Watford Post Match Thread

[fatmando]

Wow what a great day the boy and I had yesterday.

How spoilt are we Leicester fans right now? Awesome season.

Sunshine

Spearing

Gally & Waggy

Championship table

Get in!

[Ultra]

Quality day out. Howard's red card was the only blemish.

The first half-hour was fairly tense. We created more chances but looked vulnerable on the break, especially when Danny Graham had the ball. However, once we went ahead, and followed up quickly with a second goal, there was no looking back.

Not at all sure that the penalty was justified, but we've had plenty of equally marginal decisions go against us this season, so shouldn't be too bothered.

The sending-off came about as a result of a weak ref being bullied by over-reacting Watford players (wonder how they'd react if Brian Stock plays against them?). Howard's challenge was a little reckless but no worse than some I've seen go unpunished this season, particularly in the Newcastle game.

His absence from the next three games will be a blow. However, with Dyer and possibly Fryatt due back we should be able to cope.

All areas of the side seem to have returned to form at just the right stage. The defence was solid, the midfield was creative and the finishing from the strikers was exquisite. Overall, it was as good a home performance I've seen since Watford's previous visit back in August 07.

[Samilktray]

What a stupid fecking challenge from Howard.

[leftsideoverhere]

Shame that people feel such a need to be negative about something, even in the face of such an impressive performance and a stunning league table.

During the game people around me were having a go at Kermorgant (because in the closing stages he was left pretty isolated in a side a man down and his knock-downs weren't going to team-mates). Now we're sticking it to Howard for the foul, and bemoaning that Blackpool's result "overshadowed" our own performance.

Watford were determined to get a point towards their survival efforts. Despite that, we ripped them apart, upped the tempo after going down to ten men, and put four names on the scoresheet. Ten goals in three games puts us in an excellent position for the last two games, and neither Preston nor Boro have anything left to play for. I can't think in anything but positives after yesterday. Can't we all just enjoy it?

Having seen Morrison done very cleverly by a sliding tackle to keep the ball in play at the other end, Howard clearly thought he'd show he could do the same. Sadly, his desire and determination rather outdistanced his ability, and the result was clumsy. But it wasn't malicious, and wasn't as dangerous as either the Watford contigent (players and fans) or some on here are presenting it. Howard was unlucky to see a straight red card, but given the other shocking decisions the ref made yesterday, we probably should have seen it coming.

Apologies to the moralists, but I am partisan at City matches, and I will support my team, and my players, even if they play badly or make mistakes. So, when Howard gets a questionable red card, and a few kicks from Watford players, having played superbly for a few games after a long period on the sidelines, I'm damn well going to applaud him off the pitch. I'm a little surprised that so many on here think it was wrong of the kop to support him. Isn't that our job, so to speak?

As for Blackpool, so what? I didn't expect Forest to do us a favour, and I didn't expect to hear that they'd recovered their away form. Frankly, I don't want them to - we'll likely need to play them at some point in the playoffs, so the worse their form at the moment the better for us. We need one win from two games against teams who have nothing left to play for. That's good enough for me. If Blackpool do well then maybe they will pip Swansea to sixth, which makes no difference to us. The only thing we should care about is our own performances. And on that score we are playing better - and scoring more goals - than we've done all season, and we've been not too shabby all season.

I am however getting worried that we might end up having to go to Cardiff again though. fooking dump. That's as miserable as I'm prepared to be today, ok?

[carterfox90]

a great game & i saw a steel spine to our team which i have'nt seen for a while the lads played great when down to 10 men & have hit top form just at the right time, as for howard stupid challenge as i sit in the kop i will leave to you others who are sat closer to say it was'nt as bad as it looked, probably be his last game for us as vaughn looked very able to take over & keep his place as for the ref oh dear me we have had some dire refs this season but he takes the title of 'top tit'

well done to the lads we may just go all the way to the prem on these performances :appl: :scarf:

[Tony Pine]

i did notice pre match that the refs stats showed he had given more red cards to the home side. didn't expect someone would actually get sent off though.

[The Doctor]

a great game & i saw a steel spine to our team which i have'nt seen for a while the lads played great when down to 10 men & have hit top form just at the right time, as for howard stupid challenge as i sit in the kop i will leave to you others who are sat closer to say it was'nt as bad as it looked, probably be his last game for us as vaughn looked very able to take over & keep his place as for the ref oh dear me we have had some dire refs this season but he takes the title of 'top tit'

well done to the lads we may just go all the way to the prem on these performances :appl: :scarf:

Andre Marriner V Newcastle (H). How that guy is a prem ref i'll never know.

[C-man]

I've gave my view on the match that i'm happy, great win, great performance, so this is a reply to your post.

If a referee's shit a referee's shit, no matter if we've won or not, Why should a win take away an opinion - a bad opinion of a poorly run game by the officials, we're not saying they've done us any harm they havn't but the officials still made dodgy, questionable decisions.

I'm fairly sure I wasn't picking up on your post because you did indeed state that you were pleased with the game and your assessment of the referee was simply a footnote in your post.

The post I quoted must have took a good 10 minutes to write and just analysed the poor performance of the referee. Didn't praise the side once. I'm sorry but I go to the football to watch 22 players, not 3 officials. If you come home and just slate the ref after a 4-1 win with 10 men then I don't think you've got your priorities right.

I never said that people weren't entitled to their opinion but have people not yet noticed that referees are, on the whole, poor?