Watford Post Match

[AlphaMaleFox]

Who kept singing all game. What's your point?

Buy megaphones

[Thracian]

I never thought i'd say this but what a transformation when Wellens went off injured. Suddenly, second half, we were passing the ball about with pace and urgency. We used the full width of the park, stopped getting caught dribbling in defensive situations and started putting the ball in more dangerous places.

Not that the first half was entirely a waste despite what fans were saying around me about our "pointless" passing. That "pointless" passing left Watford shattered and they well and truly surrendered when our fourth went in.

Our heroes were Bruma and Yakubu - the one for his fearsome shots, particularly the second which is was perhaps hit as hard as any shot I've seen. Yakubu for having the heart to chase a lost cause and to finish with precision when he'd cause mayhem. And then having the coolness to chip his much more simple chance into an empty net instead of trying to whack it.

But I really can't understand the criticism of King as reflected in his ratings. It was King who forced the mistake from Watford's keeper for Yakubu's second and who also had a hand in one of Bruma's goals. Okay he missed with a curling left-footer and failed to deflect a speculative shot across goal into the net but he also set up a sitter that was missed and hardly missed a pass in the second half, spraying the ball in all directions and probing the Watford defence continually with little one-twos aswell as passes to the flanks.

Gallagher, Abe and Vassell offered enthusiastic support and our whole unit looked sensibly expressive instead of lacking direction, pace and purpose as in the first half.

Our defensive frailties were there to be seen however. While City enjoyed most possession even in the first half Watford looked more incisive and more dangerous whenever the ball was crossed ino our box. But their goals came through us committing the cardinal footballing sin of trying to dribble in defence. Naughton and then Bruma were dispossessed and Watford swallowed the food they were given with relish.

Vitor, once again, looked our most commanding defender but we still looked too easy to open up with no-one seeming to organise in the way that Wayne Brown did so effectively.

To wish we'd played like that all season is to ignore the fact that two goals conceded would have lost us points in many a match and none of our goals were really the result of breaking their defence down. But we made chances and half-chances, sometimes out of nothing, and took a decent proportion of them because we were prepared to have a go (Wellens excepted as is his way when it comes to shooting).

And being prepared to have a go brought its reward though Vassell made a good point on air afterwards when he referred to us never having enough tempo til we go behind. And that's been right so often this season. We play tidily sometimes - and at least we stuck to our passing today - but we never seem to start with any great pace or commitment.

It's almost as if we want to study the opposition first and by the time we do it's sometimes too late.

[Kitchandro]

Wrong.

Right.

Do you know something I don't?

Abe's been a bit part player this season and rightly so. He is a good player but doesn't particularly stand out in any area. He's not a holding midfielder, doesn't score goals and isn't particularly creative.

[lcfc_jme]

Lovely to hear us booed off earlier. Seriously I do wonder sometimes if we as a club actually deserve to have a good team. We seemingly have a higher proportion of imbeciles than most.

[Corky]

Couldn't understand the booing at half-time, we'd dominated the game and they had two chances, which they took. We could've had more.

Second half we came out of the blocks and pinned them back, Bruma with a beauty and Yak with two good finishes, especially his first after not giving up the chase.

Great to see Tunchev back, and lovely to see us passing well and taking the game to the opposition. Danny Graham barely had a shot all game.

Good win.

[Maybes]

Watford giving it the big-un about outsinging Leicester?

Really?

Clearly I was at a different game.

The shirty - thirty at the back made up of adolescents were the only lot that made the slightest bit of noise for the majority of the game.

[LCFC_FAN_1995]

I'm annoyed that if we didnt mess up and get full points against boro and palace we would be up in the play offs positions -.- oh well next season it has to be

[Father Ted]

People having a go at our fans barely singing today This was pretty much a nothing match and every one was deflated from Forest so hardly a surprise.

As for the booing at half-time, don't see the point.

[LCFC_FAN_1995]

People having a go at our fans barely singing today This was pretty much a nothing match and every one was deflated from Forest so hardly a surprise.

As for the booing at half-time, don't see the point.

but then the tub of lard yakubu gets two goals why couldn't he score when we were in the play offs battle?

[Miquel The Work Geordie]

Hope Bruma plays and bags a fucking hat-trick of worldies.

Ha, nearly.

[iBleedLeicesterColours]

Some mongish comments IMO on here.

Booing- They deserved it, some of the passing was woeful, a kick up the backside.

As for Abe & Wellens situation, people saying that we're better off without Wellens need their heads checking.

[cc_star]

Was working today so managed to avoid the game to catch the highlights, had to work late so missed them (if there were any)

Said in a roundabout way in the pre-match thread I fancy us to score a few now the pressure's lessened

Finally (IMO) a good move by Sven dropping Yak, obviously it didn't work out without him but by all accounts he came on fired up & did the business (a sometimes welcome by-product of being benched)

Where did Bruma play, was he better than at the weekend performance-wise? Obviously he got goals, but the other aspects of his game?

