Watford FC 1-2 Chelsea - 02/11/2019

Discussion in 'Match Day' started by wfcmoog, Oct 30, 2019.

  1. Teide1

    Teide1 Squad Player

    In our two premier league relegation seasons we were beaten before we started, goals against were treated as expected and we went back down to where we belonged! This season is different, our fifth in a row in the top flight we should be comfortable in the league. However with no luck and no forwards apart from the Man City game we haven’t really been hammered in any game, take Newcastle, Sheffield, Spurs, Arsenal and Bournemouth we weren’t too far away from winning any of those games, with the correct decision by officials and a bit of luck on the field and we would be looking at more like 12-15 points not 5.

    We must take advantage of Norwich’s poor form, next Fridays game is “ must win “ for both teams, if we win we go above Both Norwich and Southampton (having played a game more than the later) if that isn’t a big enough incentive for our boys to play their hearts out then we could well go down like a damp squid!
     
  2. Whippendell Woods

    Whippendell Woods Squad Player

    Anybody else notice that when the final whistle blew the club DJ immediately played a random popular music record VERY VERY loudly?

    Presumably to drown out any dissent from the faithful?
     
  3. Eastcoastorn

    Eastcoastorn First Year Pro

    I noticed it too. Ive never known it to be done before today. It did work though, the boos were drowned out.
     
  4. Whippendell Woods

    Whippendell Woods Squad Player

    Yet before Z Cars and while teams were in the tunnel for an age, they played a few bars on a loop akin to music in a health spa which really killed the atmosphere.
     
    Happy bunny likes this.
  5. RS2

    RS2 Squad Player

    So Quique took Janmaat off because he wasn't playing deep enough. When we were 2-0 down. The man is negative beyond belief, what a horrible season we're going to have to endure if he stays.
     
  6. Rozerhorn

    Rozerhorn First Year Pro

    He could still have put Success on to try n change the game
     
    Jumbolina likes this.
  7. luke_golden

    luke_golden Space Cadet

    I was willing to give Quique a chance, and I was willing to accept some blunt performances in exchange for some solidity at the back. It’s still extraordinarily early in his second reign, but I honestly don’t see any sign that he’s the man to reinvigorate this squad, and give them the confidence, backed with a sound tactical plan, to play ourselves out of this horrendous mess.

    Honestly, I’d be able to take relegation, if we went down fighting, but this is abject.

    We’ve completely wasted the last 6-8 weeks or so. Quique should be sacked tomorrow. I’ve no idea who could replace him, but I fail to believe that we couldn’t find somebody who could come in and work with what is an aging, declining, but still relatively talented squad, and actually make a fight of this season.
     
  8. Hornpete

    Hornpete Squad Player

    I listened to Southampton v Leicester on the radio recently and the commentry mentioned at about 7 or 8 nil, that Southampton had given away 3 fouls in the entire game, showing how passive they were in their approach.

    We're the same. All the comments in this thread have been about Chalobah strolling, Pererya awol, GD puffed after one run. Gray ineffective etc. When we press, we only do so at 50% effort. We close the keeper down with a stroll over for a cup of tea. In the first half twice Chelsea slipped or misplaced a pass that we could have capitalised on if we had commited to the press. Our goal stemmed from this in the second half.

    If you dont want to press high, then dont bother. Stay back and defend from the half way line. We did neither, we commit men forward, give Chelsea all the space in midfield and get caught out on the break, but never seriously challenge for the ball. Its a passive press.

    When we get a throw in inside their half, we immediately turn back and throw it back into our half. Sometimes we don't even look forward.

    When we do sprint to get to the man without the ball, too often we stop and do that crouched jockeying thing.

    It was noticable how riled up Deleofeu got because he stood out as giving a damn. Oddly he seems most up for the challenge when others have their heads down.

    Our lack of confidence manifests in pulling out of tackles and heads dropping but the manager sets the tone. We have to be more positive or we're done for, if it's not already too late.
     
