*****Official Match Thread v Watford*****

[Disco Dales Jockstrap 1,891]

Just now, Jerrykerry said:

Some of the doom and gloom and criticism, as usual, is imbecelic. 

You're the 2nd best parody account on here Jerry...

...out of 2.

OTBC

[hogesar 9,618]

Just now, Canary Jedi said:

Still top of the league and 4 points clear, we would have taken that at the start of the season!

After our injury crisis most sensible fans would have taken being in the top 6 gladly!

[TeemuVanBasten 3,327]

Just now, Disco Dales Jockstrap said:

You're the 2nd best parody account on here Jerry...

...out of 2.

OTBC

I think Jerry has been social distancing for decades. 

[Jim Smith 2,314]

Really frustrating performance that. Looking much the better side til we gifted them a goal with defending schoolboys would be embarrassed at and Zimbo, Max and McGovern certainly should be.

after that Farke once again has to hold his hands up for the horrific 20 minutes after half time which frankly was an embarrassment. It happens far to often and it’s a problem. Annoyingly we’ve kick started a team with some good players but who have no coherent style or play. 

that said we still could have hit something if Pukki was a bit sharper, the ref was different or we’d had a bit of luck. 
 

Zimmerman was horrendously poor and needs to be dropped and we need Krul back in goal ASAP. 

[Pukki Blinders 96]

Painful 2nd half. Obvious statement I know but that really poor opening goal changed the entire dynamic of the game. The first 40 minutes were generally very good. We had control of the game and were just letting ourselves down with a lack of composure in the final 3rd. With the way the game was going at that point though it was hard not to see us getting something. We looked like a completely different side after that goal, and probably should've lost by more. Any impetus or cohesion we had at 0-0 went completely out the window. 

Even if we'd just managed to nick a point it would've been such a nice result. Kept the unbeaten run going, wouldn't have allowed Watford to close the gap on us, and wouldn't have given their manager any momentum to start his Watford career with like this win has done. 

It's a lot tighter now, but ultimately we are still clear at the top. The next game against QPR in 3 days time is the ideal opportunity to bounce back. I do expect to see at least a couple of changes for that one though (preferably Quintilla, Gibson and Mario coming in). 

[GJL Mid-Norfolk Canary 1,735]

If we have a gap in our squad's armoury...its lack of pace.

Tonight was one for needing a Hernandez and/or Placheta to come off the bench. 

Being able to throw either down both flanks in the last minutes of a situation like that, especially after going 3 at tye back would be a handy plan C ..if not B

Edited December 26, 2020 by GJL Mid-Norfolk Canary

[Mr Tea 105]

Watching the game with my lad I kept thinking that our passing wasn’t what what has been up to. Missed passes  mixed with passes that seemed to be a yard too short . It’s what our game is , passing the ball around and making space .

Tonight it wasn’t there. I’d like to see the pass success numbers for tonight.

Little Emi looked like the sort of player that didn’t know where the goal was , Todd taken off,  it’s was just a poorer performance than we normally do and made Watford look better than they are.

ho hum

too much Xmas pud , howling gales and pouring with rain.

A better performance next game then back to 100% after that. 
2 losses in 17 is it ?

👍

[Bill 1,788]

If we persist with seeing possession as more important than chances we will continue in this way

Too often we got the ball over the half way line then passed back - so allowing Watford to funnel back into and just outside their pen box.

We missed Vrancic early on. Someone who can pick a pass, and after Zimmerframes muddle with MM can clear the defence coolly. Great getting Aarons down the wing, but of no use if his only option is to hit a low cross into a packed pen box. He would be better in  the middle where he can get forward in attack as he has the ability to take players on. Bringing on Hugill was pointless.

We are now entering the second half of the season where clubs have played us once and can learn what is needed to beat us.  Sit off us, pack the pen box and then look to break quickly, as us playing cute 'triangles' might help to retain possession, but when it is lost three players are then put out of the game.

[Kenny Foggo 1,116]

2 hours ago, TeemuVanBasten said:

Is this homophobia in the year 2020, or are you asking whether the referee can play the piano? 

Elton John is a Watford fan... Who is asking if the ref was a well known Watford fan homophobic? So in answer to your question it is not homophobic no.

[Alex 26]

I thought Watford done a job on us, we had plenty of the ball but I cannot really remember Foster making a meaningful save, Watford dictated where we were allowed to have possession and we rarely had the ball in dangerous positions of the pitch. When they attacked they did so with much more purpose and worked out quickly that they could get round the back of us fairly easily. We haven't improved at the back and we have no pace in defence  we have got away with it at this level but Watford have players that could be playing at a higher standard and were able to exploit our defensive vulnerability. 

