Ok now I know I probably shouldn't be reflecting on the game so soon after FT as the emotions are running high at the moment but I'm going to spout rubbish any way. The word on most Watford fans lips at the moment is 'why'? It's quite the coincidence that right now I am doing a group dynamics module on my Uni course but it doesn't take someone with a BSc degree in Sports Science to work out that drastic changes like the ones implemented tonight can damage the cohesion within a team. What Zola has done well throughout the season is introduce players gradually from day one which I really believe is what has helped us to gel so quickly and make that push up the league. When Dyche had a massive overhaul of the squad he made changes instantly which were really damaging at the start of the season and I think we can all agree it took a lot longer for that team to start looking like a team. Zola has found a winning formula which can be changes in small quantities occasionally as we have seen and the team is still effective. I'm not in a fantastic position to analyse as I am basing my opinions of Jon Marks' commentary but from what it sounds like, players weren't too cure what their roles were and we weren't playing anything like the style of football we have been and reverted to trying to hit Geijo with a long ball (which some people have feared would happen when he played earlier in the season). Murray's most comfortable role is as an attacking central midfielder but is adaptable to play as a left/right winger because he has fantastic attacking qualities. He has looked a little on the heavy side this season, doesn't seem as quick, as agile or as fit as he did last season and yet Zola played a young vulnerable player in a very unfamiliar position which is physically demanding. Vydra and Deeney as clearly two very important players for us and FF and Geijo have proven they can score goals in their absence but they have done so with the attacking qualities of Chalobah, Abdi, Yeates and Battocchio behind them. We started the night with two very defensive minded central midfield players in Hogg and Eustace which left Abdi as the sole creative player. It seems as though Abdi is more effective when he has a tricky agile player alongside him in Yeates or Chalobah and even Battocchio puts himself about quite a bit. We have some very important games coming up granted, but every game is important. I would much rather we had made 1, 2 or even 3 changed maybe and then throughout the game if we are doing okay we can rest key players, but tonight clearly hasn't worked as it didn't work against Charlton. As already mentioned every game now until the end of the season should be treated like a cup final and this is a MASSIVE opportunity lost tonight. The disappointement that I am feeling at the moment wouldn't even be softened if Vydra were to sign a permanent deal. Gutted!
Play Vydra. Until he has no knee ligaments left. It doesn't matter if he's on crutches by April WE COULD HAVE GONE SECOND TONIGHT! Zola's position has become untenable.
