Stevo, you are clearly "an expert". I have learnt from the Brexit threads that experts should not be trusted as you are naturally biased towards your own view. I should arrive at my own conclusion based on "the facts". Wembley pitch is clearly larger, and by some distance. Be gone with your black magic and trickery.
Gray was exceptional in that second half. Great second 45, sets us up well for Sunday. Just a shame United couldn’t hold on for a point at Wolves.
Andre Gray was absolutely brilliant. Mariappa was absolutely awful (always backed him before but he is just not good enough)
So many players this season have turned around reputations. At the start of 5je the year, Capoue, Gray, Holebas, Mariappa and Deeney were all mostly considered excess baggage by many of us. I hold my hands up to that. Now, all have shown heroics at times in this, which has pretty much already been one of the top 5, if not higher, seasons in our club's history. Incredible stuff
Very interesting from Javi, think the second half is the first time we've played 3-5-2 this season. Brought a lot more out of Will Hughes who had a pretty average first half but was much better when tucked in the middle. Andre Gray did everything he was criticised for last season - good first touch, held the ball up well and aware of his team mates.
I'm a former professional football groundsman. I wouldnt claim to be "an expert" but it was my job to know stuff like that. Don't worry though, when Brexit finally happens all measurements will go back to imperial and the Wembley pitch will be massive again!
Woeful first half, it looked like we thought we were going to stroll it. Players deserved the boos because the attitude stank. Complete turn about second half. Formation change and subs was spot on. Brilliant stuff. Goal of the season is going to be some clip show Hughes was a worldie. Has Gray finally become the player we paid £18 squillion for?
Great goals, Hughs particularly good Don’t know what was going on in the first half but 2nd so much better, was surprised when he took off Bobby P and Gerry D but 100% right move. Question is does Gray start or come on as super sub Never really been a massive Doucs fan however he really is class the way he left the ball for femenia and was urging his to stick it in the back of the net rather than having ago himself shows his football brain
Decent first 25 mins, then terrible for the next 20, then brilliant in the second half. If Gray hasn't booked his starting spot at Wembley, then he couldn't have done much more over the past few games - outstanding again. I have a feeling that Javi will stick with the same starting XI as tonight, and I trust him whatever his call, but how can you leave out a player in such terrific form? But then you have to leave the quality of either Pereyra or Deulofeu on the bench. Such a tough decision! Hughes' goal greatly concerns me the more I think about it; I just don't think there are enough letters in the alphabet for the Goal Of The Season competition now. Whatever happens from now on, I've absolutely loved this season.
I genuinely don't think we had to play that well to win that 4-1. Very good turnaround by Gracia and brave to take off our top most creative players, but it was obvious that we needed to change shape. Fulham were just awful. There's no other way to say it. Defensively they were an absolute shambles. Up front they were a handful without really having any belief. Overall, we played in 1st gear first half and were awful, 2nd half we stepped up to 2nd gear and cruised. Shout for holebas for his theatrical receipt of a booking. He's another legend after this season.
Many will understandably call for Gray to get a start. But he is showing his qualities as a sub who brings a different dimension. Let’s keep it like that for Sunday. We were lazy 1st half and let Fulham’s League position make us think we could just stroll through them. A word from Garcia, a tactical switch and we dominated. Best thing I’ve seen from Javi yet - an acceptance he got it wrong tactically and not afraid to haul off big name players to correct his mistake.
Think that shows what a great job QSF did for us. That’s two sides that Jokanovic took up to the PL but Fulham have never looked equipped defensively to even attempt being good enough to stay up. You’d have to believe we’d have been the same under him.
Exactly what I was thinking. It was an effortless transition to 3-5-2. All credit goes to Javi there. Gray has made me eat my words, looked absolutely fantastic a real threat Best 45 I've seen from Hughes. Looks so much more at home pushed inside and took the game by the scruff. Javi has given himself something to think about especially with Wolves playing the same system.
I thought we were not totally committed in the first half. I thought a few 50/50 challenges were bottled perhaps with thoughts on Wembley. Turned on the class when needed to avert a potential disaster. Would have been really demoralising to have lost going into Sunday. Very happy with the end result and Javi’s tactics. Having critised Gray in the past he’s looking dangerously good and his attitude comes across well in his Media comments. Great option off the bench for Sunday. 2 games against Wolves can potentially define our season as being either just great or alternatively legendary. Very exciting times.