 

 

 

Edited December 27, 2020 by Alex

[Jim Smith 2,314]

I think people are giving Watford a bit too much credit to be honest. They couldn’t get near us for much of the first half and although they did create some chances with lobs over the top which was obviously a deliberate ploy I don’t think it was some sort of master plan on their part to let us have the ball and to chase shadows for 20 minutes. They were just lucky we over elaborated or didn’t get our final ball right.  Second half admittedly they pressed us well until we made the subs and then defended well but even then we opened them up a few times and should really have got a draw out of it. 

[Alex 26]

45 minutes ago, Jim Smith said:

I think people are giving Watford a bit too much credit to be honest. They couldn’t get near us for much of the first half and although they did create some chances with lobs over the top which was obviously a deliberate ploy I don’t think it was some sort of master plan on their part to let us have the ball and to chase shadows for 20 minutes. They were just lucky we over elaborated or didn’t get our final ball right.  Second half admittedly they pressed us well until we made the subs and then defended well but even then we opened them up a few times and should really have got a draw out of it. 

We were good for the first 20 minutes but it's not like we really created much in that 20 minutes, after that Watford allowed us to have the ball and were comfortable in their shape and we hardly played any football in dangerous parts of the pitch. They created more than enough chances to be well out of sight. Clearly the balls round the side and over the top were a deliberate ploy because they recognised that  we are slow at the back.  Did we really open them up? I can't remember Foster making memorable save all game. 

Edited December 27, 2020 by Alex

[Jim Smith 2,314]

15 minutes ago, Alex said:

We were good for the first 20 minutes but it's not like we really created much in that 20 minutes, after that Watford allowed us to have the ball and were comfortable in their shape and we hardly played any football in dangerous parts of the pitch. They created more than enough chances to be well out of sight. Clearly the balls round the side and over the top were a deliberate ploy because they recognised that  we are slow at the back.  Did we really open them up? I can't remember Foster making memorable save all game. 

Pukki would normally get a shot away, he and Max got in each other’s way for another good chance and Skipp had an easy finish if Hugill has passed to him rather than attempting a ridiculous shot.

i thought we bossed the first ten mins. Then they had ten good minutes with 2 or 3 defeat chances. We were then completely on top until their goal which was against the run of play and primarily due to horrifically bad defending on our part. First 20 mins of the second half we struggled and they were well on top then after the subs we had a strong finish but lacked a bit of ruthlessness.

dont get me wrong they gave some good players and had three or four decent chances. I can’t say we were robbed or deserved to win but by the same token I don’t think it was some sort of tactical master class by Watford. They didn’t have the ball for long spells because they couldn’t get it off us not because they chose to let us have it. 

[ron obvious 1,501]

Liverpool currently demonstrating how difficult is it to find a way through a packed defence.

[Midlands Yellow 3,939]

19 hours ago, hogesar said:

After our injury crisis most sensible fans would have taken being in the top 6 gladly!

All things considered that would still have been the minimum requirement. Test passed though. 

[sonyc 5,492]

15 minutes ago, ron obvious said:

Liverpool currently demonstrating how difficult is it to find a way through a packed defence.

Indeed. You see this a lot and it helps to put our battles into perspective. We often play the better football and possession like Liverpool (of course not at their level quite) but meet so many well drilled defences.

In this Liverpool match we might see the sea break through the defences in the last ten minutes?

[ron obvious 1,501]

7 minutes ago, sonyc said:

Indeed. You see this a lot and it helps to put our battles into perspective. We often play the better football and possession like Liverpool (of course not at their level quite) but meet so many well drilled defences.

In this Liverpool match we might see the sea break through the defences in the last ten minutes?

At the mo. it's looking more like WBA will equalise than 'pool score another.

[ron obvious 1,501]

😁😄😃

[sonyc 5,492]

2 minutes ago, ron obvious said:

😁😄😃

You read the game far better than me!

Reminding me of Derby this match.

It's why football is so unpredictable. It's been all Liverpool but West Brom have defended  so well

[sonyc 5,492]

Don't even think VAR can save Liverpool now

[Clint 221]

It’s amazing to think that the injury crisis is dissipating but we still don’t have Hernandez, Placheta, Idah, Krul, Mumba and Byram available. All of which, could’ve been very useful in last nights match.

