Fair ****s to him for not engaging with the ***** that have given him dogs abuse over the past few weeks. The more reasonable ones who perhaps deserved acknowledgement, I'm sure are less needy and will get over it.
Agree with everything thats been posted and have to say that tonight was the performance of the season so far for me. We finally have a balanced side with players playing in their natural roles. Capoue especially looks so much better when hes pushed forward. Most pleasing thing for me in many ways was the maturity, leadership & discipline shown by our players especially towards the end of the first half when the game started to boil over. We do have some hot heads in the side and earlier in the season in a similar situation we would have ended up with a spate of petulent needless yellows or a sending off. Tonight cooler heads preveiled, we didnt let our frustrations or anger get the better of us and we were a better team for it. Though for one terrible moment in the first half I did think think it was the offical and not the physio that Niang shoved off the pitch. Agreed, a marker has been put down and now safety is almost certain we have the luxuary of being able to build upon the last two performances with a view to developing a brand of football for next season. The worst thing for me would be a repeat of last year when safety weas gained with performances deteriorating with every passing game
Best performance of the season for me. No one can say the players are not playing for the head coach despite the language barriers. I thought a point would be good, but the 3 points is excellent, and the play from Watford before the sending off, was very encouraging for the future. Today showed that the squad has a solidity and depth greater than we have ever had before. Alround very good. Is it harsh to highlight some woeful clearances and frightful back and cross pitch passes by Janmat?
Just got back home and managed to catch the last few highlights on Sky - the red card was soft and neither were really yellows but Britos was stupid to tug his shirt knowing he was on a yellow card. I hate James McClean with a passion believe me and he's a magnet for trouble - but I must say, with a level-head, he only stuck a toe out to trip Holebas - it was petulant but I'd be very disappointed if one of our players got sent off for doing it. Mazzarri's behaviour was bizarre to say the least after the sending-off. The red card seemed to incense him to the point where he didn't concentrate on much else - the backroom team seemed to be the one's being level-headed about the situation whilst WM just paced around shouting/muttering/kicking things and then kicking off with Paolo de Toffel(?) who had to be held back from confronting him. And then he disappeared down the tunnel before the final whistle had even been blown which smacks of arrogance to me as there is literally NO need to do so. I praise him for tonights result, 100%. I understand his actions as he probably is aware of the pressure he may be under from those within, and outside, the corridors of power. But I agree with the point above, he missed an opportunity to get onside with the fans tonight by disappearing down the tunnel.
Having watched the extended highlights, it seems that the officials had a poor game. Hurts less when it doesn't cost us points. Niang also seems to have impressed. Cant beat being there.
I thought he was great when he came on. I hear he set a new Prem record tonight for the longest gap between appearances for the same club. More than 10 years. There were 4 pre-Pozzo HG Watford players on the pitch at the same time at the end. Which is nice.
Wish I could've seen it but what are night games in the UK are midday games here. I'm in class for almost the whole 90. I was hoping for a draw beforehand but am buzzing about 3 points, well done to all the lads in yellow. Thank goodness that we've earned another Premier League season, long may it continue. Worrying to hear about Prodl (does anyone know how bad it was?), but good job to Mariappa for filling in well. We seem to have a good thing on our hands, if we can manage a draw at Tottenham we'd really be going strong. We still haven't had anyone do the double over us this year, perhaps we can keep that going?
Not intending to take away from the optimism but Stoke have done the double over us this season. We should go in to Spurs match confident. They'll expect to win but have injuries and if we raise our game like against Arsenal and Man U they could be in for a shock
It's amusing to see the mazzarri haters now moaning because he didn't clap them and for showing extreme passion on the sidelines. Quite astonishing for these to be your first thoughts after a performance like that. I'd much rather see the antics of mad dog mazzarri than a souless sycophantic **** like QSF.
Great performance by the lads last night. Far better side until the sending off and then the collective will to defend after that meant we never looked that close to conceding. Pats on the back all round.
Brilliant win just brilliant where every player contributed and played well! Defence were solid and always seemed to be first to any loose or second ball from them pumping it in the box trying to put late pressure on. Shout out to Marriappa who has obviously barely had any minutes and came on with us down to 10 knowing it was going to be a holding on job but he looked calm as he came on and played that way too, his touches were calm and did every right. The midfield were excellent, Capoue had a very on day, Cleverley was a terrier and Doucoure was absolutely everywhere. It’s mad it took injuries for him to get a run but as he’s playing more consecutive games he’s getting better and better. I must admit I wasn’t sure about him in some early performances thinking he was just a very good athlete but he helps the side so much, gets in the right places, pressures their attackers, supports our attacks and most importantly comes and shows for and collects the ball from the defence and drives the team as a unit up the pitch. Niang was sensational, a top top class goal and a brilliant assist for Troy’s goal. You could see the goal give him confidence early on and he kept their defence thinking and backing off, he doesn’t always make the right choice but if he did he’d be at Milan still. I think I read him say a few days ago that he needed to do more and he certainly backed that up with a match winning effort! Amrabat was good whipped some good balls in and him and Janmaat do link well but he seems a bit moody at the moment. Also, when you see Niang score and assist on the other side it did make me think that I can’t recall Amrabat ever really put in match winning moments like that Deeney I thought was good, was always going to be tough for him up on his own against a tough Brom defence especially when we lost a man but the more I see his goal the better I think it is, stayed composed whilst under a lot of pressure holding off the defender with Foster charging out at him but a deft composed finish. West Brom are a horrible side, Dawson on a yellow should have gone for hacking Holebas’s knee down right in front of the Lino, the commentator even said that’s a nasty one he’s gone to do him there! Mclean is the most unlikeable player, why on earth did he kick out at Holebas like that, I say kick out more of a flick/trip but surprisingly Holebas didn’t make more of it as he does like to be dramatic but I think he was so shocked by it he didn’t have time to. Pulis does what he does gets in the refs ear constantly and gets them on side. Such a soft second yellow considering what he let go. Final word on Maz, brilliant performance but he seemed to be losing the plot! Was he going crazy because everyone now knows he’s off and they’ve finally started playing properly? Who knows but he got it all spot on!