I was nervous about this match beforehand, and at half time my concerns looked well founded. I said at half time, or even before that, Deulofeu has to come off. He's strolling, party tricks and flicks and attitude was all wrong for that type of match. You have to earn the right before doing that. There are no mugs in the Premier League and you just can't go on the field with a superior attitude. Do that when you are actually 4-1 up and it's not a problem. Pereyra was a little better but was still in show boating mode. It was no surprise they were both taken off at half time. I thought Hughes was really poor in the first half also. He looked very lightweight. Credit to Gracia for making big choices. Bringing Gray on, in his current form, was a no brainer, but Janmaat for Bobby was a bit left field. I think we benefited from Fulham's problems of one goal leading to three. It went from 1-1 to 4-1 in a blink of an eye. We could have scored a couple more in that period also. Then Fulham came back, and Foster had to make a brilliant save to deny a certain goal. He also made another telling blocks which could easily have found the net. Overall it was a great result, but a sloppy performance. We were a shadow of the side that played at Old Trafford. But that's football, we play well and get beat, then have an off night and thrash someone. We'll have to play much better on Sunday, but it will be a different match and I'm sure the boys will rise to the occasion. Can now relax and enjoy the build up.
Gray was superb when he came on. I can see why he's stopping new signing Alcacer from even making the bench.
Well that was probably the best second half I've seen at Vicarage Road for a long time. I agree with what everyone has said, we started well, Doucs scored a great goal to set us off then we switched off for half an hour and Fulham - who's fans were fantastic btw till the end - got their tails up and yet another poor error from Mapps (who more or less fell over) gave the red dyed monster a clear goal. I love Mapps and his service to the club replicates those such as Deeney, Doyley and Mooney - but he isn't a premier leauge defender. He has a mistake in him, but generally I blame the beard. It's weighing him down. I don't get the boos at half time, we knew this wasn't an easy game but everyone to their own and I appreciate their right to express their discontent. Second half - formation changed and minutes into it Delafoo and Preyera subbed for Jannmat (who got booked almost instantly) and Gray, but it changed the feel of the game. Gray gave us an energy we were clearly lacking for long periods of the first half. His link up play was excellent and his overall football tactics were spot on. Well done Andre. Will Hughes.... man we have given the lad some stick on here lately but he made us eat humble pie tonight. What a goal - never going to beat that in his career. According to a guy walking next to me on the way back - the Watford site already has that as GOTS?? Bit early. Nice goal from Deeney and the tact of Decoure' to so unselfishly set up Femenia for his goal (which was well taken) shows what an asset he still is to the club, and I really, really hope we cling onto him in the summer. Gracia gets very high praise tonight. The first half formation was wrong and despite leading for ten minutes, Fulham were better than us. It not only changed the outcome of the game but the overall atmosphere I feel. A lot of people were getting quite understandably antsy, regarding our general banana skin games where we slip over. But tonight, thankfully, that didn't happen. It wasn't quite Brazil-esque , but it was a great committed second half. Shame Manure couldn't hold on but it shows how good Wolves are. Its going to be very feisty affair on Sunday. A real battle from two form sides - and either can win it. But for tonight alone, we got the job done and three more points lifts us back into eight at least for a little while. Shame we relegated Fulham who's fans deserve better than the tripe they got handed with all that money spent. Joka was not given the time. They will be back though. Very pleasing result and the tails of the lads should be up now for the Semi Final.
Excellent 2nd half with the changes really helping again after a sluggish first. . Some high quality goals once more !
First half was dreadful but fair play to Javi for being proactive and making the tactical changes at half time because after that we were a different side and beat them as comfortably as expected. Gray was excellent. Man Utd are useless t*ssers and I fully expect Solskjaer to flop hilariously now that he's gotten the job full time. We're likely going to have to beat Wolves in our league game if we are to get 7th place. Let's hope come that time it'll be our third win of the season over them.
"Our most creative players" were awful. Pereyra did nothing other than one lovely dummy, Del overelaborated against a crap team that didn't need anything elaborate. Once the fancy dans went off we could move the ball around quicker and leave the Fulham defenders for dead
No The owner's idiot son ruined the team by binning the players that got them up and signing overpriced duds
Good to see the impartial **** for brains Sutton happy at Wolves win. I really hope we **** them up on Sunday
Fulham fans wete awful. Loud but not at all supportive. Scathing about their team, which is fair comment but not what was needed, and they booed Schurrle when he came on
