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Graham Humphrey

No excuses

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Yes, Watford are well clear at the top, yes, playing a game two days after our last one is silly, and yes, the officials were appalling. But it was a reality check. We are awful. Any team can play well the odd game but doing it consistently is the key, and we''re simply not up to it.

For me it wasn''t the fact we lost - Watford are a very good side - it was how we lost. I counted 1 shot on and 1 shot off target all match. And two or three corners. You can''t put that all down to playing two games in three days. We had one decent player - Chadwick - and he was subbed. Croft, Martin and Smith all played out of position at some point. Almost everyone on the pitch had no idea at all and I can''t defend that, neither can I defend playing with no spirit or passion whatsoever. It was men against boys.

We''ve got two points from ten games. We need to start winning quickly just to keep in touch. But I can''t see it with this shambles of a squad. I hope and pray Roeder gets money to spend in January otherwise we''ll almost certainly be relegated.

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[quote user="Graham Humphrey"]

Yes, Watford are well clear at the top, yes, playing a game two days after our last one is silly, and yes, the officials were appalling. But it was a reality check. We are awful. Any team can play well the odd game but doing it consistently is the key, and we''re simply not up to it.

For me it wasn''t the fact we lost - Watford are a very good side - it was how we lost. I counted 1 shot on and 1 shot off target all match. And two or three corners. You can''t put that all down to playing two games in three days. We had one decent player - Chadwick - and he was subbed. Croft, Martin and Smith all played out of position at some point. Almost everyone on the pitch had no idea at all and I can''t defend that, neither can I defend playing with no spirit or passion whatsoever. It was men against boys.

We''ve got two points from ten games. We need to start winning quickly just to keep in touch. But I can''t see it with this shambles of a squad. I hope and pray Roeder gets money to spend in January otherwise we''ll almost certainly be relegated.

[/quote]

you''re in trouble, wait for it[:D]

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[quote user="Graham Humphrey"]

Yes, Watford are well clear at the top, yes, playing a game two days after our last one is silly, and yes, the officials were appalling. But it was a reality check. We are awful. Any team can play well the odd game but doing it consistently is the key, and we''re simply not up to it.

For me it wasn''t the fact we lost - Watford are a very good side - it was how we lost. I counted 1 shot on and 1 shot off target all match. And two or three corners. You can''t put that all down to playing two games in three days. We had one decent player - Chadwick - and he was subbed. Croft, Martin and Smith all played out of position at some point. Almost everyone on the pitch had no idea at all and I can''t defend that, neither can I defend playing with no spirit or passion whatsoever. It was men against boys.

We''ve got two points from ten games. We need to start winning quickly just to keep in touch. But I can''t see it with this shambles of a squad. I hope and pray Roeder gets money to spend in January otherwise we''ll almost certainly be relegated.

[/quote]yes but look at the Sundays game, great effort, loads of attempts, should have won by 2 or 3 goals - and that was the same team! so it is possible. Maybe we could question the motivation of the players, up for the local derby and then a spent force tonight, I do think an extra days rest would have helped mind.

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[quote user="Graham Humphrey"]

Yes, Watford are well clear at the top, yes, playing a game two days after our last one is silly, and yes, the officials were appalling. But it was a reality check. We are awful. Any team can play well the odd game but doing it consistently is the key, and we''re simply not up to it.

For me it wasn''t the fact we lost - Watford are a very good side - it was how we lost. I counted 1 shot on and 1 shot off target all match. And two or three corners. You can''t put that all down to playing two games in three days. We had one decent player - Chadwick - and he was subbed. Croft, Martin and Smith all played out of position at some point. Almost everyone on the pitch had no idea at all and I can''t defend that, neither can I defend playing with no spirit or passion whatsoever. It was men against boys.

We''ve got two points from ten games. We need to start winning quickly just to keep in touch. But I can''t see it with this shambles of a squad. I hope and pray Roeder gets money to spend in January otherwise we''ll almost certainly be relegated.

[/quote]

Roeder needs to spend on rebuilding.. anyone he does get in i feel will be signed with a view to getting us out of league 1.

jas :)

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The most disappointing thing for me was that we never really even gave it a go, never looked like we believed we could get anything from the game. We had 1 or 2 decent situations when it was 0 0 and seemed unable to deliver any balls of quality into the box, Hartson was terrible and didn''t hardly move most of the game, Watford won''t get an easier 3 points all season. We really are in deep shit if we don''t get some players in quick.

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[quote user="Marty"]
yes but look at the Sundays game, great effort, loads of attempts, should have won by 2 or 3 goals - and that was the same team! so it is possible. Maybe we could question the motivation of the players, up for the local derby and then a spent force tonight, I do think an extra days rest would have helped mind.
[/quote]

True an extra day would definitely have done us good, but really this team has put in one decent performance in 15 games... I hope we see more of that but I''m not sure we''ll see it enough. Long way to go though.

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I think you are being TOTALLY unrealistic.   We are in effect in a different division to Watford right now.   Our season is against teams like Plymouth on Saturday.  You will not see a stronger side than Watford all season so stop griping and get real.

