Wondering- Queens Park Rangers 0 Watford 0

It can make or break your day. Especially one like today. We've been out for a lovely day at my cousins house. Our kids have spent all day playing with her kids. We've eaten well, had buckets of tea, had lots of laughs and a lovely time.

But from 3 I kept wondering. And wondering. And I think would it be rude to start checking my mobile?

Eventually I quietly disappear to the loo and then discover I can't get a signal.

My son wants to watch Spongebob. Cool, I'll sneak a look at Sky Sports News whilst looking for Nick Toons. Oh, they don't get the sports package.

So I have to hang on wondering.

But this makes the way home a bit more exciting. Maybe we've won. Maybe we've won well. Or maybe we've been thrashed. The defence has let us down again?

The expectation has built and built. I dash in the house leaving my wife to sort out the kids. I ignore the dogs who can't believe that having been on their own for 6 hours the first human through the door has no interest in saying hello to them. I get to the computer and wait the 10 seconds or so it takes for it to get going and go to the BBC website

Oh, nil nil. Not even an exciting nil nil. A 'the only thing to say about it is Priskin and Helgusson heading wide' type of nil nil.

Oh well.

How It Could Have Been- Watford 2 Bristol City 4

I'm trying to think of the last time I enjoyed myself less at the Vic. Maybe England v Denmark Under 21's. This afternoon I was ill (genuinely, not hungover) and despite it being a sun filled afternoon it was bloomin' freezing in the Upper Rous. Sometimes trying to maintain a 'not going early' policy is difficult. Today it was tested after 30 seconds.

In the programme Dean Austin continues the club mantra of how passing football is the way the game should be played (grrrr). It struck me that had Simpson et al been prepared to wait until the end of the 2004/5 season when we sacked Lewington, we could have had Gary Johnson as our manager. Had this been the case, by now, I reckon we would've been playing the sort of great passing attacking football we witnessed from City this afternoon.

Straight from the kick off their intentions were clear. No silly passing it back, or hoofing it out by the opponents corner flag. An instant attack resulted in a throw in. From it, they beat our offside trap and put the ball past Loach for 1-0. They continued the first half in the same manner and scored a second after Bromby failed to clear.

We obviously got a rollocking at half time and started the second half in better fashion. So it was completely careless to concede another straight after Raziak had got us back into the game, albeit from a deflection.

The own goal that got us back to 3-2 is probably the only reason to watch the Championship tomorrow (if indeed it is on) as it was probably the best goal of the afternoon. A great cross from Tommy and a brilliant header from the City defender ballooned the ball over their keeper. Even after that they still looked the more likely to score at the end and we can't begrudge them the fact they did. Had we got a point it would've been highly undeserved.

No one played that well. The usual good players did okay and the usual bad players performed as expected. BR's decision to take off Harley was roundly booed. Lewis Young looks like he needs a lot of weight training and a few balti pies to beef him up a bit. Despite scoring, Raziak looks like a poor mans Priskin, ironic as under Aidy, Priskin looked like a poor mans Raziak.

I saw my Dad after the game who enquired if BR has signed his contact yet. "Hmm, pity" was his response to the news. I think thats a little harsh, but it might become a common view if we perform poorly against a QPR side who we ripped apart under Malky.

Life in a Northern Town- Derby County 1 Watford 0

Pride Park is yet another new ground that conjures up memories of the play (and was it a book too?) the Albatross. Parking parking everywhere, but not a space for the football fan. Even the KFC had a guard minding the entrance. So you are made to park well away from the retail park that surrounds the ground and then trudge through thousands of parking spaces that you could've used, if only you weren't a football fan. Crazy.

Despite Derby reckoning its in the Midlands all the accents were very whippet sounding and the Salvation Army band really were playing before the game. They were a hundred times better than the bloke who worked the PA system at Derby. He put himself up for rubbish announcer of the season with the classic 'And now lets welcome the Derby County ball boys!!!'. They then did themselves no favours by running down the Centre line and then branching out round the Centre Circle. This would have been fine if they were cheerleaders, or maybe primary school age ballboys but as they were hulking great teenagers it looked naff and camp, but mainly just naff. Then we had a Peter Kay-esque mega mix of all the songs you are ever likely to hear teams run out to. The famous bit from Carmina Burana, the Boys are Back in Town and One Vision were just a few of the delights served up. We were even inflicted with two doses of Mariah Carey but luckily not in the opening montage.

Derby included both Stewart and Ellington in their line up. Stewart received a mixed reception whilst Ellington got precisely what he deserved. He didn't dissapoint the away support either. We really shouldn't have given him the three easy chances to score that we did, but each one ended nearer the corner flag than it did the Watford goal. What a waste of money indeed. Interestingly the Derby fans didn't exactly seem to have taken to him either, with no obvious 'Dukes' shouted when he was on the ball.

Jon Harley was brilliant for Watford and even survived getting kicked in the head during the first half. Incredibly our only reward for this was a free kick. Neither Priskin or Mariappa faired as well, both having to come off with knocks.

Its interesting how much of a difference Priskin seems to make to us under Rodgers. He was a constant pain in Derby's side and whilst he was on the pitch we looked like we always had a chance. As soon as he went off, despite all Hoskins enthuiastic running, it always looked like 0-0 was the best we were going to do.

However, our defence still looks shaky at best. Had we gifted those chances to a striker better than Ellington we would've been 3 down by half time. One problem is that when we are attacked we play so deep. We invite teams onto us by only getting tackles in once in the last quarter of the field. This is especially annoying once we've gone a goal down as we did with 7 minutes left when Hulse headed past Loach. To still then be defending so deep makes it look like we've given up.

Special mention should go to Lloyd Doyley who, despite being the least likely player to flourish under BR, looked like his new boss is rubbing off on him. During the second half he received the ball in an awkward position on the wing with two Derby players closing in. There was a slight groan in the away end that turned into a 'Doyley for England' chant as Lloydy turned both of them!

Minutes later though he showed that he is still our Lloyd by accidentally putting the ball out for a throw in when he meant to pass it to the opposing keeper following an injury. This led to the unusual sight of the Derby keeper taking a throw in. Wonder what the odds on that would've been?

I assume Nick Wright was in the Hornets contingent as at one point we broke out into a 'Nicky Wright Wright Wright' chant. Either that or I've missed the news that we are doing a retro chant once a game. Another old boy, Craig Ramage, did the Derby equivilent of Harry's 50/50 draw at half time to lukewarm appalause from all sides of the ground.

Like the song by the Dream Academy the whole afternoon and team had a lacklustre feel about it. Recently on bHappy it has been stated that the we are completely lacking in anyone with the aggressive passion of a Mooney or Robbo. I'd stated previously that I thought Bridcutt might be our version but as the weeks go by he looks more like the rest of them. Where has his arrogant streak gone? He looked totally ineffective when he came on for O'Toole.

Its great that Tommy Smith is currently wearing the armband but I have to agree that we need a cheerleader just to get everyone going, the team and the fans. Wouldn't it be nice if we could bag Helgusson once his loan at QPR finishes.

Marshball- Watford 2 Coventry City 1

"The game passed a pitch inspection at 1.30pm but..."

I arrived to hear a Steward chatting to the people in one of the food kiosks of the Upper Rous and he was clearly preparing them that the chance of going home early was definitely an option. In fact judging by the way he then shrugged his shoulders he was implying it was clearly a matter of when not if.

The pitch didn't look playable. It reminded me of 8 years ago when the Burnley game was postponed a few minutes before kick off due to a deluge. That day the rain fell in one huge cloudburst and I think the only difference with today and why we went ahead was that it was constant rain so the ref had kind of got used to how bad the pitch looked. But to the untrained eye it looked dangerous and it should be a relief to Mr J Moss that only one player, Ross Jenkins, was stretchered off towards the end and doesn't appear to be badly hurt. One wonders had someone sustained a career threatening injury whether the officials could be sued. But after seeing how Stuart Atwell was treated with his 'mistake' earlier this season I'd imagine they'd be awarded the FA Cup Final to officiate and the matter would be quietly dropped.

So the atmosphere at the Vic ironically resembled that of the Marie Celeste for at least the first half hour or so as everyone waited for the referee to come to his senses. There didn't seem much point in getting behind the team 100% when any goals scored would be cancelled by the abandonment.

But it never came. And so the two teams played a new game called Marshball which was entertaining and intriguing but required little of the skills that are usually seen at the Vic. The main thing needed this afternoon was an ability to judge how far the ball was likely to go when passed and how much power it would need. This varied greatly depending on whereabouts on the pitch a player was at the given time. Up near the Vicarage Road end the ball played fairly normally, whereas down by the Rookery/Rous corner flag it didn't move at all.

Oddly the team playing down towards the Rookery seemed to have more of the chances. In the first half we really could have been 2 or 3 up by half time. Whereas the second half was much more even and we had a few scares. But despite having fewer chances in the second we took them and so deserved to win the game.

Priskin should have had a penalty in the first couple of minutes when his legs were taken out from under him by a Cov defender who wasn't anywhere near getting the ball. The ref seemed to decide to put it down to the conditions and nothing was given. He made amends in the second half when again Priskin's legs were assaulted and Tommy Smith duly obliged from the spot.

