Watford Post Match

[Maybes]

Having been at the game and seen the goals on the TV, Neillson....sort yourself my friend!!!

[Legend_in_blue]

Having been at the game and seen the goals on the TV, Neillson....sort yourself my friend!!!

I don't agree with singling out players, but if you're going to single out players, choose the right ones!

Hobbs was at fault for two of the goals yesterday - if you're going to blame individual performances.

Lets all jump on the Neilson and Howard bandwagon. Err, let's not.

[Bert]

I don't agree with singling out players, but if you're going to single out players, choose the right ones!

Hobbs was at fault for two of the goals yesterday - if you're going to blame individual performances.

Lets all jump on the Neilson and Howard bandwagon. Err, let's not.

Neilson was shit.

[Maybes]

I don't agree with singling out players, but if you're going to single out players, choose the right ones!

Hobbs was at fault for two of the goals yesterday - if you're going to blame individual performances.

Lets all jump on the Neilson and Howard bandwagon. Err, let's not.

You dont agree with singling out players? Each to their own.....

Oh and I dont jump on anyones bandwagon apart from my own.

[Bert]

Why not, is it in his contract or something?

What did he actually contribute yesterday?

We played very narrow, no wingers so there were few crosses that were not from 40 yards out and most of our best attacking play came on the floor and through the middle. Howard is not quick or deft enough to do much to balls played into him in the box and he is hardly going to run the channels.

To put it bluntly, he is surplus to requirements if we continue to play the way we did first half.

Ha, I don't think you understood my post, or how I meant it. If you do a bit of homework, you'll see just the other day that I said that if Fryatt was in Howard's shoes, people would be calling for his head now.

I enjoyed yesterday. Shame we threw away a two goal lead, but if you can't enjoy the entertainment that was on show then I really do despair. Maybe why the people who didn't go to the game seem to be more critical than those who went.

Maybe it's just me but I go to football to enjoy the highs, not focus on the lows.

Bang on mate.

I read some of the comments directly after the game and one more than most really pissed me off -

Poor effort even though we bagged an equaliser.

[Raj]

Aint read all the thread but i agree with some who think City had won it already and just had to turn up in the 2nd half BUT Helguson made a difference to them too me thinks.

Atleast City wont be too casual like that 2nd half again and we showed the balls to dig dep and equalise.

Could easily have lost by a couple yday if our mentality wasnt right.

Actually think we gained some positives yday although a few players DO need abit of a prep talk...dont like mentioning names but Capt Oakley should have done better (Although he was out of position? Still pretty crap!!!!)

Nice to see some of the FTers on my away game of the season(And my unbeaten away run continues over the last few years!!!!)

Would officially like to thank PhilCe and Cecchini for a great day out!!!

[dimmerchant]

Having seen all of the league games this season I think we've made a really good start to the campaign but could of done better. It could be me expecting a bit too much and being overly optimistic but we have a very capable squad, the best in a while. With a few tweaks here and there I think we could of turned our draws at Ipswich, Peterborough, Watford and maybe even Sheff United into wins.

I think our main problem is that we are still playing like a League One side. The standard of the opposition last year was poor compared to the Championship and that allowed us to walk it. Our style of football has shown glimpses of being spectacular and that of a top Championship side (Sheff United first half, Watford first half) but then we sit back on our laurels and play the football we often played last year, which worked then but will not be so effective now.

By this form of 'league one football' I mean the idea that we are simply using Howard as a target man and just hoofing it up to him with the intention of him holding it up and passing it on. However I don't think this will work this season if we want to be playing to the best of our ability we need to change it. Granted, Howard is a superb player and rightly our player of the season last season but he won't be able to do what he did last season this season, Championship defenses are considerably better.

When we have played well it is usually a result of keeping the ball on the park and passing it around, a poor mans Arsenal. We have outstanding passers of the ball in King, Wellens, Oakley and Gallagher to name but a few. Fryatt's first goal against Blackpool and second against Watford were a result of fantastic defence splitting passes from Wellens. To my recollection we haven't scored a goal in which the ball has been launched up field and Howard has knocked it on for somebody to go on and finish it, which occurred quite frequently last season.

The reason I think Tunchev stood out so much in his half against Peterborough was that when the ball was sent in his direction, he took it down superbly and passed it forwards or even to one of the defenders around him. Brown didn't look terrible yesterday in my opinion, but on the contrary to Tunchev, any sniff of the ball this season and he heads it forwards or into row Z. Good clearer of the ball but gives away possession unnecessarily.

Understandably, when under pressure, I know it's vital that they get rid of it but when they have a bit of time, we need to keep possession and pass it around. Therefore players such as Tunchev and Morrison should get the nod, over Brown and Neilson respectively. Not that these players are bad, I thought Neilson had his best game so far yesterday, just Tunchev and Morrison are better. Neilson and Brown are more than adequate cover.

