Why we're so pished off.....

I've come in for criticism in the past for my "negative" thinking but an article on a website about us "fans" not getting behind our side got me thinking

The reason why we are all so so so pissed off is simple. Last year we effectively gave up on retaining prem status to "build a team for next year"

Why Hoof wouldnt admit it at the time, everyone knew this is what he was doing

Over a year on and it's clear to see that nothing has been built and we are a shadow of the side THAT WENT UP!

Our season went pear shaped at home to West Brom.

I have never felt so low at home at the Vic before...... "3-0 to the football team" sang the Brom... sickening!

Since then our form is as follows

29 games - 8 wins.

Looking back at the table after 29 games, our form since West Brom would leave us in FIFTEENTH!

Worse.... our last 8 games (if we were 8 games in) would leave us 21st

Boothroyd says he didnt need to bring anyone in because he had enough quality

What quality?

Last years transfer window saw him bring in some very average players and some terrible ones.... 40 trialists saw him signing three of them who have pretty much NEVER PLAYED because simply put THEY ARENT GOOD ENOUGH

So where's the side he has had over a year to build?

What we have is a bunch of players, a couple who couldnt secure a move to a Prem club in the summer (shittu, demerit) and the rest who'd struggle to get into any other Champ side let alone a Prem side

That's why we are all so hacked off.... the defeat at Hull isnt a surprise to anyone (or shouldnt be) as it's been happening all year

We are a very average side and Watford FC cant/wont/refuse to admit it

I cant believe i am saying this but ITS TIME FOR A CHANGE

Why?

Small time club, small time ambitions, too many big ego's.

For the record, I wasnt at Hull but I listened on 3cr and stayed tuned in until six JUST to listen to some of the poor souls ho had to endure (and spend vast amounts of cash) to watch a team barely turn up

My deepest sympathys and respect goes out to you all.

 

Good post mate. The stats since the West Brom game should hopefully bring home to people that we face a real struggle next season if there are not some real changes.

 

Top Post!

Those recent figures are an interesting read and your certainly right about the squad and lack of quality over the past few months.

What was our early season form down to them?......surely all cannot be placed on the shoulders of Mr Johnson but a decent size chunk can.

I remember when we were flying alot of people on here were counting down until our results began to fall away, solely because of the poor football we were playing.

 

top post

Very true very honest and worth the club taking note of

 

Good points made, when we win the performance hasn't mattered, but when ever we've lost or thrown away a win (e.g Norwich at home) it feels so much worse.

As for the squad, i feel the current team has more Championship depth but we miss 3 key players from the promotion winning season - King (when fit) Young and Foster (both as a gk and in getting assists).

Even if we fielded what i consider to be our best team in the past 3 years:

Foster
Sadler
Shittu
Demerit
Bromby

Eustace
Francis (when fit) or Spring (when at peak)
Bouazza
Young

King
Hendo

Subs Lee, Carlisle, Willo, Ellington, Smith/Muff

I doubt we'd stay up in the Prem with that team but we would have won the championship - most of those in the first team still play for us and i believe Eustace and Francis would have solved the midfield problem.

I meant to add as early as the MK Dons pre season friendly i wasn't convinced and i've obviously done my blogs on all the games i've attended, i keep meaning to check but i don't ever think i got carried away. We kept being told we'd reach our peak in January (i guess Aidy assumed King would stay and Francis would be fit) but it seems the opposite has happened

 

I have said it all along, even when we were 8 points clear up top.

 

I don't agree with this stuff about 'since West Brom the stats show this this and this'.

You could say that about ANY team.

"Ooo wow if we hadn't had that 19 game winning streak we would be SEVENTEENTH now!!"

Its a season long game we are playing. If you take the stats BEFORE West Brom then we should be top by MILES o)




The real problem is that we have not LOOKED like we are going to get any better. The entire season has been spent in suspense waiting for everyone to 'gel', and all that has happened is we have got worse!

 

What 19 game winning streak?

Thats my point.

A good start but the vast majority has been poor and got a lot worse

The stats are a fair point as you have to go on form whether it be the last 8 or last 29. Either way, we're NOT promotion candidates.

 

I thought we were completely outplayed by MK Dons in that game and set my expectations for the season accordingly.

 

I agree, as I usually do with King James.

Remember the talk that our team are fighters?

Remember the talk that our team are fitter than every other team?