Cov came back quickly with Clinton Morrison (who else) scoring in a crowded penalty area. But JJOT restored the lead with an excellent strike after he picked up a cross that was meant for Priskin but was too high to reach its target.

The whole team played well, adapting to the conditions and looking more up for it than their opponents. Six points in four days puts us above our next opponents Derby, and we should go to Pride Park with plenty of optimism whether we have to play football or marshball.

All Change

New chairman, albeit an interim one, new manager and now a new chief exe.

Some who were calling for change in the boardroom still seem to think disaster is on the horizon. But I think we have to give it until after the transfer window closes to see how it all plays out before judging.

Hopefully the next development will be the return of the Salads.

Roeder- "Anyone who can put up a case that Watford deserved to win is in fairyland".

Roeder reveals himself as another one of those managers who want other factors to decide football matches rather than goals.

What does he want? The panel of Strictly to decide who gets the points? We scored two Glenn, you scored one. Deal with it.

Triumph Over Adversity- Watford 2 Norwich City 1

It is fair to say we haven't had many things go for us this season. Injuries and bad officials have plagued us and even when it seemed we'd finally got some luck it wouldn't last for the entire 90 mins.

Well last night was no different and it was to our credit that, for once, we still came away with 3 points.

Norwich battered us for the first 15 minutes. They played the sort of football I think we are meant to be playing and our defence looked fragile at best. Only Scotty Loach looked convincing. I was just beginning to imagine a 3-0 reverse when Bridcutt headered a perfect ball to put Priskin clear of his defender with only the keeper to beat and he duly obliged to give us a surprise lead.

After that Norwich abandoned their fancy football and became a lot more cynical and nasty but were far less effective than they had been. We improved and as always under BR when our passing moves came off they looked very impressive.

In the last couple of minutes of the half de ja vu from last week threatened when we hung on despite a series of Norwich attacks. If we'd been playing a better team it would've been level at the break but luckily Lita was more interested in being petulant than he was in scoring goals.

The officials, who had by and large been okay in the first half, then made two shocking decisions one of which cost us the goal. On two occassions from corners a Watford player was brought down in the box but neither the ref or linesman on the Rous side saw anything at all.

From the second of these Norwich went straight down the other end and scored.

But our response was fantastic. Unlike against Donnie we knew exactly what was required and duly delivered within two minutes. Tommy Smith on the scoresheet yet again.

We hung on particularly in the 3 remaining minutes, although the Rous linesman had time for one more shocker when he didn't give a blatant hand ball against Norwich when Priskin otherwise would've been through on goal again.

Special mentions should go to Bridcutt who is the only bullish aggresive player in the starting 11 despite his tender age. He is the kind of player we'd hate if he was in the opposition. One day he'll be immense probably not at Football League level either.

Priskin was also great, again. Such a shame the man behind me who loathes Priskin wasn't there. In his post match comments it was good to hear BR reveal he has already solved the Priskin conunderum that Aidy never did. He might be tall but its his feet that are the good bit, not his height.

So BR's first win and such a vital one given Norwich's win at the weekend. A nice little gap is appearing between us and the bottom 4. A win on Saturday and we could say we're mid table. However I do worry that when or if we sell Tommy in January this might all have been a false dawn.

Improved- Birmingham City 3 Watford 2

Didn't expect the points but at least the word is that it was an improved performance again. That's all that was to be hoped for from today. Great that Priskin is scoring regularly and that Jenkins got his first. Bring on Wednesday.

Mixed Messages

I've had conflicting reports of what actually happened at Monday's meeting and what it all means.

My Dad's friend who went said how impressive Simpson was covering many but not all of the interesting issues. Marlon wanted to go becuase he was offered the chamce to earn 3 times the salary he was on at the Vic. Aidy kind of blew the bank on Ellington. He said he was the last part of the jigsaw to make the team become a success and obviously was an outright failure. The decision to go for Brendan was because it was felt could get a lot of decent loan signings in. I wonder how relevant this will be come January.

He didn't go into the reasons behind letting Boothroyd go, although maybe he felt he'd already done that with the needing a rest comment. He also didn't comment on the money situation.

Having heard all of this at half time during the Spurs match I felt a little more pacified, although this was probably partly due to the performance of the team.

Reading the WO website today however blurred things again with Ollie's broadside against the Iron Curtain running of the club, gagging orders on departing staff and the difficulty in gaining access.

I do wish he hadn't used the phrase roasting when commenting about Simpson and Ashton as it conjured very unpleasant images!

Having worked in the media for 14 years I can see both sides. The WO is considered by many fans to be one of the communication tools in getting info about the club, indeed other than the programme and some free papers it was the only one for many years.

However times have changed a hell of a lot and its completely unrealistic for the WO to expect the kind of exclusive access it used to enjoy.

For me neither ever comes out of their various quarrels particularly well. In fact, they only ever lessen my opinion of both in each and every case that has come up so far. The club seems far too quick to over-react and put up statements on the OS. The paper seem to quick to whinge and hark back to the ark without realising that probably half its readers neither remember, nor care how things used to be.

So I'm no clearer what I think really. I still wonder where the money's gone. I'd like to hear what ex-employees have to say. I wonder why Aidy really went. The fact we've got a boss in on the strength of his ability to act in the loan market hardly reassures about his credentials or the state of the club. Ironically, the appearance of the once questioned Salad Brothers kind of makes me feel a bit better about the future.

Better- Watford 1 Tottenham Hotspur 2

This was better, much better. For a start Rodgers had obviously told the team that they didn't have to follow his instructions 100 per cent of the time. So we had Loach kicking it out when appropriate and we didn't pass it around the defence when the clock was ticking down.

Everyone was up for it too. For once the home crowd were noisier than the away end. How often is it you hear a 'we forgot that you were here' aimed at the Vicarage Road end? It felt like one of the classic cup nights of the 80s. It started that way too.

We battered their goal for the first 15 minutes winning a succession of corners. The plaudits for our goal on telly went to Tommy Smith but the man who really made it was Jon Harley who was immense all match. Aaron Lennon looked especially surprised at the hard time he was being given. Harley won a 50-50 ball in our half and then raced away with it. He passed to Smith who crossed it to Priskin, who again proved that he is much better with his feet than he is with his head, turning two spurs defenders and slotting home. We went mad and a shortly after Brendan was accepted into the fold with a Brendan Rodgers' yellow army chant.

Our goal then lead a charmed life for almost the rest of the half. Loach tipped over brilliantly from Lennon and Pavlyuchenko hit the bar when he was clean through one on one with Loach.

Unfortunately we then presented him with another one on one with Loach. Jenkins tripped Jenas right in front of the ref. It was such a clumsy challenge that from where we were sat it looked like a dive and the ref was duly abused for the rest of the match, however Sky never lies and it was a clear penalty. Loach nearly got it too. He went the right way but the shot was just too quick for him.

Had it been saved i think it would've been our night. But Spurs now had their tails up whereas we looked prepared to hang on for penalties if we got the chance.

Darren Bent ruined this by getting a lucky deflection and at 2-1 to Spurs you never felt we'd get back into it.

But this was a vast improvement on the Donnie result and all the more impressive considering the opposition. I thought if we played as we had on Saturday we'd get battered. Credit to BR that he put the things that went wrong on Saturday right. If we continue in the same vein things could be much better than the pessimistic bit of me was expecting.

I think its a shame we've got high flying Birmingham next up. I don't think we expect anything out of that points wise other than another improved display. Norwich on the other hand should hopefully be the game where we start to reap the results. Given they are our bottom 6 rivals its fairly important we do.

So long Simpson

Farewell Graham. Thanks for all you did early on in your reign.

However I've still got some questions about what happened towards the end.

What did happen to the money we received from the Premiership season, the parachute payments, and the sales of players, in particular Shittu and Henderson?

Why did you go on for so long about us being financially okay (even after Elton's remarks) before revealing we were in trouble?

Why say you are going to ring fence money for the East Stand when it then gets spent?

Why did you part with Aidy when you yourself resigned less than a month later?

Why did you then lead the hunt for new manager when you must have had an idea you were going?

Why is it that you suddenly wanted to start seeing football played 'the correct way'?

If you've been a Watford fan as long as you claim you must realise that our biggest successes as a club have come from playing a more direct style. Yet you've now given us a manager who hankers after playing a type of football that has never been a success at Watford. A man who thinks Doncaster are a team that play football the right way. Couldn't you have got us a man who liked the way Wolves, Birmingham, Hull or Stoke play?

Having installed him you've now left us with this mess.

I said a while ago I didn't want us in a Newcastle type of situation. Actually, in hindsight, maybe Mike Ashley has done the right thing. I think I'd much rather have Malky in charge on a caretaker basis until we know the future of the board and who the new chairman will be.

As it is we have a new unexperienced manager who can't even call on the person who gave him the job in the first place for direct support.

You inhertied a right old mess. You mended the club. Made it better. Made us love it again. Then, money reared its ugly head and everything went wrong. You leave us in a similar mess.

Artistic Impression?

Having read the various reviews of yesterdays game I'm feeling quite negative about the new style of play.

