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

Chalobah going off changed the game, just goes to show how far he's come recently, it's great to have the old Chalobah on the way back. Had he not gone off we'd of won that comfortably.

Great finish by Bashiru and Quina is clearly a quality player. Quina and Chalobah will be a great replacements for Doucoure and Capoue in a few seasons.

I'm still a bit confused by the red card though, looked a yellow at most and even that was questionable.

Usually in a game like this you'd say 'Gray has finally found his level' but he was utter turd. Ship him off in the Summer.

Not much to say about Pedro, will need a while to settle in but glimpses of quality there. That crunching tackle from the Tranmere player made me laugh, welcome to England, Pedro.

To come back against a PL team from 3 down is the thing dreams are made of for a team like Tranmere, hope they enjoyed their day out and the post match beers.

 

Just shows how far Chalobah had come recently.

 

Typical Watford and why I never bet on the team

Can't really blame Chalobah being taken off so early, NP couldn't have visualised how game was going to pan out , Chalobah hasnt played much , and just recovering after a massive effort in hanging on against Wolves

Lost control of the game but too many youngsters on the pitch took its toll

Plus points Chalobab, DB and Quina looked good in midfield
Some flashes from Success

Minus points - Bachmann howler, Gray ineffective, Pererya lack of discipline and another game to play,

 

I thought the Pereyra red seemed silly at first, but after seeing replays it looked like he aimed a sly, deliberate kick at the ankle. It seemed pretty obvious when played back from a different angle.

Petulant, stupid and certainly not a hard kick, but definitely a red. Reminded me of David Beckham/Diego Simeone.

Wouldn't surprise me if he's trying to agitate for a move, quite honestly.

Results wise, this was pretty much the worst result possible. Blew a 3-0 lead, have to play a replay (I'd rather have lost; we don't need additional games while focusing on recovering from our disastrous league start) and got a first team player suspended. Awful outcome, and a shame after such a bright first half. I'm sure Pearson will elect to play kids in the replay; the league has to take priority over any cup this year.

 

I didn't watch today as at a birthday party at hemel snow centre (their chicken nuggets are marvellous).

From the reports and the result, I think this shows exactly what is wrong with our squad. 5 years into the premier league stint and we still have so much utter dross on our roster. The kids can be forgiven. They will make it or they won't and in their first foray into competitive football, it's natural to have an occasional stinker.

But the likes of Gray, Dawson and success, as players In and around the first team, show what they are. No good for what we need and many should have been cut out of the squad and replaced by better a long time since.

That we have this level of **** just behind the first 11 is worrying and a sign of the job out recruitment is doing.

Any signings we make now need to be with a view to improving the first 11, or competing with incumbents. Too often we are filling our squad from the bottom, stuffing it with lots of not good enoughs, has beens, never weres, never will bes and utter dross that are cheap but pointless.

Time to start recruitment based on the team's needs, rather than just buying a player who might offer some ROI in a year or two.

 

Betting on any cup games is a lottery nowadays as you don't know what teams will be put out by managers, especially in the early stages. I completely avoid putting anything on them.

 

That just proves sport is all about mentality. The body achieves what the mind believes. The gulf in class first half was tangible but then we acted like we had already won compared to Tranmere who still believed.

Gray was schooled by a league 1 clogger all day long. He didn’t have the intelligence to play off the shoulder and tried to outmuscle him which was only going to result in one thing.

RP doesn’t want to be here. His body language is appalling, he is not committed and pulls out of every challenge. In the 2nd half a ball was floated up to him and he had no one else around him but didn’t commit to it in case someone came in and challenged it, so he just let it run to the opposition.

It was fantastic to see academy products play for the first time in years. Some really positive performances by Whelan, TDB and Number 51.

It was actually entertaining watching Tranmere make their comeback and seeing their fans believe more and more before being sent into raptures in the end.

 

I agree, great coaching from NP. So subtle it almost look like we were pegged back fair and square rather than it being all in the plan - and not replacing Gray and so reduce the chance of us getting a winner, was a master stroke.