Remember the talk that we are about to get a big win against somebody soon?

Remember the talk that we have loadsa transfer targets and loadsa players are itching to sign for us?

Remember all the talk about the amazing spirit in the camp?

Talk of must win games?

A lot of rot, the lot of it. And none of it likely to be repeated soon.

Whats happened then?

We can see the weaknesses with our own eyes and have done for a while.

I wager Marlon could too and voted with his feet.

The motivational new management speak works only as long as the hard work gets results.

The treatment of Spring, Hendo, Mahon, Doyley and others must make the remaining players doubt what they are spun.

And when things go against them on the pitch (like Hull) they quickly retreat , feel worse and get worse.

 

Good shout shame you cant get these observations/stats to the attention of Mr Boothroyd.

 

Wow. 29 games and 8 wins since west brom. Speaks volumes. Ironic, cos i remember around november many of us were begging NOT to have a repeat of the '00-'01 season when everything fell away. Perhaps not in terms of position but it feels like we have done worse this time.

Currently, i do not want to see us promoted at all. As the stats show, we are barely a competent championship side whose league position is masked by the strong start of the season we had. Just imagine if we manage to draw/scrape our way through the play-offs, we might all be cheering but except for all the money, promotion to the premiership would be pointless. The only way to sustain a team in the premiership is to build a winning machine that bulldozes its way through division one/championship a la portsmouth, wigan, reading, sunderland... and as we all know we are anything but that.

Of course, everything could change and starting next sat we finally begin that epic promotion charge. However, like throughout most of the season, I can't see that happening at all.

The least AB could have done on saturday was apologise to those poor souls who made the trip to Hull. If i was unlucky enough to have gone to that match I would have been baying for blood.

 

Not wishing to say I told you so, BUT........

When we were well clear at the top of the league there were several of us who were still very critical of our style of play and the tactics being employed.
The majority on here howled us down, said we weren't true supporters etc, etc.
There are a few facts that cannot be ignored:-
1. Darius Henderson is not a goal scoring striker of any quality, and whilst he continues to be in the starting line up we are never going to move forward tactically. He is a good workman like player but he is very limited and to base our attacking options round him is a recipe for disaster. I was saying this before the season started on here, so it's not being wise after the event.
We are only too quick to deride Ellington, Priskin, John and Kabba, but they've been asked to play in a system that has been totally based around Henderson. These are 4 decent strikers with good records they don't become bad players suddenly, it is Aidys tactics that are to blame.

2.We are sadly lacking in real quality in midfield and have been all season. The signing of John Eustace has helped considerably, but we still need someone who can play the ball through the feet of our forward players. OK we've been unfortunate with injuries in the midfield but others just haven't stepped up to the plate and therefore not to have brought someone else in on loan was a missed opportunity.

3.The defence has improved considerably since the January signings of Bromby and Sadler, but the last 2 games we have seen how exposed Shittu is whenever someone with a bit of pace runs at him. We need him as in the air he's a rock, but maybe we need some more mobility around him. Different when Eustace is playing because he breaks up the opposions attacks often before they can run at Danny, but without him we are very exposed and Banger who should be covering that role seems to have lost the plot.

The above is probably the ramblings of a deranged mind that after trips to Plymouth and Hull needs a rest, but just remember when we were top of the league it wasn't that we were that good it was just that the rest of the division were all very mediocre and now that a few of them have addressed that we are being shown up for what we really are.

 

This is the key point in my view. Many of us could see that we were playing poorly in most games, even when we were winning, but we hoped that whilst the points were coming, the team would soon improve and then we would start winning convincingly. This has not happened, however and instead we have played even worse, been beaten my many mediocre sides and simply do not deserve to go up.

 

To me this is like a mirror image of season 2000/01 (although the decline isn't as drastic - we went from going 15 games unbeaten and looking like running away with the league with Fulham to not even making the play-offs, which we should still manage).

This season we are reasonably solid defensively (aberrations like Hull and Leicester apart) but struggle to break teams down, especially at home, and seem content to settle for draws at most of the top teams (a worryingly negative trait considering's Boothroyd customary positive attitude).

2000/01 we scored goals for fun (thanks to a certain Sir Tommy) but after November we couldn't defend for toffee (I think we only kept 4 clean sheets in the remaining two thirds of the season) and lost most of our games against the top 6/7, sometimes heavily. The goals against I think tended to be down to complacency against the weaker teams and in many cases a disturbing lack of resilience when we so much as conceded a goal.

