I thought Brighton were excellent. They did their homework on how to stop us and executed it perfectly, meaning other teams will be able to do the same. I can remember their keeper making 1 standard save all game. We need to have alternate threats which is the issue.
Just to hopefully make the more delicate amongst you feel slightly less unwell today,I stayed up until 2am watching the Cincinnati Masters this morning. Tsitsipas blew a 4-1 final set lead,double break. So I had about seven hours of pain yesterday. Thank goodness L**n lost! HH24 I don't agree entirely about Freddie but he is inconsistent as yesterday proved. However Potter knew how to neutralise him.
We are going to lose far more than we win this season, even if we do manage to stay up. Some people are going to have to develop some form of coping strategy to avoid being consistently unhappy.
Last week saw one of the best debuts I’ve seen in a Watford shirt, yesterday was one of the worst. I’m surprised Louza lasted until half time, absolutely horrendous. We all know from last season Ekong can’t pass to save his life. Why on earth he gave such a hospital pass like he did when he could see exactly what was in front of him only he will know. Sarr was in one of his sulky moods which never bodes well - chalk and cheese in his two games so far. King looks like a very good signing. Brighton weren’t great but certainly better than us and had clearly done their homework. Despite the woeful performance and result it was brilliant to be back at an away day. “You’re just a short uncle Albert…”
I went to the game but I am not pretentious enough to think that my opinion matters more than someone who watched the game at home on TV. You posted this at 11:46pm and you were still at the game you must be a super fan, well done some commitment staying at the game for 4 and a half hours after the full time whistle.
Was still in Brighton was all. Still am. Where did I say that my opinion matters more than anyone else's?
Just watched the sequence of events leading up to the first goal in slo-mo, and I honestly think the criticism of Masina is harsh. Cathcart is nowhere near the ball when it comes but I'll give him a pass because at least he was in his correct position and Kabasele or WTE should have been one of the primary men to mark Duffy, not the former or Masina. Kabasele was way out of position in the end, not sure if that was his fault or Dunk's pulling him back was overlooked by the ref. WTE rises the highest to attempt to head the ball but just misses it, and Masina, misjudging the flight of the ball, directs his head towards the side rather than up, maybe thinking the ball was going to go past Duffy and towards Maupay who's in the 6-yard box. In the end Duffy, who is the tallest player in the box, wins the ball by his superior height and accuracy. It certainly wasn't for want of trying on Masina's part (I'm not sure what one of the Sky pundits even meant when he said Masina "didn't want it enough" - surely he was as keen as anyone, fans included, not to let that go in?). In the end, you have to hold your hands up and say it was a very well taken goal, just as Damsgaard's was against England at the Euros, with a bit of bad luck (which is part and parcel of football) playing a part. There are plenty of things you can criticize Masina for but his part in the opening goal wasn't the worst of them.
Yout post does come across like that is what yout point was. If it isn't then I am unsure what the point of your statement was.
I don't think I do miss your point, and I don't think you're being entirely genuine, given that your comment included the lines 'Which would be a bit sad. An armchair commentariat giving it large.' - something that has a very clear implication. You might as well just admit you got tipsy and decided to be the one actually giving it large.
I certainly wouldn't absolve the other defenders of any blame at all - it was very poor defending all round, but this just doesn't make sense - there's plenty to 'blame' Masina for. He is standing in the group with both our and the Brighton CBs before the corner is taken, and Duffy is in view of him the entire time. As soon as they split, before the ball is even delivered, it's very clear that Masina is the only defender who is then on Duffy - the entirety of the time the ball is in the air, Masina is moving side by side with him, so he should absolutely be expected to be aware of and adapt to that. When it then comes to 'misjudging the flight of the ball, directs his head towards the side rather than up', it didn't really matter whether he chose to direct his head sideways or up, unless he was able to 'direct' his head up several feet, and similarly it was quite easy for Duffy to win the ball 'by his superior height and accuracy', because he was several feet higher than Masina, having cleverly chosen to actually jump to contest the header; unlike Masina. If it wasn't for want of trying (which is severely debatable) it certainly was for want of trying intelligently.
Correct. WTE should have wellied up the wing and then told Cleverley in no uncertain terms why he had called for a suicide pass. Cleverley should never be the midfielder chosen to transition the play straight from a defender cos he's never really done that in his career. IF he's going to start he can only be the furthest forward of the midfield.
Well, when you put it like that perhaps it should have been obvious to Masina that Duffy was the only player who was going to get that header. But you can still miss the ball by jumping, and if the ball had gone past Duffy towards Maupay and Masina missed it by jumping he would have still been crucified. I think he made a last split-second decision not to jump and this wrong decision sadly cost us.