Why do we, Watford, famous for our great direct style, want to suddenly become one of the teams that seems to think we should get points for artistic impression?

I've been going through my old programmes recently and came across an article Bobby Robson wrote in an England programme defending his employment of Graham Taylor as England youth manager. The criticism's were two fold. One, Taylor was a club manager already and hadn't got the time. Two, Watford's direct style.

Robson's response was brilliant. He'd counted the efforts on goal Watford had achieved in our last league game. We managed 33. 'Nuff said really.

I suspect a critic of this style is now sitting in the very office where Taylor used to plan the downfall of teams like Sunderland by 8 stonking goals. Those plans would never have included back passing a free kick in the oppositions half.

As in the Vialli days, I fear my faith is going to be tested again.

Different- Watford 1 Doncaster Rovers 1

Different. This was very very different.

Not tinkering with things a bit different, but lets forget everything we've ever learnt or done and start completely from scratch different.

Given that Brendan only met the players on Wednesday it was a very brave move to implement such a scheme in an important league match just 78 hours later.

That's probably the context in which this afternoon should be seen.

Loads of things didn't work at all. Lots of things went wrong. But for a first attempt this was just about okay.

Possession is the main mantra. Keep possession of the ball no matter what.

Even if this means constantly passing it between Loach and the back four. Or even if it means back passing a promising looking free kick as new man Bridcutt did a couple of times.

But it also meant occasionally, very occasionally when there was an opening, quite breathtaking play between Smith, Williamson, Jenkins, Harley, Hoskins, McAnuff and Priskin.

One such move lead to our goal although Priskin was trying to shoot when he crossed the ball and Tommy Smith slid it home.

Unfortunately another mantra seemed to be sit on a lead. Now I understand if you're at Chelsea this probably works well. The other team are unlikely to get back into the game if you're world class and you'll probably get one or two more despite being in defensive mode.

When you are Watford, especially a Watford that has recently leaked goals, its very risky. So it proved. For the 40 minutes between the goals we passed it around with an awkwardness that Doncaster did surprisingly little to challenge.

Brendan then made the mistake that probably cost us 3 points. He took off the attacking Bridcutt who clearly has been bought in to show the rest of them how its supposed to be done and put on the one player who is going to struggle the most with the new way of doing things, Lloyd Doyley. Presumably this was done to ensure it remained 1-0.

Well it remained that way for less than 60 seconds after Lloyd had run on. Not that he cost us the goal. In a move almost identical to ours, Brooker (who else) scored, the only difference was that the cross he met was a genuine cross rather than a misguided shot.

Having gone all defensive unfortunately we appeared to have no plan B. None at all. We continued to pass the ball around but the players looked like they were waiting for one another to suddenly ditch the new style and go back to Route 1 Boothroyd style.

The passing became sloppy and we kept giving the ball away, especially poor Lloyd, but he was by no means the only culprit. For a while Donnie were all over us and it looked nastily like we were facing another Blackpool situation.

The referee didn't help. He was a stickler for the rules sometimes restricting the follow of the play so much that you would've thought you were watching American Football. The man behind me suggested he was on commission for the amount of cards he dished out. The only surprise was that none of them were red.

At any point after Doncaster's goal Brendan could have and should have stepped in. He'd only made two substitutions and we needed to go back to an attacking formation. Even if it had meant Doyley only appearing for two minutes Liam Henderson was desperately required but, alas, never appeared.

Even in added on time the players still didn't look like they knew whether they were allowed to go for it or not. Loach particularly wasn't sure if he still had to pass it or could just boot it and so did neither whilst the crowd were urging him to get rid of it as the seconds ticked away. As we did look to launch one last attack the final whsitle blew and boos echoed around the stadium. This was rather harsh but I think its because we felt we shouldn't have been leaving the ground feeling relieved to have got a point.

I don't feel Spurs is really the next match Brendan needed. I fear if we play in a similar style, and I'm sure we will, we could be on the receiving end of 4 or 5.

A Point- Bristol City 1 Watford 1

Only a point but a good one. No Eustace or Raziak. Be interesting to see how the team lines up on Saturday. Other than Tommy I don't think anyone is assured of a place.

Kenny?

Not quite as good as Buck is it?

Well he's wasted no time in getting his team together and happily it does include Malky, Dyche and Alec.

I can't say I'm particularly bothered by the departure of Martin Hunter. Hailed as a great coup when we poached him from Norwich before the 2007/8 season his arrival really marked the beginning of the end of the Boothroyd era.

I've not read anywhere what's happened to Keith Burkinshaw but I hope we'd keep him on in some capacity as he's been very good to us which I really didn't expect. To me he was Spurs through and through so having hired and then released him I thought he was a top bloke to still come to our games, and it was very good of him to come back and help Malky out. Frank Lampard Snr is identical (whilst in Claret rather than White) and it would be nice if we could end up saying the same about him.

As for Brendan, a mate of mine at work commented if he was good enough for Mourinho then he must be quality. I tend to agree but am trying not to get my hopes up too high.

Buck

If the BBC and WO are to be believed its Brendan Rodgers in the hot seat sometime tomorrow.

Bit of an Aidy type appointment but thats no bad thing. I think I'd rather have someone new and unknown than either an ex-Watford man trying to relive old glories (unless it was GT himself) or a Championship chugger like Ian Holloway who would tread water at best for a couple of seasons before moving on.

Frank Lampard Snr is apparently coming in to the Keith Burkinshaw role. Hope there is still room for Alec, Dyche and Malky somewhere in the new set up.

Keep us up and we'll be happy. Get us to the League Cup Final and you'll go straight in at No.3 in the all time Watford managers chart. But I'm probably getting a bit ahead of myself now.

Surgical?

http://www.watfordfc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/MackaysVerdict/0,,10400~1463635,00.html

Don't you mean clinical Malky?

Panto- Watford 3 Queens Park Rangers 0

The season is nearly upon us and this looked like two teams auditioning to join Peter Duncan at Watersmeet.

We played the part of the gallant good guys, having endured managerial set backs, ghost goals, horrendous injuries and an incompetent board we were still battling away. QPR were the rich bad guys who had no scruples when it came to getting what they wanted.

Free gifts had been given out to the audience in the shape of empty carrier bags, which must have done no end of good to the environment. These only seemed to be for the Rous and Vicarage Road end. Maybe there were some for the Rookery end but someone who arrived early nabbed them all.

Alas the audiences opportunity to boo loudly was restricted in that Lee Cook wasn't lining up for QPR. Gavin Mahon was given warm applause but there was no sign of the promised Helgusson who probably would've received a standing ovation.

For the home team Scott Loach was thankfully back, a defensive line up of Doyley, Ward, DeMerit and Mariappa showed what Malky thought of Aidys January transfer dealing. We played the typical Boothroyd kind of fluid midfield/forward line up with only Jenkins as a recognisable midfielder and Priskin the only obvious striker. Smith, Williamson, Harley and McAnuff switched effortlessly between the two.

The game was very evenly matched until we got a bit of luck in getting a penalty for a push on Priskin. This is just the sort of decision that would usually go against us and had it done, the result could so easily have been the other way given our fragile state. Luckily the visitors were in the same state of mind despite being financially so much better off. Once Smith converted QPR wilted and suddenly we were all over them. Every nice move we attempt seemed to come off, none more so than the one which resulted in Darren Ward putting us 2 up.

Gavin Mahon showed why Aidy was right to axe him as he really couldn't handle Tommy Smith at all and towards the latter part of the first half appeared to give up completely. I can't imagine he is going to remain at QPR for to much longer.

Lee Williamson made it three before half time, but given recent events I didn't really feel the usual relaxed bliss a half time 3 goal cushion usually brings. I heard one bloke in the loo say another two and we'll be safe and I couldn't disagree.

Unsurprinsgly Mahon was replaced but the R's were still no better and rather than score goals they played a game of how bad a foul can we commit before one of us gets sent off. The answer was rather a lot. Quite a few yellows were shown including one to an injured Ranger who refused to leave the pitch for treatment before our old friend Fitz Hall (the one who had a fight with Aidy over the ball during the Palace playoff) went too far and scythed down Hoskins to earn a straight red. The panto theme was brought to a close in injury time when Priskin got in a muddle and tackled Tommy Smith for the ball.

It was a shame we couldn't have gone on to score a couple more, but the best thing to come out of the game by far was that our defence looked better than it has done for ages. DeMerit and Ward both had solid games, Doyley was strong in the tackle and only committed one howler whilst Mariappa looked good and made meaningful contributions when going forward.

Scott Loach deserves special mention for just being better at kicking than Richard Lee. Shot stopping wise he is just as good, but his confidence at delivering the ball back to a yellow shirt rather than a ball boy makes a world of difference.

But going back to a point I made earlier had a penalty gone against us rather than for us I do feel you could be reading exactly the same report only with the team names the other way round. For once today, we got some luck and built on it. Will it be enough to get Malky the job? I reckon by the visit of Doncaster we'll know.

Tevez's mum visits Man Utd's training ground...

Another fine defensive mess- Barnsley 2 Watford 1

Having read the Watford Observer report on todays game I hope more than ever Malky doesn't get it. Is it any surprise we are still committing defensive howlers when he was in charge of defensive training under Aidy. You can't sack Aidy and expect things are going to magically change.