Basically our team doesn't seem to thrive under pressure, a mentality that needs to be addressed should we not go up - but isn't that what Keith Mincher is here for?

 

Add me to the list of 'could see it coming a mile off' aswell!

As Dan said, we were playing sh*t when we were 9 points clear! (With the odd exception Norwich, S****horpe and Coventry)...we were winning because we were ruthless in front of goal (both King and Hendo chipping in with goals, and AJ was causing havoc for defences) and we were fairly tight at the back! Our midfield was still a massive problem at the time!

Our lack of quality midfielders has been our downfall...and since King has left, dare I say it, the quality has gone upfront...the ability to stretch teams and supply decent service! Henderson's form has dipped, and I think it's down to King not being up there with him...the same happened last season when King was injured for six months...Henderson struggled, whereas I think he'd have done a lot better had King been fit and playing!!

The problem isn't that King has gone...the problem is we haven't replaced him!!! The same can be said about Foster, Young, Spring and Bouazza!

We lack serious quality in midfield and also miss what King and Hendo gave us when we went up (37 goals between them...with Young and Spring chipping in with 25 goals between them too)!

 

What a great post, sir! Spot on!

 

I think we have been fairly unlucky really in the midfield area, i know Boothroyds had the time to sort it, but we have been without our, IMO, best two midfielders, Francis and Williams, and now we are without Eustace aswell. I belive Williams especially would have made a huge difference this year.

 

KJ et al, I have to hold my hands up, you were far closer to the truth than I was. I have always opposed the "we won't win the title or gain automatic promotion", based on the rest of the league being utter shyte bar wba and maybe charlton and us having the joint strongest squad. Well the fact is we are just as shyte and as the season has progressed for whatever reason, we seem to be getting shytier at the wrong time. Plymuff last 30 mins v 10 men was disgusting display and the effort and inability on saturday was even more appalling.

I really hope now we do not make the play offs, i hope still though we go up automatically ( stupid i know, but failure if not auto, the playoffs would offend me deeply). This is turning into the disaster season that some of you predicted, but obviously do not want - the question at the end of the season is how to go forward? I personally believe and stated that by not going up at first attempt will ultimately lead to the decline of our fortunes and championship footie will be here for a while.

Really find it hard to comprehend how we have ucked up though - i do blame in part the wfc unfaithful but Aidy has shown a lot of tactical weakness this season in many areas.

4 must win home games a draw at blackpool and a loss at wba may still be enough, but now i have to agree - undeserved.

On the other hand - we were due a very bad result, we have a game in hand if won still only leaves us 2 points behind top spot.

So at least it is still very exciting, albeit totaly unconvincing.

Fizzy pop champions wfc 2007/208 - u ornssssssssssssss

UP THE HAMMERS!

 

I agree with that, BUT Boothroyd KNEW he was more than likely going to be without Williams this season...so why not get a loan midfielder in to cover? I think he gambled and thought Williamson, Mahon and Bangura would be enough...obviously he didn't expect O'Toole to come through aswell.

Francis has been unlucky with his injury and it's prevented him from settling back into the team.

Bottom line is, Boothroyd needed a central midfielder in the summer to cover the hole Williams and Spring have left!

 

Thank you very much, there is a whole in my wallet from watching something that was so terrible I would rather see luton get into the premership than watch that performance again.

 

:sign2:

 

Maybe that was a slight exaggeration on my part.:]]

 

In all honesty being 13 points clear it was more disbelief than belief. I sure I don’t speak alone in saying this. I travel to games with another 5 fans and meet up with another 8 when in Watford. We all couldn’t believe how the season was going, last minute winners, poor games but some how winning we’d only been found wanting against Leicester. The Brom game showed teams had got wise to our 1 dimensional style of play and we stopped getting the rub of the green. Teams spent the week prior to our game working on their neck muscles and heading balls dropping from the clouds knowing if they control that they’ll control the game. This was where AJ was so important he did the unusual he made the space for King or Hendo. AJ was a true prem player and not wanting to put the whole success of early season on his head he was a massive bonus. I’ve not been convinced for a good while now and the more I see our lack of controlling a game by making a simple pass and see us controlling a game by kicking a ball away, taking 5 minutes to take a throw in the more I know we’re not a good team. As a manager does Aidy not see this winds teams up making them try harder. Aidy see’s this as controlling a game, as “sportsmanship” IT’S NOT it’s because we’ve not the skill to control a game. Wake up and smell the sh1t being played I can count the times on one hand how many times we completed 10 passes or more. He’s bought average players from average teams, not once have I been excited about a player joining us. The only players we got in are from other champ teams who are getting rid of them and they needed a team to play for, how the Baggies must laugh when they look at their “paid in” book. Fulham get rid of an injured and failed striker and get an exciting young player wanting to prove he can cut it at the top.
Sorry this went on but I’m fed up with the “spin” coming from Aidy’s bullsh1tting but educated month. I can’t believe he’s fooling anyone now just himself.

