tbh the chants of 'You're going down with the Blackpool' and 'You're effing sh*t' towards the end reminded me how classless the Leicester fans were when we went down to L1, and, by extension, how classless quite a few of our fans are.
I think most of us would agree full-back/wing-back is our weakest area and one that will need addressing if we are in the Prem next season.. However, we have what we have, and right now the personel there are part of a side/squad who are giving their absolute all to achieve that dream. After my criticisms of the Sannino reign, I'm the last person on here who has any right to suggest other people take it easy on certain of our players. And I myself am not won over by Anya, feel we have looked better the last two matches without Layun starting, worry sometimes about Parades and feel Connolly's a red card waiting to happen, as Motta already has been. However, we're not all discussing a mid table season, where the season's just chugging to a dead end and there's a lack of motivation. We're seeing a Watford squad chasing an incredible promotion and every player, when called upon, is playing their part. Give or take the occasional weakness and mistakes, we're seeing a consistently high standard of performance right now and for me it's one to be enjoyed, through the nerves of course!! All for one and one for all!
I don't know about you and other posters here but I'm finding it very difficult looking at the Prem and League One at the moment and trying to decide what I'd like to see happen there, because none of us still have any idea where we will be playing next season!! Normally by now you'd have a good idea, so you'd be busy looking at the bottom of the Prem and the top of League One and thinking who you'd like to be playing, or avoiding, next season. If we knew we'd be staying down, we'd all be debating if we'd like Sunderland to come down or Hull or QPR etc. And as I live in the South West, I'd be quite pleased about Bristol City's imminent promotion. Let me ask this...IF we do go up (I still believe we will), which 2 sides would u like to come up with us and which 3 sides to get relegated from the Prem? In terms of both attractive fixtures and us being able to beat a few of them...
To go up with us sense would say for two less equipped to survive teams to fill two relegation slots next season and that for me that's Boro for automatic and Ipswich for the playoffs ... but I'd much rather watch Norwich and Derby go up if I was a neutral.
Brentford and Bournemouth no doubt about it. Bournemouth would take the limelight off us and brentford because they'd take the money and run whereas you think a Norwich or Boro would spend and have a better chance of finishing above us.
I would like to see Chelsea, Arsenal and Man City come down as we've much less chance of getting points off them in comparison with any team down the bottom
Just watched the goals again on the funny football thingy on BBC2. Two very good goals.Ketch does very well with his delivery,something that has frustrated all of us most of the time! TD must have had a shout from The Otter to leave it and a quality finish from MV. The second is a great team goal isn't it? Lovely turn and skill from The Otter and good link up from TD and Ketch for AG to finish. Leroy R said it would have been harsh for a pen.He was quite fair I thought. On we go!
I really don't understand why more people don't go to Millwall, (well it won't be happening for a while now anyway). We got from Watford Junction to London Bridge in about 40 minutes, then a nice wander around Borough market where all the pubs were full of Watford. As we were early to the ground we went the long way around from South Bermondsey station and around to the home end for a look around. Good seats in the upper stand, and the stewards were great, unlike many places. The match has been discussed already but we need to sharpen up defensively as Forest will not be as kind in front of goal. Back indoors by 6.20 after staying to clap the players off. Cracking day.
Good win and fairly comfortable. Thought the penalty appeal for them looked stonewall but seeing other posts maybe I was wrong. Fair to play to the ref if he got that right and actually I thought he had a decent game. The lino was also excellent to our left and kept ignoring the ball going out! The late goal for Norwich made it feel like we dropped a point though. Felt we missed Cathcart a bit so hopefully he will be fit for Forest. Paredes is beginning to look like the player we hoped we were buying and think some need watch what he's doing now and not what's in the past. Was never beaten one on one and looked decent going forward. Little bit of work to do on his final ball but very much improved. Same goes for Anya. Because he has not been great this season I'm not sure some watched what he did yesterday and just say the normal things, like the no end product comments. Two assists yesterday and caused a few problems for them. Tozser looks back to his best just in time for the final few games. Great range of passing. Abdi looked fit and he is just so calm on the ball which helps others. Without question we are better going forward with him in the team so hopefully he starts at Forest. Vydra was my MOM. Was everywhere and got a great goal. Tackled back and was involved in everything we did going forward. Not sure he will start at Forest though. Great position to be in though. No matter which forward we play, they deliver. Be amazed if this doesn't go to the final game
Maybe we’re just looking at this the wrong way? I fully agree that full/wing backs appears to be our weakest area, but we’ve had some players who are more than qualified play there. Pudil, Parades, Layun, Cassetti – All full internationals who don’t fully solve the problem. I think it’s more to do with the shape that leaves them to be exposed. We’ve been playing a 3-5-2 or a diamond 4-4-2 recently, where in both formations the full/wing back doesn’t have a player directly in front of them. Yes, there is a player in the midfield whose job is it to come over and offer support, but it’s not the same as having constant protection. Adding to this, the wingbacks are expected to be an outlet on the flanks which makes their job very difficult to be in a threatening position when we have the ball and a defensive position almost immediately when we don’t. For example, for Motta’s sending off against Derby, we have the ball, and if you watch him, he’s sprinting forward to give an option. We suddenly lost the ball in a dangerous area and he’s out of position. Ok, it’s a poor tackle, but I don’t think it’s purely his fault. I personally thought Parades and Anya were very good yesterday, both staying wide to spead the pitch. Hoban at left back limits us on that side – the cheers of surprise when he beat his man yesterday shows this. But he offers a lot more defensively, so I guess it depends what Joka is after On to Forest!! A much tougher test but they're short of strikers at the moment. You can't not have confidence in our team with the way they're playing!
