Hopefully you won’t be able to say that the last game of the season when we play Swansea as they are still unbeaten!
I thought their Holmes and Watson joke was better than anything I’ve read on this forum for ages (not counting the one about meridensi’s sister’s boob as that’s probably a statement of fact).
Seems a lifetime ago now...routine loss to the then mighty Reading!! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
My big concern for this game is that the win will be so comfortable that it becomes somewhat tedious to watch or listen to. I can just hear Jon Marks attempting to show enthusiasm as Sema runs through their entire team and rolls in our 9th goal of the half. To keep it interesting I truly hope we employ bizarre or unconventional tactics, such as playing rush keeper. Or failing that I'd like Foster to try to run up the pitch and score every time he is in possession like a bored FIFA player. I wouldn't expect him to succeed more than 2 or 3 times but it would at least give us some enjoyment of an otherwise pointless fixture.
That was the day of the Tsunami, I think the players thought that football was an insignificance that day, first time Paul Jones touched it was to retrieve it from the goal!
Surely the first time two Serbian managers have faced one another in the English game? Didn’t one of our new coaches work under their new manager recently too? So might get a little insider help? Good start aside, they’ve been one of the leagues poorer sides in recent years so should be looking at 3 points really - but a point is acceptable. Bed is ripe for wetting in the event of a loss.
Happy days. Did they have the Rag Week 5-legged beer race when u were there? Teams of 4 tied by the legs racing/staggering around 6? pubs and drink a pint at each (half pint for the ladies!), end up at the Union bar on Whiteknights pissed as a fart! One of the designated pubs was the Turks Head on London Road. I’m convinced I remember the hanging pub sign was a severed head complete with traditional headgear of a Turkish gentleman of the crusades era! I was in Reading not long ago, and noted the pub has changed its name to The Turks with modern signage of a smart Turkish man with head still attached to his body! PC gone mad if you ask me As a student I was made some interesting offers but sadly I was not once, ever, never, offered a bag of cabbages Oh, and the game. 0-2 to the resurgent Hornets.
I remember we played a midweek game against them at home, absolutely chucked it down all match. Jamie Cureton took us apart and I think it also finished 0-3. Chants of "call it off, call it off, call it off". Was a simpler time when Watford were just happy to be in the second division with no expectations.
Don't remember the 5 legged race but I was in Wantage Hall where we had a pen of sheep in the quad for a few days that week. Spent many a good evening in the Turks and you're right about the sign, some good live music and obviously pool at the back. I seem to remember the sign being graphitied to say "the Turpents bum" for some reason when I was there. It had an excellent Chinese takeaway next door - (see the best after pub food thread elsewhere) and a LazerQuest round the corner which I got banned from. My main pubs were the Lyndhurst Arms just outside of town who had an electronic quiz network thing before wifi was invented, The college arms on Wokingnham road for darts before it went all posh as I lived round the back of the shops there and then the Three Tuns at the top of Wokingham road for Pool. Beer of choice from Nelsons in the Union was Theakston's Old Peculiar which they managed to serve with croutons on top and which made up a liquid lunch when I couldn't be bothered to go back to the hall for food.
I went to Elm Park once, a league cup game which we won in the early 90s. I went to their new place once as well, I think we lost 1-0 in the early 00s.
I think I remember that. 2-0 win. I also went under Roeder when to Elm Park when we got hammered 4-1. They had Hislop in goal.
We don't concede goals, but we don't score many either, so I'm guessing this has a draw written all over it, or a 1-0 win either way.
I know. went from Steve Perryman era 'we dont have any wingers', frightening the opposition from teh wing, to a sort of Michael Owen latter era, slower on pace and trickery shadow of that early promise. I thought he'd be an absolute worldie initially. What I meant was that with Young still playing, those two players cover near 30 years. And yes you can do that with others... Anyone that played with Giggs-Robson and suddenly you've got players from teh 60s i would think. It just struck me as a bit glaring.
"Come you on Arse". I know they've not been up to much in recent years, but I can't believe they call themselves this.
They're saying they might risk him now Need to make sure we give him some big knocks early on if they do
I would not have guessed it. Think I saw Bruce's last game as a teenager before his move. Also saw him score a couple away at West Ham when we took an early lead if I remember rightly. We still ended up losing - I was with a fellow Hornet in with the home fans. Not sure how I kept my head down but I managed.
That would be a massive risk for them. Taken from the NHS website; “You can stop wearing the sling after a few days, but it takes about 12 to 16 weeks to completely recover from a dislocated shoulder. You'll usually be able to resume most activities within 2 weeks, but should avoid heavy lifting and sports involving shoulder movements for between 6 weeks and 3 months.” Obviously with every day physiotherapy and all the jazz a pro football club has to offer, that time frame is probably reduced significantly. However, it won’t take much to seriously do permanent damage if he falls awkwardly in our game, gets hit hard etc. So they could risk him for one game, only to end up losing him for months. If they do risk him, then they are going to have to pump him full of painkillers to get through the game. If he plays I would be instructing our defenders to go shoulder to shoulder with him at every opportunity. Shoulder barge him over, push him over, knock him over the advertising boards. Do everything and anything to make him have to stretch his hands out to catch himself and put his body weight on that shoulder. Personally they would be stupid to risk it. I hope for the players sake they don’t risk him, and I don’t think they will. If they do though, and they lose him for even longer, then all fool them.
(all figures are mean averages, only looking at league fixtures this season) Brief summary of our respective starts to date, statistically. Can't really read anything into this, but looks like Reading so far have been far more accurate with their shooting, with fewer shots but six goals scored to our two - this might be the weekend where Foster has an important save or two to make. Only other point of note would be regarding the passing. A greater number of more accurate passes (for Reading) suggests that they don't like to play it long, and it's likely to be played in front of our back three more often than not, so Chalobah (if fit) and Garner will be called upon. Last point is that, if we continue to average >8 corners a game then this is a serious opportunity, and you'd hope that Garner's improved delivery can translate that number of corners to a couple of half chances each game. Who knows.
Reading remind me a bit like QPR. Same type of kit, but better fans. Majeski is an old style ground and our record there is pretty good. They have started very well and will be up for this despite losing a few key players. I remember one game a while back where they were giving us some stick over the Brendan Rodgers thing. If we can keep our composure and defend well we can get at least a point here. We were pretty sh!te in our other away game so far and starting slowly could see us go behind. I'm assuming Sarr and Deeney will feature. Love to see Suarez but we'll probably see Hughes and Gray back before that happens. Hob Knobs 2 Watford 2 (Sarr, Cathcart)
If we really want to win we should try to distract the Reading players. Here are a couple of suggestions: 1. Strip off in the tunnel and come on bare. 2. Place a large boulder in front of the goal so they will wonder "What is that rock for?"
If this was the Boxing Day match I remember walking out at HT. This was hands down the most disgraceful performance I can remember in many many years of following Watford. Shocking.
What did you expect though looking at that team. Amazing to think we were promoted next season under Aidy.