    Forzainglese and Happy bunny like this.
  9. WillisWasTheWorst

    WillisWasTheWorst Its making less grammar mistake's thats important

    Hit the nail on the head there. The best teams spring into attack as soon as they win the ball back. I’ve been saying this for years, not just in the current bad run, that Watford’s first instinct is to go backwards simply to keep possession. Particularly at home, when they should be trying to dominate, they constantly pass the ball slowly around the defence before trying to start an attack. Frustrating.
     
  10. Cassetti's Beard

    Cassetti's Beard First Team

    You'd have to be pretty stupid if you needed a coaching badge to figure out what's going wrong at the moment
     
  11. QSF isn't the problem.

    Whoever comes in is going to fail.

    The problems have been known for at least 3 seasons: chopping and changing managers instead of employing the right person for the job, shocking scouting and player recruitment, failing to fix the defence, failing to fix the attack, blowing through a heap of cash on rubbish, and you can add to that taking the eye off the ball by all the branding and other off pitch stuff.
     
  12. Vicarage Road

    Vicarage Road Reservist

    I’ve got a blue peter badge so I’m qualified to spout b0110cks !!

    I’m clearly in the minority here but I thought for a twenty minute period chalobah played really well, during which his passing and vision was far superior to Doucoure. Playing regularly will help him perform better for longer periods in a game. If he gets a continued run in the team, I can see old Chabs returning.
     
    ruisliphorn likes this.
  13. The undeniable truth

    The undeniable truth First Team Captain

    But that squad finished 11th last season ?
     
    RS2 and Steve Leo Beleck like this.
  14. The undeniable truth

    The undeniable truth First Team Captain

    Enough is enough. QSF has got his revenge vs Gino. Time to get a manager in who wants to win football matches.
     
  15. The undeniable truth

    The undeniable truth First Team Captain

    We had a great manager, a positive attitude, sense of team, belief....
     
    Happy bunny and Lloyd like this.
  16. wfcmoog

    wfcmoog Tinpot

    Exactly this. I said in the SB that I was prepared to accept a negative performance against Sheff Utd as a starting point. A stepping stone.

    We get the defence solid, make ourselves hard to beat, grind out a couple of draws and then start to turn it around.

    Regrettably, what we've done is regress. We did tighten up a bit, but now the complete failure to convert any solid defending into a win, has caused our defence to capitulate. Basic errors are back. Injuries are piling up (I can't blame Quique for that, but at the rate we are accruing them, it's clear there is some culpability in the club hierarchy - this isn't just bad luck) and we continue to be utterly toothless up front.

    Had we started the season like this, it wouldn't have been great, but it would have been ok. 3 points in 5 matches or whatever, we would probably sack Quique and bring in someone less negative to turn it around.

    On top of those first 5 losses under Javi, however, it's just not enough. The crucial thing for me is, that there is obviously no means of addressing it with our current squad or coaching.

    We can't stay up drawing 2 games out of 5 and losing the others.

    Quique has to go, but whoever comes in, won't save us now.
     
    Happy bunny and luke_golden like this.
  17. PotGuy

    PotGuy Forum Fetishist

    Exactly, lots of rewriting of history going on now.

    Javi got complacent (as did the owners) as we were knocking on the door of europe the whole season and reached the cup final.

    Everybody at the club though we could just turn up this season and it would be enough to succeed. We half arsed pre season and were shell shocked when we we were turned over with minimal effort by other teams - teams who the club assumed we should just rock up and defeat it seems - when we were playing at some laxidasical, 30% intensity.

    Now the team is in a hole, because their egos were shattered and they dont have the mental strength to recover.

    We have also been quite extraordinarily unlucky this season and have a comical ability to spurn even the most gilt-edged chance. We also have a pretty decent squad. On paper all is not lost, a bit of a rub of the green and a moment of composure in front if goal for one of our chances and we suddenly are ok.