[Maybes]

Bruma looked decent in the deep midfield role. Bags of energy and he kept the ball moving. Certainly a lot more comfortable with him there than at centre back.

[cc_star]

Bruma looked decent in the deep midfield role. Bags of energy and he kept the ball moving. Certainly a lot more comfortable with him there than at centre back.

Cheers bud?

Didn't he play there against QPR? I thought he was good that day to, sadly my opinion of him at CB is lower than a sewer rat

[Kitchandro]

The goal of the season poll is beginning to look a bit sill now.

First there was no King v Leeds, and now no Bruma v Watford which is easily one of our top 3.

Should have left it til the end of the season

[Thracian]

That's probably because King doesn't do much unless he scores, and Abe doesn't really do much at all.

I can't see Abe as a pivotal player for us next season whereas King and Wellens will be.

King, still our top scorer, was forever involved this afternoon. Not everything came off for him but he was forever trying to make things happen in attack and competently distributing the ball when further back, particularly second half.

He had two goal chances, set up a glorious chance and was involved in two of our goals. Nice too to see that he was back to being our skipper and we were back to winning, and with four goals at home against a decent side.

I honestly don't see why any of our second half attackers and midfielders would be criticised today. We played them to a standstill, literally, because at one stage near the end we were just passing the ball around and not one Watford player really wanted to give chase any more.

As for Abe I'm quite sure Watford would have loved to have someone with his energy at the end of 90 minutes. The bloke never stopped and even managed to get forward on occasions.

I'm with Vassell in believing he'll be a better player next year when he's fully adjusted to English Championship football and the country he's living in. There are signs now that he's starting to shoot and I'd still like him to take a free-kick or two.

Gallagher grabs everything in this department and while I like his sense of responsibility there's room for some variation as well because he's no Cristiano Ronaldo and can have woeful days with his dead ball deliveries.

[cc_star]

King, still our top scorer, was forever involved this afternoon. Not everything came off for him but he was forever trying to make things happen in attack and competently distributing the ball when further back, particularly second half.

He had two goal chances, set up a glorious chance and was involved in two of our goals. Nice too to see that he was back to being our skipper and we were back to winning, and with four goals at home against a decent side.

I honestly don't see why any of our second half attackers and midfielders would be criticised today. We played them to a standstill, literally, because at one stage near the end we were just passing the ball around and not one Watford player really wanted to give chase any more.

As for Abe I'm quite sure Watford would have loved to have someone with his energy at the end of 90 minutes. The bloke never stopped and even managed to get forward on occasions.

I'm with Vassell in believing he'll be a better player next year when he's fully adjusted to English Championship football and the country he's living in. There are signs now that he's starting to shoot and I'd still like him to take a free-kick or two.

Gallagher grabs everything in this department and while I like his sense of responsibility there's room for some variation as well because he's no Cristiano Ronaldo and can have woeful days with his dead ball deliveries.

Give up

People have to actually understand football to see what Kingy does do when he doesn't score. You're going to go blue in the face telling people along with marbelladave

[Leicester_Loyal]

Did anyone else see Gallaghers dummy header in the second half when he let it go out for our goal kick? I thought it was brilliant

[Brown Fox]

Some mongish comments IMO on here.

Booing- They deserved it, some of the passing was woeful, a kick up the backside.

As for Abe & Wellens situation, people saying that we're better off without Wellens need their heads checking.

I don't think a bit of bad passing is worthy of booing. Especially booing Yakubu that was the worst. Booing is mainly detrimental to the team but today seemed to work and gave us a kick us the backside. Though that said I can't stand when people boo their own team. Personal opinion and I cba to open up a massive debate

Fully agree with the Wellens part

[Brown Fox]

Cheers bud?

Didn't he play there against QPR? I thought he was good that day to, sadly my opinion of him at CB is lower than a sewer rat

He actually played CB vs QPR believe it or not and that was his best performance before today. Today he was energetic, very strong on the ball, nobody could get near to him, fast and did well breaking up play as well as scoring 2 screamers. Saying that he was naive at times being caught in possession a couple of time and giving a few stray passes but he's only 19 and he hasn't played CDM for a long time. If he could play like that every game I would have no problem with seeing him here again next season playing CDM because on today's showing he is that midfield destroyer we so desperately need. I too don't rate him at CB but if he were only to play CDM that would be ideal. Though obviously I and everyone else want to see him there for the next couple of games to show some consistency and if he plays like today then he'd be a quality addition. BUT that's if he plays like he did today.

[Kitchandro]

Give up

People have to actually understand football to see what Kingy does do when he doesn't score. You're going to go blue in the face telling people along with marbelladave

er, I understand football thanks.

