Over-reacting- Watford 1 Crystal Palace 3

After these sort of games over-reaction is an easy thing to fall in to.  So I'll try and stay on the right side of rationality. 

As I wrote in an earlier post Palace are not your usual relegation fodder kettle of fish.  They are only in the bottom three having fallen foul of this stupid rule that deems it acceptable that something that happens in the boardroom can have a bearing on a competition which otherwise uses football matches as its way of determining the order of things.  Therefore we shouldn't see this in quite the same way as losing at home to Peterborough.

After all, for 49.9% of the match we were the better team.  I can't remember a more bold and effective first half performance.  We hit the post, the bar and had the officials not been incompetent in the extreme would've had one, if not two penalties.  Our defence went to sleep for a few seconds and as soon as you spotted the big figure of Stern John free in our 6 yard box it was obvious that Palace were going to score a very undeserved goal. 

At half time one would expect the manager to say all the right things about keeping going, staying alert and generally encouraging his players to continue in the same vein and that something will eventually happen.  I'm sure Malky did this.  But he must accept that whatever it was he said it seriously didn't get through.  He must find a way of ensuring that for the remaining 7 games we never again get a 45 minutes like the one we did when the players reemerged. 

He must also realise his own responsibility in being able to change what's happening on the pitch.  We appreciate he can't kick or header every ball but he could've acted far far earlier than he did and with much more impact in the second half.  The time to act was after that second goal.  It needed a big response that said we're not accepting this in the way GT did so famously all those years ago against Tranmere.  Waiting until we were 3 down was akin to giving up.  The crowds reaction to Danny Graham replacing Don Cowie spoke volumes through its muted response.  None of us believed it was going to make a difference. 

What we needed was an impact player, just as Middlesbrough had with Leroy Lita on Saturday.  I know we have very limited options but what about Heidar?  Unfortunately he's beginning to look like the slightly older footballer we all know he's become but don't want to believe.  So rather than flogging him to death every game lets keep him back and bring him on for those grandstand finishes that I'm sure he still has the strength and energy to conjure up.  Remember how he changed that game against Leicester?  That was what we needed. 

Its been much said already but why have Ryan Noble on loan if we aren't using him, particularly in a situation like Tuesday night.  Otherwise just what situation have we got him in on an emergency loan for, when we're a couple of goals up to come on for a cameo?  The only reason I can think that he hasn't featured is that he actually isn't as good as Malky was led to believe.  If that is the case then a serious word needs to be had with whoever scouted him because we really don't need to be looking after another teams young kid at such a crucial stage of the season. 

The worst bit about Tuesday was the reaction of Palace when we finally did score.  They were worried, really worried even though they only had seven minutes to hang on.  They didn't believe they could do it.  Unfortunately neither did we.

Watford v Crystal Palace- Previously...

This will be the 52nd time Watford have hosted Palace in a competitive game.  We've won 24 of these, drawn 13 and lost 14, scoring 87 goals and conceding 71.

Last season they came to the Vic twice in just over a month and both times went away empty handed.  We beat them 4-3 in the FA Cup and then 2-0 in the League with goals from Don Cowie and Jose Fonte putting through his own net.  Earlier on this season we went to Selhurst and lost 3-0. 

Palace are currently 22nd with 39 points from 39 games however they were deducted 10 points for going into administration in Janaury.  Neil Warnock left a month later to join QPR.  They won their first match with Paul Hart in charge, 1-0 against Sheffield United. Since then its all gone wrong as they've lost to Bristol City, Leicester and Cardiff at home, whilst on their travels they've drawn at Barnsley and Blackpool and lost at Forest.  Their overall away record this season is won 5, drawn 9, lost 5.

Shooooot!- Watford 1 Middlesbrough 1

Can we have Graham come out and give a little pep talk every game? It was especially pleasing that it didn't even seem to be completely 'on message'. Was the bit about shooting a very small dig at Malky and his team? GT's philosophy was always get the ball in the box as often as possible and shoot because you're more likely to score goals (sounds obvious really). This is why I was surprised at what seemed to be GT's whole hearted endorsement of the Rodgers regime when it involved taking free kicks backwards and the like.

Malky hasn't gone down quite the same road but we still pass the ball sideways far too much for my liking. So GT's request for us to yell 'Shoot' at any player nearing the box, not just Lloyd, was most welcome and even better, the players responded to it.

