Player Ratings v Watford

[Scow]

Walker 6 - Kicking was terrible. Looked unconvincing for the first goal, beaten to the ball from an in-swinging free kick.

Kenton 5 - Not the best of games, dallied for too long on the ball in the final third and failed to get in any telling crosses.

Dabizas 7 - Dodgy first half, but improved in the second and dealt with Webber well generally.

McCarthy 7 - Got a good leap on him, won plenty of headers, but looked a bit nervous alongside Dabizas initially.

Maybury 6 - Started off at left wing back, which he seemed uncomfortable with. When he reverted to left back, looked a lot more solid, although he didn't really get forward much.

Hughes 6 - Sluggish first half, but found his way in to the game as it wore on. Was involved in many of our best moves in the second half. Good positioning for the goal as he slotted home Connolly's cross from about 12 yards.

Williams 5 - He looked jaded and lethargic throughout. Virtually no movement off the ball in the second half, and when he did receive it, he didn't do much of note.

Gudjonsson 5 - Struggled in the first half, was substituted at half time. He wasn't the worst player out there, but I think CL wanted Tiatto on the left to provide some width.

Moore 6 - Looked lively and injected some pace upfront. Didn't receive any great service, but he did look a threat when he latched on to a few Dublin flick ons.

Dublin 7 - Started off in defence, but reverted to attack when CL changed to a 4-3-3, then a 4-4-2 in the second half. Won plenty of headers and flick ons, with a lot of them falling in to the path of Connolly. Held the ball up and looked a threat upfront throughout.

Connolly 6 - Anonymous in the first half, but livened up in the second period. Scored the first goal after a good finish from a long throughball. Good play for the second goal as he escaped down the right side of the area and pulled the ball back for Hughes to convert.

Subs:

Gillespie 6 - Added some much needed width down the right and went on a few mazy runs infield, albeit to not much effect.

Tiatto 6 - Played wide left, but drifted in to the centre a lot to win the ball to good effect.

de Vries - Not enough time to make an impact.

[TrickyTrev]

Walker 5 At fault for the first goal and kicking was poor.

Kenton 6 Fine defencively but a lot more ocmfortable as a defender than as a wing back.

Dabizas 6 Satisfactory both defencively and in terms of distribution.

Dublin 8 Our best player in both halfs of football, we looked a lot better when he went up front and we had a real target man.

McCarthy 6 Nervous in the first half but his performance picked up a lot when we reverted to 4 at the back.

Maybury 5 Insatisfactory down the left as he offers nothing going forward.

Williams 5 Apalling in the frist half especially when he stood on the ball, picked up a little in the second but not that influential.

Gudjohnson 2 His performances have been ALOT better recently but this was awful. He gave the ball away on every single occasion he got it and deserved to be substituted.

Hughes 6 Over run int he first half but improved a lot in the second and had an impact on the game. Fantastic game.

Moore 5 Looked quite pacey but slashed badly at his only chance and none of his tricks came off.

Connolly Before Goal (3) After Goal (9) The fans wanted him to be subbed as his touch was poor and whilst he tried to avoid shooting oppurtunities he scuffed the one ohe had. Then he finished his one on one chance and he was a totally different player. One amazing crashing volley and lots of neat play.

***************SUBS*************

Tiatto 7 Added the dynamism in the midfield that we badly lacked.

Gillespie 6 Played too narrow for my liking but when he did play outwide our side looked like we had more shape.

De Vries 6 Not enough time to make an impression.

*************************

I thought that Levein got it badly wrong with his formation in the first half but recognised his mistake and effected the game well. The first half was an apalling game of football that we ought to be ashamed of but in the second Watford were cmaped on the edge of their wona rea and we looked much the better team.

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