 

Edited December 27, 2020 by Clint

[Alex 26]

1 hour ago, Jim Smith said:

Pukki would normally get a shot away, he and Max got in each other’s way for another good chance and Skipp had an easy finish if Hugill has passed to him rather than attempting a ridiculous shot.

i thought we bossed the first ten mins. Then they had ten good minutes with 2 or 3 defeat chances. We were then completely on top until their goal which was against the run of play and primarily due to horrifically bad defending on our part. First 20 mins of the second half we struggled and they were well on top then after the subs we had a strong finish but lacked a bit of ruthlessness.

dont get me wrong they gave some good players and had three or four decent chances. I can’t say we were robbed or deserved to win but by the same token I don’t think it was some sort of tactical master class by Watford. They didn’t have the ball for long spells because they couldn’t get it off us not because they chose to let us have it. 

I think their tactic was to let us have the ball in specific areas of the pitch and then knick it back and utilise their pace, I think that worked well for them. We had the ball but we rarely played  football in dangerous parts of the pitch they had a good shape and cut us open on the counter on several occasions.  I don't remember having a meaningful effort against a Watford side with a makeshift defence. 

Edited December 27, 2020 by Alex

[Jim Smith 2,314]

22 minutes ago, Alex said:

I think their tactic was to let us have the ball in specific areas of the pitch and then knick it back and utilise their pace, I think that worked well for them. We had the ball but we rarely played  football in dangerous parts of the pitch they had a good shape and cut us open on the counter on several occasions.  I don't remember having a meaningful effort against a Watford side with a makeshift defence. 

We had the ball on the edge of their penalty area for about 15 minutes solid in the first half. We were definitely in dangerous areas and they weren’t “letting us” do that deliberately. We were knocking it about nicely although admittedly yes we didn’t play the right final ball and work the keeper enough. 
 

I thought that Sarr aside they were pretty average and there for the taking if we’d got our noses in front although they defended well and the stupid goal we gifted them changed the momentum. 

[TeemuVanBasten 3,327]

16 minutes ago, Jim Smith said:

We had the ball on the edge of their penalty area for about 15 minutes solid in the first half.

Sometimes opposition teams are happy for you to be in possession if you aren't doing anything meaningful with it.

In fact, isn't that the whole point of counter attacking football.... let opposition commit bodies forward then punish them on the break?

[Jim Smith 2,314]

6 minutes ago, TeemuVanBasten said:

Sometimes opposition teams are happy for you to be in possession if you aren't doing anything meaningful with it.

In fact, isn't that the whole point of counter attacking football.... let opposition commit bodies forward then punish them on the break?

That is clearly not what was happening in the first half last night though. 

[JayNCFC 14]

Clearly they knew what areas of the pitch to exploit, this is mainly through our injuries and lets be honest, the skill and quality of players they had. We were, on balance I would say the better side. I thought the ref gave a heck of a lot of 50/50's their way, but who wearing NCFC tinted glasses wouldn't say that. I don't blame the ref for their win, I blame us not ever really getting going. We were alwyas going to lose a game soon, that's how it is, football is as much sometimes about luck (you make your own yadda yadda yadda yadda) and tight margins. This one just wasn't for us, although it is that kind of complacency I hope that defeat knocks out of the lads, because at times it was all a bit pedestrian yesteday.

Emi looked good. 😛

[king canary 7,580]

2 hours ago, Jim Smith said:

That is clearly not what was happening in the first half last night though. 

I think it generally was.

[Alex 26]

3 hours ago, Jim Smith said:

We had the ball on the edge of their penalty area for about 15 minutes solid in the first half. We were definitely in dangerous areas and they weren’t “letting us” do that deliberately. We were knocking it about nicely although admittedly yes we didn’t play the right final ball and work the keeper enough. 
 

I thought that Sarr aside they were pretty average and there for the taking if we’d got our noses in front although they defended well and the stupid goal we gifted them changed the momentum. 

I think the fact that we created hardly any chances suggests that they were comfortable enough.

[Jools 584]

6 hours ago, Clint said:

It’s amazing to think that the injury crisis is dissipating but we still don’t have Hernandez, Placheta, Idah, Krul, Mumba and Byram available. All of which, could’ve been very useful in last nights match.

 

Aye, we'd win everything if football was 22 a side wouldn't we Clinty 😉 

[Jim Smith 2,314]

12 hours ago, Alex said:

I think the fact that we created hardly any chances suggests that they were comfortable enough.

No it suggests we overplayed it and didn’t shoot enough. They were not comfortable, they were struggling to get the ball of us then scored from a hoof up the pitch which we defended terribly.