Also it would be so ridiculous to stick with the status quo having got rid of a manager because of a poor run of form. The only time I can remember us doing it before was when Colin Lee got the job after we sacked Steve Harrison and he didn't last 12 months. We didn't even put a member of the coaching staff in either time that GT left. Both times he created a 'Boot Room' structure which would've probably continued quite nicely in his absence. But the boards of time decided to destroy these carefully built structures in favour of big names.

It would be an irony now if we went for more of the same when maybe we could do with a name or at least someone from outside the current structure.

Stelling for Countdown?

Bad move Jeff. It didn't work for Des (Lynam, not O'Connor who I thought was perfect for it) and I can't see it working for you.

There is a big difference between the fast paced nature of sports presenting and the sedate relaxed feeling of Countdown.

What's Jeff going to get excited about? The letters as the new Carol pulls them out?

You are a God Jeff just as Des was. Don't ruin it by making similarly poor career decisions. Just stick to what you do best.

Lehmann may quit in ref protest

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/europe/7719592.stm

Oh please do Jens. It would make a lot of people very happy.

The Replay- Swansea City 0 Watford 1

I went to the wrong game!

Oh well its brilliant that we won and are in the last eight. Can we have Derby at home in the next round please?

Wonder what this will do for Malky's managerial chances??

Welsh Wales Cymraeg Cymru- Swansea City 3 Watford 1

The first match against Swansea in 25 years and suddenly two come along at once. The good news for those going twice (alas not me) is that its one of the more entertaining journeys down a motorway. Sure the English bit of the M4 is dull but after that you've got the Severn Bridge, various mountainous valleys which the road wraps itself round, flames protunding from communist looking power stations, Port Talbot sliced either side of the road where the motorway must act like a kind of Berlin Wall and a tunnel under the Celtic Manor resort (home of the 2010 Ryder Cup as the signs insist on telling you).

Talking of signs pretty much everything once you are in Welsh Wales is in two languages. Even though you know you can't read the Welsh it doesn't stop your brain trying each and every time. This is especially annoying when you have to make last second decisions about which way to go. For example, your brain thinks is it down there, your eyes look at the sign and its says Abertawe, brain thinks where the hell is that, eyes carry on reading Swansea, oh great brain thinks, before your eyes return to the road and inform your brain you've just missed the turning.

Despite the encouragement for the locals to use their own language I didn't hear anyone speak Welsh all afternoon, other than the stadium announcer for a short while (and then I might not have been listening probably). Even so Swansea still feels a bit like Newcastle in that even if you don't wear colours as soon as you open your mouth everyone will know which team you support.

The Liberty Stadium or Stadiwm Liberty (if you're Welsh) is another identikit nice ground. Just as you never go into a McDonalds and think oh this is a bit of a manky rubbish one (the interior I mean, now I'm older I always think that about the food) it's the same with these new stadiums. The Liberty looked impressive both outside and in, gave you a brilliant view even though we were behind the goal, had loads of leg room (better than Wembley) and it was easy to go to the loo and get food at half time. The food was worth getting not from a cusine point of view but because the girls that worked behind the counter were amongst the finest looking catering assistants I've ever seen. It was as the stadium had accidentally advertised for lap dancers.

For this reason I probably enjoyed the couple of minutes of queueing more than the actual game. We started okay and it was very competitive in the first half despite the extremely blustery conditions. When it rains in Swansea its like being in the middle of a car wash. The wetness just envelopes everything around it. There is no escape. Swansea who were obviously used to this played some really nice football. But we coped with it well and made some chances of our own. Eventually after half an hour Lee Williamson slotted the ball home to make it 1-0.

For 60 seconds joy reigned and then Swansea did an obvious thing that I'm surprised didn't happen more often during the game. They hit a long shot at Richard Lee which looked gettable until the wind blew it off course and into the back of the net. That was pretty much it. We then seemed to give up. Swansea's second half goal was always going to come but the amazing thing was that although it stayed 2-1 until practically the last kick of the game we made no attempt to try and get back into it all.

Malky made a couple of odd substitutions. Hoskins was taken off midway through the second half for Eustace?? Why? It wasn't as if we needed to hang on to the result. Raizak came off for Priskin and when it was too late Bromby, who was dreadful thoroughout, finally came off for Theo Robinson. How McAnuff managed to escape not being taken off heaven only knows.

The away contigent got behind Malky for the most part chanting "Malky McKay, he's having a beer and eating a pie". I wondered how long it would be before this turned into "Malky McKay he ain't got a clue, Malky McKay". But this is an unfair comment to make when nothing that happened was in any way different from anything that would've happened under Aidy. The good points from the day were the same as they've ever been (Smith, Hoskins both looked great and Raziak not bad) and similarly the bad points were no different either (the defence).

Other than the Malky chants there wasn't really a great deal of reaction to recent events at the club. A small group of supporters in the corner held up a "Sack the Board" banner at various points during the game. There was some occasional chanting of Aidy's name and a few Simpson's out but that was it.

The trouble with all these is who we aim them at. "Simpson out" and "Sack the Board" seem fairly pointless when they both want to go anyway. "Where's the money gone" might be more appropriate.

If you didn't go to the game but are going on Tuesday then ignore the whole no parking at the ground advice. Its not true, in fact I've never seen so much parking around a football ground. Admittedly most of it is for the retail park which you are encouraged not to park at but there didn't appear to be anyone checking and there were plenty of industrial estates nearby anyway.

Proud and Honoured?

I don't like the way the Watford Observer and the OS seem to be treating Malky as if he's actually got the job. 'Proud and Honoured' and 'New Watford Boss can't wait to get going'. Hmmm.

I really hope he doesn't get it.

Hissy

Elton's thrown another hissy.

Doesn't really do anyone any good at all.

All it proves is that yet again Elton is prepared to walk away. This time its not like he's even got his money in the club.

Also I think it indicates that Elt isn't the man likely to rescue us whatever happens.

He's still a legend. He always will be. He is, of course, part of the Watford family. But families can argue and have opinions on what each other does. Just 'cos of all that he's done in the past doesn't mean we can't criticise his actions at the present time, despite what certain fans seem to think on the messageboards.

Mutual Consent

Having read some of the message boards and had time to consider it I do think the whole mutual consent thing might have been more Aidy saying he'd had enough than the board sacking him.

Its obvious we need to buy in January rather than sell. Aidy might have gone with buying and selling but if he was told the only option was to sell without bringing anyone in he might have decided he'd had enough.

Maybe as part of the settlement mutual consent was agreed on rather than resignation to protect the board from venom that would come their way. After all whenever mutual consent is mentioned everyone assumes that it really means the sack.

In a perverse way the board would probably get less flack for sacking Aidy than if he'd gone of his own accord 'cos about a third of the message boards seem to say it was time for a change.

Contenders

I still think John Ward is the most likely candidate given that he''s done okay at most places and has the all important Graham Taylor era link which would probably mean most supporters would welcome him. But if its not Ward who might the other contenders be?

Let start with former 'Orns. Kenny Jackett is the most obvious although I think he’d be mad as Millwall are going so well in a difficult division. Also he was rubbish when he was in charge for a season. Gary Johnson at Bristol City is unlikely given how well he has done there. Luther is forever knocking around not really doing anything. I think he’d be a disaster. Nigel Gibbs is now coaching at Reading, but he didn’t get the job when Graham Simspon interviewed he last time so is unlikely. Andy Hessenthaler I think might be a worth a bet and would be a safe pair of hands. Did quite well at Gillingham. Currently player/manager at Dover Athletic. I think he’d get us out of trouble, without necessarily ever getting us into the playoffs. The fans seem to have a love/hate relationship with him but I think he'd be welcomed. GT himself could come back for a third time, although I think he’s happy on Radio 5 and it could be one time too many, a bit like Howard Kendall at Everton. Lets pray its not John Barnes who is just picking up managerial reins with Jamaica for the first time since leaving Celtic but will be forever haunted by Inverness Caly Thistle.

If its not a Horn then I’ve heard some scary names mentioned. Dowie is available and is probably looking to inflict himself on one more club before all chairman realise he is rubbish. Worse is the Kinnear- Wise combination. Kinnear was born and brought up in Watford and will obviously soon be out of work. Alan Curbishley is a man whose star is fading. Sam Allardyce is unlikely as I think we're too small for what he's got in mind. Ian Holloway is an option and I think he'd fall into the Hessenthaler category of being okay but not great.

Billy Davies might be an option having not managed since being disgracefully sacked by Derby. I’d probably go for him on the basis that he’s the only one I can see having a long term impact that might get us up again. Not that I really want another season in the Prem, but we clearly are desperate for the money. Unless we have another decent punt at promotion we could end up in points deducted administration situation which wouldn’t be fun.

Like last time it doesn't seem like Simpson is in any rush at all. Therefore maybe the money should be on an unknown like Aidy was.

Simpson's Comments

Simspon reckons it wasn't spur of the moment and that Aidy needed a rest. He also thinks he's got great potential.

