Watford (H) post-match thread (2-0 home win)

[Happy Fox]

7th spot is ours to keep imo. 

[foxes_rule1978]

Puel as is playing the right kind of possession football, I think this is what Claudio wanted but didn’t quite get... technically our team is pretty good 

[ZeGuy]

3 minutes ago, Colourmy said:

I also watched how well we have done recently without him. Granted, different personnel but the scoreline was as good.  

I had high hopes for Slim, whom I like a lot, but it requires another style of play and Puel has other ideas. I never wrote Nacho off, but he's still far away from pretending to a start place as a first striker. So until then, we're pretty much stuck with Vardy and for some reason, I like it that way.

Edited 20 January 2018 by ZeGuy

[AjcW]

1 minute ago, bovril said:

Enjoying this season immensely. 5 consecutive clean sheets, pushing for European places and playing with such flair at times. I honestly believe people don't realise how good Mahrez is as he makes it look so easy. To see a Leicester player turn it on as often as he does at this level is heavenly. 

He’s gone up a gear because he’s being managed well. 

 

I was heavily critical of him but it just goes to show a manager can be highly influential even on flair players. 

 

I think the same same goes for how Sterling has played under Pep. 

[oxtonfox]

2 minutes ago, pazzerfox said:

Vardy is quality for us.  He plays that lone striker role so well.

 

N'didi was superb and if he continues to develop the way he is, we will have one hell of a player!

 

Maty James is getting better, very pleased for him.

 

Maguire was a collosus and Dragovic put in a steady showing.

 

They stifled Riyhad well but his class showed in the end.

 

Albrighton had a good second half.

 

Chilly was solid enough.

Watford must detest Mahrez as I think he’s now scored in 5 out of the last 6 games against them. Class...

[Colourmy]

Just now, ZeGuy said:

I had high hopes for Slim, whom I like a lot, but it requires another style of play and Puel has other ideas. I never wrote Nacho off, but he's still far away from pretending to a start place as a striker. So until then we're pretty much stuck with Vardy. And for some reason I like it that way.

Please understand I'm not dismissing Vardy. Love him for what he does and has achieved. I'm saying he no longer has his A game, every game. Many defenders catch him now or at least catch him enough to distract him. He is still a must-have, just not the only player we need to rely on now his game is slowing.

[ZeGuy]

1 minute ago, AjcW said:

He’s gone up a gear because he’s being managed well. 

 

I was heavily critical of him but it just goes to show a manager can be highly influential even on flair players. 

 

I think the same same goes for how Sterling has played under Pep. 

Flair players should never be judged on their work rate but on their ability to create something out of nothing. That's why they always require a special management. Mahrez had an anonymous game aside from 2-3 good passes, then a bit of magic and here comes the goal. Good for his confidence, good for the team. I'm sure next game he'll play bettr better. Credits to Puel to have let him on until the end.

 

I wouldn't have.

[Kopfkino]

How much compensation did Watford turn down to keep Silva?  They're in the relegation scrap for sure.

[TeaMen Tom]

Don't get the Vardy disses - I thought he was a pest the entire game putting pressure on their backline.  On the penalty if the defender didn't take him down he'd have scored. Amartey I thought was excellent.  He can push up in attack and combine with Mahrez in a way that Simpson just can't.  Also saw nothing wrong with his defending.  Simpson's got some work to do to get back in the team.

 

Also thought Shinji was really good - winning the ball and allowing the team to go on the attack.  There was a drop off when Gray came on though he picked it up over the final 15 or so.

Edited 20 January 2018 by TeaMen Tom

[Redouane]

36 minutes ago, ZeGuy said:

No chance.

So much optimism!

[oxtonfox]

1 minute ago, ZeGuy said:

I had high hopes for Slim, whom I like a lot, but it requires another style of play and Puel has other ideas. I never wrote Nacho off, but he's still far away from pretending to a start place as a striker. So until then we're pretty much stuck with Vardy. And for some reason I like it that way.

I fear that Nach could end up like Jermaine Beckford. Talented yes but equally frustrating and possibly has attitude issue. I hope that’s not the case here cos he’s young. Needs to listen to Albrighton who had to wait till end of Pearson’s great escape season to get a crack.

[Scotch]

Matty James was excellent today. Not saying Iborra has deserved to be dropped but Matty is definitely earning his spot on that pitch. With Silva looking the part to, Puel has some decisions to make but it's a great position to be in, having 4 on form CM's 

[Colourmy]

2 minutes ago, TeaMen Tom said:

Don't get the Vardy disses - I thought he was a pest the entire game putting pressure on their backline.  On the penalty if the defender didn't take him down he'd have scored. Amartey I thought was excellent.  He can push up in attack and combine with Mahrez in a way that Simpson just can't do.  Also saw nothing wrong with his defending.  Simpson's got some work to do to get back in the team.

 

Also thought Shinji was really good - winning the ball and allowing the team to go on the attack.  There was a drop off when Gray came on though he picked it up over the final 15 or so.

1

That's as bold a statement as I'm going to hear today! I would have put money on him knocking that too far and it going out for a goalkick!

Edited 20 January 2018 by Colourmy

[ZeGuy]

1 minute ago, Redouane said:

So much optimism!

Knock it off mate. We're not solid enough to challenge Arsenal. Not this season.

[vanity]

11 minutes ago, murphy said:

Didn't you start that thread - 'the decline of Vardy'?

 

You're on your own mate.

