The Premier League - 2021-2022

Discussion in 'The Hornets' Nest - Watford Chat' started by The Voice of Reason, Apr 26, 2021.

  1. wfc4ever

    wfc4ever Administrator Staff Member

    Even Bruce can get a team going when their best players are back fully fit.

    Newcastle fans still not having him though!
     
  2. I Blame Pozzo

    I Blame Pozzo First Team

    They won't be happy until Keegan and or 'Wor Jackie' return.
    'The past is another country,they do things differently there.'
     
    wfc4ever likes this.
  3. wfc4ever

    wfc4ever Administrator Staff Member

    It's funny because they get asked who they wanted instead and there isn't really much of an answer - Eddie Howe etc.

    As you suggest seems like they just want the Keegan type of football back - attack at all costs regardless of who is playing and what the opposition is.
     
  4. a19tgg

    a19tgg First Team

    Not really PL but unsure where to put it, but WHI vs Watford from 1980 currently being shown on ITV4
     
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  5. Since63

    Since63 Squad Player

    Beaten by eventual winners Florist who also won the European Cup the same season.
     
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  6. Since63

    Since63 Squad Player

    One of the greatest ever away trips, I can tell you.
     
    wfc4ever likes this.
  7. Since63

    Since63 Squad Player

    I think it was more that they could hardly refuse the free gifts dished out by Dawson in particular.
     
  8. Since63

    Since63 Squad Player

    And all those teams will attack us to get the wins they think they will have to get against the weaker teams such as ourselves, so we should be able to hit them on the counter. We definitely need a striker worth the name.
     
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  9. Chumlax

    Chumlax Squad Player

    I don't disagree with the overall sentiment - if we want a chance of staying up, we need significant (enough) investment, especially as whatever you think about Xisco, he is hardly a 'tactician' of a coach - he's all about a mixture of good vibes elevating performances, and having players who are better than the opposition/able to display moments of individual brilliance that result in enough goals being scored. That second part is why, at the top level, in particular, appropriate striking recruitment to capitalise on those moments is utterly, ineffably, cosmically, vitally important.

    However... Whilst we did have those players in our relegation season, there are significant asterisks alongside each of them.

    In reality, we did not have Deulofeu for the season, and I think the vast majority on here would accept/imagine that, despite all our myriad incompetences, we wouldn't have gone down if he had just been available throughout.

    Neither Capoue nor Doucoure were the players they are/are supposed to be; Doucoure in particular.

    And as for Pereyra - he hasn't been anything at all, let alone what he is supposed to be, since early in the Mazzarri season; an absolute gutless shirker, refusing to do his required work in defence whilst simultaneously refusing to provide any those magic moments in attack that would theoretically justify it, and yet constantly being picked to lazily wander about/cede the left wing and make it feel as though we were playing with 10 men. Of course, he is only behind Troy for being shoehorned into the lineup regardless of 'right', so in reality it was quite like playing with nine. No wonder we got relegated!
     
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  10. GoingDown

    GoingDown "The Stability"

    He played 28 times for us in the league in our relegation season according to the internet. The season before he played 30. He was off the boil for quite a while. Like most of the team were. Although the support he had was non-existent as our strikers fell off a cliff.
     
  11. Chumlax

    Chumlax Squad Player

    Yes, it was a sh it season, but you're telling me you think he couldn't have scored one more solo goal, say, to secure the two pathetic measly points required to survive over the course of the season? Or at least not be Pereyra?
     
  12. GoingDown

    GoingDown "The Stability"

    Possibly, I'm just pointing out that it's a myth that he was missing for the season. Something a lot of fans single out as the reason we were relegated as opposed to the reckless behaviour of the hierarchy.
     
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  13. Chumlax

    Chumlax Squad Player

    Yeah, sure, I didn't say anything of the kind though, and included a lot of caveats in the post including acknowledging the speciousness of any one claim like that.
     
  14. GoingDown

    GoingDown "The Stability"

    I know. Not directed at you but merely said because it was mentioned. I thought about putting a bracketed 'not you though' in the last post but I was hopeful you'd get that without it.
     
  15. a19tgg

    a19tgg First Team

    He didn’t even need to have scored a goal to have kept us up, he was threat just like Saar. Pearson’s tactics were give the ball to either Saar or Gerri and it worked, at least it worked often enough. That kept the opposition thinking enough in itself. Take Gerri out and our only threat was Saar, teams only had one thing to worry about which completely changed the dynamic and put our defence under massive pressure.
     
  16. Chumlax

    Chumlax Squad Player

    Sure, fairplay.
     
    GoingDown likes this.
  17. Markoa$

    Markoa$ Squad Player

    Disagree, they are not miles ahead. And the fact we’ve only been out of the Prem for one season means haven’t lost much ground on them at all.

    Again with the right signings, there’s no reason that we can’t pick up 10 wins from the teams listed.

    I agree, we won’t sign any of the players I’ve suggested, I list them because it’s fun for me. It also proves that there are very good options out there that won’t cost an arm and a leg, whilst making us better.

    Of course we will be one of the favourites for the drop, newly promoted always are.

    But I stand by it, if Gino is smart in this window and we sign the right players, we will stay up. If he doesn’t, we won’t.

    Gino got us back to the Prem with a manager who had managed 11 professional games. I’ve been his biggest critic, but at some point I have to hold my hands up and say, Gino knows what he’s doing most of the time. Of course if he screws up this window, then I will want him out again. For now though, he knows what we need and I will eagerly await for him to deliver.
     
  18. folkestone orn

    folkestone orn Squad Player

    Kinda hope Swansea win the playoffs based on today!
     
