So another very disappointing result with a point thrown away. Unlike the way certain teams have been thrashed out of sight by the so called top three this season we have been there or thereabouts. We managed to compete with Liverpool, Manchester City and beat Tottenham. However there are issues still prevalent in the team which prevent us making that final step. Issues which are clear for all to see and which have been discussed to death. The question is Gino Pozzo happy to remain in mid table make profits on players or see if we can haul ourselves into the top third of the table with the prospect of European football. Once again last night we failed at the back and lacked enough pace and showed a little too much respect to Luiz and Rudiger who are pretty average defenders. We have been extremely guilty this season and last night of playing the ball out from the back then overplaying and failing to find the outball putting pressure back onto what is a suspect defence. It's not helped by a Doucoure who has been tremendously sloppy at times this season perhaps his mind has been distracted by the continual rumours in the press since August. And over committing at times in recent matches leaving the defence exposed and not finding his shooting boots. And at the back while our fullbacks and Cathcart have been solid enough having to thrust a stalwart like Mariappa to face Hazard is harsh on player and the club's inability or unwillingness to spend some money to bring in a decent centreback such as Hinteregger or at one time Ake. Not to mention the lack of firepower upfront. And indeed pace to stretch defences and keep them deep. While Stuparevic and Cucho Hernandez and indeed Joao Pedro are future bright lights at their ages aside from Cucho we just don't know how they will fare. And what is worrying is while we have a great midfield by the time these mature will we be forced to reassemble the midfield as undoubtedly the vultures will be swooping in for players like Doucoure and Pereyra. We continue to score goals of real quality but throwing away points because of these areas that have not been addressed by Duxbury. Points which were also thrown away at St.James Park earlier this season when we completely outplayed Newcastle in the first half but could not convert any of the chances created. In terms of team selection with Bournemouth coming up there could be changes to freshen the squad. Will Prodl be recalled ? Masina would be an able deputy for Holebas while I would bring in Quina for Sema shift Deulofeu to the right and leave Deeney by himself upfront. I would not be too harsh on Sema. He does seem to lack match fitness fading in the second half and being so one footed needs to play out on the left not the right. One would also hope the young English contingent of Wilmot, Chalobah and Hughes will also start featuring along with Janmaat and Cleverley as they all gain match fitness and recover from their injuries as at the moment the squad is thin. It is no coincidence the top clubs squad depth makes an impact late into games. Having Okaka as your option or Success who needs to be more in the box is hardly ideal. So with the window coming while Stuparevic is a certainity it might be worth considering Lukebakio being recalled if possible and of course finding a centreback and another striker. As for Newcastle they are finding that a large fanbase and history means nothing in the era of television money. They have been unable to utilize what has been a traditional area of breeding English talent with Paul Dummett hardly the epitome of what has been produced in the past from Bobby Charlton and for all his numerous faults Paul Gascoigne. And while we have been blessed with owners who understand football who would want an odious chav running your club ? We all know who that is. The Toon are in a real relegation battle despite the best efforts of Benitez (highlights the point about how much is management and how much is money in contributing to a managers actual ability take the bald fraud at Abu Dhabi United and let him manage Burnley for instance) with a squad that is mainly of a top Championship level and strikers who barely function aside from Rondon who was rested last night. However they are well organized and playing a 5-3-2 will look to counter from deep relying heavily on Yedlin and Ritchie on the flanks while Rondon will return either for Muto or Joselu. Their fitness is also suspect as they decline during games so we need to keep the ball moving and attack the spaces in behind their wing backs and I would have Quina in with Capoue and Doucoure (albeit reluctantly as he needs a rest) in a three man midfield and ask Pereyra and Delofeu to really attack the spaces in behind each wingback with Masina and Kiko pushing into midfield. If we play as we did against Cardiff in terms of moving the ball at speed and playing with directness and energy we should be able to win this one. No more unnecessary dropping of points please. How not to win matches and end up in a position you shouldn't be in: https://www.watfordfc.com/matches/highlights/highlights-newcastle-united-1-0-watford Star Turns for each club and country Roberto Pereyra and Salomon Rondon: Recent record: https://www.11v11.com/teams/watford/tab/opposingTeams/opposition/Newcastle United/ Referee: Roger East who refereeed the match last season at the Vic when we won 2-0 and also likes to throw cards around like confetti. In summary we are progressing as a club on and off the pitch with excellent leadership. Perhaps we are being impatient with the need to upgrade the defence and striking options but unlike many teams we have not been embarrassed by the so called elite and their petrodollars or huge sponsorship deals and have created some of the finest football and goals played and scored by a Watford team. We can only hope that in 2019 those issues may be rectified and with a little more good fortune we can embark on a run into the top third of the table and possibly Europe and for once a decent FA Cup adventure. We certainly have the players in midfield to do it and the defence is not all that bad. I do wish all my fellow Hornet fans wherever they may be around the globe and anyone connected with the club past and present a most happy and prosperous 2019. May it be filled with good health and plenty of cheer. And a safe journey to for all those long suffering Newcastle fans as they snake their way down to this not so leafy anymore corner of South West Hertfordshire. COYH.
Will any of the inured players "close to being ready" be ready".. I suspect Newcastle will come with a defensive set up and generally do seem to be better on the road because of it so might be tough to break them down. Even Liverpool had to rely on a set play goal and a soft penalty to get ahead.. Like you say we probably need to play with a bit more pace and forward thinking but Chelsea like the other top teams did close us down well and kept the ball - Newcastle probably won't be the same.