Eustace was the most effective with his long range lob going in.  It was overly harsh when he tried a couple more of these sort of things in the second half that much abuse was shouted at him from the Rous (by people clearing not listening to GT). I don't mind a player occasionally shooting and hitting row Z if they also occasionally hit the back of the net.

Will Buckley made his debut and a storming one it was too.  Okay, it was slightly difficult to judge just how good he was seeing as Middlesbrough only gave him a few seconds on the ball before hacking him over every time, but the fact they felt it necessary is encouraging.

Overall, it was a good team display and one that certainly wasn't that of a team who are one of the worst three in the division.  So how do we find ourselves in a situation where we're still one of the major contenders in the dogfight?  I think the answer was on the back of the programme.  In place of the depressing league table they'd printed clubs in order of average points gained when taking the lead.  We were 5th, just below Newcastle and West Brom.  Possibly this was the only stat they could come up with that put us this high up the table but it also explains much about our current plight.  The confidence of the team very much depends on who gets the first goal.  If its us then we have the belief to get something out of the game.  If it goes against us then that belief disappears, which explains the hammerings we got against West Brom and Cardiff as well our dreadful away form.

Had Boro scored, as it looked like they might have done a couple of times early on, I reckon we would've have come away very depressed.  Luckily they looked like a team that is already preparing for another season in the Championship.  Only Leroy Lita (who else) looked really bothered and as soon as he came on 5 minutes after half time it was clear he was the one we needed to worry about.  Unfortunately our defence only woke up to this after he'd equalised, but at least they then marked him out of the game.

Palace now decreases ever so slightly in importance on Tuesday.  If we can then come up against other teams who are already looking forward to the summer break we might still be able to finish somewhere slightly more respectable than 21st.

A Message from Malky

Had an email today from Malky. Obviously not to me personally, but to all those who have 'Watford in their hearts'. However I've not seen it on the OS so I thought I'd share it here.

I know I've been critical about the whole 'get behind us' thing but fair play to Malky. I do geniunely believe he is 100% committed. None of us want relegation and from kick off for the remaining 9 games I've no doubt the fans and the players will give their all to try and ensure our survival.


Please support us!

I’m writing this message today to everyone with Watford in their hearts. I wanted to communicate with you directly, rather than through the media columns that get reported after every match, to personally ask for your support over the next nine very tough and very crucial games for this Football Club.

I am fully aware of the emotional rollercoaster ride that Watford fans have been on over recent years – some extreme highs and some disappointing lows too. We are coming towards the end of what was always going to be a very difficult season where we have all been involved in transition – on and off the pitch.

My message to you today though is please stick with us and give all your energy to support your team through to the end of the season. The atmosphere at the Ipswich game last Tuesday made a real difference and I thank you for that.

I look at my staff and my players every single day and challenge them to be strong enough to represent this Club. I’ve said from day one that I will not tolerate anyone who doesn’t give everything they’ve got – especially the players who I know are a young, honest group and have truly given 100% in a yellow shirt this year.

I can promise you I will leave no stone unturned to ensure we get the wins needed this season to keep us up. When times are tough supporters will always question the manager and I’m ok with that. I just ask that over the next five home games and four away games you do all you can to fully support the 11 players who are wearing the shirt.

The time really is now. I am 100% committed to you and this Club. This is a fight and we’re in it together.

See you tomorrow.

Malky

Two good articles posted today

One from Sheffield Wednesday's Michael Gray about what's important when you're in the relegation dogfight.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/michaelgray/2010/03/pretty_football_is_not_a_prior.html

The other from the blog Rookery Thoughts about how, even in our current perilous state, we're still pretty well off really. After all, you could support the lot up the road, and I don't mean that in a sarcastic way. I know this won't be the most popular thing I've ever written but bloody hell, talk about being dealt with harshly. A 30 point deduction for the mistakes of someone not even at the club anymore.

http://rookerythoughts.wordpress.com/2010/03/26/the-state-were-in/

Watford v Middlesbrough- Previously...

This will be the 12th time Middlesbrough have visited Vicarage Road. Our home record against them is completely even having won 5, drawn 1 and lost 5, scoring and conceding 13 goals. The first time they came to Hertfordshire was in the Old Division 3 back in October 1966 when we won 2-0.

The last meeting at the Vic was in the Premiership in November 2006 when we won for the first time that season 2-0. A Jonathon Woodgate own goal got us on the way after six minutes and Ashley Young secured the three points in the second half.

