What a thoroughly depressing afternoons viewing this made. I arrived at the ground ridiculously early and enjoyed mooching round the Rookery Store and then having a warming cup of bovril watching all the comings and goings by the stairs at the end of the Rous Stand. I can honestly say I enjoyed this more that the actual game.
It boded ill that Aidy had finally decided to dispense with Marlon and put in Ellington. Things happen when Marlon is on the pitch. Even if he doesn't score he can create chances for others (despite him sometimes being greedy) and I'd rather have him there than on the bench. Ellington meanwhile just looks like he is desperate to score that first goal and as a result is totally ineffective helping the team. In midfield he'd gone for Francis and Williamson and left John Joe on the bench meaning we'd neutralised our midfield without the opposition having to do anything. In defence Jackson was yet again chosen ahead of Shittu. Ainsworth was warming the bench again. Let him start!
The start was one of the most ludricous I've ever seen. Ellington and Henderson kicked off and Stewart was waiting to boot it into touch down the QPR end as is the standard Watford kick off. However they all kind of looked at each other which allowed the QPR striker to steal it, possibly illegally if no Watford player had touched the ball, but there should be no sympathy for us. If you cann't even kick off properly you don't deserve anything.
To be fair after that we did okay for the first 12 minutes and looked much better than them. In fact QPR looked awful and I anticipated that this was the afternoon we would finally take someone apart as Aidy had promised a while ago. (Thinking back, he promised this last season and it never happened). However in their first venture into our penalty area someone tripped or fell over (I couldn't honestly say and haven't seen The Championship yet) and the ref pointed to the spot. 1-0 QPR. Again we mucked up the kick off and then we just fell apart a little like we did at the Walkers back in August. We didn't do anything wrong or anything right really. QPR just got lucky with another 2 goals and it was half time and we were 3-0 down.
Aidy brought on big Shits at half time which was welcome and we managed to nap one back which looked like an own goal to me but was given to Francis. For a while it looked like we were back in it and I started remembering the famous 4-3 win over Bolton some 14 years ago.
However then we outdid ourselves in the stupid depart. Aidy brought on John Joe, and gave him a note to bring on as well. It was a confusing sub as he took off Jordan Stewart. He handed the note to Tommy Smith who looked like his was having trouble reading the gaffers writing. He attempted to reorganise the troops and no one in yellow looked like they knew what was going on. Whilst this was going on a gap the size of Watford opened up in our defence and QPR duly took advantage to ensure we wouldn't get back in the game, 4-1.
There was time for Shittu, who acted as a kind of defending attacker, to get one back but we were never going to make up the difference. The worst thing to be said about the whole game is that the 4-2 scoreline actual flatters us more than it does QPR and they were one of the worst teams I've seen this season. The fact we are still second is a miracle of biblical proportions.
At the final whistle there was much shouting of 'Sort it out Aidy' and similar and a lot of booing. Walking away from the ground I wondered how much longer AB will be our manager. After all Graham Simspon was ruthless in axing Lewington after stating publicly that if Ray left it would be because he wanted to rather than being asked to. Yet despite getting us to the Carling Cup Semi Finals two months previously Simpson obviously felt our Championship status was in danger and acted accordingly. I wonder if he now feels that what had looked like our fairly certain Premiership status for 08/09 is fast going down the plug hole whether he will act to try and save it whilst its still in our own hands.
Who would he get in? Billy Davies springs to mind unless he gets the Scotland job. John Ward, although Carlisle aren't doing as well as they were. GT? He was at the game yesterday apparently. Although it all must have been de ja vu for him. Kenny Jacket seems to be sorting out Millwall. Another unheard of Aidy type character?
All this was totally overshadowed a bit later by the terrible news that Motherwell captain Phil O'Donnell died after collapsing in their 5-3 win at home to Dundee United. R.I.P Phil. My thoughts are with your family and the Motherwell fans who must be feeling that same terrible helplessness we felt 4 years ago.