It was a look at the numbers underlying Vardy's goal-scoring. At the time, he hadn't scored an away goal in open play since week 1. When your striker hasn't scored away in 9 or 10 straight games, it is ok to post a thread talking about how it's a f'ing problem, yeah? Vardy is prob my favorite player, but I don't have my nose stuck so far up it that I can't tell when he isn't performing at the level a striker needs to. 

[SpacedX]

25 minutes ago, Colourmy said:

No I wasn't, but as I had the benefit of uninterrupted play online, I thought I was entitled to type on a forum too?

Indeed you are - at what point have I suggested that you aren't?

 

I love to watch JV throughout because not only is his movement off the ball intelligent and his reading of the game very sharp - it is also has elements of a false-9 to it when he drops deep allowing other players to push up into space. tracking Ryad, Shinji and JV is a complete nightmare. True, Vards mistimed some runs today and on two occasions his first touch looked liked Musa, but it doesn't mean he needs resting or is even slightly jaded. The way he stretches teams and torments defences continues to be one of our greatest assets together with his Dikov like tenacity. His workrate is never in question and as a senior pro he has matured significantly. He is also adapting to the new system designed to progress us and although the counter is not so central to our strategy he is still not only the fulcrum of our attack, but still in many ways the linchpin of this side imo.

 

I wasn't at the Fleetwood game on Tuesday, but did anyone this feel like the coldest game of the year? Fire stoked, still freezing my nuts off. How the **** do people watch the Green Bay Packers in mid winter? 

Edited 20 January 2018 by Line-X

[ARM1968]

Someone said on here before Christmas that we’d never catch Burnley as they romped away. Remember saying we’d easiky catch them, and we have. 

 

Now the the tricky part is staying there and threatening 6th spot as much as we can. Finish 7th and I think we’ve had an incredible season. 

[Callabinho]

Happy with that, they tried to turn it into a scrap but we didn’t allow ourselves to stoop to their level. By and large we deserved the win, and I think 7th is definitely ours to lose.

 

Oh and N’didi is unreal. At 21 years of age he is insanely good.

[Steven]

29 minutes ago, AlloverthefloorYesNdidi said:

People seem to agree we created chances but didnt finish well enough. Hmmm, how do we solve that issue.....?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ulloa?

[kingfox]

Physical game but overall a solid performance.

 

Fast opening 10 mins from both teams then the game went a bit dead. Clear penalty livened things up, but the first half overall was very average.

 

Better second half but just couldn't find that goal to kill them off, fair play to Watford they went for it but the defence stood firm and closed them out, Maguire and Dragovic looked impressive. Maguire's block to deny Andre Gray was magnificent.

 

Left it late to finally get that killer goal, sheer relief. Excellent tackle from James to start the move, terrific finish from Mahrez to finish it.

 

MOTM though has to be Ndidi, he was absolutely everywhere again, bossed that midfield, what a player we have.

[TeaMen Tom]

1 minute ago, ARM1968 said:

Someone said on here before Christmas that we’d never catch Burnley as they romped away. Remember saying we’d easiky catch them, and we have. 

 

Now the the tricky part is staying there and threatening 6th spot as much as we can. Finish 7th and I think we’ve had an incredible season. 

One of the 3-6 teams will stumble - my guess is it'll be Arsenal.  

[Farrington fox]

When Silva is fully up to speed. It will be a juggling act keeping the quality in our midfield content. At the end of the day there’s going to be a couple of very decent players warming the bench. 

[Colourmy]

2 minutes ago, Line-X said:

Indeed you are - at what point have I suggested that you aren't?

 

I love to watch JV throughout because not only is his movement off the ball intelligent and his reading of the game very sharp - it is also has elements of a false-9 to it when he drops deep allowing other players to push up into space. tracking Ryad, Shinji and JV is a complete nightmare. True, Vards mistimed some runs today and on two occasions his first touch looked liked Musa, but it doesn't mean he needs resting or is even slightly jaded. The way he stretches teams and torments defences continues to be one of our greatest assets together with his Dickov like tenacity. His workrate is never in question and as a senior pro he has matured significantly. He is also adapting to the new system designed to progress us and although the counter central to our strategy he is still not only the fulcrum of our attack, but still in many ways the linchpin of this side imo.

 

I wasn't at the Fleetwood game on Tuesday, but did anyone this feel like the coldest game of the year? Fire stoked, still freezing my nuts off. How the **** do people watch the Green Bay Packers in mid winter? 

I think one thing the world would agree on is his work rate. The man is an animal, he devours defensive lapses for breakfast, that's his bag. 

That goal against Liverpool still has me mystified, so against his normal game but I fear we shan't see the likes again from him. He had momentum and the desire to realise his life's dreams that year and he smashed it!

Now, the clock is ticking, he looks more like his level. Devastating pace but a so-so touch. Relying on the numbers game but the PL won't give him that anymore, he was a new broom that year and caught many by surprise with his pace. His pace is receding and by default, so are his options as a pace driven footballer and not a skilled craftsman.

I'd still like to get as drunk as a lord with him and hope he can carry on forever but as a supporter, I see that he cannot live forever on that year and hope that the club utilise him at his best to prolong the Jamie Vardy era.

[ealingfox]

Good stuff. Pretty good day at the office and results elsewhere went our way. Table looks good too.

 

Still could be better with taking chances but glad Vardy got a goal, hopefully give him a boost as he's been a little bit wasteful recently. Still indispensable to our game when he's not scoring though.

[car1os]

5 minutes ago, Farrington fox said:

When Silva is fully up to speed. It will be a juggling act keeping the quality in our midfield content. At the end of the day there’s going to be a couple of very decent players warming the bench. 

Which is a great thing to have - we no longer have to rely on the same 11 players for every match, we’ve got some depth of quality in the squad