Earlier in the season we were the final nail in the coffin of Gareth Southgate's reign as Middlesbrough manager when a Tom Cleverley goal gave us a 1-0 win at the Riverside.

Middlesbrough have not exactly blossomed under new manager Gordon Strachan. They are currently 8th with 53 points from 39 games. Their away record reads won 6, drawn 5, lost 8. You have to go back to 26 January for their last away win, 4-1 at Doncaster. Since then on the road they've drawn with Ipswich and lost at Blackpool, Forest, Cardiff and Derby. Last Saturday they drew 1-1 at home with Reading and on Tuesday night won, again at home, 2-0 to Preston.

A match against Middlesbrough sounds like the perfect opportunity for a young loanee who was born and bred in Sunderland to make a name for himself. Ryan Noble, your newly adopted public awaits.

Dodgy- Sheffield Wednesday 2 Watford 1

Listened to most of the game tonight and it was the usual story (again) of playing well, not deserving to lose, penalty injustices, etc, etc...

Whatever. It is looking dodgy now. Very dodgy. Yes we've got games in hand but I don't much like the look of our run in. I'm not expecting anything out of Saturday. Palace is obviously vital on Tuesday. As relegation battle buddies I don't trust them to do us any favours as they are only down here because of administration.

Preston and then West Brom at home both sound awkward. Plymouth at home is winnable. Then Leicester, QPR, Reading, Coventry. All also sound awkward. So that's one obviously winnable game out of 9. If we are going to avoid the drop we're going to have to pull a couple of surprises out of the bag.

Maybe we need to abandon this policy of playing nice good football and go back to playing some nasty hoofers stuff and grind out a couple of 1-0 wins. It worked for us in 2004/5 albeit with a change of manager. It might not be pretty but its better than the alternative.

Sheffield Wednesday v Watford- Previously...

This will be the 22nd meeting at Hillsborough between Sheffield Wednesday and Watford. Up there we've won 6 times, drawn 5 but lost 10, scoring 25 goals and conceding 36.

We've not been up to The Owls for over 18 months. Our last visit in Sept'08 ended in a 2-0 defeat. Incredibly 9 of the players in our squad of 16 from that day have since moved on. Our last league meeting was one of our finest victories of the season when we took Wednesday apart 4-1 at the Vic in front of the Sky cameras. Mariappa, Lansbury (twice) and Harley scored our goals.

Wednesday look to be in worse trouble than us at the moment, although that perception could radically change after the game. They have 40 points from 38 games, two points less than ourselves but having played two more. At home they've won 7, drawn 4 and lost 8. Their last victory was 2-0 at home to Leicester on 6th March. Since then they've lost away at West Brom and drawn at Swansea, Preston and most recently at home to Derby on Saturday.

This is a game that screams 'six pointer' at you. Looking at our fixtures to come you can't help feeling that we need something out of this even if it's just a point. If not, and Palace and Scunny get results tonight, we could be in the bottom three come 10pm tomorrow.

Same Old Story- Cardiff City 3 Watford 1

I listened to bits of the game on 3 Counties and apparently we had the majority of the possession, Cardiff were fairly awful, we hit the post and had a few glorious chances. However, we still managed to come away without the points.

Oh well, beforehand this wasn't a game I expect any of us really thought we had much likelihood of getting a result from. Wednesday night however is a completely different and much more important proposition.

Cardiff City v Watford- Previously...

This will be the 23rd time Watford have visited Cardiff City. We've won 5, drawn 4 and lost 13, scoring 24 goals and conceding 36. Three of those wins have been in our last four visits.

However our most recent games against The Bluebirds have hopefully been deleted from your memory. Our final visit to Ninian Park saw us go down 2-1 to a 90th minute penalty. At the beginning of October Cardiff came to Vicarage Road and put four past us without reply.

After today's games Cardiff are 6th in the Championship. They've got 55 points from 36 games. Their home record reads won 8, drawn 4, lost 5. They've not played at home since the beginning of the month when they beat Middlesbrough 1-0. Their last three games have all been away. They beat Coventry 2-1 on Tuesday but before that went down to both Leicester and Ipswich.

The last man to score four goals for the Hornets, Michael Chopra, will be available for Dave Jones' side after missing the last two games through suspension. Other old friends include Terry Burton who has been Cardiff's assistant manager for 5 years now. Paul Wilkinson is reserve team manager whilst Neal Ardley looks after their academy.