Saturday, December 29, 2007
Saturday, December 15, 2007
The Most Important Half Time in Our History- Watford 0 Plymouth Argyle 1
Today the match was very much secondary to the action involving Al Bangura who is still threatened with deportation after losing his appeal to seek asylum.
It was probably the most important half time in the clubs history (not often you get to say that) as the worlds media awaited the appearance of Al who was going to do a lap of honour, Graham Simpson our chairman and Claire Ward MP for Watford, who were both going to say a few words.
Graham, in my mind, always sounds terribly pompous when he speaks. I know he is an actor cum travel agent but he doesn't really do our image much good. Worse though was to follow when he introduced Claire Ward who got booed by the Rookery end. I know any politican has to be expect this from a football crowd but she is the main person spearheading Al's campaign to stay so it was a little embarrassing to say the least.
Far more successful was the lap of honour for the main reason that the Plymouth fans applauded Al along with the rest of us which was very sporting of them. I don't know why Ian Holloway chose to walk out on Plymouth when their fans are so decent and so many of them had made the long trip up from Devon. Al was then moved enough to make a speech in-between his tears which the TV cameras all picked up on. I think it all went well and watching on Sky a good case was made for him to stay and it looked like he had all of our support.
Far less successful from the afternoons point of view was the match itself which we looked in control of for the first 10 minutes or so, but we gradually let them come back into it. We had no attacking prowess to speak of despite Marlon playing and it was no surprise to anyone when, with about two minutes remaining Argyle scored to win 1-0. We are no longer top, neither do we deserve to be having been complete pants since the end of October.
It was probably the most important half time in the clubs history (not often you get to say that) as the worlds media awaited the appearance of Al who was going to do a lap of honour, Graham Simpson our chairman and Claire Ward MP for Watford, who were both going to say a few words.
Graham, in my mind, always sounds terribly pompous when he speaks. I know he is an actor cum travel agent but he doesn't really do our image much good. Worse though was to follow when he introduced Claire Ward who got booed by the Rookery end. I know any politican has to be expect this from a football crowd but she is the main person spearheading Al's campaign to stay so it was a little embarrassing to say the least.
Far more successful was the lap of honour for the main reason that the Plymouth fans applauded Al along with the rest of us which was very sporting of them. I don't know why Ian Holloway chose to walk out on Plymouth when their fans are so decent and so many of them had made the long trip up from Devon. Al was then moved enough to make a speech in-between his tears which the TV cameras all picked up on. I think it all went well and watching on Sky a good case was made for him to stay and it looked like he had all of our support.
Far less successful from the afternoons point of view was the match itself which we looked in control of for the first 10 minutes or so, but we gradually let them come back into it. We had no attacking prowess to speak of despite Marlon playing and it was no surprise to anyone when, with about two minutes remaining Argyle scored to win 1-0. We are no longer top, neither do we deserve to be having been complete pants since the end of October.
Saturday, December 01, 2007
Bogey Letters- Watford 1 Bristol City 2
I do hate these 5.20pm live on Sky kick offs. I know I get fed up with my Dad for moaning about odd kick off times but even I think this one is silly. When are you meant to eat?? I did have a quick sausage roll at the ground before it started. The slowness of our catering staff in the far end of the Upper Rous has to be seen to be believed. Why it takes three people to get one sausage roll and a bottle of water heaven only knows. Please Graham Simpson. Sort it out! The sausage roll was alright though.
Everyone seemed very positive at the beginning considering we were coming off two straight defeats and for the first ten minutes or so we played quite well. But the loss of our loanee Adam Johnson back to Middlesborough has had a terrible effect on the team. Before he came to us I kept thinking how we really didn't look anything special but somehow kept managed to get results. We were found out a couple of times before Adam came, at Leicester and Southend, and now he has gone we are being found out every game.
The teams went in at half time level which was fair enough although the ref had made some awful decisions including changing who got a throw in because the City players complained without consulting anyone else. Okay, it was only a throw but it was all very odd and he managed to get worse in the second half making numerous mistakes.