Would it have happened if we'd beaten Blackpool 3-2. I can't imagine for a moment it would've done. I agree 12 wins in 48 doesn't sound great but throw in being made to sell some of our best players and the injury situation and it doesn't look so bad. Aidy promised a new style of play this season and has delivered this in spades. Granted we didn't expect one aspect of it to be a complete lack of competence in defence, but neither did we expect to be scoring goals for fun, especially after losing Darius.

Sometimes young managers need a rest? Surely if they are young they have more energy, drive and determination to succeed than old managers. I'd rather have Aidy than Stan Ternant.

Great potential. Isn't that the kind of thing you should say just after appointing a manager? In fact I reckon thats just what Simpson said. But hey Graham, great idea, lets give one of our rivals a manager with great potential.

Crazy.

Malky

The main problem at the moment is obviously in defence.

So a good way to ensure the chaos now spreads to the rest of the team is put the guy in charge of defensive coaching in charge of the whole team.

Good one.

Four Hours Later...

Still can't believe the news. One of the troubles with being a football fan is that when something like this happens the emotions are kind of the same as a monarch dying. However this only affects you and not necessarily those around you. The result can be quite irritating for both parties.

As I did when Lewington left I feel this has happened much much too early. I only hope the resulting effect is at least half as good.

Thanks for the ride Aidy. I really appreciate everything you tried to do. We had some great times and you'll be missed.

Aidy Leaves

Can't quite believe it. I know I always predicted that Simpson would be ruthless if we didn't start well, but I never saw this coming. I guess 'cos we've not started badly we just haven't had any luck. Three defeats on the bounce when we've scored 5 goals isn't exactly a crisis. A couple of wins and we would've been comfortably mid table. Defensively we've certainly got problems but I can't remember a better attacking line up since 2006.

Its weird because I was only saying to my Dad today that I thought Simpson would stick with Aidy even if we got in serious trouble because it would deflect criticism from him and the board.

By acting as he has I think the Simpson out protests will now start in earnest. However this will partly depend on who he brings in.

If its someone we like and respect the fans might sit back and see what happens. I can't help feeling that John Ward leaving Carlisle today isn't just a coincidence.

With the club up for sale I just hope we don't end up with some stupid Newcastle type situation.

Citrus Punched- Watford 3 Blackpool 4

Last week we only started playing when we were behind. This week's new style of play was to stop playing once we were ahead, and as an extra special treat we agreed to give the visitors the winning goal. It was as if someone's cooking all this up, American wrestling style, just to get the crowds in. Four goals a week last Tuesday, five last Saturday and seven today.

The reason is that our defensive players are as bad as our attacking players are good. The list of players I'd say who had a poor game today were Lee, Doyley, DeMerit, Ward, Sadler, Williamson and unusually O'Toole. Those who played well were Eustace, Harley, Smith, Raziak and Hoskins. There doesn't really have to be any other explanation.

We started in that vain of looking like we were going to thrash them but whenever we do this it never turns out that way. A lovely back pass from Raziak after 4 minutes set up Hoskins who scored the sort of chance that last season we would've missed. Blackpool equalised with a well drilled shot after we'd cleared a dangerous looking free kick. We looked like we'd scored from a bizarre own goal which actually went just over, but shortly after Raziak headed in from a Harley cross. Just at the end of the first half Ward appeared to bring the Blackpool forward down and if the ref had thought so he might have been lucky to stay on the pitch being the last defender. However inexplicably we got given a free kick which caused much chuckling in the Upper Rous.

The second half was all about Blackpool. We were outplayed and other than winning a deserved penalty when Eustace was bundled over which thankfully Tommy Smith hit low and into the net, there wasn't much good to say. They equalised, conceded the pen, and then scored twice late on to send their small contingent mental. They deserved it and yet again we booed our players off whilst giving the Seasiders the kind of polite applause more often heard at village cricket grounds.

Aidy has got a lot of defensive questions to ponder, and it must be said that although he looked the ticket in his first couple of games, Darren Ward no longer seems like the answer.

John Joe On Tyne

http://www.watfordobserver.co.uk/sport/localsport/3806700.Watford_midfielder_linked_with_Newcastle_United_switch/

The speculation has started. Unsurprisingly its the younger JJOT rather than Tommy who has become the first named player to be linked with a move away in January. But I don't reckon it'll be long before Tommy is being linked with a Wolves, QPR, West Brom or Stoke type outfit. Or knowing how they love our players Fulham.

For either we definitely want more than £1million. Especially for JJ if the likes of Newcastle are interested. Although one wonders who makes that decision with the club being sold and Roy Kinnear in temporary charge. I think the Sunderland option is far more likely especially with JJ turning out for the Republic of Ireland's Under 21's.

I feel so resigned to it that I'm already thinking I hope they are the only ones to go, rather than I hope they don't go at all. I just don't see how we'll hang onto them giving our much publicised financial state.

Prostitution

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/cricket/england/7697201.stm

Even by the standards of football this series looks like prostitution.

I can kind of understand KP's gripes and I don't begrudge anyone the chance to earn a million if some stupid billionaire is prepared to give his money away.

But at the same time I've heard it argued by various cricketing experts that the players have no choice but to be there as they are contracted to the ECB.

However they seem to be able to decide for themselves on morale grounds not to go and partake in Mugabe's circus. Maybe next year they could get some credibility back by doing the same to Stanford.

'Arry

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/hampshire/7695590.stm

I can see why the Portsmouth fans booed.

"Arry says he couldn't pass up the chance to manage a big club before he retires.

But what is a big club exactly?

Okay I'll admit that in my own perception Spurs are a bigger club than Portsmouth.

But I can't imagine that Harry is going to manage to achieve anymore at White Hart Lane than he already has on the South Coast. I'm sure he isn't naive enough to think he can break into the Top 4.

So what does that leave? The F.A Cup. Unlikely even when the year ends in 1. Apart from this season the last 11 winners have all come from the big four.

The Carling Cup. Possibly, but having just won the FA Cup its not as prestigious for Harry. Spurs are fairly used to winning it and doing so again isn't really improving on anything.

The Premiership. Best either Portsmouth or Spurs can expect is 5th. And with the squad that Harry assembled at Fratton Park I'd expect Defoe, Crouch, Campbell, James and co to achieve it first.

The UEFA Cup. Both are already in the competition so Harry gains nothing by jumping ship and I reckon Portsmouth are far more likely qualifers for next seasons 'new' Europa Cup.

So why go? Especially when you already live in Bournemouth. Makes no sense at all. If he got the job at Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool or Man U I could understand it but I think the boo-ers had a point.

Sinking Feeling- Preston North End 2 Watford 0

Ho hum.

I always get a sinking feeling whenever the reporter on Sky Sports says we are playing well. Sure enough five minutes later we were 1 down.

This season seems to be about fluctuating between flirtation with the bottom three and getting ourselves into a position where if we win the next game we'd leap up to about 10th. But everytime we get into that position we never make the leap.

Oh well, I know I've said it before but so far its still heaps more fun than last season.

American Arses- San Diego Chargers 32 New Orleans Saints 37

I know how lucky I was to get this ticket. Half a million applied for some 80,000 available.

I used to go to see the London Monarchs back in the early 90's when they played at the old Wembley. I always enjoyed it and I realise now this was because I always managed to get a seat side on to the action.

Alas, for this point scoring fest I was behind one of the endzones and so realised a big difference between watching our football and theirs. You cannot enjoy a game in nearly the same way unless you are well positioned in the middle of the pitch. With the position of the ball being everything to understanding and enjoying the game you can't see anything if you are constantly looking for it through 11 enormous American arses (or in this case I guess the correct term is asses).

One small benefit was that early on when the Saints kicked a field goal the ball missed the large net which is supposed to catch it and the bloke next to me caught it. He was generous and maybe a foolhardy in that he then passed it round for everyone to see and I am pleased to report he did manage to get it back.

We all spent most of the time watching the game on the not big enough big screen opposite. Why in these days of widescreen tv's do stadiums still have 4:3 screens? At some crucial points people turned round to the big screen behind (which was much closer) and took pictures of the action. I found this very weird. You wouldn't sit in your front room taking a picture of the telly. So if you are at a live event take a picture of the thing happening live rather than on a screen. Weird.

Also the acoustics were rubbish. Again I'm sure it was where I sat but it was impossible to hear what was being said by the officials which is a big part of the game as the sound echoed from every speaker making it inaudible.

The match was a good one. Exciting and on a knife edge until the last minute. Far better than last years clash between the Giants and Dolphins. Just a shame the Chargers didn't manage to make it go into overtime. A bit like Watford yesterday they seemed to play really well when they were behind but never quite got it together to get in a position to win the game.

The cheerleaders performed exactly the same routine they had at Vicarage Road on Tuesday night. But they made up for it by still being just as gorgeous.

The stadium was good, but as an old traditionalist I didn't find it as unique or enticing as the old Wembley. You are much nearer the pitch for sure, but aside from the arch you could be at any big stadium in the world. I wouldn't even say its as good as the Emirates. The seats haven't got that special padded bit and whilst the legroom was good it wasn't as impressive as 'longer than in the old royal box' sounds. Even the toilets of which there are meant to be many many more still had long queues at half time.