[quote user="Graham Humphrey"]

Yes, Watford are well clear at the top, yes, playing a game two days after our last one is silly, and yes, the officials were appalling. But it was a reality check. We are awful. Any team can play well the odd game but doing it consistently is the key, and we''re simply not up to it.

For me it wasn''t the fact we lost - Watford are a very good side - it was how we lost. I counted 1 shot on and 1 shot off target all match. And two or three corners. You can''t put that all down to playing two games in three days. We had one decent player - Chadwick - and he was subbed. Croft, Martin and Smith all played out of position at some point. Almost everyone on the pitch had no idea at all and I can''t defend that, neither can I defend playing with no spirit or passion whatsoever. It was men against boys.

We''ve got two points from ten games. We need to start winning quickly just to keep in touch. But I can''t see it with this shambles of a squad. I hope and pray Roeder gets money to spend in January otherwise we''ll almost certainly be relegated.

[/quote]

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[quote user="JC"]

I think you are being TOTALLY unrealistic.   We are in effect in a different division to Watford right now.   Our season is against teams like Plymouth on Saturday.  You will not see a stronger side than Watford all season so stop griping and get real.

[/quote]

That''s true but it''s not as if we put up anything resembling a fight is it? And it''s not as if we put up a fight against the likes of Sheffield Wednesday or QPR either...

I didn''t expect us to win but we never turned up.

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[quote user="Graham Humphrey"][quote user="JC"]

I think you are being TOTALLY unrealistic.   We are in effect in a different division to Watford right now.   Our season is against teams like Plymouth on Saturday.  You will not see a stronger side than Watford all season so stop griping and get real.

[/quote]

That''s true but it''s not as if we put up anything resembling a fight is it? And it''s not as if we put up a fight against the likes of Sheffield Wednesday or QPR either...

I didn''t expect us to win but we never turned up.

[/quote]

I can''t agree that we didn''t put up any fight last night, GH. True I can''t remember us actually threatening their goal much but I, and most of the crowd around me, felt there was signs of a more '' together '' team out there.We were up against the probable Champions so it was unrealistic to expect us to dominate. We started positively and therte was a point in the second half when it seemed possible that we might equalise, although overall Watford deserved to win and probably would still have gone on to win by two goals had we scored another.

The performances against Sheffield Wednesday and QPR were much worse, mainly due to the team being rudderless in the death throes of the Grant administration.

Whilst I am not confident of the outcome at all I think the new manager will do enough, just, to keep us in this Division this season but I would agree with JC that getting results against the lesser teams is of more importance than the odd win or two against the '' big boys ''.

 

 

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I think you are being unfair.  We did have a go but were outclassed and tried.  Even Boothroyd acknowledged the big game on Sunday and what it took out of our players.  Sheff Wed and QPR were games played under a different manager, so completely irrelevant from a motivation point of view.

 

 

[quote user="Graham Humphrey"][quote user="JC"]

I think you are being TOTALLY unrealistic.   We are in effect in a different division to Watford right now.   Our season is against teams like Plymouth on Saturday.  You will not see a stronger side than Watford all season so stop griping and get real.

[/quote]

That''s true but it''s not as if we put up anything resembling a fight is it? And it''s not as if we put up a fight against the likes of Sheffield Wednesday or QPR either...

I didn''t expect us to win but we never turned up.

[/quote]

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[quote user="Graham Humphrey"][quote user="JC"]

I think you are being TOTALLY unrealistic.   We are in effect in a different division to Watford right now.   Our season is against teams like Plymouth on Saturday.  You will not see a stronger side than Watford all season so stop griping and get real.

[/quote]

That''s true but it''s not as if we put up anything resembling a fight is it? And it''s not as if we put up a fight against the likes of Sheffield Wednesday or QPR either...

I didn''t expect us to win but we never turned up.

[/quote]Give Roeder some time - no, not too much, he doesn''t have it, but bare in mind he hasn''t had a week with the squad yet. He still needs to watch them in training and get an idea for who is best for the job that needs doing. I''m waiting to see what he does about the LB problem. With Drury out, Lappin and Murray not comfortable (or capable) there, what will he do? Turn to youth, or get another loan in, or stick with the square pegs. Please may he be the first of our last 3 managers NOT to go with the latter!

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[quote user="JC"]

I think you are being unfair.  We did have a go but were outclassed and tried.  Even Boothroyd acknowledged the big game on Sunday and what it took out of our players.  Sheff Wed and QPR were games played under a different manager, so completely irrelevant from a motivation point of view.

[/quote]

The full Boothrooyd quote is:

"The fact that we played on Saturday and they played on Sunday was an advantage for us.

"We''re delighted to have bounced back from the defeat against West Brom on Saturday and I was particularly pleased with out first-half performance.

"That''s probably the best football we have played all season."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/eng_div_1/7076419.stm

Only one spelling mistake from the BBC in the above..Anyone else disgusted they have added adverts to their site for non-UK users?

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