Bournemouth and Derby to go up too. Leicester, QPR and Hull to go down although not necessarily for your reasons. Bournemouth - it is a bit of a fairy story and I really do rate Howe. If we (and probably more pertinently they) could get past all the diving stuff I'd have no problem with them. They have consistently played the best football all season and seemed to have left the histrionics behind on Friday night at least. They should stick with that. Of course, they should only be runners-up! Derby from the play-offs. Well capable of excellent football too although they've dropped from that high standard recently. Deserved it last year anyway. Leicester - don't like them or Pearson. QPR - don't like them or their owners. Nothing wrong with Ramsey though. Hull - just naff as is their manager.
We took about 2900 fans which is more than decent - I'm sure I saw somewhere that we only returned about 50? Considering many people want to go to Forest, Brighton, Sheff Wed etc, I don't think it was a bad turnout. Wish I'd been able to sit in the upper tier, though!
I actually really enjoy Millwall as an away day. Despite many calling it a ****hole to the strains of Sloop John B yesterday, that part of London has a certain vibrancy to it that makes it unique in away games even in London, and although the area around the ground itself isn't the most aesthetically attractive area in the Capital, I enjoy the views of the Docklands and passing trains in and around the stadium. I'd take it over Selhurst Park and The Valley any day.
Good away day, easy transport links, plenty of pubs around London Bridge and an easy win. The home end block to the left of the away stand isn't what it has been in recent years with Boris and his crew there. Still same Millwall though I guess, I think the most action from their fans came when one of their defenders clattered Abdi which led to the down with the Blackpool etc chants. Bit of a bummer hearing that Norwich scored in the last minute but hopefully we can get our scoring boots on against Birmingham and get at least a 3 goal advantage pushing us over Norwich.
It is a disgrace to be honest. When you consider the ruthless attack on racism which has, quite rightly, been going on and going strong for many years now, there is a slight feeling that ant-gay sentiments are rather more acceptable. There is no legitimate or commendable reason for this.
It wasn't meant to be insulting gay people. It was a wind up aimed at certain Millwall supporters, who were indeed farking furious about it, and actually claimed that their club had been 'damaged' by the publicity Pink Lions got. I couldn't care less about anyone's sexuality. It's a non-issue for 99% of people today.
Yeh I definitely do see the funny side! I think that is true for a lot of people but at the same time there are plenty of fans who, as history always informs us, findit very hard to relinquish their prejudiced ways. Stamping racism out didn't occur overnight. For the still plentiful supply of fans who think its ok and normal to be anti-gay, there has been no reason offered to deviate from established habit. If there has never been initiatives from up high aimed at making racism unacceptable, there would still be plenty of football fans who continued with it, regardless of whether there was really any heartfelt malice behind it or not. Until there is a similar initiative aimed at making anti-gay sentiments equally unacceptable, many people will continue to 'think' (if they do that at all) that it is fine.
I was horrified by the homophobia shown while waiting on South Bermondsey platform. A small but very vocal group of 3 or 4 Millwall fans, taking exception to an apparent chant of "you're going down with the paedo" starting loudly chanting and shouting homophobic abuse about Elton John and the wider club in general. I won't repeat it here, but when it then started to include some racism too I really expected the police to step in... Given this was happening literally yards from the entrance to the platform. I tried to get my phone out to subtly film them so it could be reported but they were standing too close to me... And given I was one of the few Watford fans not getting on a train to London Bridge, I didn't want to pull too much focus. What I found almost comical, but really deeply saddening, was when the loudest culprit's son (who can't have been much older than early teens) joined in. His father quickly stopped him when he uttered the C word and told him off saying he doesn't want to hear him using that language... And yet it was fine for him to shout homophobic abuse in front of him... It carried on as the train headed south as I got off at Peckham Rye. So yes it seems that there is still a lot to do in tackling homophobia at football.
Not good but seeing as they started in response to "you're going down with the paedo" they probably thought they were part of an anything goes atmosphere.
Disagree with this - it's something that those who couldn't care less assume of the rest of society. Vocal homophobia has definitely become less acceptable, but there is still a small minority who are happy to shout about it (see the other posts about Millwall songs and comments queuing for trains) and a larger number still stigmatise it, probably subconsciously, but more than 1 in every 100 - particularly within the middle-aged, working class men who make up much of the footballing fanbase.
I really enjoyed the day out. We walked from London Bridge - doing the Bermondsey Mile, which is basically a pub crawl, seven pubs between LB and Millwall - time didn't permit us to do them all, but next time we play - I will make sure we do it properly. The last few hundred yards were on the main road going through the home territories, no issues a all and some of our group were in colours. I thought the team did what it needed to and got the three points pretty comfortably, as others have said we'll have to up it against Forest, but we can do that if the focus remains on track. It was goods to hear that we were celebrating yet another birthday of Gladys Protheroe, she must be at least 90 by now, I thought she'd stopped attending games, but obviously not!
Oh excellent! Sorry to go off topic but I was only thinking of 'her' the other day when someone mentioned Tony Coton as their favourite Watford keeper! It was when she called David 'Fulham/Chelsea' Mellor on 606 saying that TC was so underemployed in the game he was eating his sandwiches! Very funny!:sign15:
I don't know, didn't hear as had been on the platform for a bit. Guessing a group of our fans whilst the station gates were closed as there was a fair bit of "banter" flying around.