During the second half Marlon hit the post but we never really looked like taking the lead and mid way through they scored from a simple cross and header. The crowd got on Watford's back and kind of roared them on at the same time. Aidy brought Darius off for the hopeless Nathan Ellington and the hopeless Mahon off for the brilliant John Joe O'Toole. Despite still being of school age O'Toole got our goal with about five minutes left and everyone went a bit too mad considering if we really are as good as the league suggests Bristol City at home should be a win. We went in search of the winner looking like the only team who would get it. However right at the end we let our guard down and to their surprise as much as ours City played an identical move to that from which they scored the first goal and sure enough they scored again. The boo's sounded around the ground a minute later as the ref blew full time.
Three games in a week, all against teams who begin with a 'B' and three losses. Considering 'B' is the most popular letter for teams to start with in our division this really isn't the one to choose as our bogey letter. Can't we chose 'X' or 'Z' instead?
As has been noted on other Watford web-sites this season is suddenly horribly resembling the 2000/1 season. I wondered this back in August as I noticed that just as 7 years ago we had a nasty looking home fixture against Sheff Weds on a Tuesday night. Back then this was the game we lost to start our run of just 30 points from 30 games. This time we overcame Wednesday in that fixture 2-1 but the similarities have suddenly started nevertheless.
One moment we are clear at the top and getting plaudits from everyone, generally expected by the country at large (and especially all managers in our division) as being THE team in the division that will get automatic promotion. The next moment we can't buy a win and all the hope has evaporated. The atmosphere and crowd yesterday resembled that of a team battling against relegation. Its only taken a week for that mindset to creep in.
Will Aidy still be our manager next season? Will we even make the playoffs? I think the odds have lengthened on both.
Everyone seemed very positive at the beginning considering we were coming off two straight defeats and for the first ten minutes or so we played quite well. But the loss of our loanee Adam Johnson back to Middlesborough has had a terrible effect on the team. Before he came to us I kept thinking how we really didn't look anything special but somehow kept managed to get results. We were found out a couple of times before Adam came, at Leicester and Southend, and now he has gone we are being found out every game.
The teams went in at half time level which was fair enough although the ref had made some awful decisions including changing who got a throw in because the City players complained without consulting anyone else. Okay, it was only a throw but it was all very odd and he managed to get worse in the second half making numerous mistakes.
During the second half Marlon hit the post but we never really looked like taking the lead and mid way through they scored from a simple cross and header. The crowd got on Watford's back and kind of roared them on at the same time. Aidy brought Darius off for the hopeless Nathan Ellington and the hopeless Mahon off for the brilliant John Joe O'Toole. Despite still being of school age O'Toole got our goal with about five minutes left and everyone went a bit too mad considering if we really are as good as the league suggests Bristol City at home should be a win. We went in search of the winner looking like the only team who would get it. However right at the end we let our guard down and to their surprise as much as ours City played an identical move to that from which they scored the first goal and sure enough they scored again. The boo's sounded around the ground a minute later as the ref blew full time.
Three games in a week, all against teams who begin with a 'B' and three losses. Considering 'B' is the most popular letter for teams to start with in our division this really isn't the one to choose as our bogey letter. Can't we chose 'X' or 'Z' instead?
As has been noted on other Watford web-sites this season is suddenly horribly resembling the 2000/1 season. I wondered this back in August as I noticed that just as 7 years ago we had a nasty looking home fixture against Sheff Weds on a Tuesday night. Back then this was the game we lost to start our run of just 30 points from 30 games. This time we overcame Wednesday in that fixture 2-1 but the similarities have suddenly started nevertheless.
One moment we are clear at the top and getting plaudits from everyone, generally expected by the country at large (and especially all managers in our division) as being THE team in the division that will get automatic promotion. The next moment we can't buy a win and all the hope has evaporated. The atmosphere and crowd yesterday resembled that of a team battling against relegation. Its only taken a week for that mindset to creep in.
Will Aidy still be our manager next season? Will we even make the playoffs? I think the odds have lengthened on both.
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