Watford FC 0-3 Brighton & Hove Albion - 10/08/2019

They probably have a new pre-match organiser wanting to stamp his mark. "How can we change things?" is the remit these sort of people go through. Changing z-cars for no reason, reading out the subs first, is another ridiculous thing. If it's not broke don't fix it. There's plenty of things that needs fixing on the pitch right now, without silly little distractions like changing the order to the team announcement.

What are they going to do next home game. Read out all the players who are NOT playing, giving fans the opportunity to work out the remaining players who must be playing? Like a "test your squad knowledge" game. Or maybe read out the team in descending order, that would be different.

 

I don't think this was really tested yesterday. The only time a player (Brighton) might have gone off down near the SEJ/Rookery corner they were making a double substitution so it didn't really matter.

 

Well, yeah. As evidenced by yesterday.

The same people who call people "knickers wetters," when they point out that signing a budget elastoplast solution will fix our defensive deficiencies. They don't like it when our defence looks like a **** show, and people who have been saying it needs fixing are understandably frustrated by obvious problems remaining unfixed.

You'll be the first to berate Nath when we win a game and act like he's completely wrong, yet you don't have the grace to admit when he is right.

 

Two I can recognise. What was the third? Arthur didn't catch something rare did he?

 

He's not good enough for us, let alone bigger clubs.

He's a championship striker at best these days.

As I've said previously, he puts in a shift about 4 or 5 times a season, but the rest of the time he offers nothing at all. At least Gray and Del post a real goal threat. Deeney is difficult to ascribe any sort of genuine threat to. He's not fast, not that good in the air, doesn't work that hard most games and steadfastly refuses to move beyond standing next to a defender and going shoulder to shoulder, losing the battle 90% of the time.

 

You may have drunk too much already!

 

Not me. I won't even think about it. But relentless negativity like some Lootown infiltrator sticking the boot in at every opportunity for the sake of it is very, very boring.

 

It's only boring to me when he's right.

When he's wrong, I don't care.

 

Honk honk

 

Are you telling me we didn't? I'm disgusted.

I at least hoped our fans all stayed, singing loud and waving their flags to the end, even if our players surrendered.

 

And a partridge in a pear tree.

Great new chant.

 

I don't even think we look tired, just clueless and that sits at Javi's door. He was comprehensively out thought by Potter yesterday. Their shape was superb, he'd clearly studied ours and worked out how to combat it and we didn't react at all. Dale Stephens was in acres of space throughout.

They dropped off when our defenders had the ball and marked all the options so we had to go long into Deeney or Gray. We, on the other hand, pushed right on with our forwards but not with our midfielders, allowing them passing options all over the pitch. All of our options were backwards or square, they were able to pass it forwards along the floor at will to unmarked players. They also kept their wing backs wide and as we shuffled across in our narrow formation, it was always on as a switch of play.

It was obvious from the middle of first half that we needed to change something but we just carried on, doing the same thing and lost with a whimper. That's on Javi and his team - neither side played many new signings from the start, these were basically the same teams as this game last season.

 

I don’t berate him when we win although he very rarely posts when that happens.
I have not said he’s wrong, I have said it’s always negative, never positive and that calling people stupid for not agreeing with what he says is ridiculous.
I’m quite a positive person and always try to look at the pluses which is maybe why I struggle so much with his posting but I can see we have issues at the moment which need resolving.

 

It’s only one game - obviously we ended last season badly, but a summer off can change things. Didn’t yesterday of course.

I must admit though, even forgetting yesterday, there doesn’t seem to be the same vibe this year. Last pre-season I remember reading some interviews with the players, Pereyra’s sticks out the most. He was going on about how we were going to surprise people, how the players knew we were going to pushing for something way beyond what others may think.

I think an early impact from Welbeck and Sarr is going to be crucial, which is some pressure on a guy who hasn’t played for nearly a year and a young lad in a new country and league.

 

Having only seen the highlights from yesterday, a change of formation seems to be the way forward as it clearly is not working. This doesn’t mean it can’t work on some occasions but we desperately need a plan B. I like 3 at the back but would try 3-4-3 rather than 3-5-2

 

The evacuation started at 75 minutes this week.

The groans started as soon as the teams changed ends at the start. Does make me laugh every time. We must be the only fanbase that supports the team less if they lose the toss.

 

Maybe reaching the final, then being comprehensively outplayed in front of millions and finishing the highest ever in PL shows to those players what our level is. Getting motivated to achieve at least the same could be hard. Up to manager and back room staff to resolve.

