Relegation Watch

Discussion in 'The Hornets' Nest - Watford Chat' started by Steve Leo Beleck, Sep 12, 2021.

  1. a19tgg

    a19tgg First Team

    It works both ways, a string of 3/4 wins in a row in this league and you’re virtually safe.

    We also lost something like (or close to) 10 in a row under Silva and still only ended up 4 points from 18th place.

    Things can change very quickly with a string of wins, or you can put yourself in a very strong position with a few of them.
     
    Last edited: Sep 22, 2021
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  2. SkylaRose

    SkylaRose Administrator Staff Member

    Reminds me of when we went on that good run under Pearson. Beating Manure, Villa, Wolves and Muff. 12pts and we looked like a team who wanted to survive. Then, well we know what happened after that.
     
  3. Hogg-DEENEY!!!

    Hogg-DEENEY!!! Squad Player

    Some of the only games that season where we had our two best players available on either flank...
     
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  4. MIlton Dammers

    MIlton Dammers Reservist

    Also, any side capable of doing so is probably good enough to pick up enough points over the course of the season to avoid the drop. Not always, but usually. Relegated sides don't normally put together a run like that.
     
  5. UEA_Hornet

    UEA_Hornet First Team Captain

    Yup. Crazy to think we were as good as safe from relegation after we beat Spurs to make it 4 from 4 at the start of 18/19, but we were.
     
  6. Hogg-DEENEY!!!

    Hogg-DEENEY!!! Squad Player

    After those 4 games, we earned a mere 38 points from the next 34 games, which isn't exactly relegation form, but not a million miles off it
     
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  7. Chumlax

    Chumlax Squad Player

    I do literally remember thinking immediately after that fourth win 'wow, so we can relax this season already, what a relief'. More than a third of the points total in the bag and the season hadn't even really started. That was probably compounded by the fact that we were an 'established' team by that point, though, in fairness - it seemed less likely we might suddenly nosedive so catastrophically that that start could be wasted.
     
  8. Knight GT

    Knight GT Predictor extraordinaire 2013/14

    Getting to the cup final didn't help. As soon as we beat Wolves there was noticeable drop in performance as players not wanting get injured or sent off and risk missing what for most of them would have been the biggest game in their careers. Add that to the fact we were safe already before those last few games I don't think it's greatly surprising
     
  9. The undeniable truth

    The undeniable truth First Team Captain

    Other than us.
     
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  10. Hogg-DEENEY!!!

    Hogg-DEENEY!!! Squad Player

    Seeing as we were in a European place around then, I'd like to think it wasn't that, and that it was just the travails of a long league season, with a draining cup run that we just didn't have the depth for in the end. Realistically, our performances dropped around March, from then on, we only beat relegated Fulham and Huddersfield in 90 mins...
     
  11. Heidar

    Heidar Squad Player

    We were also lucky to get the Spurs game shifted to Vicarage Road. Three home games out of the first four gave us a huge boost - then we sunk back to our level with a thumping at home to Bournemouth in the rain. FA Cup aside, it was very ordinary after the first 4.
     
  12. LondonOrn

    LondonOrn Squad Player

    I wouldn't say that, we had to play both Manchester teams and Arsenal but we continued to play well until the Southampton game, actually playing very well against Man Utd and Arsenal despite being a man down for most of the game against the latter, deserving at least a draw in both. Unfortunately Deeney getting sent off was the catalyst for the team's drastic drop in both form and performances in the longer term, with Foster's error following shortly afterwards - first it was individual errors, then the whole team's and even Javi's performance took a nosedive as the team had become too centred on him and lost all confidence when he came back. Who knows how it might have turned out if it weren't for that one red card...
     
  13. Since63

    Since63 Squad Player

    I thought it was Foster's howler followed shortly after by Deeney's red card.
     
  14. LondonOrn

    LondonOrn Squad Player

    Oops, I don't know how I made that mistake given I read the match report to refresh my memory before posting the above.

    I think my points still stand though; perhaps Foster's error (along with Cathcart's against Southampton) was endemic of the collapse that would soon follow, but if Deeney hadn't got sent off, we would have likely got at least a draw in that game, more points in the Southampton and Wolves matches and have been in a more confident frame of mind in the last two games, though it might still not have been enough to secure 7th place.
     
  15. LondonOrn

    LondonOrn Squad Player

    To add to what I said in post #82 - I remember reading that there were suggestions that the players had their minds on the FA Cup final, but I can't remember when that was, it might have been after the Wolves home game when European qualification through the league looked unlikely. But if that's the case, that's a poor attitude to adopt, because poor form in the league as a result of that is likely to lead to poor form in the cup, as was all too apparent in the final. We were largely a confidence-driven team that at our best made the most of our flaws and limitations - we weren't a team like Arsenal or some Liverpool teams that could afford to switch off in the league and turn it on when it mattered in the big games.
     