So what did we learn from last nights match ….. our defenders on show are not good enough …. all 4 of them are not premier league standard. in midfield we need an enforcer …. Yes we missed Kuka terribly …. But we need another one. Louazza is not ready for this league by the looks of it …. Cleverly is not good enough either. Sema is ok to have off the bench but surely cucho and king start next week …. If I could get just one learning through to the board …. Which may come as a surprise to Silent Dux and G.Pozzo it’s this …… HAVE YOU LEARNED NOTHING - OPEN YOUR EYES ……OUR DEFENDERS ARE NOT GOOD ENOUGH - BUY OR BORROW NEW ONES OR WE WILL BE RELEGATED - !!!!!!
Teams evolve as a season goes on. Last year being a very good example. Nearly all of us here felt a mix of depression and outrage when those early line-ups were revealed at 2pm, but as our promotion campaign progressed, the team virtually picked itself. I’m sure this will happen this season too. Things will settle down. Let’s hope so. If we play too many more games with CC at right-back or Sierralta on the bench, then even the patience of this usually positive poster will be severely tested. There have been some mitigating circumstances too. For all the doubts over Cleverley that many have expressed here, I don’t think we could have started last week with a totally brand new midfield consisting of three debutants. Ngakia was poor in our final friendly and without Femenía available, he was obviously considered too risky for a start. I feel Sema is a perfectly capable and reliable pro but without the X Factor, and again while I can understand disappointment at his selection, I think it’s natural that any Head Coach falls back on older heads that he knows he can trust to at least start the season. I will be disappointed though if he’s still starting ahead of Cucho or King (who I think will be a terrific asset for us) once the side really settles down. Theoretically we could have started against Villa with as many as 7 debutants, and I think that would have been too many. The likes of Cucho, Louza, King and Rose are obviously being eased in gradually, as I suspect Tuzan will be too. Tuesday’s Cup tie will be a big help with that. We only have the now to comment on and get angry about, but past experience shows it’s incorrect to see the line up of the opening two or three matches and assume that’s the template set in stone for the whole season. It won’t be. This team will evolve. I’m confident that week by week the poor performers or those chosen mostly for their experience when there are better younger more dynamic options available will soon be benched. Once the window shuts, we will know better too about where we are. If I’m wrong, then after yesterday we may well be in big trouble. Still doesn’t excuse not starting Sierralta though.
Yes. ANY attempt at a jump would probably have prevented Duffy getting the required direction on the header. That must be basic 'defending a dead-ball cross' coaching, no?
Not at all. Well oiled yes though and a bit delicate this morning. Nothing that two Annadin, an early 'hair of dog' Chardonnay and a 'Spoons breakfast isn't fixing though. All my POINT was that I found it a bit sad that so few on here were actually in attendance. Brighton is one of the better away days. And the first one back in a full stadium. What was there not to like?
Was so tempted to leave at half time. Wish I had getting home with the trains all over the place was a nightmare. Sitting on a slow met line train at 23.10 having been out for 16 hours getting totally mullered and then seeing such a pathetic performance was tough. Never ever again until Sunday arrives.
It’s gutting when we lose like that on an away day, it’s a lot of money wasted . At least it wasn’t the FA cup final , the flag wavers set the foundation for relegation , as did the players going out for a night out after humiliating us
We certainly helped them in the 1st half, but overall I agree they stopped Sarr which stopped Watford and Bissuoma controlled the game for them he was everywhere. Very good player and I can see a big club splash the cash on him before the 31st. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Who did get motm? I haven’t looked, well I read some ***** on Watford ratings but was well under the impression bissuoma got it. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
We won more games last season than the two previous seasons combined, and still some were permanently miserable. The forum just allows some to vent their rage which you have to just accept, or put them on ignore. I always say the majority of the time in this league you have three fixtures in front of you, one you could scrape a draw, one you could win, and one you completely write off. It makes for some quite drastic emotional ups and downs. Just have to not get too down when we do inevitably lose
Tbf the football under Ivic was particularly depressing has to be said . Playing for 0-0s in most away games. And even Sarr couldn’t get into the matches as we weren’t forward thinking. Certainly made me want to switch off . Much like last night !
