I agree Don't make Amrabat culpable for defensive mistakes when he really isn't a defender in any way shape or form. 4-2-3-1 has to be the way once success is back
No one came out with much credit but I felt for Iggy today and agree the midfield offered very little shield to the defence today. Not entirely sure it would have made a difference but thought WM would only start with one of Troy and Iggy. It was always a possibility that we would be tonked as many feared but some players went missing today in all areas of the pitch. Lets hope Gomes is ok but it looks bad.
I think the players confidence just got shredded after the opening 30 minutes which led to more mistakes and more goals. One to write off!
People calling for Walter's head on Twitter. I hate Watford fans. A really bad, embarrassing game yes, but we've had our best start ever to a PL season. We've just come off a run of 7 points and conceding no goals. We beat United 3-1. We have obvious issues we need to address. We're struggling going forward, but we're being held back by injuries. The squad looks like we're lacking in certain areas, but hopefully after the International break we'll have Okaka, Success, Cathcart & Prodl back. That'll make a huge difference. A game to forget, but I don't doubt we'll be the last team that Liverpool do that too.
Yes. Hard not to be dejected at 3-0 down and facing their firepower. Learn from it,bin it and move on.
let this one go it was always going to be a damage limitation exercise. we are where we are. the pozzos can see what we see it will be ok. it was poor yes. but liverpoool aint team we should be stuffing. the longer we stay in this league the more chance we have of attracting better players. i still think the future looks bright
so we lost 6-1 to a top side with some shambolic defending and people are on here picking out Deeney and Ighalo for criticism, some of you really need to get a grip on reality.
First time ever we have conceded 6 in the premier league, our previous heaviest defeat was 0-5 away to Wimbledon Dec 99 making today was our joint heaviest defeat in the P.L.
I think that one thing is clear... Our back 3 doesn't work against best teams with the best attackers. Arsenal and Liverpool both found it way too easy to cut through.
TBF I've seen us get stomped by two very good teams this season - the gooners (and I was hoping today for us to play in the second half today as we did against them i that match) and the scousers today.
How many points did Liverpool get for that win? I recall last season Newcastle beating Norwich 6-2 but they still couldn't amass enough wins to stay up. I would rather win six games 1-0 than one game 6-0. Heavy defeat, poor defensive performance but hardly the end of the world.
Which goal we conceded was the worst do you reckon? I'd say the third. Shortest man on the pitch with an unchallenged header 5 yards out. I mean, really.
Liverpool's attacking play is so quick and they have so many options that it creates fear in the opposition. They also work very hard and that grinds you down. As much as it may anger people I think they have a good chance of winning the title. A positive reaction required after the Poppy game.
Liverpool, Arsenal, Man City and Tottenham are better than us by some distance (as if we needed reminding) Iggy shouldn't be anywhere near the pitch on his current form and it is really starting to cheese me off how he gets an automatic bye into the side week in week out Behrami is too slow and ends up giving the ball away every week; the club needs to spend some proper cash on a fit for purpose DM because Behrami needs to be put out to pasture Liverpool defence demonstrated where Deeney's talent ceiling is - about mid table. Luther's record is not under threat any time soon Amrobat is a winger he's not a wing back, will never be a wing back, and it is beyond stupid to keep playing him there when Janmaat is fit Our back 3 were awful, we miss Prodl and Cathcart Chelsea demonstrate week in week out a back 3 can work
I can't see why Ighalo is getting grief. 2 weeks in a row he's been fine in front of a stuttering midfield and yet he is to blame seemingly.
I saw white shirts up front and in defence but where the feck was the midfield? Liverpool appeared to start an attack with 3 in midfield and not one Watford player around them. How does that work? Also think we missed Prodl today but there should be a decent enough replacement for when he is injured.
Playing 3 at the back at Anfield......really? I think the coach's decision to play this 3-5-2 system against every opposition in every situation is madness. We got what we deserved, a massive defeat. A good coach managed to beat them 2-0 this season with a smart consideration for the game in hand. We conceded 6 but it should have been double figures. No one can take any credit on the pitch, but I lay this pitiful performance firmly at the feet of the head coach. Liverpool are decent, but we made it very easy for them. It was like watching an FA Cup 3rd round game, where a non-league side pits there wits against Liverpool. We were utterly pathetic, and we put up no resistance whatsoever. The gulf in class was far too wide. No way should they be doing that to us, with the quality we have in our side. Worst culprits today were Holebas, Britos, Pantillimon and Berhami. They were utterly useless. Shame about the Gomes injury, I hope it's not too serious, although it looked like it might be.