    Unfortunately I don't know who is going to be able to reset their heads at this stage. The squad are defeated before they step on the pitch.
     
  18. CaveManHornet

    CaveManHornet Reservist

    Yeah, that “music” is awful. At least against Bournemouth, they went nostalgic and used some of our Championship pre-match music - getting ready for next season I presume
     
  19. barker

    barker Academy Graduate

    Agree about pre-match loop. Sort of music you play loud to get people to clear a pub after drinking up time.
     
  20. Hornpete

    Hornpete Squad Player

    At least its not a season of mid table medicrity. Whos with me? One win next week and its exciting.
     
  21. Sort of OK

    Sort of OK Reservist

    Agreed that will not help the lad but I thought the booing was more aimed at QSF swapping a RB for a RB when we should have been chasing the game.

    Kiko has had some unnecessary stick but not in this instance I think.
     
    HenryHooter likes this.
  22. Bwood_Horn

    Bwood_Horn Squad Player

    I only watched the last 20 mins (or so, just before the Delefeu's penalty) and we did 'alright' against a very good side... A very good side, who with the end of the game subs brought on two fresh strikers and a winger.

    I would like to offer an opinion on Chalobah's career euthanasia but I didn't see him play...

    PS. Team GB (girls and boys) were really, really good.
     
  23. Knight GT

    Knight GT Predictor extraordinaire 2013/14

    Gray Pereyra and Delefeou in what looks like 3-4-2-1. That looks like a team that can de
    If it was the 1881 then maybe they should concentrate on making some positive noise as it was quiet again yesterday apart from when we scored
     
  24. folkestone orn

    folkestone orn Squad Player

    Why are we letting Janmaat's contract run down, when we gave Prodl and Gomes extensions? Kiko looked decent initially, but that was going forwards, not defensively. Crazy stuff.
     
    Jumbolina likes this.
  25. domthehornet

    domthehornet Moderator Staff Member

    At least we get money off in there on matchdays.
     
    Last edited: Nov 3, 2019
  26. Ybotcoombes

    Ybotcoombes Justworkedouthowtochange


    That’s good to know, I’m not a fan of Kiko but it did seem a bit harsh
     
  27. Yes. That squad was also embarrassed at Wembley, managed 3 wins in the last 11, collapsed in sight of Europa etc.

    What's your point?
     
  28. With A Smile

    With A Smile First Team

    Yep, but if Foster doesn't go, stop & go again he would have gotten their first as well.
     