Not too much over reaction for a change apart from one or two of the usual suspects In general there is pretty much agreement that first half was awful, second half was much better and hopefully Xisco learned a few things today. The one thing I wasn’t fully in agreement of was how Louza did. While he wasn’t brilliant by any means, he did show some nice touches but did get caught out as well. Certainly not the worst debut I’ve seen and there is something to work on. Hopefully plays against Palace
How breathtakingly arrogant. No I don't need to revisit my post ta very much. I read it through last night checking for typos and gave it plenty of consideration then. And I haven't woken up this morning some sort of changed person ready to bow to 'groupthink'. I don't do groupthink. So, I'll ask you again, do you have anything of 'substance' to offer whatsoever? And do you recognise the distinction between a 'moron' (a derogatory term in itself) and an actual homophobe? It would appear not. Anyway, I will apologise if anyone actually thought that I 'gave it large' outside the Seagulls' boozer yesterday because I thought the clientelle might be gay. Not at all. It was just because they were the opposition and I object to not being allowed into a boozer simply on the grounds of wearing a yellow shirt. I'd do the same in Leeds. No doubt you'd object if you weren't allowed in because you were black. Or even gay? But maybe I didn't make that fully clear. Gaytown is not a derogatory term though. Scumtown is what one of those looks like. Anyway again, at the risk of providing further hostages to fortune, I'm not a fan of the gay pride thing. Strutting about with a colour scheme and getting in everyone else's faces. As a heterosexual I feel no need to invent a colour scheme and strut about promoting it. OK, I'm in the majority though so have no need to feel threatened but those threats have mostly receded now anyway. Apart from amongst a few real neanderthals. And if you come across them then you'd better hope I'm on your side. As I would be. I've had to intervene in Edinburgh (twice) on behalf of gay blokes getting picked on, and with violence looming, from an educationally sub-normal (see what I did there?) mob. In addition, when I was sat at the junction yesterday morning, waiting on my train, some sort of 'gay pride train', sporting rainbow colours, came barrelling past on the fast south line. If it had stopped for me I wouldn't have got on it. On the grounds that I'd have refused to be press-ganged into offering even tacit support to something I disagree with. Now, to anybody who might think this post is 'overly political' well of course it is. Most things are actually. But it wasn't me that started it was it? GoingDown, wielding his niggly, pointy, little stiletto (as per) did that all by himself. Plenty of ammunition for you all there then.
We is the most disappointing, was the gap in the performance level between us and Brighton. Make no mistake, Brighton WILL be down there. They are one of our relegation rivals. Of course we can lose these games, but they have to be competitive encounters. Had this been the first game of the season, then I think everyone would be mighty depressed. But it's not, we did see a better side against Villa last week, when we had Kucka in the side. He was immense and elevated the side beyond its natural level. When he went off, we collapsed against Villa and that carried on against Brighton, until Xisco went all FM in the second half with playing 5 strikers. Brighton are a solid side, and once 2-0 up they know how precious a victory is, they wont do anything to harm that, so will naturally try to see out the game without taking any risks. This is what I put Watford's better second half down to. Nothing more than Brighton taking their foot off the gas to see out the game. We know what the answer is. Kucka showed us what we need, and what we miss. Of course, Kucka will not play every game. He's 34, will be injured plenty of times, plus will pick up suspensions. No idea how good Tufan will be for us, but I'm hoping he's more Kucka than Louza. I will more than disappointed if we ignore the central defence again.
I thought they played better on the whole than they did at our place on the opening day of 2019/20, as they had to work hard for their result in the end, whereas in the 0-3 we were just rubbish from beginning to end and made it easy for them. Even if they as you said took their foot off the gas, they still defended impressively - not many Prem relegation candidates or indeed bottom half teams are capable of seeing the game out the way Brighton did.
I think Sema is crap and nowhere near good enough for this division, is it that hard to understand? I've been very consistent in that opinion, whether we win, lose or draw, the bloke isn't even half way to being a Premier League footballer. Why would I be "happy" that we lost? What about any of my posts suggests yesterday's performance and result made me "happy"? I gave credit where credit was due last week after a good performance and win and made it clear how impressed I was, equally this week I'll say how I feel after a thoroughly pathetic, worrying performance.
This is the point. Teams like Brighton and Burnley have built their teams around solid foundations. It’s such an advantage to know if you score the first goal in a game against a lower half team you will probably get something out of the game. We just don’t do this. Even 3-0 up against Villa we’re holding on. Even in the final minute we gave away a penalty then nearly give another one away after that. We seem to want to do it a different way. Exciting forward players with crap (at EPL level) defenders. I find it so frustrating that this obvious flaw is ignored. It’s just very odd.
Indeed you have. Exceptionally consistent. And we all truly understand this. So there's really no need to keep repeating it. Is there?
Kelso, stop digging. You clearly enjoy contributing to the forum as you keep returning under a different guise. And you wouldn’t do it otherwise. But stop with this blatant inflammatory ramblings and realise why it might be offensive to some. Sure, you don’t care - but perhaps have some respect for others?
