit as most say on here. What worries me and continues to worry me is Gracia doesn’t seem to know when to stick or switch in a game. In games we have lost or drawn there have been people crying out for changes and he doesn’t do it. If we take the lead at Leicester they are going to come at us. I think we would need to manage the game out and play a bit of hit on the break style with the idea to pull back when needed. Keeping Vardy quiet is crucial as always. Holebas is needs another freak goal for his hatrick. I think a draw would be a decent result. With the invincible story follow, anything we can get at Leicester will be a confidence booster 2-2 Oh and @Filbert can I just say on behalf of the club, I fully expect those in yellow who travel to show respect over the past events.
I don't know, can you? Unless Gino has given you permission to or you are the club's official spokesperson I would suggest you can say nothing on behalf of anyone other than yourself.
Shoutbox Bingo. Cross off the comments as they get posted either before, during or after the match: Ref was scared to blow for the blatant foul on Delofeu after 5 minutes. Schmichael should have been sent off and it would have put us ahead and we’d have won. Favouring Leicester in this instance allowed the ball to be played to Vardy, who is quick but not that quick, he was offside but the ref allowed play to go on and Vardy slotted past Foster. Foster should have done better though. I think he could have held on to it. For Leicester’s second goal Foster should have just got rid rather than trying to control the ball when Vardy was chasing the ball down. Time for Gomes to return methinks. Marriappa at fault for the third. Drop him and play Kabs Feminia is woeful no wonder he was free. Bring back Janmaat Holebas repeatedly played the Leicester forward on side all game. Why does he take corners? My gran could put in a better cross. We should drop Doucouré (he’s not the same player as last season so let’s bring in Chalobah, although even he didn’t set the world alight in his last outing) We should drop Hughes, he’s not a wide man. Javi should play Quinoa Think we should sell Capoue in January Pereyra hasn’t been as influential as previous games so let’s drop him for Penaranda Success made some good ground but can’t pass, shoot and falls down easily. Deeney came on at 60 minutes and showed how to lead the line. It’s just a shame that he doesn’t have the ability to create space for a shot. I’d say start him next game please Javi. Okaka is the best finisher at the club but isn’t even on the bench. Even if he can only last 20 minutes. He causes more problems than all of the other strikers put together. Gray is **** Gracia was too slow to make changes. Why did he leave Hughes on? Javi got it wrong You can’t play ***-***-*** formation away from home/with those players That was a Mazzari performance I was back in the pub before half time. Leicester 1 Watford 2
I was speaking as a fan saying I have faith that are fanbase are not insensitive to such things. Why do people immediately leap on people for giving a heartfelt comment? Anyways no disrespect Philli, just wanted to clear that up.
No disrespect taken. If you were just speaking as a fan that are/our fanbase are not insensitive then say that by all means. When you attempt to start speaking on behalf of others without their permission then expect to be pulled up on it. That's all.
Not sure about this. I've heard rumours the 1881 have some pretty disgusting chants lined up about Richard III.
It’s nice if people want to do tributes or whatever, can’t say I’m fussed either way. It’s sad, what happened and caused people to reflect on what the football club means to them. Taking it to the level of grieving like someone you personally know has died (unless of course you did personally know one of the poor folks who died on the chopper) as some did seems a tad hysterical to me.