Giving Us Something To Cheer- Watford 2 Ipswich Town 1

Those who bought it were greeted by loads more 'sticking together' type sentiments in the matchday programme. This is obviously a particular bugbear of the club at the moment. It would be a completely legitmate thing to moan about on this scale if the dissent had reached unrealistic proportions to our current situation. People baying for Malky's head in the way they did Bassett's would be unacceptable right now. But good grief, lose at home to Peterborough and what do you expect??

Also it would be a fair point to make if we had entered into some sort of pact. How about let us in for free and we won't boo? But if you charge us £20 you can't expect us all to come and play the part of Watford cheerleaders.

A very obvious retort to all this is 'give us something to cheer about'. Luckily, from kick off last night, we did get a much improved performance and it fed the crowd who in turn fed the team. Cleverley was very unlucky early on not to put us ahead when a free kick that looked like it was going in got deflected and hit the post. Ten minutes later Lansbury scored from nearly the same position with a free kick which beat everyone and went in.

We continued attacking thoroughout the half most memorably when a Lloyd Doyley stepover and cross set up an H header which hit the post. Had it gone in it would've been goal of the season.

The only real negative point of the half concerned Scott Loach not coming out to collect crosses. He left a questionable one which Taylor got rid off, but minutes later neglected to get one which should have been his comfortably. Communication is clearly something he needs to improve with Taylor and DeMerit because a better side would punish such hestiancy.

You can't treat a Roy Keane team like we did in the first half and not expect a reaction after the break. Unfortunately whilst maybe we were ready for it, we didn't seem to know how to cope with the Ipswich attack, especially down the right flank and so defended deeper and deeper until the inevitable happened.

At 1-1 it would've been easy to capitualte totally and for a while I think we all feared the worst. But Will Hoskins, who started in place of Danny Graham, justfied his inclusion by scoring with a fine strike following a Cleverley cross. He seemed to collapse with the effort of it all straight afterwards but its to his credit he is prepared to run himself into the ground for his team.

In the final ten minutes we still defended far too deep, had too many unpleasant moments and seem to have forgotten completely how to run the ball into the corner and keep it there (could Gifton be the next legend to visit the Vic and maybe give some lessons??), but we hung on and that's what mattered. No boos or dissent at the end. All of us sticking together, but grateful to have had something to cheer.

In Malky's post match comments on the OS he did admit that the fans thoroughly deserved to voice their opinion. But this is something that is probably much easier to say when you've walked in from a standing ovation than to the boos echoing round a half empty stadium.

Watford v Ipswich Town- Previously...

This will be the 30th home encounter for Watford against Ipswich Town. We've won 13 of them, drawn 7 and lost 9, scoring 44 to their 36.

I've just read what I wrote about the previous encounter between us at the Vic and it seems like it happened ten years ago rather than twenty months as it includes such names as Aidy and Poom. We went a goal down early on after a Poom mistake, came back into it when Eustace scored after half time and won it three minutes from time with a JJOT goal.

This season we visited Portman Road in October and drew 1-1 with Nathan Ellington (yes, really) scoring for us in injury time.

Ipswich are currently 17th in the Championship with 44 points, 5 ahead of us although they've played two games more. Away from home they've won 3, drawn 7 and lost 8. They've won their last two games which were both at home, 1-0 against Scunthorpe and 2-0 against Cardiff. They lost their last away game 1-0 at Blackpool.

Misquoting Aristotle- Watford 0 Peterborough United 1

Yes yes. We have to stick together. No booing. Yada yada. Okay, we know. But the very fact people are booing says something is wrong. That the team who are bottom of the table and whose manager considers them relegated, has now done the double over us bellows in an extremely loud way that something is wrong.

It is much said that all you need to survive in this division is to find three teams worse than you. For much of the season we've been comfortably above that threshold. But suddenly form, cohesion and the ability to shoot seem to have deserted us at just the wrong moment, which means a league meeting with Rochdale in the near future doesn't seem to be quite such an unlikely prospect as it was after those fine Tuesday night wins in early February.

I wouldn't usually quote Aristotle but his 'The whole is greater than the sum of its parts' comment applies to this Watford team, only in reverse at the moment. If I consider each player individually I come to the conclusion that we've got enough quality to easily survive in the Championship. Loach, not the finished article yet but capable of making brilliant saves, who should be protected in his more vulnerable moments by the sheer brute force of DeMerit and Taylor in front of him. Mariappa, when he isn't suffering a crisis of confidence, quietly effective at the back and useful going forward. Lloydinho doing the same on the other flank, the Watford player you'd want beside you in the trenches. Tom and Angela, too quick and clever for most in this division. Eustace and Cowie, not in anything like the league of our loanees but always willing to try, always running. H and Graham, the perfect make up of centre forwards, tall enough to win headers but skillful enough to not just rely simply on nodding in crosses. Then add in a supporting cast of Hodson, Jenkins, Harley and Hoskins.