Also, I think that we should try a different combination upfront. As I have said above, Howard is by no means a bad player, just probably not what we need if we are to persevere at this level. I would start Fryatt and Gallagher/Waghorn or maybe give N'Guessan a go upfront in the league, with his strength and pace, he could cause massive problems and split defences open. Howard could become a great impact player by coming on in the latter half of the second half, and would be great cover for our strikers.

Some will disagree with me but I think the reason we see Howard as so vital is because of past experience last season. When he was out we were woeful. This was down to the cover we had for him though. When he was replaced it was by either Dickov or Hayles. These are not impact players and were simply not good enough, even for that league. If Howard gets injured this season, the cover of either Kermo, Gallagher, or Waghorn is more than adequate and in my eyes, better than Howard.

Obviously this is only my opinion and I don't expect a change anytime soon, we are joint 6th in the league on points and Pearson is not a man to make radical changes, rightly so looking at where we are. If he doesn't change things then he obviously feels that there is no need to and he is the manager. There is obviously a reason why he picks the players he does. I just feel we could be doing better if we utilise our attribute of having 6 or 7 sensational passers of the ball and don't give away possession so easily. This seemed to be our problem second half yesterday.

[Bert]

Gallagher assisted for Fryatt's second.

In Steve's defence though, I will say more times than not, he did have more than one man on him.

[Raj]

We need more width too.

When N'G came on he created abit of width and whiped in a few corkers.

The header was equisite!!!

Fatty FRyatts 2nd was exceptional.

The turn and shot was quality.

Fat fuker still needs 5 odd chances a game to score though!!!

Did everyones lover Howard play???

[dimmerchant]

Oh right, my bad.

Yeah i completely agree, it's not because he's got worse it's because they know how much of a threat he could be if left to roam. I think Watford's defence must of been instructed to man mark him, which they did very well. He still manages to get his head on a hell of a lot.

[Raj]

Gallagher assisted for Fryatt's second.

In Steve's defence though, I will say more times than not, he did have more than one man on him.

May be in aminority(For a change!!!) but though Gallaher did okay yday.

Would like to see him start upfront though with Fryatt just to see what they can do together.

[Fosse Boy]

Oh was it just me that sturggled to hear their PA system?

Nope. Everyone I've spoken to had no idea what the bloke was saying.

[potter3]

Gallagher assisted for Fryatt's second.

In Steve's defence though, I will say more times than not, he did have more than one man on him.

Same against Peterborough, he was often double marked, especially from goalkicks.

[Toby or not Toby]

Didn't go to the game or listen to the game but obviously dissapointed not to win, but on a positive note we would have lost the game 3-2 two seasons back imo.

We didn't lose so lets not panic, although I do fear a backlash from Boro on Tuesday after their result yesterday.

[Sods]

What a first half, no more needs to be said.

[Toby or not Toby]

Two poor performances on the trot. SLOPPY is the keyword.

But we haven't lost either.

[marbelladave]

Ha, I don't think you understood my post, or how I meant it. If you do a bit of homework, you'll see just the other day that I said that if Fryatt was in Howard's shoes, people would be calling for his head now.

Que!

Are you suggesting that if Howard was scoring for fun and Fryatt was playing like a tub of lard, we would still be questioning Howard?

Are you insane? Strange as it may seem to you this is not a Howard witch hunt, simply a realisation that the more we progress towards a passing game, the fewer early balls are played up to Howard and the more peripheral he becomes.

If you had done your homework you would have seen that I have posted several suggestions as to how to get the best out of Howard, but also explained how, as we move away from our previously more 'direct' approach to a passing game, Howard simply becomes the wrong type of forward. If we are going to continue this way then a player with pace and a better touch with the ball on the ground will be a much better foil fo Fryatt.

[carterfox90]

2 points dropped for me & why was tunchev not playing or even brought on at 2-1 as we all knew what was going to happen

[Guest]

I will laugh when people turn up at the Riverside on Tuesday night.

[Dr The Singh]

Didn't go to the game, would have took the point beforehand but being 2 - 0 at half time and just scraping a draw is disapointing, i'm glad Pearson saw it the same as me, we threw 2 points away!!

[RGFox]

Great day out, as most have said, great first half, second half poor once Wellens went off/Helguson came on.

Oddfellows before the match, 35 mins to get served

WFC fans - silent til they scored.

WFC - no scoreboard/clock, but a screen displaying ads? 3-sided ground yet it looks like they're building something behind one of the stands!

Away end - top atmosphere, went nuts with Dany's equaliser. Would have taken a point (like most) before the game.

[Lillehamring]

long long post

...but a good post.

[marbelladave]

Great day out, as most have said, great first half, second half poor once Wellens went off/Helguson came on.

Oddfellows before the match, 35 mins to get served

WFC fans - silent til they scored.

WFC - no scoreboard/clock, but a screen displaying ads? 3-sided ground yet it looks like they're building something behind one of the stands!

Away end - top atmosphere, went nuts with Dany's equaliser. Would have taken a point (like most) before the game.

The game was fantastically enjoyable for a neutral.

I am not a neutral!

[Dr The Singh]

I will laugh when people turn up at the Riverside on Tuesday night.

Why???

[surrifox]

Why???