Great to see the youngster score and Martins win a penalty. Sure sign of things to come. Upwards to third. We will catch the Blades.
It’s just about holding on to a play off spot and praying we have as many players back for by the end of the season as possible.
As I said in the BWO's group therapy shoutbox - that was our first GT day match win for 3(?) seasons?
Thought Morris and Gaspar had good games. Choudhury is absolutely vital Bayo absolutely woeful. I've advocated for him starting, but I was dead wrong. The slow walk off the pitch was ridiculous Ferreira was a rabbit in the headlights defensively, but did improve Martins is Cucho
Well, hallelujah - Adeyemo was the story today, and a particularly fairytale one given it took place on GT day. The game itself started brightly, faded into a nadir of really quite an uninspired and weak performance for half the overall run time or more, before one or two moments of inspiration and perspiration from the youth sealed it. Was impressed with Kone early on, and he actually knows how to play as a midfielder/isn't literally afraid of receiving the ball. Credit to Sarr - penalty aside he might not have been as directly effective in any moment, but what he did do for once was put in a solid-effort performance throughout the match, which is probably more valuable and important as a broader contribution. Would like to see him respond a bit more intelligently in terms of using the ball when he's triple-teamed and finding players who are no-teamed as a result, rather than trying to beat the triple and losing it, to be very exacting. We can't escape the fact that this was a dodgy, makeshift squad, but nor that it was a team we absolutely should be beating, who offered a performance that shouldn't have had an result other than us beating them, and yet it was fairly nervy and touch and go for significant periods. Tonight obviously belongs to Adeyemo, and I hope he enjoys it. Will be interesting to see who starts the next game at left wing/back out of Morris and that idiot Kamara. We've jumped a hurdle we knew we needed to this afternoon, and we have another one to come, but we're going to have to both gel and return to fitness fairly significantly to have a strong change of coming out of the period after that with a fighting chance. I'm not sure we saw much indication of that today, but it may be something to build on. We never entirely gave up, at least, and that paid off in the end. Oh yeah, and Bayo should never play again. But he will. Out of money-bunging shyte squad-building necessity, if nothing else.
The oldest looking 17 year will go down in Watford folklore! Such an achievement for someone so young. Hopefully he and young Grieves, Kone, Martins, Asprilia, Morris will have the necessary IDs with them tonight to enjoy a couple of light ales.
Wow good team effort again, don’t think I would criticise anybody particularly , lots and lots of effort.new signings look promising , and what a goal by Ademeyo. not sure about Sarr’s penalties, worked today, but can end up looking very silly, but was more on it than previous matches (but needs to get stay on his feet) Morris looked really good , Cathcart is a rock , Gaspar seems much better in this position Choudry came back strong , Ferreira a bit dodgy but can run forward at pace now a bit worried about our first team coming back to full fitness , this weak team is showing more heart than our first team have done all season. hope asprila gets a goal soon ref was shut though
From the WO match commentary. 4:59pm And did anyone notice - Adeyemo, a product of the Academy, scored his goal in the 72nd minute...the age that Graham Taylor was when he sadly passed away. It was his matchday, and so fitting a homegrown youngster set Watford on the path to victory
Morris might have a woeful career in the lower leagues, but he played well today, and will no doubt be used as an example to attract more youngsters to us.
First half was dire but we should of scored only the woodwork prevented it. Kone' looked excellent overall and it was a great performance from him. Defence did very well overall today but special mention to Adeyemo for a really cool finish from one our best attacks to put us deservedly infront. Penalty was spot on, dreadful error from their keeper to gift us the penalty. Sarr has obviously been practicing his pens because that was much clalmer and won us the game. Greives looked good but wasn't on long enough, Martins looked a bit rusty but he has time to improve. A lot of results went against us today with Boro', WBA, Norwich and Swansea all winning. So it moves us up to third above the Rovers. Back to back wins again now not including the FA Cup and two clean sheets. Still putting half a side out each week but they worked hard today and deserved it. Special day to remember the great man and I am sure he was smiling at full time. Rotherham next up, home again - cannot afford to lose/drop points. It's looking less and less likely we are going to get into the top two as each week goes by, but we still remain in the thick of the playoff hunt. Bayo looked pretty poor it has to be said, and he needs to be an impact sub at best when we get Pedro and Davis back. Credit to the fans' today - vocal and Bilic continues to impress with what he gets out of this squad despite so many injuries. We may not have the players but we have a lot of heart - which just might be enough.
