Bad, bad result. 1-0 flattered us. We never got going apart from a 5-10 minute spell right at the end. I thought Gray’s goal being ruled out was harsh but Hive didn’t really show a conclusive angle, so I can’t be 100% sure. It’s still in our hands - two wins, or (in my opinion), four points should see us home. Hope there are some challenging conversations today and a focus reset for the last few games.
But the rivalry is based on locality and goes back a long way. I do understand that as years pass, it becomes lessened for younger generations who have never seen us play against them or even be in the same league as them until this season. But the rivalry with them is part of the fabric of this club and I think it’s a shame that’s been lost in amongst all the progression we have shown in recent years. I know it’s not the way everyone feels - but games against this lot live long in the memory for many of our fanbase and aren’t just erased by being in the PL or the odd win against a Top 6 club. It certainly won’t derail the happiness I feel if we get promoted - but there’s a little sour taste for me now about it as well. This season was the chance to put them in their place with convinction - and we haven’t done that. Taking yesterday’s game in isolation, we were a disgrace...some on here like to hark back to GT at various points. Well, I guarantee you he would have left our fans and team in little doubt as to how important yesterday was had he been in charge - and he would have been furious and apologetic in equal measure had we put in the effort that we did under his watch. We can’t be selective about our history based on the bits we like and the bits we don’t. That scummy lot up the road are our rivals - not Bournemouth, not QPR, not Everton. And yesterday, we handed them bragging rights.
I agree that Lazaar looks like a complete dud of a signing, but the head coach picked him. He had other options. Ok, he boxed himself into a corner with his squad selection yesterday, but Wilmot or Ngakia would have been far superior selections to Lazaar. Where were these guys? Why are Navarro and Lazzar even in the squad ahead of them. What's happened to Perica? Ok, I think he's pretty sh1te but he's a better level of sh1te than Success. At least he does score the occasional goal. Munoz has to get it right over the next 4 games. He's been on a good run but you're only as good as your last game. We need to find another 6 points I suspect so will have to win 2 from 4. Personally I think that's now beyond us and we'll drop into the play offs on the last day, but there is a chance that will not happen if he gets it right. Maybe the feel good factor is being tested now, but when you need an experienced head leading the team, you look to see a coach applying for his P plates. If Watford screw this up, it will probably be the biggest disappointment we've ever had under the Pozzo's and we've had a few. I'd rather be a long shot going for it. To be in our place and watch it all fall away, getting caught on the final day will be absolutely heartbreaking as a fan. But this is what I'm preparing myself for.
I disagree with the bit about GT. he hated this fixture and was always down playing it. It was his only fault though
I’d sooner have had Sema at LB than Lazaar mind you and chucked Hungbo onto the LW. Or put Zinckernagel out there and put Gosling/Cleverley into the middle. Lazaar was shown to be exactly what we all thought he was yesterday - bargain dross. Obviously Masina shouldn’t have played if he was unwell - I think the question marks arise due to him at times being a bit lily-livered and also due to him clearly shirking West Ham away at a similar crucial juncture last season.
Maybe. But the nature of the man means he would have known how important it was to the fans. Downplay it in the press - but I bet he didn’t behind closed doors.
That did strike a note with me when it was announced he was not playing. I was thinking perhaps he is mentally weak or suffers from anxiety about such fixtures and is not in a fit state to play. Concerning of course for a player of his level. However if his mind is not right then better he not play. Being mentally right for a match is important. I am still amazed we do not have a sports psychologist working with the players. Perhaps I am wrong but it would be a strange omission to me.
Yes good shout. I'd forgotten about Sema. From yesterday's squad I'd have switched him to LB, play Hungbo or Pedro wide with probably Success in the middle. Munoz now has no excuses. Maybe Lazaar was signed as Masina's stand-in, but it is obvious he's not up to it. I read on The Athletic that one of the coaches was quoted as saying that Lazaar "was away with the fairies" during yesterday's game. Hopefully that will be his last appearance for Watford. Munoz cannot trust this guy.
Not sure about Sema as a left back. He is overly physical and rash with his challenges. He has conceded free kicks several times in that area notably the one against Boro.
Wrong again mate, if you going to post that sort of stuff try get it right, we actually made a small profit pre pandemic have you? No didn't think so we don't have to sell players anymore. Actually the stadium is going to be built within 3 years and we have actually upscaled it now so wrong again, please try and keep up you utter,utter melt. I didn't see the manager getting back on the coach,perhaps he didn't get back, wonder if hes been sacked as you do seem to go through managers quite a lot these days, Is that what you were referring to when you mentioned yo-yos earlier?