The worst aspect of the day was the merchandise. There had been problems last year apparently and I'd read an interview in which it was promised these problems had been ironed out. Yet when I arrived at the stadium an hour and a half before kick off all the merchandise stands I visited had sold out of every article of clothing commemorating the day that might have fitted me.

They still had plenty of gear for those supporting either team, and some stands even had stuff for all 32 NFL teams but this completely missed the point. Almost everyone you saw was wearing stuff from one team or another. We already had the stuff on sale. They wouldn't sell Man Utd or Chelsea shirts at a Man Utd-Chelsea F.A Cup Final. It would be like selling snow to eskimos. But this is what they tried to do on Sunday

What we all wanted (and I spoke to a few people whilst we pointlessly queued up to be told they'd sold out) was a t-shirt, sweater or baseball cap that told the world we'd been to see the International Series game. Next year, if there is a game at Wembley, someone sort this out! We wanted this stuff and would've paid the ridiculous amounts charged. Someone (the NFL I guess) would make a fortune.

Fatal Flaws- Watford 2 Wolverhampton Wanderers 3

I made the mistake of getting tickets in the Lower Rous as I took my Dad to the game as a birthday treat.

I'd forgotten how shallow the LR is and it didn't help that the people in front of us were up and down more frequently than a whore's drawers (the bloke in front of me's words, not mine). However revenge was gained when one of them tried to climb over into our row (heaven knows why) and got his foot trapped in the seat. He was stranded there for at least a minute like a beached whale whilst his friends tried various ways of rescuing him.

If it had been a boring game this would have livened the proceedings but as it was a game you couldn't take your eyes off it was just annoying.

The team did nothing to change Aidy's opinion that we give away silly goals when we allowed Iwelumo to chest the ball in after less than a minute.

As with Tuesday night we seem to have certain fatal flaws that ensure we don't get three points. Today's was that we never seemed to play well until we were behind. Twice we wrestled our way impressively back into the game but then didn't really look bothered about getting the winner.

Even Tommy Smith got in on the act blazing a penalty over the bar. It feel wrong to criticise Tommy given how he has easily been our best player for the couple of seasons but if you are going to take a pen at least getting it on target. He did kind of make amends with some dazzlingly play once we were 3-2 down but we never managed to get the crucial third goal, and even if we had Wolves probably would've found a fourth.

All in all a frustrating afternoon.

Joey Barton- Role Model?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/n/newcastle_united/7685293.stm

HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!

Especially the kids can't relate to Beckham and Owen bit. I thought he was stupid before but a word hasn't been invented for what I think about him now.

Charmed- Watford 2 Cardiff City 2

I was just thinking how we hadn't had a game this easy or uneventful in ages. Ahead in the first couple of minutes through JJOT and then 2 up courtesy of a dodgy deflection and everything was happy and serene at Vicarage Road. The referee appeared to be giving the majority of decisions our way and neither linesman had done anything stupid. The only notable thing about the Cardiff side was there right back looked like he was about 103 with his Philip Schofield style grey hair.

I was just starting to look around the ground to see if the promised New Orleans Saints cheerleaders were warming up for their halftime routine. Then Priskin raised his arm to a Cardiff defender in their penalty area whilst awaiting a free kick and suddenly the game reverted to that which we have become familar with this season at the Vic (and is precisely the reason why this season is soooo much more enjoyable than the last). The sending off seemed justified in that no-one complained too much and Priskin didn't receive the usual standing ovation of other recent red carded 'orns.

After that it became interesting. Not that being 2-0 up wasn't great but we kind of looked like we would have cruised to the 3 points fairly easily until then. Afterwards it was as if someone had clicked on one of the scenairos you can find on certain PS2 games, where the aim isn't really to win but to come through the situation you're placed in.

The trouble was we reacted as if we'd had two players sent off. The game became reminiscant of the infamous Styles Blackburn game seven years ago. We defended very very deep and reverted to a kind of 4-4-1 formation.

We reached half time okay (during which Jobi McAnuff and the majority of the males in the stands very much enjoyed the cheerleaders) but the second half was all about Cardiff. Richard Lee was, yet again, superb. The penalty save not even being the best of the night. Having said that our goal did seem to live a very charmed life. Even after watching the replays on the big screen it was difficult to explain how a couple of their attempts hadn't gone in.

Alas, the charm lasted until 70 minutes rather than the 90. Having thought our luck was in by scoring earlier from Hoskins very deflected shot, the luck evened out by Jay Bothroyd scoring in the same way. He then blasted another past Richard Lee and we looked like we'd be lucky to hang on.

We did however and whilst coming away this felt very much like 2 points lost, in the cold light of day a draw against a team in the playoffs when we were down to 10 men for 60 minutes wasn't bad at all.

Not Caring- Wycombe Wanderers 1 Darlington 1

I wasn't at St.Marys yesterday partly because it's my wifes birthday weekend but partly because my son had tickets for Wycombe v Darlington, which he got through after school football training (we live in Bucks) so I said I'd take him along.

I've been to Adams Park a good few times as shortly after we moved here the whole Vialli debarcle started. There came a time when I decided I'd had enough. As I'd moved to a new area with a new local team, I'd leave Vialli to it and start going to watch the Wycombe.

I went around half a dozen times even watching them play Brentford one very chilly night in the Auto Windscreens Shield (now Johnstone's Paint Trophy) when the crowd numbered barely more than a thousand. But the trouble is, they just weren't Watford. No matter how hard I tried I just couldn't get into supporting a team that wasn't wearing the yellow, red and black.

Maybe its the lack of history. When you've watched a team for a long time you can always refer back to other games, or other seasons where similar things have happened.

Maybe its the players. Even in my most concentrated period trying to follow Wycombe I could never remember the names of more than a few. And they meant nothing to me. Whereas I've always been able to recognise most of the Watford reserves, never mind the first XI.

Maybe its the familiarity. I just don't appreciate Adams Park in the same way that I love Vicarage Road. I know the Vic has a lot of flaws but I don't see them. I even love the old East Stand, in fact, its probably my favourite of the lot. Its sad to see it empty but its still nice to see it at all. Whereas going to Adams Park I can see every flaw. For a start its possibly the only league ground actually in the countryside. Sure its just in High Wycombe, but only in the sense that it is the first or last point you come to before endless fields, hills and woods. During a boring bit of the second half I watched three riders on horseback disappearing off into the distance. Because of its location it is THE coldest ground in the country. Also there is only one road in and out so getting to it and home again is a nightmare. I live 6 miles from Adams Park and about 13 from the Vic. Yet I arrived back home at 5.45pm, exactly the same time I usually get home from Watford.

The mascot is stupid. Whereas Harry is clearly a caricuture of a hornet, Wycombe is a caricuture of, um, a person. Yeah, it works really well. Really cute. Think, kind of Its a Knockout crossed with the Adams Family and you've got the idea.

The queues for the loo and food stalls are long, much longer than ours at half time.

I could go on (and on and on). But basically the 'til I die' chant is spot on. Probably I think its in the genes. Trying to support anyone else just doesn't work and I felt no connection for the Chairboys (stupid nickname) at all yesterday, just as I'd failed to do 7 years ago. In fact, I felt more connection with Darlo having seen them once already this season. Their goalkeeper was still in his endearing illuminous orange outfit. And they battled hard and well taking the lead with a nice move in the first half.

The second half provided entertainment of a different kind when there was a punch up and a Darlo player got sent off. In the fall out of this, for no obvious reason, two Wycombe players squared up one hitting the other. He got sent off too. It was the best bit of the game.

We left early. Something I would never ever do at Watford. I can't even understand how people can do it at the Vic (unless maybe they're fans of other teams supporting the 'Orns for the afternoon). But my son was too cold and was asking to go home and not feeling any connection with the team I agreed. Therefore we missed Wycombe's last equalising penalty but I really didn't care.


The Darlo keeper still hasn't quite got the hang of camouflage.

No More If Only's...Southampton 0 Watford 3

What a shame we couldn't start this excellent winning streak against Southampton back in 2003. I can still see Helgussons header from the first few minutes of the FA Cup Semi Final and remember that leap of delight and then crushing disappointment as we realised it had been turned just the wrong side of the post. If only...

But no 'if only' anymore when we play Southampton this being our 4th win on the trot. To cap it all the luck finally went our way with Richard Lee not getting sent off and then saving two penalties. Any 'keeper should be rightly praised for saving them and for Rich it couldn't have come at a better time. However it must be said, having seen the evidence, these weren't exactly the best taken penalties ever. Especially the first one which looked more like an old fashioned pass back to the keeper.

The same could be said for the Saints defending. It looked like they made the same mistake three times and found themselves 3 down. Great for Priskin to get what was coming to him after so many matches. In Will Hoskins we finally found someone who can bring out the best in Tamas. His back-heel just rubbed salt into the Saints wounds.

Having been threatening the bottom three a win on Tuesday night and we could be in striking distance of the playoffs again. As with last year the Championship is going to be THAT sort of division again.

Al

http://www.watfordobserver.co.uk/sport/localsport/3744631.Bangura_in_hot_water_with_Aidy/

Is this a smoke screen?

