I thought it was a fairly mature performance from Chaka Kahn. But it was a fairly horrible game to watch. Tough one for QPR.
Triple sub nearly cost us there. Understand the need to rotate and keep us fresh, but changing system left us very vulnerable. Lovely finishes from Livermore. Couple of nice bits from Raj in terms of keeping the ball and holding it up when we needed it at the end. Martins was useless. Chak industrious for the most part and did some decent defensive work, but makes some dreadful decisions at times. Outstanding from Hamer at the end. If we could offload Bachmann this window, I’d have no complaints. Shift his contract and then pick up a new keeper in the summer.
Very enjoyable final whistle. Great three points. Mostly positives. Livermore is becoming a Watford legend. I have been singing his praises before today. Hamer pulled of a match winning save. Showed some resilience. Our forwards are not clinical enough and we botch so many chances only for our 34 year old defensive midfielder to show them how it is done. I dislike being hard on players, but Morris is not good enough for this level. I would love all young Watford players to be successful, but it is glaringly obvious to me. The last 15 minutes, involved QPR exploiting our weakness at left back and it created havoc. The sooner Sema and Lewis are back the better. I thought Healey did OK, but he is not a finisher. Martins can be frustrating, but his input created our two goals. I thought the substitutions caused us to sit back and that was a major tactical error. All in all, a good team effort and three points. Very satisfying.
Missed the first half, what was wrong with Koné? Bayo is back for Bristol City, when are Sema, Morris and Kayembe back? **** performance, but with so many players missing, we can just consign it to the dustbin of history and move on
Even if our luck should eventually run out (as most likely it will), it’s still been a more enjoyable and successful season than many of us (me included) could have predicted back in the summer, or indeed when we had only 10 points after 11 matches and sat 4th bottom. From there we’ve gained 29 points in 16 matches, won 5 times on the road and climbed 13 places. It’s been a terrific run, and even if we soon get found out, it’s been enough to ensure we are all but safe in this division for another year, and given us some reason to hope that we are a team on the up. Yes we’ve been very lucky at times, but equally we are a side now who battles to the death, and nobody all season has robbed us of points with a late goal against us. Today is another match that we can add to that pleasing statistic. Not quite sure how but once again today we didn’t lose points by conceding late on.
Sweet ******* mercy that's going to be one of the most stressful endings to a game for a while and my first away game I've been to where we've won since Aston Villa 1-0. That Hamer save at the end is incredible.
Christ why do never make things simple? First half was dire from both sides although to be fair QPR had a few shots (most off target) and Hamer did do a quite lucky parry back into play which almost cost us. Second half was a more open game with both sides going for it but what can you say about our two oldest players on the books? Livermore - two quality strikes that gave us the win and Hamer - one absolutely brilliant save near the end to preserve two pointsm and was pretty good second half overall. QPR did a Watford, only woke up after we scored the second goal. I was seige of the hulu-hoops in the final fifteen and they probably should of scored but fair play we just about hung on to a vital win. "Dave" was terrible today. I've never seen a player 'give up' so much at tackles and letting their player cross the ball with no challenge at all. Livermore should of stayed on purely due to his work ethic and on that point, VI's subs were abysmal and made at the wrong time. I understand Kone has been ill but we needed him out there for the last fifteen minutes with a calm head as we fell to bits when they scored. QPR can probably feel hard-done by today but we played like a group of paniced kittens towards the end. Our strikers are just as bad as our midfield and the fact we have lost Kayembe, still have Sema missing makes it obvious why most of our goals have come from the midfield. Healy was powderpuff and Raj did next to nothing. Taking off Asprilla and Livermore when we had a bit of control in the middle so nearly cost us the game. I like VI but he needs to get his subs sorted out. He needs to read the game more, and Morris was another poor performer, at fault for their goal all be it a deflection. Sort out our set peices please. Wow what a rant despite a win. Proves how much the team are just about doing enough, but our league position is false.
Lacklustre performance, but what a signing Livermore has proven to be. I'd be lying if I said I didn't suspect he would be yet another pointless, over the hill signing in the Rose model - how far from reality that fear was. He has been fantastic this season, and his performance today was, more or less, everything you would want from a midfielder. He has looked rejuvenated in a Watford shirt, with two goals today no more than he deserves for the shift he has put in to date. Hamer too has been outstanding since he came into the team. Some top drawer saves today at key moments, married with a calmness we have long been missing in that area. Perhaps Bachmann's red card at Leicester was a blessing in disguise? We'll need to play a lot better than that if we want to firstly get into the play-offs, and then actually win the thing(s), but today two players in their mid-thirties have made a tremendous difference and carried us to a valuable 3 points in the West London sunshine.
