Watford FC 3-3 Tranmere Rovers - 04/01/2020 & 1-2 AET 23/01/2020

In the warm up the strikers sure got some nice goals. Let’s hope they can do it again in the game!

 

I think you're being quite unfair on Dawson. Wolves was his first 90 minutes with us since Norwich away, and with him being not quite match-fit and having played in a ten-man team only four days before, you couldn't expect him to put on a vintage performance throughout that game. Most of the rest of the season he was playing under Gracia and Flores, during which hardly anyone played well.

With Kabasele out for the crunch game at Muff, we need to be playing him today to get him fully match-fit, and presumably he was bought as cover for Kabs and possibly an upgrade on Mariappa, so why buy him if we're not going to be playing him?

 

Wowsers, what a strike

 

Ha, I'd temporarily forgotten about him. Whether he's also here next season or not it seems apparent that he can't be relied upon.

 

He's probably been our worst player in 3/4 of the matches he's played in, and that's saying something given how poor many of them were.

I presume we bought him with the expectation that he'd not be as cack as he had been.

 

Ended up going to the game today

Absolute walk in the park so far, Tranmere genuinely look like a semi pro side

Gray still looks out of his depth mind...

 

Watching the game. Gray by far our worst player out there. Get him off at HT for Pedro.

 

I wouldn't mind JP being saved for Muff and not risked today.

 

OK then. Now it's clear why Gomes has been playing. Bachman needs a loan somewhere- quickly. Sent from the mobile client - Forum Talker

 

They tried to throw the game and get knocked out and failed. Disappointed

 

Lolllllllll

 

Too slow off the mark m8.

 

Didn't bother going, what happened?

Did the pub team improve or did we fall apart?

 

Game completely turned on Chabs going off. He was controlling the midfield and we looked ragged once he was subbed.

Oh well. Just gives us another game to give the kids and bench a run out.

 

I expect this forum will go into overdrive after we allowed tranmere to Turner round that first half scoreline!

 

Shame would couldn’t score more than 3 at home to Tranmere, might’ve got a win then

 

He's 26 this year. He's not a kid with potential designed to be the #1 here any time soon.

He's a homegrown third keeper who doesn't take a spot.

 

Bachmann needs to have his contact terminated immediately.

Dawson and Gray are finished. Sell to Rotherham, pay their wages for the rest of their contracts if necessary.

Pererya is an absolute disgrace.

Jo Pedro will never be ready for this level and we'll probably never see him again before he's loaned out to a Swedish second division side in 2 years. Garbage.

Pearson out.

 

why did Chabs go off was he injured?

 

Dawson & Gray were appalling. I've no idea what Bachmann was doing for their second goal & also the young lad who gave away the pen, what was he thinking?

 

90 more minutes for the kids against decent level opposition, its ok

 

I was thinking Gray had found his level but I think league one opposition is too good, he really offered absolutely zilch, get rid

 

Success & Chalobah both impressive.

Dele Bashiru done well. Faded though.

I really like Masina, not sure why.

Dawson not bad defending wise but shocking with the ball at his feet.

Quina sloppy with his passes but I do love his balance and quick feet.

Andre Gray needs to get lost ASAP. Got dominated by both of Tranmere's centre backs. Absolutely shocking.

Joao Pedro needs to continue with the gym work.

Whelan and Barrett really young and weak and were thrown in the deep end there.

 

Good to see that we are getting a player sent off every game. Real consistency

 

Didn't seem it. Don't think Pearson wanted to risk him too much with him bring crucial in the coming weeks and probably thought 3-0 and job done!

Made way for Pedro who played on the left wing so the whole team dynamic seemed to change for the weaker.

 

If not it was ludicrous. Coaches completely over playing their hand.

But another game is not necessarily a problem. Get some minutes in the squad players.

Ref seemed to let Tranmere get away with a lot. Blatant kick on Pereyra before his card. He still shouldn’t have kicked the player but the whistle should have already gone.

 

If the plan was to give the kids another run out job done. If not, then well we ****ed that up and I feel sorry for those that went.

Clear some of our second string are not going to get us out of the hole we are in hence why NP isn't really rotating in the league

 

Dele-Bashiru and Success looked our best players out there.

JP had some good flashes of skill, some good strength in holding the ball up and good pace. However, first impressions are that it looks as if for the time being he can only be expected to be as the backup/replacement sub option for Deulofeu and Sarr as a wide forward, and he's not ready to lead the line and almost single-handedly save our season while scoring 5+ goals.

The only thing more shocking than the decision to give Pereyra a red, as opposed to just a yellow, was how little Pereyra seemed to care about it. Dreadful attitude. Bye bye Bobby.

Spencer-Adams looked a good prospect. His passing was a bit loose, but for a lad of just 18 who's had a recent big growth spurt he looked solid. How good he and D-B were was underlined by how out of their depth Barrett and Whelan looked when they came on (and Barrett is 2 years older than S-A, and Whelan is a year older than D-B). Quina did some good things and some sloppy things, and was outshone by D-B.

Bachmann? Pretty clear now why Gomes has remained our number 2.

Heaven help us if our back 4 contains both Mariappa and Dawson in it against Bournemouth, even in their current dreadful form even they might nick a goal or two against them. I can't remember seeing a defender give the ball away so often under absolutely zero pressure as Dawson.

We still need another number 9 on today's evidence. Gray just isn't up to it, and Success and JP look better coming from deep or wide positions.

I agree with some of the comments above that another game to give our squad and youth players more game time isn't the end of the world by any means though.

 

Spectacularly bad second half performance and result.

Don't think Pereyra should have got a straight red, but he's an idiot who may well have permanently blotted his copybook with Pearson. Didn't seem to care at all. Don't think he is up for the fight at the moment, probably time to go.

Out of that line up, who would I be happy with in the Prem first team? Chalobah obviously had a great half. Dele Bashiru also looked very accomplished and obviously has quality. Masina played well overall. Success I thought had quite a good game by his standards with some real moments of quality.

I was disappointed with Quina, that's the first 'off day' I've seen him have. Usually a lot better.

Spencer Adams looked ok but not ready yet. Whelan and Barrett look quite far away from being the required standard currently.

Gray, very disappointing. Could be the end of the road for him too, was dominated by the League 1 centre backs.

Bachmann certainly didn't do himself any favours!

And the most anticipated til last - Joao Pedro. Not surprising considering his age, but is very lightweight. Seemed up for it though. Definitely showed some quality when he was on the ball, but didn't make too much of an impact. Very fast and good technique. Not the best of games to come into as the team were so poor in the second half. From that limited showing I think he'll be used from the bench a bit, probably isn't going to be a starter for a while.

I think we still need attacking reinforcements this window.

 

I saw about 30 minutes of the second half. Not entirely sure what we were doing but playing football wasn't it. Replay is a great result actually.

Also... 1st on MOTD?

 

I despise Andre Gray.

A few impressive performances from youngsters but we need a couple of signings if we want to keep the momentum in the league. Lacking in quality depth.