Al being called up was on the Official site in positive terms for a few days before being taken back down.

However the one person I do still believe at the club is Aidy and he clearly isn't happy.

The whole Al situation seems very strange. He always came across as very humble and grateful for everything. What is now being reported goes completely against all of that.

Sent home from the Austrian pre-season trip when he should have been challeneging strongly for a place in the first XI. Not turning up for a reserve match and then going off to play International football.

Now, fair enough, International football is a big thing. But something about Al playing for the country he was so fearful of returning to just doesn't add up. Granted it was meant to be his Dad's cult he was most concerned about and also he is only playing away matches for Sierra Leone. But I still think if you'd been through what he's been through you'd want to avoid the whole set up completely.

The club stood by him and supported him so willingly during his battles with the home office and, of course, pay his wages, whereas his country couldn't even protect him when he so desperately needed it to. Who would you rather play for?

I think he's being very badly advised by someone. Maybe an agent who sees the current financial plight of the club and fancies getting some of the money from our January sales.

Either way, Simpson must be grateful for the diversion.

The Gloves Are Off

http://www.watfordobserver.co.uk/sport/localsport/3744679._We_have_potential_buyers_/

"...we would like to reassure all our supporters yet again that the club remains financially stable and there is absolutely no danger of a 'catastrophe'." Club Statement, 2nd Oct 2008.

Sorry Graham but this time you've lost me. Kind of like I grudingly went along with Vialli for the good of the team until THAT team selection at Hillsborough. Up until now I've always been grateful you helped rescue the club post-Vialli and believed most of what was said about our affairs.

But I cannot except that a week last Thursday you stated we are financially stable and then eight days later come out with the following points...

Simpson confirmed the club do have an overdraft facility which they are likely to need to dip into within a matter of weeks

“The world has changed, but I’ve been pointing out that’s going to happen for some time now, and it’s my job to make sure this club remains as a club and doesn’t disappear off the face of the earth. And I think perhaps, for the first time ever, you may see clubs disappearing.”

Turning to the money required to build a new East Stand, Simpson, who has previously admitted that the money ring-fenced for it “was spent last year,”, said: “Do we have the funding to build the East Stand at this moment in time? No we don’t."

“The fact of the matter is... we are trying to find somebody with deeper pockets than mine – I haven’t got the funds – but people will speculate and everybody has got their point of view,” he said. “But fans need to get real."


Okay, for a start, we are about to go into the red. So we're not financially stable then Graham?

The world has changed, by that I take it you're blaming the 'credit crunch' for our current plight. Yet, you go on to say you forecast it! So why have you allowed us to get into this situation? Why spend any money trying to get back to the Premiership? Because if you ask the fans we'd rather have a secure club than have another depressing season getting beaten by the likes of Middlesborough.

We might see clubs disappearing. Is that a veiled threat that if someone doesn't come in that will be our fate?

You previously said the East Stand money was ring fenced. Now, its been spent. So why should we believe anything you've said either previously or in the future? If you'd come out and said at the time 'the situation is dire, we need that money' then maybe fair enough. But to admit it months later makes it look like you were about to be caught out (possibly by Elton) and so have been forced to tell the truth.

Yet after all this, its the fans that should get real???? If you'd done that in the first place Graham we wouldn't now be in this mess.

And I still can't help thinking where did all the Premiership money go?

Ownership

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/7660347.stm

For the second day in a row, someone is speaking some sense!

Remembering back to the Vialli disaster I think Platini is spot on with his observation that clubs need identity.

However I don't think it applies to owners quite as much as it does the playing staff.

I'm not that bothered really who owns a club. It can be done well by a foreign owner (Portsmouth) and badly by a local owner (Newcastle).

Its when either a foreign owner or manager brings all his mates (Hearts) or a group of players the fans can't identify with (us in 2001/02) that it doesn't work.

Rio

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/internationals/7659284.stm

I was never really a fan of Rio Ferdinand thinking he was a bit of an idiot (forgetting a drug test because he was moving house, for example).

However he has just 100% redeemed himself with this excellent swipe at FIFA's pathetic £15,000 fine of Croatia. He even speaks out against homophobic abuse, which is probably the least mentioned prejudice still heard on the terraces.

Football needs more players to speak out like this. Good on you, Rio. You've won me over totally.

If Football Managers Were....

...Pantomime villians then Phil Brown would make a great Captain Hook.


...Ventriloquists Puppets then Gary Megson is a shoe in as Orville hater, Cuddles the Monkey.

Multiball

http://www.watfordfc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10400~1413265,00.html

I'm not a fan of multiball.

Its meant to speed things up but if the bloke in the stand throws it back onto the pitch or has a bad throw then it has the opposite effect. We haven't quite got to the stage of the budweiser ad from a couple of years back but we're not far away!

Also, I think leaving a vital bit of the game in the hands of kids, some of whom look no older than primary school age, is just not a good idea at all.

However, it makes a change for an opposing manager to be complaining about us having an unfair advantage. Funny how he didn't mention that the ref was a Lilywhite in disguise.

Damo

Always sad to see a footballer retire in this way.

It must be all the harder for Damain considering he was playing in the first team back in August.

Whilst we never saw the best of him at the Vic his contributions were greatly appreciated, especially in his first season. His debut which saw us go wild when he scored against Everton to give us unrequited hope in the last few minutes at Goodison one of his best moments, even though it was eventually given as an Alan Stubbs own goal. Also his goal against Ipswich was the only high point of a very lacklustre FA Cup 5th Round win.

All the best for the future Damo whatever it holds for you.

Bias- Watford 2 Preston North End 1

A guy I work with is the son of a former Premiership ref. His Dad supports a big club up in the North. A recent conversation with him went something like this...

'Did your Dad declare his love of his team when he became a ref?'

'No.'

'And so he refereed this team?'

'Yes'.

'Did he go easy on them when he got them?'

'Yeah!'

Not that this conversation in any way referred to Mr.K W Wright who was in charge of todays game, but I think the only conclusion one can draw from his abysmal biased handling of the second half was that he's a closet Preston fan.

I reckon Preston must have got 9 decisions in every 10. Five minutes injury time. Are you sure? Tommy Smith lunged at as he races down the wing less than a metre from the linesman and probably less than 10 from the ref and nothing given. Even some of the fouls we did get given merited more of a GBH charge than just a free kick. But Mr Wright only saw fit to get out his book once for the men in white when the fantastically named St.Ledger tried to impede us taking a throw.

He, and the linesman at the Rous end, really tried their hardest to beat Attwell and Bannister as worst officials of the season. They didn't quite succeed but came as impressively close as you could to the title without awarding a ridiculous ghost goal.

So, for the second home Saturday in a row our display was all the more impressive for the fact we were playing 13 men rather than just 11.

We started the game with our impression of a team that doesn't know each other and allowed Preston a soft goal where the defending was woeful. Young Mariappa felt it was so bad he even seemed to have a go at captain DeMerit. Maybe this was unwise because Mariappa then went on to have one of his worst displays of his career which must have warmed the cockles of Lloyd Doyley's heart.

Jon Harley got us back into the game, playing so much better in midfield than when he covers at the back. Tommy Smith then made it 2-1 and it looked like we were in for a goal-fest with neither teams defences or goalkeepers looking particularly robust.

But surprisingly thats where it stayed. However that shouldn't detract from excellent displays from Hoskins who set up both goals and will be difficult to leave out of the side when Raziak is back, and Priskin who had his best game in a yellow shirt. He played as if he thought he was playing for Hungary and was very unfortunate not to end up on the scoresheet. The fact the Rookey sang his song spoke volumes. Maybe Hoskins is the partner Priskin's been looking for these past three seasons.

Williamson had another good game and O'Toole was immense as ever. I think we play far better without Eustace playing his Gavin Mahon type of role in the middle of the park. It was good to see Darren Ward back in the heart of the defence and I'd rather we kept him than Bromby. I'd forgotten quite how enormous Darren was or how much fun his fouls are (especially when he tried to wrestle a Preston player to the ground).

I don't normally take any interest in Harry's 50/50 half time draw but I did like Richard Short saying to Harry about 'having his magic fingers in a box'. Harry's response seemed to be the mascots version of 'wa-hey' to which Richard said 'ahh, those were the days'. And I thought we were meant to be a family club.

Up one place to 20th seems a bit of a mean reward for the afternoon's efforts but another win and we could climb significantly given that three points now only separate us and QPR (ha!) in 11th.

****

Nice bloke, Joe Kinnear.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2008/oct/03/newcastleunited.premierleague

Minds To Rest?

I was going to blog about how surprising it was that the club hadn't issued any response to Elton other than Simpson's words on 5Live.

However in the last couple of hours this has appeared.

http://www.watfordfc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10400~1410740,00.html

Usual points made about cutting of cloths.

Still wonder if Aidy and the board are singing from the same hymn sheet. Simpson's bits about backing Aidy's judgement and throwing support behind his team building plans in Autumn 2007 sound like a bit of a moan that it didn't work out. He didn't have to include those exact words in the statement but he chose to.