 

Yesterday's team looks relegation material. True we have new players to come in and the sooner they are fit and ready the better because the next two or three games looked difficult pre season and after yesterday look even worse.
It does not help the team when transfers are made at the last minute. Perhaps it is simply a fact of life but if they were left to the last minute in order to get a slightly better deal I would say that is bad business. Having to start with one team and then adapt a few games later is not ideal.
That is not down to Javi of course but the board.
Javi however needs to step up and step up fast. Five defeats on the trot is bad but if it gets to 8 or 9 his position will become even more precarious.
Deeney's days are numbered. He has only at best been a marginal Premiership striker and now at 31 he is declining fast. His game came out of the previous season's slump a bit last year but he might be better to get to a Championship side where he probably really belongs. Sad as he has been a good servant but does football have room for sentiment?

 

Finished the bottle and if Slither tonks us next week I reserve the right to go into vitriol mode and down 2 bottles.

 

You certainly like to stick the boot in. Here you are having a dig at Nath (and others) during the final pre-season game:

"Oh look, the two people I was referring too. The same two who were saying the exact same thing a year ago. The same two that pretty much have nothing positive to say about the club"

People have every right to be critical of our chronic under investment in our backline over several windows. If you go on the offensive, then don't be surprised when people point out they might have been right when the defence looks disorganised, slow and way past its prime.

 

After all, we're a top 19 team. Don't let the Toffees forget it

 

Well I can go along with that seeing as if he's right then we'll be in the sh.t because whatever he's forecast will be negative. By the same token, if he's wrong then we'll all be happy.

Booring/boreing/boring? You're right.

We have made an attempt at refreshing our defence at CB. Not to others' satisfaction though and maybe indeed not good enough. Maybe a young CB with potential is harder to identify than a young attacking player whose flair is more obvious.

Maybe we should have gone in hard for Maguire two years ago at £17m. Given the Silva connection and the very obvious potential. That's what I thought at the time. Maybe he didn't like Silva though. Maybe Silva didn't liked him. Maybe Gino thought that £17m was o.t.t. for a CB at the time. Times change. Maybe Maguire simply wanted to get back into the PL with a club that had recently won the whole damn thing and wouldn't have considered us at all. Inponderables eh?

What I find faintly nauseating is those who think we should necessarily end up with the new Van Dijk imminently as some sort of right. It's an evolutionary process and we are in competition with lots of others. Gino et al are doing their very best on our behalf while, at the same time, understandably, protecting the business interest.

Get real. Chill out. Enjoy the ride.

 

Never been up for it as much as this season according to the programme, if I remember right

 

It’s only one game - obviously we ended last season badly, but a summer off can change things. Didn’t yesterday of course.

I must admit though, even forgetting yesterday, there doesn’t seem to be the same vibe this year. Last pre-season I remember reading some interviews with the players, Pereyra’s sticks out the most. He was going on about how we were going to surprise people, how the players knew we were going to pushing for something way beyond what others may think.

I think an early impact from Welbeck and Sarr is going to be crucial, which is some pressure on a guy who hasn’t played for nearly a year and a young lad in a new country and league.

Absolutely, was always going to take some good motivation to get that mental side right. First impressions not good and it was telling I thought that Deeney mentioned how it helped raise his motivation by signing Sarr. There’s always that time when I becomes clear there needs to be a shake up with the squad.

Only one game, so let’s hope it’s not now, but maybe we need to see that ‘evolution’ a number of posters have mentioned.

 

Sailing out of Watford is only possible using the Grand Union Canal and I wouldn't recommend it due to barges' propensity to being unmanoerverereable and generally cluttering up the place.

 

Some of it is about attitude. They backed their three big lumps at the back to play football. I was quite envious watching them pass it out from the back, we've never played like that in all the time we've been in the Premier League. They'll get caught out a bit by better teams than us if they do that for the whole season, but their new coach has backed his players' ability and they responded.

 

Neither you nor amybody else has mentioned Cleverly. He can be an advanced central midfielder able to put defenders under pressure and in a 4-3-3 formation he could fit in

 

I have mentioned Cleverley, as a player who can play as an advanced central midfielder. I mentioned him among Hughes, Pereyra and Quina as well.

 

Agree. Other players, who have no 'standout' technical attributes, can thrive in this league. The problem is they have intelligence and work ethic (Murray, Pukki). Other qualities Troy lacks these days.

 

After yesterday I'm trying to forget everything!

 

Anyway, about those pizza bases.

Semolina was a fantastic tip.

 

Cleverley isn't the answer to anything.

 

I’ve done miserable, pissed off, sarcastic and realistic so far. Now for the football manager hat.

I’d like 4-2-1-3 / 4-2-3-1

Back 4 whoever, but I’d like Wilmot back as a ball playing CB

Then start Doucouré/ Capoue - but regular introduction of Quina & maybe the new lad to introduce some of that young and hungry energy and future excitement.

Then an inter-changing, swapping, moving around of Welbeck, Deulofeu, Sarr, Pereyra, Hughes. Would love Peneranda, Cucho and Pedro introduced ASAP.

Pace & enthusiasm equals entertainment.

Ps I know it’s been one game and we had a great season last year!