Didn't deserve 3 points there but many times it goes the other way so will take that! Hope Sema is back soon, our attack just feels blunter without our Swedish king marauding down the left wing.
He's fast moving into that category of players who are gifted but simply lack the mentality and consistency to be an asset. It's frustrating to fans but ultimately lately when he looks back on his career he will be the most disappointed of all. If he had more aggression, tenacity and drive he wouldn't even be here.
I think it’s a measure of just how far we’ve come lately that (quite rightly) we are annoyed we made today so different for ourselves. Just a few weeks ago we’d have bitten hands off for something as rare as an away win!
He's at that stage now when he should be more than just a player with evident potential. For midfielders like him he should be hitting his peak in3 seasons.
One of the worst 3-point-earning performances you ever will see. Basically a brilliant test case for requiring more bodies in all the positions we have all already identified as needing more bodies in. Thank the lord and hats off to Jake Livermore, who seemed to me, as to everybody else, a signing verging somewhere on the scale between pointless and nepotist. How wrong he has proved us. The dreadful subs also played their part in showing how much we still need someone who can either compete or deputise for him, as we are apparently sunk in all ways if he's not on the pitch. Three cheers to brave Val for giving us half an hour with 4 centre backs on the pitch, desperately hoping and praying to the football gods that an infinite amount of QPR crosses landing on free QPR heads in the box would not be rewarded more than once. Tactical genius/some kind of shamanism FTW.
The latest goal we’ve conceded all season that cost us points was 80 minutes (When Ipswich beat us). Quite an extraordinary record, especially for a club that we all consider infamous for blowing wins/draws late on. That record was seriously tested today but phew we survived!
Think the win at Swansea last year made us believe we can actually score away from home. But considering our next two league games are also away, I am more confident going to Brizzle and Sheff Wed than if we were playing at the Vic, which has dropped a bit.
As far as relegation battles go this is one of the more enjoyable ones I've seen over the years. Healey was powderpuff at best. Martins and Asprilla were poor again as were both full backs. We were strong through the middle but weak in the wide areas. Livermore yet again proving people wrong - he is currently the clear frontrunner for player of the season. Looking forward to Sema returning as we lack an attacking threat at the moment. Rajovic's cameo and bits of hold up play were a sign of improvement. In so many areas of our squad this season you can see weak points being worked on and improved - all credit to VI and his team for that.
I am happy with the result, and it is an absolute bonus to help QPR on their way down. I wasn't overly impressed with Ismail's lineup. I didn't really think Healy done much and would have much preferred to see Rajovic start. I am not really sure what the manager saw against Chesterfield that warranted Healey starting in a Championship match to be honest. I am not sure what Kone has done to be dropped for Chakvadatze and Tom Dele Bashiru,maybe it is just a case of him tiredness. I thought Sierraltra was a bit vulnerable today. I thought the triple substitutions left us without much options going forward and invited the pressure on a bit. Although admittedly I get what Ismail was trying to do. Super Ben Hamer in goal!! made an incredible save at the end he done fantastic to not parry it out into a more dangerous area. Good win, the 12 noon games on a Sunday can sometimes be challenging especially away from home.
Apparently it’s the first time since our last promotion that we’ve scored in 5 consecutive away matches. 14 goals in that run! As a South West based supporter, I need this record to continue next Saturday! And then some!
I think he is a bit better than that , but has had a slow start at Watford , he seems to move forward with purpose , doesn’t get caught as much in possession as Martins , but his final ball is intercepted too much, but that is the thing we do, play into a crowded box , rather than striking from outside (Livermore obv didn’t get the memo today ), I think that is why Kone and Kayembe make us look better if they can’t see a pass on they will just shoot.
We were poor today . Thought arguably qpr were the better side. Thought we really missed Kone and Kayembe . TDB doesn’t quite offer what Kone does our defensive play seems to be regressing by the game . Nevertheless , 2 great strikes by Livermore and a great result , so we are in a great position in the league to potentially push on .
Take the three points and run! Somewhat inept performance with multiple back ups starting but once again, full commitment. Scoring some really good goals this season but have to say that most keepers would get across to Livermore's first, I know it was right in the corner but it was very softly hit. Luckily Begovic is about 50 and couldn't move his feet.
Just watching Watford forever it’s on sky after the match , listening to Elton and Graham talk about Watford makes you tingle. Come on Elton , time for you to buy the club back with some of your rich mates