He might not have been the worst player today, but I'd be more likely to give a player grief for ratings of 4,3,4,3,4 than 6,6,7,6,2. Iggy has done nothing for far too long, and doesn't even do the simple things which help when a player is so poor, like dropping deep and demanding the ball, or chasing tired defenders. He looks less likely to score than pretty much any other player on the pitch.
With respect Jumbo, he did nothing. All I saw him doing was falling on his arse, getting outmuscled for the ball and at very best sending weak inaccurate passes out to the wings but straight at, too far in front or behind his target. Can you honestly tell me the once or twice he got the ball to his feet with one or two Liverpool defenders on him, you expected him to do something? Or even try something? I could forgive him if he was still trying to do the chops and twists and turns and failing, but I can barely recall the last time he even tried it. Where he used to strike terror into opposition defences with his close control and tricks, now the very best you get from him is a stuttering, barely-in-control parody switching left and right and looking more confused himself than the defenders about where the ball is going. His 'vision' seems almost entirely absent. I was amazed Sinclair didn't get on again. Why not give him 15 mins at the end? What's the worst that could happen? We could at least give the lad some match experience and show him that he's close to a place in the team - that it's realistic he's going to get his chance.
The frustration for me personally is our laziness in the middle of the park and Walters stubbornness of insisting on playing a 3-5-2 every game. The best football we have played this season has always come from not playing 3-5-2 but 4-3-3. This is what we should be playing. Iggy and Troy do not function well together anymore and haven't for sometime. Once success is back I would like to see a front three of Success, Deeney, Amrabat with Pereyra playing in the CAM role. Watson and Capoue behind him with Holebas, Britos, Prodl, Janmaat in defence. Gomes in goal obviously. Looking forward to Okaka being back with Kenedy and Cathcart.
Surprised you name the worst culprits without giving mention to Capoue and Ighalo, both of whom were just as pathetic as the worst player on the pitch bar none - Behrami. Being outclassed by Liverpool doesn't concern me one bit, but watching a group of players who bottled every challenge and couldn't put together a simple 5 yard pass, or control or hold up the ball. It was awful. When our best player on the pitch is Watson then there's something wrong. Yes, still not confident in the head coach but when you're sitting 7th or 8th it's difficult to make a case against him. Personally I feel today's result was coming and our league position is misleading, it covers up a vast range of issues within the team, one of which being the midfield which is generally overrun.
Also, 5-0 down, Jerome Sinclair on the bench against his old team with a point to prove, Ighalo and Deeney doing **** all and he still doesn't come on? Absolute joke to be honest.
I do think the lack of a genuine alternative and threat to Ighalo and Deeney, Deeney in particular, is a huge issue. He can play like utter ****, as he has done repeatedly this season, and there's no one but Sinclair to come on, who simply isn't ever going to play by the looks of it. Everything about his attitude and performances screams unjustified arrogance and complacency. His shoulders don't currently seem strong enough to bare the weight of his ego and he isn't as likeable a character as he once was.
Not the end of the world but hugely disappointing nonetheless Janmaat, Amrabat on the right hand side was always going to be weak defensively and proved to be. Can't understand why Kabasale or Mariappa didn't start following loss of Prodl. Where was Captain Deeney gee'ing up the troops and leading by example, he was completely anonymous 8th place not too shabby and hope we get a few back from injury after the international break
What makes you so sure Sinclair is up to it at the moment? Maybe he's miles away and we just don't have another option.
Pros: We're still top half of the table, and only lost a nailed on zero-pointer. Success, Okore and Cathcart should be coming back soon Watson showed some glimpses of his early-last-season form Two more weeks to work on our shape with a few winnable games coming up. Cons: They were great at times, and average at others. Irrespective, they walked through us with ease. Mentally I think we are weak. We lose out on 50-50s constantly, neglect to chase lost balls/ track runs from midfield, and lose aerial duels against players half our size. I'm less annoyed at the scoreline than by our lack of urgency, bravery, aggression and passion. I think Burnley/ Hull would have scored a few past us today. Our league position is comforting, although we are only 5 points off the relegation zone and it is worrying that we haven't played well for so long. We need better quality and strength in the middle, more pace and movement up front. We are not protecting our defence enough, not providing our strikers with opportunities enough, which is a pretty horrible position to be in. Please do not let Gomes be out for long.