It's quite usual for players to be sick with anxiety before competing. Guillermo Vilas was often sick before a match. Masina strikes me as a very emotional and caring guy from various interviews and events. Perhaps he became over anxious and was in such a state that his blood pressure was too high? I agree it's odd that if there has been no help with a sports shrink. Speaking of help I have received numerous sympathy messages from players at the club,some who have visited that flea ridden khasi of a dump and understand.
Hindsight is a wonderful thing but if we could play yesterday's game again I'd pick: Bachmann/ Kiko Troost Sierralta Sema/ Sanchez Hughes Gosling / Pedro Gray Sarr We wouldn't have lost with that line up.
Lazaar takes headlines for his gaff and Kiko for his red card, but WTE was also terrible yesterday. His local connections mean he must have known how important this game was, but he's regressed dramatically this season. He looked encouraging when he first started but now, I wouldn't want him anywhere near the team.
Not sure what you're picking Troost for - was as abysmal as ever yesterday with his usual total inability to play any pass outside 10 yards across to Bachmann. It's quite a spectacular feat to be a professional footballer who is that bad with the ball, and it's not even like he's a 6'6'' Orc to make up for it. Anyway, I was out all yesterday afternoon, but enjoyed catching up on the ten pages of post-match discussion here on the train back, and now I'm just here to say: We go again.
Yeah, we’re a much better club. Shouldn’t be compared with them. Don’t care about the stats. They’re an abomination.
Had that 'Gary Plumley' feeling before the game. I just knew it was going to be one of those days when nothing would fall in Watford's favour and so it proved to be, but there can be no excuse for the gutless lack of effort by our players. They knew what that game meant. It didn't look to me like they choked or were intimidated. It looked like they simply didn't give a **** compared with their inferior opposite numbers who played their hearts out to more than bridge the gulf in ability. That was the worst thing to stomach.
We will royally screw this up. We all have an opinion. I say we will take 1 point from the remaining 4 games. Norwich will want to show how much better they are than us. Millwall do not concede many goals away from the Den and will be just too strong for us. We cannot compete with on a physical level with them. As for the Swansea and Brentford games, our confidence will be shot by then. Our players will be thinking of which team they will be playing for next season. If this happens, the only people queuing to get through the doors at Vicarage Road will be the administrators.
https://theathletic.com/2525710/202...luton-smothering-out-of-their-system-quickly/ "Jeremy Ngakia will be a better bet to fill in for him than Marc Navarro, and it’s understood he will be fit to take part even though the Spaniard was parachuted onto the bench at the last minute."
I feel like maybe you need a moderate reintroduction of subtlety into your act RC; really make it special, you know?
To have a week's training and preparation for one of the most important games of the season then to have Masina pull out at the last minute is disastrous. Masina was important in our game plan with his sweeping passes to Kiko and Isma and has been an important cog in the team's system. He is a very good defender in general. That is unsettling for the team and we simply didn't click from the whistle. That was our most disjointed performance since the break and that isn't saying much. To me that felt like a sending off in the first minute. Was fuming how that came about. It has been a long long week. Excuse me for my overreaction. Felt a bit for Lazaar because he was understandably nervous and although his backpass was lax, it wasn't the sole reason for our failure to get anything at the kennel or our below par performances since the break. We were at least not going to improve with important players pulling out at the last minute. Just hope all the squad galvanize themselves for Norwich. At least Cleverley might be ready then. Is Ngakia going to play? That's for another thread.
Agreed, feels way too forced now. The best trolls are trolls that you're only 60% sure they're trolling. RC has stepped into MK Donny/HemeLad territory
Fantastic post!!!!! you re a true watford fan going back to possibly Ken Furphy s era? i as you are prob aware am a Luton fan, i was a bit over zealous last night on here but i was understandably chuffed to say the least, some of your fellow fans are so deluded but you re summing up of the Luton/Watford rivalry is spot on! Cheers!
I'm genuinely bewildered by all of this, Ngakia was seen as a more viable LB option than Navarro against Norwich over Xmas, and against QPR, yet Navarro is put on the bench when a LB spot comes available? I mean, Ngakia didn't look overly comfortable against either team, but Navarro is a terrible footballer
All the talk about line ups and different team selections is utterly pointless. We didn’t lose the game yesterday because Lazaar played at the last minute. We lost yesterday because our mentality was completely wrong. We weren’t up for it. We weren’t ready to embrace the challenge of a crap pitch and their desire to get one over us. We were weak, insipid and arrogant. I can take losing to them, but not in that manner. Not when we completely fail to show up. Embarrassing given what is on the line. Bottlers, the lot of them. Time and again.
Exactly. Lazaar gave away the poor backpass, but not one outfield player or sub put in a performance that merited anything more than the limp defeat we received.
