Watford Fc 3-0 Birmingham City - 20/03/2021

Fantastic afternoon's work

 

Keep it up, thanks again!

 

Love it. Cardiff could make this an almost perfect day

 

We're absolutely ace, aren't we?

 

We spent significant portions of that game looking really fairly ****, and yet at the same time we were imperious. Will freely admit I've been very critical of Chalobah, as I did on the shoutbox, and he has been pretty disappointing/awful most of the past 5 years, but full credit he has been a captain leader legend in the past few games, and strongly building up to it this calendar year/since we switched to a 3-man midfield. Very deserved Man of the Match and he actually does look like the player he was supposed to be for the first time in about five years.

That Gray goal was amusing - a carbon copy of the goals he scored for Burnley in their promotion season. I don't think it's about to see him kick on and do anything at all, he is what he is, but it's a relief if nothing else not to have to quake in our boots any time he comes on the pitch.

Weirdly I'm actually looking forward to the Swansea match now - we have a degree of comfort/relief, given Brentford's result earlier, although of course we need to be as far ahead as possible before our run in. That being said, as it stands, it's true - we don't necessarily need to be afraid of playing anyone, if we can maintain focus and intensity from minute one to minute 90.

 

Really professional performance, proved we can do it without Sarr against an upbeat Brum side going into the game, Brentford dropped points, hopefully Swansea do. Norwich also dropped points as well - who’s to say we can’t catch them?

 

Odd.

 

I’m usually a fairly cautious human being but I’m really now starting to believe we will go up automatically.

Reason being we are no longer just relying on the usual suspects to get us over the line, but great performances are now coming as well from those who we probably weren’t so confident about.

Chalobah is a man re-born. Outstanding again today. Sema has found his scoring boots. Even Gray too occasionally. Gosling and Sánchez have effortlessly slotted in. We are getting match winning performances from practically everybody now and really utilising the squad.

What a truly wonderful job Xisco is doing. His predecessor beat Birmingham too but was out the door just two matches later. He, on the other hand, has the chance to add his name to the select few managers who’ve taken us up..and I’m really growing in confidence that he will.

 

You know it is your day when gray scores 38 seconds after coming on. Instead of 38 matches

 

Great team performance yet again.!
Defence good and midfield doing their bit when required.
As already said Chabs a new man, gets better every game.
I love the way all our players move about on the pitch but rarely leave gaps, we interchange so well.
My only negative is please can we have them training on deep crosses.!!

 

The negative is that Lazaar is the new Navarro. And we've still got the old one.

 

Fantastic result, considering injuries. If Cardiff get a result later Mick McCarthy will be my new hero

 

That was a fairly tough game, despite the scoreline (at least in the first half anyway). They caused us lots of problems from set-pieces and we were only just hanging on. They tired in the second half though and we were able to exploit their frailties at the back.

Chalobah MotM, excellent at both ends of the pitch. Sierralta magnificent again.

I didn't think Success did too bad, was obviously rusty but still linked up play well at times including for the first goal. Gray continues to resemble a footballer again.

With the knocks increasing perhaps the international break has actually come at a good time?

 

Job done. On to the next one.

Success was understably rusty, not started a league game since 2019 so I'm not going to sl*g him off.. Whether he will get the run of games he needs to prove himself, I doubt, as I think he just took Sarr's place for today.

 

Calm down mate, just a joke. Look forward to your next peek into the crystal ball

 

Anyone still watching Sky? So we do have a set piece specialist called Roberto... has he only just been employed? Perhaps he’s been furloughed?

 

I think we are probably the most feared team in the league at this point

 

ANOTHER BIG STEP!

Was a little concerned about our ability to break them down if they sat in deep with Zinkernagel missing but the early goal settled us right down. Credit to Birmingham they were never out of the game until the second goal.

We really do look in a good way at the minute. Players still throwing their body on the line in the 88th minute when 3-0 up shows the fantastic attitude and desire within the squad at the minute.

Don Goodman said many times we're unrecognisable from the team that stunk the place out at Coventry and I think we'd all agree.

Another fantastic performance from Chalobah, brilliant block in the first half, a well taken goal and he covered every blade of grass. Well deserved MOTM.

Success looked a bit rusty but that's to be expected given its his first start after 9 months out. He may have had a goal if it wasn't for their defenders intervention in the first half. Hopefully Masina's withdrawal was nothing serious.

Gray took his goal well. Over half an hour for Hungbo. More minutes for Gosling and Sanchez welcome also as we'll need the full squad sharp for the run-in.

Brentford now 7 points behind us, and Norwich dropping points too sees them just 8 points ahead of us now.

Another clean sheet.

Brilliant home form continues.

5 wins from 5.

Everyone looks on it, and it's a delight to see. 8 cup finals to play. Lets f*cking go!

 

Would just like to add the credit Ngakia also deserves for his role in winning the ball and creating the original opportunity for Gray to take, as well as busting a gut to keep up there with him to draw defenders/give him an option if needed.

 

Chalobah and Hughes will be knocking on Southgate's door in this form!

Absolutely fantastic result without Sarr and Zinckernagel.

Can we put pressure on Norwich? Why not? Let's go for it, we're certainly good enough.

 

I think that was one of the only times. He looks devoid of pace, still as badly affected by gravity as always and offered little defensively. It was generous of Xisco to let him have a few minutes after half time.

 

Feeling great after that! That’s how you want to go in to an international break. I won’t pretend it was plain sailing today, I was pretty nervous every time Birmingham pumped a ball in to the box but we showed great resilience and a fair amount of class too. Very happy with this afternoon’s viewing.

 

it’s funny we bemoan our set pieces, me included, but we’re actually one of the highest scorers from them in the league

 

Scored a double on 3rd March 2021.

 

I was impressed with Birmingham much better than their league position, Bowyer won' t have a problem keeping them up, the fact we beat them 3-0 without two of our most impressive recent players says a lot!

 

Norwich have dropped points.

Just an observation.

 

The disappointing thing about today's results is that if Brum go down Troy might not want to go there

 

League 1 would suit him

 

Sanchez’s ball retention was so good today - he kept looking like he was about to lose possession but somehow managed to wriggle free every time. May prove to be a useful signing - and i thought he was going to be ****.

 

Another reason the championship is so tinpot, after 38 games if this was the premier league it would be over by now.

 

I bet Delefeou feels like a bit of a *** now forcing a permanent move when he could potentially be lining up with this awesome attacking force in the Prem next year

 

Seconded