I know when a player is doing something and when he's doing nothing. Too often in the last 2 months he's done bugger all, a long with plenty of others.

Today might have been different (I didn't see todays game so I'm not referring to that) but I do know that you can't have a bunch of players doing the 'little things' and nobody really doing anything of substance.

Abe might have 'energy' but is not consistant enough as a holding midfielder, and as i said before, does not stand out in a particular area, much like Oakley.

Similarly. King and Yakubu might 'make runs' (I debated this about Yakubu a few games a go) but they need to do more than that. Are they scoring? Are they making a killer pass? Are they beating their man? Are they closing down or breaking up opposition attacks? These are big things that make a difference, and if they're not doing any of those, they need to.

[cc_star]

er, I understand football thanks.

I know when a player is doing something and when he's doing nothing. Too often in the last 2 months he's done bugger all, a long with plenty of others.

Today might have been different (I didn't see todays game so I'm not referring to that) but I do know that you can't have a bunch of players doing the 'little things' and nobody really doing anything of substance.

Abe might have 'energy' but is not consistant enough as a holding midfielder, and as i said before, does not stand out in a particular area, much like Oakley.

Similarly. King and Yakubu might 'make runs' (I debated this about Yakubu a few games a go) but they need to do more than that. Are they scoring? Are they making a killer pass? Are they beating their man? Are they closing down or breaking up opposition attacks? These are big things that make a difference, and if they're not doing any of those, they need to.

King more often than not receives the ball from our defenders as he's intelligent enough to be available almost all the time, he often dinks it to Wellens, who then gets the glory for holding-off an opponent and making a (usually) excellent pass out-wide or upfront, whilst King makes his way forward and is again in space peeling away from opponents, creating holes, and just generally being available, which is a deceptively difficult thing to do... he often doesn't beat people though, but his game is more pass & go and then be available again, famously arriving late in the box to score. Although with the amount of games he's played this season with no rotation, he's not at his best, but he still did loads against Forest (when many criticised him for doing nothing, simply because he wasn't on the score sheet)

[Haydos]

er, I understand football thanks.

I know when a player is doing something and when he's doing nothing. Too often in the last 2 months he's done bugger all, a long with plenty of others.

Today might have been different (I didn't see todays game so I'm not referring to that) but I do know that you can't have a bunch of players doing the 'little things' and nobody really doing anything of substance.

Abe might have 'energy' but is not consistant enough as a holding midfielder, and as i said before, does not stand out in a particular area, much like Oakley.

Similarly. King and Yakubu might 'make runs' (I debated this about Yakubu a few games a go) but they need to do more than that. Are they scoring? Are they making a killer pass? Are they beating their man? Are they closing down or breaking up opposition attacks? These are big things that make a difference, and if they're not doing any of those, they need to.

You should probably realise what a holding midfielder does then?

[Bob Weasel Fox]

in short we were awful in the first half. Think :sge: must have done a fergie at half time as 2nd half we were very very good. tale of two halves or what

[Thracian]

er, I understand football thanks.

I know when a player is doing something and when he's doing nothing. Too often in the last 2 months he's done bugger all, a long with plenty of others.

Today might have been different (I didn't see todays game so I'm not referring to that) but I do know that you can't have a bunch of players doing the 'little things' and nobody really doing anything of substance.

Abe might have 'energy' but is not consistant enough as a holding midfielder, and as i said before, does not stand out in a particular area, much like Oakley.

Similarly. King and Yakubu might 'make runs' (I debated this about Yakubu a few games a go) but they need to do more than that. Are they scoring? Are they making a killer pass? Are they beating their man? Are they closing down or breaking up opposition attacks? These are big things that make a difference, and if they're not doing any of those, they need to.

It's a pity DavieG can't make you a video of King's contributions yesterday. I'm the first to admit he's been subdued by tighter marking in recent weeks but yesterday he was involved or at the hub of so many things.

King suffers in the eyes of some fans because he does much of his work so simply and so quickly, usually taking at least one touch and often fewer to make the same pass as Wellens.

King is basically a two-touch footballer who never takes risks outside of the front third.

And, because of his accuracy he's a coaches delight because his passing is so reliable. No dribbling in daft places, no showboating, no running into blind alleys leaving stacks of space behind him to exploit. King makes his runs and takes such risks as might hurt the opposition in the front third - where mistakes can be recovered.

As for his work off the ball, defensively he is forever covering the right space, winning a header, making himself available for the easy pass, seeing us safely forward with a give and go.

If you were a pacey forward who needed a wall to bounce a pass off there is no-one more certain to bounce it off than King. And that's all apart from his goals and assists which combine to number 20 now, an absolutely awesome return from a still learning central midfielder.

He's leading scorer by four and if you don't count free-kicks (which he rarely takes) he'd be our most prolific striker on goal being second in the statistics with 73 shots behind only free-kick taker Gallagher with 78.