Watford Post Match Thread

[dannythefox]

I highly doubt that 2nd/ 3rd or 6th/ 7th will be decided on goal difference. But if it was, and we were on the unfortunate side, I certainly wouldn't be looking back at this game and saying that we should have smashed in another goal or 2, and that the player's laziness in the second half cost us the season.

I didn't go to the game, but I understand people complainig about how boring the second half was. There was a woman on Radio Leicester last night saying it cost £72 for the family to go and she was a bit peeved that the players weren't trying to get another goal. I can sympathise with that (although like I said, I wasn't at the game so I don't know if they were resting themselves for Saturday, or just being lazy).

What I can't understand is people saying things like "we've missed the chance to score more goals and go up another spot on the table."

REALLY? If I had to choose between two 2-0 wins, or a 4-0 and a 0-0, I know which one I'd choose. Points on the table are infinitely more valuable than goal difference.

Look at the fixture list now. Look at ANY game. I'd take 2-0 for any of those games this season, whether it be to West Ham, Boro or Southampton. Or (no disrespect to these teams) against relegation favourites like Coventry, Palace or Donny.

We won 2-0 and took 3 points. Anyone who is not satisfied by that can do one.

Did you hear the bloke saying Wellens and Johnson shouldnt be playing there rubbish i thought that bit was funny!

[Raj]

Be funny if we missed the play off by 1 goal!

[davieG]

I highly doubt that 2nd/ 3rd or 6th/ 7th will be decided on goal difference. But if it was, and we were on the unfortunate side, I certainly wouldn't be looking back at this game and saying that we should have smashed in another goal or 2, and that the player's laziness in the second half cost us the season.

I didn't go to the game, but I understand people complainig about how boring the second half was. There was a woman on Radio Leicester last night saying it cost £72 for the family to go and she was a bit peeved that the players weren't trying to get another goal. I can sympathise with that (although like I said, I wasn't at the game so I don't know if they were resting themselves for Saturday, or just being lazy).

What I can't understand is people saying things like "we've missed the chance to score more goals and go up another spot on the table."

REALLY? If I had to choose between two 2-0 wins, or a 4-0 and a 0-0, I know which one I'd choose. Points on the table are infinitely more valuable than goal difference.

Look at the fixture list now. Look at ANY game. I'd take 2-0 for any of those games this season, whether it be to West Ham, Boro or Southampton. Or (no disrespect to these teams) against relegation favourites like Coventry, Palace or Donny.

We won 2-0 and took 3 points. Anyone who is not satisfied by that can do one.

Perhaps if you'd forked out the money to go you'd think differently, you might doubt goal difference being the deciding factor but you can't guarantee that, if we do miss out I'll certainly be looking back and say this was a missed opportunity.

You might be happy for every game of football to grind to a stand still after a team takes a two goal lead but I'm not and never will be especially when that team is so poor.

When there's only 2 points separating 9 teams yet there is a goal difference of 7 then I'd say goal difference is the deciding factor between success and failure and this point in time who's to say it wont be at the end of the season?

[davieG]

Perhaps if you'd forked out the money to go you'd think differently, you might doubt goal difference being the deciding factor but you can't guarantee that, if we do miss out I'll certainly be looking back and say this was a missed opportunity.

You might be happy for every game of football to grind to a stand still after a team takes a two goal lead but I'm not and never will be especially when that team is so poor.

When there's only 2 points separating 9 teams yet there is a goal difference of 7 then I'd say goal difference is the deciding factor between success and failure and this point in time who's to say it wont be at the end of the season?

As for "Anyone who is not satisfied by that can do one" what makes you the fountain of all that is acceptable or not, if you're satisfied with 45 minute performances you can do one!

[NewburyFox]

Be funny if we missed the play off by 1 goal!

Yeh that would be ****ing hilarious!

[Guest Col city fan]

Nice to get the three points, but performance wise it was the same old City. So unenthusiastic I could not even be arsed to post even the shortest of posts when i got in last night.

So, for what it is worth, my impressions of last nights game.

First of all I thought our back 5 all played reasonably well, some moments of uncertainty, particularly the centerbacks but some pretty solid play too. What was odd though was a sort of collective unease that seemed to affect the whole defence, fortunately Watford were so awful that it barely mattered.

