Watford Fc 1-2 Doncaster Rovers - 26/08/2014 - League Cup 2nd Round

Murray needs to go on loan.

 

Murray needs to know what he is.

#Deep

In all seriousness, this may sound stupid but qualities does he actually possess and to what position is he best suited?

 

Didn't go and glad I didn't. Must say it's almost impossible to be inspired by these cup games, every year we get crap draws, usually Bradford or Bristol and we never seem to get into gear and tend to lose. If anything it could be a blessing in disguise going out early, if we are serious about a promotion challenge. Fair play to Donny though, sounds like they came and did a job.

 

I didn't go tonight, was it ****?

 

Yes.

 

You are right of course. It just seems very surreal that Vydra is in that list.

 

To be honest, chucking a load of underused second choice players together, with no spine to the team, and expecting them to beat a confident (if lower division) team with an excellent away record was ALWAYS a risk.

 

IMO he's a right midfielder and I mean not a winger. Old school style right midfielder goes up and down the wing pinging in crosses without running into the box and cutting inside. He lacks the Positionally awareness to play in central midfield.

Sadly that does not fit into our system, I'd loan him out soon as. He's definitely of a high league 1 standard and I think the regular football is what he needs now.

 

At least we woke up a bit, the first 20 Mins we looked like a pub team we had already been relegated...
Things that Stood out for me..
BOND, distribution really, really slow, every time he had it we dropped left and right to get a short pass and he waved them away, to their annoyance at times.

IGGY in fairness put a shift in, few rusty touches but a few decent ones, I think he ll come along ok.
FABRINNI looks a lot more of a team player and wants to get stuck in, which was positive..
The centre MIDFIELD... Well we didn't have one, ANDREWS played sooo deep every ball that dropped in the middle fell to a Donny player.. He s not good enough for a promotion pushing team. MURRAY buzzed about but just had too much to do to cover a very static ANDREWS.
McGOO (grrr)... Iggy laid a ball off and McGoo put a shot wide, he turned to Iggy and gave him a gob full ! Poor iggy put his out and looked around to ask 'what did I do'.... Then when subbed he didn't walk he jogged off the pitch and down the tunnel at a constant pace... He s long gone!!
My only gripe of the boss... He would nt take ANDREWS off.. He should ve done.. There was no link up and it was clear we needed to press, 2-1 down we don't need a static defensive midfielder standing in between the centre backs..
Incidently in 442 mag last month a Bolton fan was asked who they'd like to see leave 'his reply was he'd pay the taxi fare to get rid of ANDREWS.... Tonight I saw why!

Oh and when Dyer scored his celabration was switching between finger on lips and hand over mouth, giving off a 'I mustn't say anything naughty Dyer' I thought it was comical and played it all down from him.

 

McGugan had a shocking performance and a wonder strike aside all he did was stroll around the pitch and take free kicks and corners. McGugan isn't a battler, he hides himself when things aren't going well to avoid the blame. Follow him alone for 5 minutes during a game and you will see what I mean. I don't know how he gets away with it so easily.

 

Hang on... you have seen McGugan play before, right?

 

Sorry.

McGugan had an average McGugan performance*. A wonder strike aside all he did was stroll around the pitch and take free kicks and corners. McGugan isn't a battler, he hides himself when things aren't going well to avoid the blame. Follow him alone for 5 minutes during a game and you will see what I mean. I don't know how he gets away with it so easily.

 

Np mate. Tbf I wasn't around back in the really **** days when we had some truly god-awful performances that would make this one look amazing. For all the games I've seen, this was the worst. But there will be many on here who would've seen worse (heck I'm truly glad I didn't see Wednesday/Yeovil at home last year).

 

I know people are complaining about the lack of depth but for the most part that was a second string side. If we only ever have to rotate a player or two we'll still be good for the most part.

McGugan maybe needs to take a long hard look at himself. The ball was in midfield and Vydra was doing his job whilst he was up front, THAT is why he came off in my opinion. Not a team player at all, was not prepared to do the legwork, didn't see him go in for one header all game just stepped off. Cash in if there's teams interested.

 

So is Vydra sh!t now? That's a bit of a let down.

 

Yes yes yes yes yes.

And yes.

 

He does this every game, this is why people think he contributes.