Thoroughly enjoyed last night, highly entertaining and what a fantastic performance from the whole team - Doucoure and Niang were sensational. As Squibba said, performance of the season.
It seems to me that a fair few of our players are only playing due to injury to others, which make me think we are hitting some decent form in in-spite of Mazzari, not because of him :rolleye1:
Deeney never, ever dives. So many players would have made more of the foul from Evans and not even tried to carry on and score so nice to see Troy get his rewards. Over the years there have been so many clear pens on Deeney not given (the keeper's rugby tackle at Doncaster, Kirkland's foul in the 1-1 promotion draw with Sheffield Weds and a home game with Blackpool where his shirt was nearly pulled off immediately spring to mind) but I can never remember him throwing himself to the floor unnecessarily. The contrast between him carrying on playing after being fouled and Rondon's pathetic dive is marked. I thought the refs got together and discussed incidents and individual players every now and again? If so, they should definitely be thinking that if Deeney goes down in the box, it's probably a penalty.
where is nath with his views on last night? The spineless terd hasnt even got the good grace to offer a humble apology. Perhaps his stream wasnt working.
Relief Relief that we deservedly won Relief that we hung on in there after going down to 10 Relief that at last the atmosphere -probably to do with it being a night game - helped drive the players on in that last half hour. Even us in the UGT were joining in ! At last I could see what we were trying to do in that first half. Drawing west brom out and playing it around well. With some pace and unpredictability in the side via Niang we looked a team Just a shame Mazzari didn't come out at the end because he would have got some good applause I think. Glad I renewed on Saturday and now also glad I will be at Spurs Saturday for a " free shot" Happy hornet
That was as good as we've played since going up. The only slight disappointment was that Pullis's decision to sub Maclean meant we didn't get to see Holebas kick the irritating toe-rag in to next week in the second half. Mazzarri must be given an extended contract. With the injuries we have had to key players to achieve what he has done must make him our finest manager post-Taylor
I enjoyed Walter's reaction when the WBA player crashed into him, clearly on purpose. Looked like he was going to chin him, but went for an animated finger waggle instead.
Having Amrabat back, who I said when injured we have badly missed, has helped us as it gives us an extra attacking option on the pitch as opposed to the over reliance of hoofball to the front man we have endured during his absence.
Yep, and I've still never wavered from my preference for Mazza over Quique - we had zero performances even close to this calibre in the second half of last season; we've definitely made some progress in this one, even if it's only marginal overall.
Spot on, you could see Rondon was looking for the perfect moment to go down rather than use a bit of skill and beat the man.
the amrabat/janmaat axis of aceness was one of the best things in our team before the injuries struck. It will improve us immensely if they can recreate it. I hope janmaat can become a regular and we dont let him go in the summer. One of our better players for sure.
The fact that Roy Moore tweeted a '**** Off Walter' picture (it's still there) after the Palace game seemed to go unmentioned on this website.
Maz has been criticized for not having a "style" but I think that's due to the flexibility he possesses tactically. He able to adapt to the opposition & the players available. IMO that's a strength not a weakness.
Whilst celebrating the first goal my phone was going, it was my wife saying she had collapsed and she wanted me home, so myself and son walked 15 mins to my car, drove 30 miles home, I called 999 but they suggested I take her to A and E, ended up taking her to Wexham Park Slough, got there just before the match ended, finally arrived home at 0115. She is ok thankfully! How was the match? Did I miss anything?
Unfortunately him and some of the 1881 seem to think they run the club now. Heaven forbid you criticise them
A very good point, I’d never really thought about that before but whenever he does go down and appeals I automatically think he must have been fouled as he doesn’t tend to make a fuss if a defender has just got the better of him. The only thing I can think he can be quite clever about drawing the refs attention to something I think a few times he’s done it and perhaps been awarded a penalty later on for the offence, was it Leicester where he quite clearly tells the ref to watch him at corners as they are pushing/pulling and the very next corner the ref pointed to the spot. He definitely led from the front last night anyway and you can see the influence he has on the pitch, he was constantly in Holebas ear toward the end of the first half I assume telling him to keep his head and play smart. I get the impression he’s someone the refs know and listen to which is definitely something a smaller club like us needs.