Midfield was somewhat patchy, Johnson in the holding role

showed a quickness in setting up play that Wellens simply cannot manage when playing deep, and as a result we got forward with more intent than we have seen of late. He was quick and neat and looked in total control, though he was never really pushed and never tested defensively. I really liked Abe on the right, he started really well. combined well with the excellent Peltier and the cross for Beckford was first class. He tired badly though, was taken off after about

an hour and could have been replaced even earlier. Hopefully this was down to his international commitents.

The Wellens/King pairing played more or less the same role, as they so often do when they paired together. Using two players to play just one position is a nonsense and although both played reasonably well I got the impression that either one of them could have done the job on their

own. With the pair of them playing pretty central, Konchesky had no cover on his flank but fortunately Watford were so bad it didn't matter, the City fullback 'owned' the left flank and was more than decent throughout.

With Wellens playing further forward than of late, he was much more effective in the first half and some of his balls into the box were pretty dangerous. His play deteriorated

badly second half when he took up a more defensive position and was instrumental in inviting Watford back into the game. King looks better now that he is not playing quite so far forward but was still a little off his best.

Up front Nugent continues to really impress me, plays with a smile, chases everthing and is starting to score regularly, (4 in 8 I think). Beckford looks lazy in comparison but is a

different sort of player, if we can feed balls into his feet instead of into the channels I am sure he will do well.

Overall the performance was decent first half and somewhat lackadaisical second, as so often with us this season we got the result because some of our better players got the job done, individual performances made the

difference but team play remains poor. Our shape is still not great and there are times when our players do not seem to really know their roles, not a big problem last night but against better opposition I think it will be a real problem.

Couple of plus points even so, I like the Peltier/Abe pairing down the right, looked ok when it was tried a few games

ago and was good, first half at least, last night. Given our lack of options in wide positions I think It is something that should be persisted with. Nugent is looking better with every game and along with Beckford should be able to score regularly if we can give them the service.

I just can't agree with you on Abe down the right hand side. Peltier yes, he's coming on strong with the exception of his final ball into the box ( but then again he's not a winger)

Abe is not an attacking midfielder. He has no real pace to get at defences and tires out so easily.

That team would look 'right and proper' with attacking midfielders on either side of the diamond.

Imagine it with Cleverley on the right side for example. Someone who could get the ball from Johnson and run with it, with pace, to create his own chances or to set up someone else. The formation, again for me, requires the right players in the right positions for it to really succeed.

Abe is not a right midfielder in a diamond formation. Danns is better suited to that position IF he were on form...

[beryllind]

Sven's hot and cold team. --- Derby hot, Brum cold,--- Watford 1st half hot, 2nd half cold. Can anyone explain WHY.

[marbelladave]

I just can't agree with you on Abe down the right hand side. Peltier yes, he's coming on strong with the exception of his final ball into the box ( but then again he's not a winger)

Abe is not an attacking midfielder. He has no real pace to get at defences and tires out so easily.

That team would look 'right and proper' with attacking midfielders on either side of the diamond.

Imagine it with Cleverley on the right side for example. Someone who could get the ball from Johnson and run with it, with pace, to create his own chances or to set up someone else. The formation, again for me, requires the right players in the right positions for it to really succeed.

Abe is not a right midfielder in a diamond formation. Danns is better suited to that position IF he were on form...

Evening Col.....

Personally I thought he has played quite well when deployed on the right, the pace and the cutting edge mainly comes from Peltier with Abe working up and down filling the gaps. He does contribute in forward areas as Beckfords goal shows and unlike Fernandes who has played there most recently, he actually stays fairly wide.

Are 'diamond' has been somewhat 'flattened' in recent games wiith King not playing as far forward as earlier in the season, more a 4-1-3-2. I am still deeply unhappy with the setup in our midfield, both in terms of formation and personell and I do not think Sven has much of an idea either.

None of our other midfielders have any interest in playing the wide positions, whatever the formation. Fernandes pulls inside at every opportunity from the right and Danns is only marginally better on the left with the result that teams have regularly been able to 'get after us' down the flanks. Last night neither King nor Wellens gave us any width on the left but Wat.ford were woeful so it did not matter

I don't much like Abe in the holding role, he dosn't really sit, he hounds the man in possession and is easily drawn out of position, but this is not really an issue on the right, pressing the ball and harrying up and down is exactly what is needed.