 

What's happened to Anya? Why is he so terrified of taking on his man? Granted he was played out of position but based on his form so far, I wouldn't start him in the league anytime soon.

Tamas is excellent in the air but players skip round him too easily and he can get caught out of position.

Doyley is getting slower, and worse with the ball at his feet. It's going to be upsetting watching him slowly decline before he leaves at the end of the season. Sorry.

Andrews. I wasn't particularly happy with this signing at the time and Keith is yet to prove me wrong. He's not particularly strong in the tackle and his passing is poor. Not bad in the air though.

Ighalo. Has a great first touch on him, and is pretty pacy. Not great in the air but I think people see him as a Deeney replacement when he's really a Vydra-type player.

Vydra looked up for it one minute, then sulky the next. Lively in points but faded.

Murray doesn't bring anything to the team and won't make many more appearances for us. His main attribute (imo) was his deliveries. Unfortunately, McGugan/Abdi/Tozser will always be on corner/free kick duty and Murray doesn't get many chances to deliver when played in centre mid. He's not strong enough or quick enough to make a significant impact.


I'll probably read this back in the morning and think I was being pretty harsh, but those are my thoughts right now.

 

Time to offload Murray imo. His breakthrough season seems a lifetime ago, the last two years have just been a trip in mediocrity punctuated by all too rare moments of creativity or an odd goal. Loan or sell I'm not fussed either way.

Appreciate this won't be popular view as he's a bit of a home grown hero with many.

 

couldn't agree more

 

Think that could be the only reason he'll stay this season.

 

Yeah sorry I just plain disagree. The bloke is talented and playing in midfield with fools who are either too old or too fat to keep pace. We ain't getting promoted with Murray as backup. Munari rotated with McGugan is the only midfield change I want to see. And as much as I love Vydra he was donkey **** tonight, couldn't control anything.

 

I'm not going to bash you as others have done with some of your previous opinions because I can see what you're saying. But I'd still keep him purely on the basis that he's young and there's still time for him to develop. It won't be under Sannino unfortunately (it would have to be under a manager who uses a more attacking style of play) but I still have a little bit of faith in him because of those rare moments of creativity/odd goals. If it was a straight shoot-out between McGoo and Muzza at this very moment in time to leave the club, given the clubs that are interested in him and from what I've seen of both of them this season, I'd keep Muzza.

 

Yes, just a nothing player now. Not particularly quick, occasional shot, passing is poor. League 1 at best.

 

The thing with McGugan is that he needs a good midfield around him to be able to shine. It's no coincidence that he looked a different player against Bolton, he was playing alongside Abdi and Tozser.

As soon as we start to lose the midfield battle, McGugan goes missing unfortunately, and thats far more likely to happen with Andrews and Murray.

 

It's no coincidence to me that other midfielders (Mcgugan, Chalobah...) look good when they are around Almen Abdi

 

He looks like the player he was in the first half of his first season here. Terrified of taking on a player.

We all know he has the pace and ability to take on and beat any full back in this division as he has shown for the last year and a half. It must be a confidence issue.

 

You are very confusing.

 

Funny how different people see the same so differently. Whilst vydra was ineffective I thought it was because he was partnered with that Ighalo fella who was completely useless. Didn't get a one two off him all night. Working hard and dropping back into midfield as well which shouldn't have been necessary.

Was it the players or was it the tactics? 433 again and it just doesn't work.

 

Well Burnley &/ West Brom were also sniffing around so that's what I guess he meant. Nani would be incredibly stupid to sell him to a promotion rival- sell him to any Prem team that comes sniffing around instead.

 

The only one of our players I'd safely let go to another Championship team is Gilmartin.

 

Don't get me wrong, Ighalo was also very poor. Forestieri will be first pick for Saturday with Deeney based on Saturday and tonight.

 

I think it was a mix of both what you've said above as well as the fact that he was coming back from injury and pulled up 3 times in total? with the same leg. He was never gonna be fully there at the races tonight

 

Congratulations to Dyer & McGugan for attempting to undermine Sannino's authority again tonight. Really professional.

 

I could name plenty of talented players who have been at this club but lacked the work rate and ability to perform when the going gets tough. I cannot think of one game where we nicked something because McGugan made the difference during a poor team performance.

You could quote the Doncaster league game from last year, but even then despite scoring the two goals in our 2-1 win he wasn't even that good then.