I still think Aidy should watch out. Simpson isn't afraid to wield the axe and with us in 21st I wonder if its being sharpened. A Carling Cup run didn't do Ray Lewington any good either. Simpson might think he's put Elton's mind to rest but not Aidy's.

Catastrophe

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/w/watford/7646988.stm

Odd one this. Odd timing, odd story. Is it just Elton mouthing off like he sometimes does about stuff (this was the man who fell out with Princess Diana and the nation of Taiwan).

Graham Simpson reckons the only person at the club Elton speaks to is Aidy. Has it come from him? After all he didn't seem to be quite saying the same things the club were around the time the Watford Obs had us going into administration. Is this his way of trying to alert everyone to what is really going on?

Has Elton got a point? Why do we suddenly seem to have no money? This was all explained after the WO article, although I can't really remember what was said other than less parachute money in second year, ground redevelopment, etc, etc. None of which sound very plausable. I mean, what has happened to the Shittu and Henderson money? £4 million and yet a month later we are funding loans by doing well in the Carling Cup?? We sound like a non-league club on a nice FA Cup run.

Whatever, I don't really see what anyone has gained out of this other than various supporters claiming Elton is only saying what we're all thinking. I'm not sure what I think.

As far as Elton's concerned I do find anything he's got to say or do with the club is a bit tainted now after the whole Vialli catastrophe. Don't get me wrong he is an uber-legend for what he's done. His investment in the club gave me and many thousands of others some of my best footballing memories.

But I can't forget back in 2001 with Gianluca sitting next to him he said he was as excited about the club as he'd ever been. Yet 12 months later he'd quit and we were met by people collecting money in buckets at the turnstiles to try and save the club.

Elton still isn't exactly badly off and if we really are heading for catastrophe he could at least help ensure our survival by dipping into his pocket. I'm not suggesting for a moment I expect him to fund us in the Man City, QPR or Chelsea sense. But I'm sure his bank manager wouldn't even notice him spending modest amounts to keep us from going down the same route as the lot up the road.

But as 6 years ago proved unfortunately Elt doesn't seem to love the club quite as much as he did back in the wild 70's and 80's. He's happy to criticise as he seems to do with all things he likes (George Michael, Madonna) but at least we're in good company.

Effort- Burnley 3 Watford 2

A very disappointing result after such a promising first half. Well done to Will on poaching his first goals, especially against an opponent of Clark Carlisle's stature. Shame he couldn't have completed his hat-trick.

It sounded like this season in a nutshell. Good positive exciting play with lots of effort, mixed in with misfortune and occasional lapses of remembering important things like the rules and who is actually on our side.

Despite now being worryingly 21st I completely agree with bhappy's Matt Rowson when he says that already this season is MUCH more fun than the last. I think its got something to do with the effort word. I don't care how low we sink as long as everyone tries their bloody hardest. So far, barring a few performances, most of them have and it should go without saying that injury wise we're getting down to raffling out positions on the bench. Therefore I don't think anyone should panic just yet about us treading water one spot above the relegation zone.

Two in, one out

http://www.watfordfc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/Preview/0,,10400~1408332,00.html

Nice to know that not content with causing injuries to our own squad we've now started injuring members of other squads too. I'd be worried if I was Mark Tyler.

Welcome back Darren. You were always slightly harshly done by whenever you returned to the Vic. After all, you weren't single handedly to blame for our failure in the Prem back in 99/00 or the capitualtion the following season.

No idea what to expect tonight. Since the 7-4 we've not down terribly well up there but as the last week and a half has proved football really is a funny old game.

Queensbury Rules

We've drawn Swansea in the Carling Cup Fourth Round meaning we'll have two visits to the Liberty in four days.

A light-hearted suggestion so we can avoid two long drives down the M4 is to start running football like boxing where sometimes they fight for more than one title.

For example, we play just one game and whoever wins gets three points and finds themselves in the Quarter Finals of the Carling Cup. If its a draw after 90 minutes both get a point and then play extra time and penalties to find the winner in the cup tie.

It would be especially entertaining towards the end of the season when the usual 'big' four find themselves playing each other in endless FA Cup/Champions League/Premiership encounters.

Kinnear Banned

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/n/newcastle_united/7639582.stm

This just gets better and better. Did they know before approaching him that he'd be banned from the touchline for almost the whole time he's agreed to be at the club?

South Yorkshire Jinx- Sheffield United 2 Watford 1

Two visits to Sheffield, two below par performances. Maybe South Yorkshire is an area to avoid this season. Luckily Rotherham aren't in our division although we do still have to go to Doncaster.

Two Saturday afternoons, two injuries to our keepers. Lucky we aren't in the days before goalkeeper subs otherwise Nigel Callaghan would've been busy and our goal difference might have been worse than it is.

I still think Richard Lee was rather harshly criticised at the end of last season so I hope he does well in what sounds like its going to be an extended run in the team.

JJOT is becoming a bit of a noticeable star. I hope we can hang onto him in Janaury. With youth on his side I'd make him the favourite above Tommy Smith to be the next one to leave alas.

Slightly worrying to see us down to 19th. South Yorkshire jinx aside after the great displays of the last week it does feel rather unfair. But I don't feel too concerned yet. However we could really do with getting something from Burnley and Preston before the next International break.

UEFA ambitions

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/leagues/championship/watford/3081631/Watford-manager-Aidy-Boothroyd-urges-FA-to-give-English-managers-more-recognition-Football.html

Interesting to read how far Aidy thought he could get us. Kind of reminds me of Elton's comments to GT 30 years ago.

Interesting also that he's downgraded his expectations significantly. Is this because he knows that financially we are worse off than has been previously admitted? If we do ever get back up to the Prem has it already been decided we'll use the money to pay off any debt and fund the East Stand redevelopment rather than getting anyone in that might keep us up?

Its not like Aidy to be publicly pessimistic and I think more is being said in this article between the lines than actually in them.

Boothroyd Charged

http://www.watfordfc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10400~1403514,00.html

Unbelieveable. You'd think given the comments by the Assistant Referee's Manager of the Professional Game Match Officials Board (who knew such positions or boards even existed) that on this occassion Aidy might have been excused blowing his fuse. Let us not forget it wasn't about the original decision that Aidy went mad about but it was a foul throw that proved too much and understandably so. For remaining composed during the chaos of the original decision I think Aidy should be praised, not punished for the combined events of the afternoon eventually taking their toll.

We still haven't heard what will happen to Attwell or Bannister and I wonder if we ever will? Attwell is going to be the fourth official again at the weekend. He hasn't even had the demotion or resting that Premiership referees seem to get.

Why can't the League, FA or whoever is in charge of such things just act now like they have with Aidy. No-one seems to dispute what happened or who is to blame.

But then this is part of the problem. English football seems to have just too many organisations involved in different bits of the game. In Italy the FIGC organises everything and deals with everything whether its refs, players, clubs or competitions. They don't do things in a half hearted hanging about way either, but meet every Monday after the weekend's fixtures and deal with stuff there and then like imposing suspensions ready for the next match. So much for us thinking Italians are the experts in badly run chaotic organisations! Our football authorities could learn a lot from the FIGC. However I can't see the FA, League, PGMO, PFA and various County FAs's giving up their varying amounts of power anytime soon.

Teenage Kicks- Watford 1 West Ham United 0

Well that was enormous fun.

What a great way to bounce back from all of Saturdays malarky. We finally got a bit of luck courtesy of Mullins. But that shouldn't detract from the fact this was a great performance by a side, particularly at the end, that featured more of our reserve team than that of our opponents.

Zola only made 5 changes from the team that beat Newcastle convincingly at the weekend. Whereas we had trouble filling the bench and included Dale Bennett who no-one around me had heard of, but was excellent when he came on after the goal. You wouldn't have known which side was trying to impress their new boss and which had struggled to put out a full team.

Lee Williamson had his finest display in a yellow shirt. It said a lot that the man behind me who really REALLY hates Williamson and never misses an opportunity to bellow his name in anger, didn't mentioned him once. Ross Jenkins gave his best performance yet and Will Hoskins grows in confidence all the time.

Bang Bang looked a little rusty but is still footballs smallest hard man as he fouled a West Ham player by literally wrapping his body around him in the second half. Jordan Parkes did better than against Darlo but his final touch still lets him down too often. Ainsworth was busy but still has more of the Nordin Wooter about him than the Ashley Young. Lewis came on and did well even though he was half the size of the Hammers defenders.

I wonder if the ref was brought in specially after Saturday as he was brilliant. He wasn't at all fussy and just let the game flow and only got his book out once.

The West Ham fans were impressively vocal as ever in the first half but we more than matched them in the second half creating an atmosphere that really did remind me of those famous Watford cup nights from the 1980's

Even Radio Hornet's Richard and Tim played a blinder in the form of Teenage Kicks which was aired at half time. Shame Richard spoke over half of it but it was still a vast improvement on Easy Lover which was played on Saturday.

The only downside was DeMerit disappearing before the end leaving us with 10 men as we'd already used our subs. It said something about how caught up in the game the crowd were that I don't really think many people noticed. That's not to critisize DeMerit's performance at all because along with Bromby he was a powerhouse at the back. But when required the 10 coped just as well as the 11 had done.

All in all performance of the season so far by everybody.