Until we sign Cleverly (will it be soon?) I think he is our best option.

[marbelladave]

Sven's hot and cold team. --- Derby hot, Brum cold,--- Watford 1st half hot, 2nd half cold. Can anyone explain WHY.

Yes, it is really very simple.....

As a team we are poorly set up with very little in the way of organisation and absolutely no tactical nous whatsoever. Our players do what they want and in some cases play where they want without any semblence of playing a particular role or position.

When we play well it is because individual players, and some of our players are pretty good, step up and make things happen. Because we are really not playing as a team these brief spells of brilliance do not last and so we blow hot and cold.

OK.....

[Number 6]

Watford 2/1 to be relegated on Paddy Power. Definitely having some of that.

[Guest Col city fan]

Evening Col.....

Personally I thought he has played quite well when deployed on the right, the pace and the cutting edge mainly comes from Peltier with Abe working up and down filling the gaps. He does contribute in forward areas as Beckfords goal shows and unlike Fernandes who has played there

most recently, he actually stays fairly wide.

Are 'diamond' has been somewhat 'flattened' in recent games wiith King not playing as far forward as earlier in the season, more a 4-1-3-2. I am still deeply unhappy with the setup in our midfield, both in terms of formation and personell and I do not think Sven has much of an idea either.

None of our other midfielders have any interest in playing the wide positions, whatever the formation. Fernandes pulls inside at every opportunity from the right and Danns is only marginally better on the left with the result that teams have regularly been able to 'get after us' down the flanks. Last night neither King nor Wellens gave us any width on the left but Wat.ford were woeful so it did not matter

I don't much like Abe in the holding role, he dosn't really sit, he hounds the man in possession and is easily drawn out of position, but this is not really an issue on the right, pressing the ball and harrying up and down is exactly what is needed.

Until we sign Cleverly (will it be soon?) I think he is our best option.

Evening dave....

Perhaps Cleverlys off the radar mate to be fair.. However, we found a good young attacking midfielder in him so I see no reason why we can't again.

If Sven is gonna insist on the diamond, which is probable, I'd like to see a couple of players brought in who are 'natural' in these positions. Danns should be the one on the right hand side, but he's so out of sorts for whatever reason. But there are others out there

I'm not knocking Abe (though I'm not a fan of his to be honest)... He's just not natural in this position

[Staff]

SKY ROCKETS IN FLIGHT!!!!

AFTERNOON DELIGHT!!!!

[singaporefox]

First ever Leicester game for me....

Really pleased we got a win.

Player that impressed me most was Johnson, a class act.

Others that performed well were Bamba,Peltier,Nugent,Abe and Konchesky.

Kaspar not tested that much but made a great save.

Bamba, commanding in air but does give you the heart in mouth moments.

Overall, our players are comfortable on the ball.

We should get automatic promotion this season...

Looking forward to another 3 points on Sat.

C'mon you foxes, make my trip back to Singapore a memorable one

Cheers! everyone.

[marbelladave]

Evening dave....

Perhaps Cleverlys off the radar mate to be fair.. However, we found a good young attacking midfielder in him so I see no reason why we can't again.

If Sven is gonna insist on the diamond, which is probable, I'd like to see a couple of players brought in who are 'natural' in these positions. Danns should be the one on the right hand side, but he's so out of sorts for whatever reason. But there are others out there

I'm not knocking Abe (though I'm not a fan of his to be honest)... He's just not natural in this position

But neither is Danns or Fernandes or for that matter Johnson, Wellens or King. Although our squad is horribly unbalanced I am generally in favour of getting the best from the players we do have rather than just bringing in new faces, in fact I would go as far as to say that even a player as good as Cleverly would struggle in the disjointed mess that is our midfield at the current time.

As for Danns, I was really exited about his signing, I saw him a few times last season and he was the dominant figure in the Palace midfield and I would like to see him given the pivotal attacking role in ours. Personally I would change the formation, but even if we stay with the current system I would like to see him given a chance at the point of the diamond.