Cleverley at....right-back?! Janmaat started the season well and should get back in if fully fit. And Kiko should come back out of the XI. But I’d temper that by saying we know he can be a great RB...it’s up to Gracia to get that ability back out of him. We have plenty of fans saying we can’t blame Gracia because the strikers are poor and he can’t affect that. Well if that’s true then so is the opposite - the players that are good enough and not performing well, it’s down to him to get that ability from them. In my opinion, Kiko, Deulofeu, Doucoure and Hughes are all in that bracket in recent games. What I was most concerned about yesterday was the total lack of fight or desire. We were dominating possession against a very poor Leicester team but there was no urgency in our game or anger at being behind. Mariappa did little to nothing in his job as captain and Deeney sulked his way around the pitch when he came on. Both were shocking examples of ‘leaders’ and the team lacked any kind of engine to get themselves back into it and rather than shouting and geeing one another up, it just looked like a collective shrug from all 11. On the above point, but put in a less savage manner, I actually agree with Relegation Certs - none of them showed they care yesterday. I’d happily accept more players of less ability but more desire/fight right now. There’s no point in having players of great ability when they only show it 50% of the time. And the final complaint if you will - Deulofeu needs to be read the riot act. He is so greedy and plays for no one but himself. He’s not a team player in the slightest. Personally I’d sit a few of them out so they don’t take their position in the team for granted. Get Wilmot, Quina, Chalobah more involved. If they can’t get involved over the players that are desperately out of form, then Gracia is sending a poor message in my opinion.
I've just seen a video on Twitter showing Mapps handing his shirt over - to a steward granted, but he pointed to the fan he wanted it given to. https://twitter.com/hornetsnestwfc/status/1069156667865075714
Potentially the most ridiculous post I’ve ever read on here. Nothing to do with heart, desire and “passhun” - and everything to do with a total lack of quality in the final third.
He's quite rightly been highlighted as poor yesterday, but that is not a bad ball. If that had been a Pereyra ball and it was Gray not running onto it, rather than Success, then people would moan about Gray not being alert enough for that pass. At the start of the season we had a front two of Gray and Deeney. We were scoring goals, creating chances and winning games. Quite why we don't go back to that pairing is beyond me. We aren't spoilt for choice at the moment but they have been the best front two we have deployed this season.
If that’s the most ridiculous post you’ve ‘ever’ read on here, you can’t have been on the forum long. I suggest you take the yellow-tinted glasses off next time you watch a game like yesterday.
I think the pairing of Gray and Deeney would only produce goals in the Championship. They did well in the Burnley match, but that's about it so far this season. We cannot pin our hopes on shot shy and sh1t shot strikers. At least Success looks dangerous and Deulofeu causes problems when he runs with the ball. I totally understand why Gracia is trying something else. What Gray did yesterday is not unusual, it's sadly commonplace. You just cannot back a player who is so hopeless in front of goal. It's costing the team results. This season, the chances we're missing are equivalent to missing 2 or 3 penalties per match. It's just crazy. You have to be tough and say it's not good enough. It's not just Gray, but he is the worst offender. To see how wide that header went, when totally unmarked is ridiculous. He should have scored two and Success one. They were very simple chances. If you regularly miss these types of chances (which Gray does) then you should not be anywhere near the first team.
He’s got a point, I don’t think we showed any less desire than Leicester. Leicester’s game plan was better ( and their finishing )
It's not greediness, it's a lack of footballing intelligence. He doesn't ignore other options, he just doesn't see them at all. Watch him receive the ball in a promising position and he never has a quick glance before he's got it under control. In some ways he's the opposite of Success, who sees the options but fails to execute them. At least most of the time he's trying to do the right thing. All of the comments that Everton fans made about Deulofeu have been borne out so far - he can't last a game, is wildly inconsistent and his decision making is suspect. People assume because he's come from Barcelona, he'll have some degree of football intelligence but he's the least Barcelona-type attacker imaginable, a head down speed merchant.