    Chumlax likes this.
  29. Knight GT

    Knight GT Predictor extraordinaire 2013/14

    I watched the game on TV last night as my son was ill and it shows different things to those that are at the game. not saying they are better views, just different views.
    The first goal - This is why Kabasele has not turned in to a fantastic, top notch defender. Just before Jorginho received the ball, Abraham was being marked by Kabasele and there was no danger. Dawson had a quick look over his right shoulder to see him marked so all good. As the pass comes through, it is an excellent pass, Abraham moved in to the space between Dawson and Kabasele. Dawson can't see that as the ball has now been passed and Kabasele just doesn't react. It's a dreadful piece of defending.
    The second goal was just a mess from start to finish. That's the first time the 5 at the back have been properly tested and we struggled at times.
    I hope QSF noticed one thing in particular from yesterday's game. For 20-30 minutes we allowed Chelsea the ball in their own and middle thirds. Not sure if there was instruction from the bench but for the last 15-20 minutes of the half we pressed them. It wasn't gung ho so we still remained compact but we made Chelsea think and it proved that pressure makes all sides fallible. Do that to the other teams we play in November and it could make a big difference
    Foster - Excellent performance. Kept us in the game and nearly scored
    Janmaat - The better option of the two right backs but I do feel as though the full backs are where we are weakest
    Cathcart - Yet another injury in the first 15 mins. Poor pre season? Not warming up properly before the game?
    Kabasele - At fault for the first goal, OK for the rest. Concentration is a big issue
    Dawson - Looks more comfortable as part of a 3/5 but looked slow when Chelsea broke in the second half. Certainly has improved
    Masina - Was OK, not great in my view, but better than Holebas has been. Unfortunately that says a lot about our full backs
    Chalobah - Had some good moments but still looks miles away from the player we hoped would come back. Hoping that playing regularly will help but not sure it's happened yet
    Doucoure - Needs to be further up the pitch to be most effective and when we were pressing he seemed to be the instigator. If we are to get out of this mess then he needs to play well
    Pererya - Thought he had looked OK recently but quiet game yesterday and when he's quiet he is utterly anonymous
    Delefeou - Quiet start but partly because we made no effort to get forward but after that was probably my outfield MOM. Like Doucoure, if we are to get out of this mess he needs to play well.
    Gray - Not suited to be up front on his own but I would expect a lot more from a Premier Lwague footballer than he gave us. He won nothing in the air, didn't hold the ball up, couldn't pass and missed a big chance. The thing I noticed yesterday was how he waits for the ball which allows defenders to do their job easily. If the ball is played up to him, he just waits rather than coming towards the ball which stops the defender winning it. His chance that was blocked was a prime example of this. Aguero or Kane take two steps towards the ball so the defender can't get the block in but Gray just waits and this allows the defender more time. The thing with that is that it could be coached. First touch, natural ability is more difficult to teach but taking steps towards the ball surely is fairly easy to sort out
    This is it now, Norwich, Burnley and Southampton in November. I would think we need 7 points minimum. 7 points from 14th/15th is a worrying gap as it reduces the amount of sides we can catch. Not saying that we can't catch those teams but if the gap gets bigger our chances of avoiding the drop get slimmer
     
  30. wfcmoog

    wfcmoog Tinpot

    Comments about Gray are spot on. He also goes behind the defender when the ball is played. He's hoping that somehow the defender miscues or the ball just goes past him, so that Gray is away. It very, very rarely happens because most premier league defenders are not incompetent. It means that for most of the time, he's utterly useless.

    If he ever tried to be first to the ball, whether with his head, chest or foot, he might actually find a way to influence games, but he doesn't and he never has.

    The fact that he's still doing this now, at his stage of development suggests that either he's incapable of learning, or that those sainted people with their blessed badges, have determined that a striker who never does anything useful apart from 1 goal every 4 glaring chances, is a fine piece of the team.
     
  31. CleyHorn

    CleyHorn Reservist

    Well I probably know it because when there was even the first hint of Kiko warming up I was subjected to a whole tirade of 'not f.cking Kiko'. The whole stadium and this forum are stuffed full of 'Kiko haters'. So to pretend that a large part of the booing wasn't 'because Kiko' is to deny reality.
     
  32. Knight GT

    Knight GT Predictor extraordinaire 2013/14

    I’m not a QSF hater but why did Success not come on for Gray, or take a defender off and play him with Gray. It’s very odd. Why don’t journalists not ask questions like that
     
  33. wfcmoog

    wfcmoog Tinpot

    I was a hater towards the end of his first stint, but was prepared to give him a chance, however, we don't have the luxury of time.

    He started to turn losses into draws, but now we are conceding again, but look utterly incapable of scoring goals. It's dismal stuff.

    I don't think we have the best squad and injuries dont help, but I am starting to believe that Quique was the wrong appointment. It very much is starting to feel redolent of the Cup Semi when we changed fullbacks whilst chasing the game.
     
    Happy bunny likes this.
  34. CleyHorn

    CleyHorn Reservist

    Then why on earth hasn't Quique figured it out then irrespective of how many badges he might have and you and others probably haven't?
     
  35. Lloyd

    Lloyd Squad Player

    I disagree. I think the overwhelming majority of people (myself included) booed that substitution because Quique had opted to swap a right back for another right back when we were 2-0 down - not because Kiko was coming on. I still like Kiko
     

Share This Page