Looking forward to a TD hattrick with 3 assists from Sema, each a perfectly weighted cross from the right after a mazy run through the defence. Yes, I'm being sarcastic.
Just get a room, you and Nath. You can be a supporter without being a happy clapper of course. You are entitled to question or moan. When it comes to boring most with your constant negativity it's time to stop or support another team.
I guess Mariappa must play this one. Let's at least hope Sema is replaced. Not looking forward to Rafa's tactics. Defend furiously and try and nick 1-0.
Should be a straight forward win. We usually beat Newcastle, and should have won comfortably at their place. I've not seen any improvement in them since then. Sure, they work hard, but are limited. One of the poorest teams in the Premier League, with the biggest bunch of moaners that follow them around. Watford 3 Newcastle 1.
Yes - Navarro has played CB. Of course there is also Britos, who I believe has recovered from his mysterious foot ailment. But this is the sort of match that would be ideal for at least giving Wilmot some game time in his favoured position.
They only really play Rondon up front really so could probably do with 2 tall central defenders just to keep him out but as I say we will probably have most of the ball and expect to attack a bit.
Foster passed his audition for #9 with flying colours last night. Big Ben upfront, Mapps as rush goalie & room for Quina in the middle.
When he went for the overhead kick I had visions of that keeper from a couple of years ago who scored a beauty. I think maybe he did too!
Would love to see Quina & Clev start Come on watford We go again Doucs off in Jan Refs hate us Silva is a ****
Could easily happen if we don't get an early goal. Rafa parking the bus and a Perez goal on 67 mins or something.
Not going to be a classic. Newcastle have struggled all season and are getting hard to predict which team comes out (a bit like us). We were unlucky last night overall and I think the lads will want to get back to winning ways, so this is a promising fixture to have. We don't normally score many at the Vic against them. Two last season and a couple in the FA Cup and leauge before that. I am expecting us to win this though. We went toe to toe with a so-called top six big boy last night and almost got a point, so play with a bit more tempo, move the ball quicker and get Deeney off the Yule Log and back running and giving 110% we should be alright here. They are rather goal shy, and with Holebas, Cathcart and Foster in good form I cannot see them troubling us too much. But, we're Watford. And we are always capable of losing this sort of game. Hopefully we have finally shaken that about us now. Win this, get a point at Muff then it's off to Woking. Any news on Kabs? I really hope he's OK. That looked pretty nasty collision last night. Mapps to start in his place then, keep Cath, Holebas and Kiko. Maybe Success to start or see how Deeney does early game. 1-0.
29.12.2018 Euro-League Contenders 0 North-East Relegation Fodder 1 Another disappointing result has united the various factions in a way they never thought possible. It’s a game that should have been won, and won convincingly. This is the last time that Gracia picks a player they don’t like. This is the final straw. No more Deeney, no more Sema. Drop Doucourè, Marriappa and Delofeu. Bravely they leave the comfort of their pleather computer chairs and march on Vicarage road. The crowd spill out of the ground and onto the streets soon to be followed by the players, the manager, and then most importantly, Gino Pozzo. But they’re all totally oblivious, completely unaware of the half-dozen protesters with their home-made banners. Y-fronts wet and bones chilled by the cold, the movement remain resolute, it’s a start. Now back to Twitter, Facebook and the forums. This is where the awakening will take place, where the fight begins. The ordinary people must be told, they may not have noticed the show but the activists know they’re right and now there is a point to prove, a purpose. Those little people, those happy-clappers, they need to be told, they need to be lead to the truth, they can’t think for themselves, they’ll never get there. We will be the ones do it. Today, the virtual army is unite, and they shall listen. Me? I think we’ll win 2-0. I’m not going though so if anybody can post a link to good river, I’ll see you on the shoutbox!
I wouldn’t be against some rotation in this game with Wilmot, Masina, Quina, Cleverley, Chalobah and Success probably all due more minutes. Keeping the same line-up over so many games in quick succession is dangerous and this always looked like the game to rotate a bit. Where’s Janmaat too? I also really don’t see the point in Okaka on the bench. We were chasing the game last night for an equaliser and still didn’t bring him on. He’s just a waste of a spot on the bench.
Let’s hope Foster got his mistakes out of the way last night. I agree been on great form but was far from that aga8nst Chelsea. Need to beat these buggers - too many friends/relatives supporting the Toon to lose this
One post, one reply and a grand total of 10 words! https://www.toontastic.net/board/topic/38415-watford-v-toon/
It's Newcastle. They don't have technology up there. There are plenty of quotes about the match scribbled on the walls around Tyneside though.
This is a very winnable game, we battered them at St James's Park and you would like to hope that we can't have such a bad day infront of goal again. They will sit in and play defensive but I feel we have enough creativity and quality to get at them. I wouldn't mind seeing us make a few changes for this one, players will be getting tired and our depth could be an advantage in the next couple of games. I expect most of the first team will get some rest when we play Woking in the cup. Foster Kiko Cathcart Wilmot Massina Cleverley Doucoure Capoue Pereyra Delofeou Success
I might be doing him an injustice, but I wouldn't be surprised to see Kabasele playing in this game, as I don't think that he needs much excuse for him t0 go off "injured". Once it was apparent that he hadn't damaged his shoulder, I suspect other injuries will have been relatively superficial.