    Markoa$ likes this.
  19. The undeniable truth

    The undeniable truth First Team Captain

    I want some of what you’re on ... :)
     
  20. LondonOrn

    LondonOrn Squad Player

    Even teams that are miles ahead of us are not unbeatable. That's how teams stay up, by beating mostly sides that are better than them.

    Let's assume we go into next season as the 17th best team. That means in theory we should be able to beat three teams worse than us, whoever they are - but that still limits us to only 18 points.

    Even well drilled teams like Burnley, Brighton and Palace with plenty of Prem experience and tactically astute managers are not necessarily going to find it easy against us at least at the Vic if we continue to make it a fortress and maintain our own good organization and team spirit. And that's before you factor in teams that are complacent, haven't sufficiently done their homework on us, have injuries/suspensions, are on a bad run of form, have nothing to play for at the end of the season etc.
     
  21. Supertommymooney

    Supertommymooney Squad Player

    They'd rather have Fiona Bruce
     
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  22. Markoa$

    Markoa$ Squad Player

    Here you go.

    upload_2021-5-8_15-57-27.jpeg
     
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  23. Moosegasm

    Moosegasm Reservist

    This is very true and a serious threat to our survival. The number of shyte teams in the Prem has been declining due to the TV money increases. Really hoping Hodgson goes and Palace mess up the new appointment. We can't assume Norwich will be as bad this time. If Hodgson stays we are looking at having to finish above Norwich, Brighton and the play off winners with Newcastle being the unpredictable wild card. Unless we bring in 2 top strikers and the other players we need, its gonna be really tough.
     
  24. Moosegasm

    Moosegasm Reservist

    He certainly did. God how we could do with a striker like him now!! Andy Rankin pulled off a world class save from Gordon McQueen to save us from a replay. It's the Watford moment I'd most like to see but never have.
     
    The Voice of Reason likes this.
  25. Moosegasm

    Moosegasm Reservist

    It was really awful what people were saying about Nate during his time in the wilderness. Some people were repeatedly saying his career was over which was completely untrue and extremely cruel. I'm over the moon to see Nate back to being the player he was born to be.

    However, I feel he's misunderstood the fan reaction this season. After the Coventry game NO ONE thought we would get promoted. It wasn't about loyalty or being a die hard fan. The team and the tactics were completely shyte and the 'main goalscorer' had 1 goal from open play in over 1000 minutes. We got promoted cos we changed the formation, personel, mentality and leadership structure. As soon as it happened the fans got back on board but you can't really criticise the fans for calling a turd a turd. We were completely shyte before Troy got injured.
     
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  26. Since63

    Since63 Squad Player

    Watching that save from the far end made you think the laws of physics had changed. The header was more ‘in’ than Pele’s versus England in the 1970 World Cup, but then, in McQueen’s own words, ‘a green thing with a hand on the end of it just appeared from nowhere and tipped it over the bar.’
    The most amazing save I’ve seen live.
     
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  27. onion8837

    onion8837 Reservist

    Thank god that grade a **** Frank Skinner wont be “welcomed” back to the Vic next season
     
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  28. folkestone orn

    folkestone orn Squad Player

    Why is he a "c**t"?
     
  29. The undeniable truth

    The undeniable truth First Team Captain

    Brighton are in a false position. Over 35 games they have almost scored as many as they have conceded and were crazy unlucky to lose the 2 games vs CP that they totally dominated. Having seen Burnley, Brighton, CP and Newcastle play recently, we have a hell of a lot of catching up to do, assuming they don’t further strengthen.
     
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  30. wfc4ever

    wfc4ever Administrator Staff Member

    Like today - in control and playing well but mess up to cost them points.
     
  31. Supertommymooney

    Supertommymooney Squad Player

    We have to finish above the two other promoted clubs and one other.

    It's up to us to buy some new strikers and a bit of quality elsewhere, plus keep the team spirit and effort up the whole season.

    It's definitely achievable.
     
    Moosegasm likes this.
  32. onion8837

    onion8837 Reservist

    Completely annoying, unfunny and patronising. And we always used to allow him on the pitch at half time and he took the opportunity to get the wba fans pumped up. Cant stand him or them
     
  33. Hogg-DEENEY!!!

    Hogg-DEENEY!!! Squad Player

    I know they LOVE proving the doubters wrong, but Burnley have struggled a bit this season, maybe a bit lucky Fulham and West Brom entered the Prem this season so out of their depth and with little time to prepare for a serious go at survival. They were all castigating their owners at the start of the season for being frugal, and well, they have new Yank owners who just like the Glazers used the club's own money to fund them buying the club, could this finally be the season it all goes **** up for them? A rather dull season for Palace this season, survival achieved easily enough, but they're at a crossroads with Hodgson perhaps a bit stale now and loads of players out of contract, is this the season it all goes wrong for them? After going top in November, Southampton have tailed off horrendously, could they be sleepwalking to relegation next season? Wouldn't surprise me to see them in a battle, although I think the fixture congestion has probably ****ed them over more than most

    Newcastle looked woeful for large patches of this season, Bruce is obviously not a patch on Xisco's old mate, but when they have everyone fit, they are a very capable side who should have enough to pull clear. Brighton look very easy on the eye, and their league position doesn't match the quality of their play, it's taken an entire year of absolutely comical finishing for them to even be in the picture for relegation, they're not going to be so bad at finishing again next season are they?
     
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  34. Supertommymooney

    Supertommymooney Squad Player

    If Hodgson leaves Palace they'll be at much higher risk for a season at least, you'd think.

    Can't see them going down with him in charge though.
     
    Moosegasm likes this.
  35. Johnny Todd Sings

    Johnny Todd Sings First Year Pro

    That save, more than the goals, made me realise that we had won. It is a shame there are no videos of it.
     

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