I agree with a very large part of that. What I would add is that he’s very frustrating because he’s clearly talented and there’s a very good player inside - but I do question his desire to realise that or even show it regularly. I guess if he did that though, he wouldn’t have joined Watford and would still be at one of the bigger clubs in Europe he’s been at previously. He’s been very complimentary about Gracia and him being a big part of why he joined - is that because Gracia has too much faith in him and let’s him off his bad performances? It’s all very well Deulofeu posting videos on Twitter of him roasting Kiko in training - but I’d wish he’d have done it to Morgan yesterday. It’s on a match day when it matters and is impressive. Because with both at their best, that’s a mis-match of epic proportions. But only one of them demands the best of himself every game IMO. He very much gives the impression that he’s doing us a favour by being here at present.
I can't remember who crossed for Gray, but that was one of four decent chances. The others were Success one on one. Pereyra side foot wide of post and the one the defender beat Success to the ball 2 yards out after a low cross. The last 3 were all set up by Deulofeu. As frustrating as his shooting has been, he created 3 good opportunities yesterday. Credit where due as well as criticism when deserved.
Pretty sure that was Chalobah but then we were 2nd from back row and my eyes aren't what they used to be.
Liked for 'shot shy and **** shot'. All those years ago Ken Furphy said of Stewart Scullion: "If only he'd pick his head up and look around he'd be playing for Scotland" (I probably have to point out that would have been something in those third division days). The same sentiment for Delefeu, I think. Although not Scotland, obviously. He has to be used in the right way and also subjected to long-term coaching. Indeed, all of our forwards require coaching/persuading/cajoling in various aspects of their play: How to think ahead, take risks, move fast, act early, plan your partnerships with other players in the long term, etc. Each of these players has one or two of those attributes, but no-one has all of them. Presumably that is why they are playing for us. This is difficult, long-term coaching and if Gracia and his minions don't succeed nobody should be too harsh on them; there are plenty of players who just don't have it. I love the way so many of the posters on this forum advise Gino to get a better goal-scorer, as if these guys are just sitting on a shelf, waiting to be bought by Watford. Every team wants good strikers; there just aren't enough to go round.
What do you do after you've left an away game with over an hour left to play? Walk slowly back to the train station? Get in the car and beat the traffic? Sit on the supporters' coach and wait for full time?
Doesnt happen often to be fair. Yesterday we just went back to the pub and set off for home around 7. Worst I can remember was Norwich away the other year where we got beat 3-0 after someone got sent off in the first minute. We didn't even wait for the first goal, just went straight to the train station and went home.
Had we any decent strikers you might have missed a comeback... Guess you just knew we wouldn't score. Think that was Ekstrand who got sent off for an elbow (the red card might have been rescinded though!)
Next time maybe just stay in the pub and, if things are going well and it looks like we're going to win, turn up at the game at half time
I think one of the main issues with Gray is that he isn't very bright or quick shining enough, even by footballers standards. His speed of decision making has been found wanting too many times. I think Isaac Failure isn't far behind him. Deeney has it, but now lacks the physical skills to be as effective as he once was.
If I had to guess then I'd say it probably has something to do with the fact that they are both absolutely atrocious and only played semi-well for about three games, and have since been completely useless? Absolutely beating a dead horse with those two. Penaranda has to be given a chance the second he is fit. He could be crap, but crap would be a step in the right direction at this point.
The touchstone is at least getting the ball on target or hitting the post. We are still creating chances but you have to put them away and Gray is the worst offender.
Quite sure when we lose the players are advised to not come towards the away section. Chalobah of course didn’t take on this advice as he ran over and gave his shirt to a small child. Top marks for that. Marriappa came over but he looked gutted with himself. He looked a ruined man. Foster was the only other player who applauded the fans if I recall. Javi seemed to apologise through hand gesturing. Gray’s a c***.