Given the previous results, that’s a cracking win. it’s amazing what can happen when Sarr can be bothered to turn up, when he’s on it he’s superb. Gaspar is not a central midfielder but he had a good game in there, tried his absolute best. who really cares what happens at Reading on Saturday? The FA Cup sucks, onto Blackpool now. COYH!
Bit bitter from Norwich in some places? If they thought that was a good display against our make shift team must have seen a few real shockers! https://forum.pinkun.com/index.php?/topic/150966-i-think-i-was-at-the-wrong-game/page/2/#comments
Must have been on the turnip wine overnight as when I had a little look yesterday they were in full ' Webster is to blame", " woe is us" mode. Much as we were after Swansea infact! Well ' Captain Pants ' has been on something as he thought Gibbs played well. That was the man who should have been sent off after about 30 minutes for two studs up challenges.
I think they're right about the entertainment value to be honest. Every Watford league match I've seen this season other than against the scum has been on a scale that runs from turgid to constipated. It's woeful. And in general I agree injury breaks in play are taking too long to resolve and refs are spending too long faffing about with every other set piece rather than acting as a conduit to keep playing moving. Bung in VAR at the level above, impromptu drinks breaks, failings in comms between officials etc and it seems everything is tilted towards an imaginary audience watching at home rather than those actually in the stadium.
Yes I agree it wasn’t exactly a classic end to end game for the neutral to enjoy . And you are definitely right about the time taken out of games - and although there was a lot of injury time yesterday not much is added on . The World Cup seemed to be an exception not the norm in terms of time keeping .
Even adding on time, even if not enough, tilts more towards suiting those sat at home on the sofa than the poor saps stood in the stadium in the near freezing cold. Some of these things could be sorted easily. Player down? Start a clock and give 60 second max for initial assessment by the physios. The player must leave the pitch before that timer expires or a subbing them off becomes mandatory. Stretcher needed? Automatic sub off. No subs left? Bad luck. Crack on with the game. Get rid of this ******* around where players lie down, then sit up, then lie down again, then limp off very slowly.
6 minutes stoppage time in the first half, 9 in the second. It was just like watching Brazil in Qatar, apart from the quality of the football (which was nevertheless better than I expected).
There's a lot of simple stuff that could make quite a difference. Kicking the ball away happens multiple times every game and is very rarely enforced. Same with time wasting, refs give multiple "pointing at the watch" warnings but getting a yellow makes no difference as no ref is going to send you off (although do remember one in an international a while back). If a player is injured off the pitch and rolls back onto it, should be an automatic booking. The tiny steps running-slower -than-walking when substituted late on move should also be a booking.
Totally agree, and would stop most of the timewasting instantly. But for the same reason you rarely see players booked for dissent, it'll likely never happen because it spoils the 'product'
It's so short sighted though. There might be a couple of early controversial sending offs but players would soon adapt and the product would be better if there were fewer stoppages. Do you remember when a panel could give a ban for diving after the game? Apparently that still exists but is never used anymore. To be honest, a lot of the problems lay at the door of the PGMOL, a chumocracy like no other. All about referees protecting their mates rather than doing what's best for the game.
Completely. They don't see the bigger picture. Hopefully some improvements might be made now Howard Webb is involved.
They’d soon be criticised like mad and told they are ruining the game or making it all about themselves if they started sending players off for dissent which it doesn’t happen I suspect.
It'd blow over inside 2-3 weeks tops. Players would stop very quickly if a strong marker is laid down. Players do it because there's advantage in doing it, and no punishment. Change that dynamic and they'll stop very, very quickly.
Yes guess so if it was done consistently and it didn’t matter who the was or players were involved but you can the the top teams moaning and trying to complain it’s too much . Would people accept seeing half a team get sent off in a big game live on Sky ? Particularly if one gets sent off and another only gets booked for the same sort of offence .
It doesn't matter of they accept it or not, its live sport and the referees should apply the laws of the game not appease armchair fans. It isn't a Watford thing, it has crept in amongst all teams and referees are too weak to deal with it. They also have this idea that players need educating rather than punishment. Millwall were timewasting relentlessly on Boxing Day. In the end one player took so long over a throw that the ref blew up and went over but instead of booking him he had a chat with him - which wasted even more time. I'm sure he feels his educational words worked wonders though. I've just posted on another thread that the time the ball was in play in the Arsenal v Newcastle game last night was 43 minutes. When I talk about games being slow in the Prem with mates they don't often understand as they are armchair fans, but when I explain that you watching replays after a free kick is given it fills that 45-60 seconds nicely. When you are at the game you are waiting a minute for a free kick to be taken...and it is boring.
Yes they do just totally ignore the officials that is true. Unless they want something to go their way.
Add the part when a free kick is given against a player who then picks up the ball and walks away with it before throwing it as high as can in the air. Should be a booking.
All the yellow cards issues mentioned above are all spot on ,the one that really annoys me is the (take one for the team yellow card ) an absolute nonsense 9/10 times it's a rugby tackle ,people will say each team will end up with like 8 men ,I don't agree if it is implemented that it's a red card it will soon stop ,might make for more entertaining games more Goals and make managers set there defence up better for the counter attack
All this weak ref talk is spot on and as said they’ve made a rod for their own backs by being so ****. Email the clubs, ref sticks his head in each changing rm before the game warning them, then apply the laws. It may be painful in the short term but it will improve the game in the long run. There was a dissent issue in the Arse Newc game for a penalty not given. The camera focused on the apoplectic player, easy to read his lips and nothing was done. It’s pathetic.