 

Hold up here...13pts? Some have said 12pts, others 9pts. What exactly was it? I don't remember it ever going above 10pts and then only for a day or so...

EDIT: It was 9pts at it's maximum, after we beat Coventry.

 

i'm not pis-sed off

 

What so you weren't excited when we signed Shittu, Smudger, Francis, Williams, Ellington or Muff, who were some of the very best players outside the Premiership?

As for the whole King scenario, he was woeful for the last month he was here because he DIDN'T WANT TO BE HERE.

Had we kept him he would have done equally as much as our current strikers have. I.e Nout.

 

ok i wasn't so ana1 to spend ages checking if it 13 or 9 points but get points i was making in the post.

 

Shittu yes solid defender not exciting.
Smith he was failure in the prem ok he's been one of our best players this year. But remember we were building a team to be strong in the prem when we go straight back up!
Francis exciting? Again failed prem player
Williams, good player but not exciting
Ellington, you have to be kidding? He couldn't get into West Brom team wtf did we want him for.
Muff ok yes exciting when he's played against us and thought he would be a good signing.

gone
young now full time prem player
king why was he unhappy again prem player
boozer again prem player

 

Speak for yourself there mate.

Personally I was excited at the time when we made all those signings, particularly Ellington. His goal scoring record was second-to-none and I thought he would score 20-25 goals this season. Obviously I was wrong but at the time I had high hopes and expectations.

 

Hi Paddy, appreciate your honest reply... just one bit Im not too sure with (highlighted above in bold) and thats the original point of this thread.

I cant remember another season where we've been booed off at home so so so many times.... Mahon came in for an awful lot of abuse but since then, I havent seen a huge improvement (excepting the defence of course)

Another thing that bothers me is the revolving door at Watford...

I noticed tonight that Reading have awarded their captain Graeme Murghty (sp) a testimonial as he has been at the club for 10 years....

Who could the next Watford legend be? Do we have a candidate? Is anyone safe.... OR will they stay if we're not promoted?

........ and theres the problem.. last year, we all ASSUMED that a side was being built that would take us into the Prem and keep us there

Whilst the signings left a lot to be desired, the majority had faith but as soon as the West Brom game, I think everyone realised (including you Paddy) that we didnt look like the side Aidy had built up.

"We are aiming to be a Top 10 club in the Prem in three years time"

"Marlon wont leave for less than £40mil"

"We'll really kick into gear come January.. thats when you'll see us at our best"

They're the ones that stick out.

People live and die by what they say and dont say.... could it be the players have lost some of their initial respect for the manager? It bloody well looks like it.

 

Aidy, you have no experience in the window, you break our transfer record buying Ellington without even scouting him first, he only signed him because of his one good season at Wigan. Aidy says this after QPR game where we lost 4-2:

"It was awful today, there will be changes, many"

I recall he made 2 changes. 9 points clear at one stage then a home record of 8 straight games without a win, now were 7 games without a win (6 draws) Shows how little we want get promoted compared to other teams. Aidy sort it out, were playing like a team fighting to stay up, not fighting to go up!

 

Along with us West Brom,Charlton were the fav's to go up. So why do we think it was right to by a player who could not get into one of them. He was over weight, lazy and we paid silly money. You only needed to read or talk to brom fans there wasn't one not laughing or one not wanting to see the back of him.
No i wasn't excited just hoping Aidy knew what he was doing.

 

Amen to all of that.

 

You missed my point.

AT THE TIME we singed them they were all very good signings.

It is irrelevant that since then they have not met expectations - at the time they were exciting.