 

I think this game summed up many of our problems. We have a decent first team, but very little back up. Some don’t seem to care and some will never be good enough, despite being given chance after chance. We have some promising youth players, but few if any ready to step forward and lend a hand this season.
So now is the time for our previously much vaunted recruitment team to stand up and get things done. No more excuses, no more crap about January being a bad time to buy. With Kabs suspended and Kiko injured we are going to struggle, so it’s time for our “superstar” recruitment guy to earn his money.
on the bright side great to see Chabs getting back to where he was.
And lastly well done Tranmere.

 

Chalobah had a groin injury according to Big Nige.

Great stuff.

 

Another point may I add was the referee. For some reason he was giving tranmere everything, but how can you go to VAR for 2 minutes at a time to review the offside goal and then the penalty appeal, over ruling on both decisions but then give a straight red to RP and not even discuss it with VAR? Where is the consistency in that.

 

As others have said, an extra game to give the fringe players another run out is not such a bad thing for Pearson, it gives him a chance to have a better look at what he has got to work with.

In fact letting Tranmere back into the game was probably his plan all along

 

This is what always happens. They review things which go against Watford but ignore when it’s the other way around. It’s been like that all season.

It was never a red card. The club must appeal this.

 

Agreed. The AI known as VAR needs deleting before it becomes self-aware.

 

I'm sure Gray would have been replaced were it not for the fact that we were forced in to 2 subs due to injuries/cramp in the second half.

 

It probably helped make their mind up that Pereyra didn't argue with the decision at all and just walked straight down the tunnel - even ignoring the 4th official who was trying to tell him to wait because they were still going to look at VAR.

 

Both referrals were correctly overruled. What should be asked, and isn't this season, is how the **** Graham Scott and his team managed to get them wrong in the first place.

A cast iron penalty denied and a laughably guessed attempt at an offside decision will be swept under the '**** VAR' carpet. Again.

These absolute dogsh*t referees are loving it this season.

 

Maybe we should have just taken him off and not replaced him.

 

Nige telling it as it is. Fringe players had a chance to show what they can do.

A few proved they can't.

 

Living in Anglesey, Tranmere are my nearest Leauge club. I've been to Prenton Park before, a lovely place, I might go to the replay?

See if I'm able to drag a friend with me with promises of Special Brew and Pringles.

Decent swinging club in Tranmere too.

 

This is ********. VAR was right, yet again. Match A has no influence on the outcome of match B. Match B (without VAR) is no fairer or unfairer than it would have been 2 years ago. Also the red card was looked at, regardless of if we agree it was the right call.

 

Probably one for the Var thread, but on that note what is the point of linesman now?

VAR/Hawkeye can see if something is offside to 99.9% accuracy now, so why even bother having a human trying to guess, only for it to be overruled anyway? I don’t get the point of them now other than to decide on throw ins.

 

Interesting Pearson learned a lot about his players today... Will one or two be shipped out? ... Or maybe giraldi won't allow it. Strange again that Giraldi on the pitch... If I was Pearson I would be telling him to f right off

 

When they get one as badly wrong as today, I agree entirely. However, not every move with a marginal offside decision to make leads to a goal I guess.

 

Great game and truly what the FA Cup is all about.

The magic of the cup lives on thanks to us.

Not the end of the world with that result.

Coasted to 3-0 at HT. Came out in the second half thinking the game was won and treated Tranmere like mugs. Got what we deserved. Which I’m not disappointed about at all. This gives Pearson something to go after and I think benefits us for the Bournemouth game. We can literally use ourselves as an example of how to not approach a second half when winning comfortably.

The replay gives us youngsters more first team exposure and more game time. If they lose, then they have nothing to complain about when they are not in the match day squad.

I fully expect us to go with a young team mid week. The FA Cup is not a priority whatsoever this season and no-one cares if we get knocked out.