I thought Martins helped to really change the game, felt he looked bright and really gave us an extra dimension in attack. Maybe should've finished Adeyemos goal himself but wasn't the easiest finish in the world and the GK was well positioned
Bilic got everything spot on today. As much as that starting line up was baffling to us, it served its purpose. Bilic made the right changes at the right time to change the game. I really hope we don’t rock the boat with him at the helm. Give him, JD and his team pre-season and a full season next year regardless of the division we’re in and see what happens.
What an important win! Every game we win with this injury crisis is absolutely vital and even sweeter. An academy lad thrown on to score a winner in the 72nd winner on GT Matchday is too poetic to ever imagine happening, filled me with joy. It’s been forced on us and it’s not ideal for promotion but there is something great about seeing academy youngsters involved, coming off the bench, really helps build a connection that has been missing for so long now. As for the game, a few thoughts: - A great ball from Kone that led to the pen, Sarr great, Morris did a good job, Gaspar also done well. Ngakia’s awful. - A midfield three of Louza, Kone & Choudhury will be perfectly balanced and wonderful to see. - Sierrelta starts = we win! Cathcart great again too. I do not want to see Kabasele ever again!!! - Martins looks exciting, raw but exciting. Asprilla same and that pass leading to Martins shot for the goal was also great and weighted perfectly. - Bayo is a horrific footballer - Lovely game changing subs at half time from Bilic, big bottle again, I like Slav! The top two look too strong to catch but back to back league wins is nice and hopefully the end of an injury crisis, if Davis, JP, Louza return and any new signings join and we can get them all on the pitch at one time I think we’ll be too strong for a lot of teams.
Absolutely buzzing with that. A decisive opening goal from a 17 yo academy graduate in the 72nd minute. You couldn't script a better tribute to the great man. And a word for Sarr who was kicked to **** all match, unprotected by a baffling inept ref. But he kept going and drove us over the line. We look disjointed as if we have a dozen or more injuries but we have a coach who can improvise and make a winning team somehow from this patchwork. Onto the next.
Bayo: £5m on a player from the 2nd Division in Belguim. No one wanted him at €2m. Price drop to €1m. We pay £5m. I have some split skis, hopefully Gino and Scott will lay out €1000 on them. Save me putting them in the bin. How are we third? What a weak Championship. Oh well .
Great to see Adeyemo score on his debut and fitting it was in the 72nd minute . Not a brilliant game really but got the job done . Martins did well I thought coming on and the defence was solid enough .
Agree with most of that, but not about Kabs!!! Imo he is harshly slagged off by many on here, he is an okay player and does not deserve the treatment he gets from many on here.
Great moment for the club and the kid with Adeyemo getting that goal! The main issue in the match was with so many players out we had to start with the 352 due to lack of fit options - Blackpool were crap but because we had so few attacking players out there we couldn't really punish them in the first half. Having said that, Sarr really should have scored that chance he had in the first 10 minutes when he hit the bar, it would have made the whole game much simpler. The big difference was when we switched at half time to the 433 we should have been playing at home to a team such as Blackpool, combined with Martins coming on. He seemed very lively and played a big part in both goals. He bottled out of a couple of challenges, including the one where he got taken out by the GK for the penalty anyway, but it was a very promising debut. Kone also impressed a lot on his league debut. He definitely stepped up the energy levels compared to his Cup game earlier and showed some good quality on the ball. He did fade a bit in the second half though, which was understandable, and was a bit surprised Choudhury came off instead of him. But he's a good option at CM. Unlike the two above, Ferreira was a complete mess in defence. He showed some quality when going forwards with the ball, but will definitely need time before he can be relied upon, especially in a back 4. He might be more suited to a WB at the moment. It's a shame really and hopefully not a sign of things to come from Costa's scouting. Has potential sure but we also need players for a promotion push this season. Worth calling out Cathcart who I thought was MotM. His passing has been excellent for us out of defence recently and defensively he was winning pretty much everything today. Gaspar was also decent again in CM. Bayo has seemed better off the bench than starting. Morris showed quality on the ball again, with his main flaw being a lack of ability to run forwards with the ball to either beat the full back or make room for a cross when marked. But he's improved and been much more solid in the last couple of games than many expected, including me.
He’s awful man, horrible with the ball despite that being something people credit him for, panicky, weak, rash just horrible overall, hate watching him play and I have a theory he makes our defenders worse by making them nervous.