It sounds like a decent enough team. But put them all together and it isn't working. The man responsible for them needs to start coming out publicly with some home truths. I'm sure he is doing this in the dressing room. But to constantly remind us about sticking together is beginning to stick in the throat in the same way Aidy's 'Show your colours' and 'Who are we-Watford' did at the end of the 07/08 season. It sounds as if we're being at least partly blamed for what's going on. What we witnessed yesterday wasn't good enough and Malky needs to come out and say that so we know he is seeing what we see. Not to do so risks the likelihood of more rather than less booing. It also might give the players the kick up the backside they need to start playing as a team again and avoid a trip to Spotland in 2010/11.

Watford v Peterborough United- Previously...

This will be the 16th home meeting for Watford against Peterborough United. Of those meetings we've won 6, drawn 2 and lost 7, scoring 22 and conceding 21. A bit of a surprise as they were one of the teams I would've thought we'd have a positive record against.

Our last meeting at the Vic was in the Southern Area Semi FInal of the Associate Members Cup when we went down 0-1 in February 1997. Five months before that we'd met them in the 'new' Divsion Two and drawn 0-0. This season we gave their ex-manager Mark Cooper his one and only success when we went down 2-1 at London Road just before Christmas.

Peterborough are currently bottom of the division with 27 points from 35 games. They are yet to win on their travels this season and have only managed four draws in their 17 away games. On Tuesday night they beat Sheffield United 1-0.

They have no ex-Horns on their playing staff currently, but a mutual friend is Aidy Boothroyd who lined up for the Posh in our meetings in the 96/97 season.

It goes without saying we need a win today. Without wishing to turn this blog into some Mystic Meg type site I vaguely recall dreaming on Thursday night that we'd lose today. Going by my record with the Swansea match I hope I did.

Uneventful- Watford 0 Swansea City 1

I hate missing games but due to a family situation tonight I was forced to sit this one out. However, having just checked the OS and seen they've described the game as uneventful, even I feel quite glad to have stayed in the warm.

I think this has to be looked at in the context that Swansea are doing rather well. Lets concentrate on Peterborough and Ipswich, both of whom won tonight and neither of whom will be easy. Both are must wins if we want to stay away from that 22nd spot.

Moons

http://www.watfordfc.com/page/NewsDetail/0,,10400~1988685,00.html

Tommy Mooney is making his debut as a summariser on BBC 3CR tonight. Could Malky name him as one of the seven on the bench just in case we are struggling for goals and need a bit of aggression?

I think there should be a few Mooney chants during quiet moments tonight.

If the point of it is to make people sign up for Watford World it's a good idea as for the first time in a while I'm considering it.

Watford v Swansea City- Previously...(again)

Not much has really changed since the last previously.

Swansea are now 4th with 56 points. On their travels they've won 6, drawn 7 and lost 4. On Saturday they went down 1-0 to Nottingham Forest conceding in injury time. Before that they won 1-0 at home to Peterborough and 1-0 away at Derby.

I had a dream on Saturday night that we'd win 4-0. I'm tempted to put a bet on although the game was played in front of the old Vicarage Road terrace and Luther scored one of our goals so it might have been a retro dream.

6 out of 9- Derby County 2 Watford 0

Depressing result but three games at home gives us a chance to pull away from what looks like being the only undecided relegation spot. Two out of three wins I think is realistic. The toughest test will be the first one on Tuesday.

Derby County v Watford- Previously...

This will be the 15th meeting of Derby County and Watford up in Derbyshire. To avoid being dragged into the relegation dogfight we could really do with a win but the stats do not make kind reading. We've won just 3 times there, drawing 5 and losing 6, scoring 17 and conceding 24.

Last time at Pride Park we went down 1-0 to a late Rob Hulse goal. On the last day of the season they came to the Vic and we won 3-1, however they visited again earlier this season and beat us 1-0.

Derby are currently 16th with 39 points, the same as us but we do have two games in hand over them. They've won 9 of their home games this season, drawing just once and losing 7.

We've not won away since the unlikely victory over Middlesborough on October 17th. Lets hope we can change that today.