I would go

Bachmann

Barrett, Dawson, Spencer-Adams, Holebas

Whelan, Bashiru

Success, Quina, Hungbo

Pedro

Subs being

Parkes
Janmaat (if fit enough for some minutes)
Mapps
Chalobah
Cleverley (if for enough for some minutes)
Pereyra (if red card is overturned, if not then Welbeck for some minutes if fit).
Dalby

Overall though not the worst day in the office. Great first half, youngsters exposed to first team football, some took their opportunity. Success looked hungry. There is a decent football player in there, just need to bring it out. Lots of learning curves for the whole team. A rocket up the backside from Pearson to inspire the team for Bournemouth. A replay for more minutes for youngsters and fringe players to prove themselves.

The one downside as people have already stated, Gray. Don’t know if it’s his head that is gone or what, but the lack of desire was there for all to see. Bullied by league 1 CB’s, played like he was too good to be on the pitch against Tranmere and genuinely didn’t give a rip about the game today.

Can definitely see him being sold this window to a championship team trying to make the play-offs.

Pereyra I also think will be sold to Torino this window.

 

I think the problem with Gray is that however young and inexperienced they are, the vast majority of our fringe and youth players are actually technically very competent. Players like Quina and Dele-Bashiru may not be ready or may not even make it with us, but they’re obviously skilful players regardless.

They might misplace passes and make bad decisions etc, but they’ve all pretty much got good technical ability.

Gray is like a throw back to our pre Pozzo championship days and sticks out like a giant sore thumb as a result.

 

No matter who was in the team today, you should not be losing a 3-0 half time lead to a club that's 21st in League One.

A mixed bag for the youngsters on show. Dele-Bashiru had a decent game. Was impressed with Quina again and Chalobah made up a very good trio in the middle of the park. Masina was strong.

Whelan was a bit weak and we had too many kids on the pitch by the end which showed and why Tranmere came back so strongly.

Success and Gray may as well just go. Absolutely appalling performances and to me it looked Pereyra just didn't want to be there. Certainly in the second half.

Pedro looked bright and tricky. He was unlucky he didn't score.

Keith Scott was as dreadful as he always is. Missed obvious things throughout the game. Still baffled with what he saw over the red card.

I was surprised it was so easy in the first half but was never convinced and could see a Tranmere comeback. Once Chalobah was off it was always going to be difficult controlling the midfield with the lack of experience on the pitch.

Dawson was poor and Mapps limited. I was surprised Bachmann got the nod, but no Gomes or Dahlberg on the bench? Bachmann actually did ok, but you cannot make silly mistakes like he did for the second goal. A simple catch with no one around him and he drops it. That's unforgivable.

Spencer-Adams did ok, no silly mistakes, but he'll have harder games. Barret's mistake was a bad one though, but it's to be expected when you end up with so many kids on the pitch.

Pleased they didn't knock us out as that would be talked about for years. It would have been one of those major FA Cup shocks that the BBC would have orgasms over for the next 50 years, so I'm happy that didn't happen.

A big "boo" to the 1881 for the chant "2-0 on your big day out". Who the f*ck do we think we are? Classless.

Even at 3-0 up, you can never relax with Watford. Still in the hat though, and hopefully we'll play a more senior side in the replay.

 

Cracking cup tie. Well done Tranmere!

 

Can't we just forfeit? Call an hour before and say sorry but we've got a headache or something?

 

When all is said and done, we're still in the draw and this'll be forgotten if we win the away tie (and if we lose but stay up in the league).

Under 23 level is a million miles away from senior football and it was nice to give them a chance, whether they took it or not.

It was also a good lesson for the season. We've started well under Pearson but if we think we've cracked it, that's the moment we drop our levels and lose it!

 

Some of our fans crack me up. It’s the FA Cup, who cares. We played our reserves/u23 squad all game.

Newcastle drew to Rochdale, and picked up more injuries haha.

Brighton got knocked out to Sheff Wed.

No team in the relegation fight is taking the Cup to seriously.

I’m more interested in watching who can step up in the replay.

Oh and as for our fans slating Success, he was one of best players out there today. Far to much hate for him from some, even when he plays well, he’s crap apparently, laughable.

Gray and Pereyra were far worse than him.

 

He might want to reflect on his own performance too.

He made a poor squad selection, because it’s clear he didn’t have what he needed for the second half and admitted himself that players he put out there lacked sufficient fitness.