  16. MIlton Dammers

    MIlton Dammers Reservist

    We were pretty poor in the league after the new year. That's when the rot started to set in, leading to relegation the following season.
     
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  17. LondonOrn

    LondonOrn Squad Player

    We picked up 21 points in the first 14 games of the new year, and that was without Doucoure for three of them. The rot didn't set in until Shane Long's 8th second goal.
     
  18. EnjoytheGame

    EnjoytheGame Reservist

    I think history will judge 2018-19 far more kindly than some do currently.

    In terms of league position it was our joint-third best ever season (after the runner-up campaign in 1982-83 and the final season of GT's first spell). I just don't remember it being 'ordinary' at all. In the hunt for 7th place and a guaranteed European place until losing to Wolves at home in game number 36 and reached the cup final. They fell off a bit of a cliff in the final two league games and at Wembley, of course, but that season probably represents the absolute best the club can realistically aim for.
     
  19. The undeniable truth

    The undeniable truth First Team Captain

    This
     
  20. Arakel

    Arakel First Team

    Spot on.
     
  21. LondonOrn

    LondonOrn Squad Player

    Yes, it wasn't just the four game winning start and the cup run, but also the four wins against rivals for a European spot, doing the treble over Palace, close fought games against Man Utd and Arsenal both home and away which doesn't happen every season in the Prem, scoring 18 goals against the bottom three including GD's hat-trick and scoring five goals away, having for the most part a settled and unified team with a sizable British contingent that made this a great season, at least until the final five games. Unfortunately it fell apart next season as a combination of age, apathy and shortage of motivation took its toll (there might have been dressing room issues as well, because even a struggling team can and should come together for the cause, but there wasn't much evidence of that outside the purple patch and the Liverpool home game under Pearson).
     
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  22. Moosegasm

    Moosegasm Reservist

    Came here to purchase a commemorative watch for our 19/20 relegation. Bitterly disappointed there is no watch.
     
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  23. The undeniable truth

    The undeniable truth First Team Captain

    There is a watch. Absolutely. £2500 a pop. Not cheap but very nice and sure to appreciate in value given we are unlikely to ever be relegated from the prem again. A great investment. Something to leave the grandkids. How many would you like? Let me PM you my bank details and you can transfer the dosh. Once received the watch(es) will be with you next day along with a nice commemorative box.
     
  24. Moosegasm

    Moosegasm Reservist

    Thanks mate, the box is a really nice touch. Do you accept bitcoin?
     
  25. Bwood_Horn

    Bwood_Horn Squad Player

    538.com (yeah, yeah, yeah I know) has us finally out of the(ir) relegation zone.
     
  26. The undeniable truth

    The undeniable truth First Team Captain

    Sorry no, only used notes left in a rucksack by the bins at the back of Sainsburys at 3am. We are very strict on this.
     
  27. Moosegasm

    Moosegasm Reservist

    I totally understand, can't be too careful these days. There's quite a lot of interest in your commemorative relegation watches from our Indian and Chinese fan base. It's a huge market, nearly 3 billion people. My understanding is that at least 15 people in South and East Asia have already heard of Watford FC. I'm planning a business trip there next week, any chance you can give me some free samples?
     
  28. The undeniable truth

    The undeniable truth First Team Captain

    Samples? Yes of course. Not free samples of course, but I can give you £6m worth of samples for only £1m. Again standard payment terms would apply.
     
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  29. Caskey

    Caskey Brighton Bloke

    Despite your league placing the bookmakers have you odds on now. I said all along you won't stay up after your performance at the Amex. Shame as I would rather other clubs go.
     
  30. Caskey

    Caskey Brighton Bloke

    I did try and tell you. I take no pleasure in it.
     
  31. Chumlax

    Chumlax Squad Player

    MODS! Why isn't this kunt banned yet?
     
  32. a19tgg

    a19tgg First Team

    Thanks, but we’ve all been aware of it all season, because funnily enough we watch all of our games, not just the one game involving your team.

    The good thing is we have a chance to change the narrative by getting rid off our manager. It will be fun to watch what happens to Brighton when Potter moves on
     
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  33. Relegation Certs

    Relegation Certs Squad Player

    Brighton are now what we were a couple of years ago. Probably at the Marco Silva stage now. Good luck to them, but they'll be in our position in a few years. It happens to all the minnows eventually.
     
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  34. Hogg-DEENEY!!!

    Hogg-DEENEY!!! Squad Player

    So...you're saying that one of the big 6 plus Everton will sack their manager and Potter will have his head turned?
     
  35. I Blame Pozzo

    I Blame Pozzo First Team

    Either that or his beard trimmed.
     
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