(not yet) BFTG: Watford (H)

[Jack Celliers]

Hey guys, Watford fan in peace here. Just wanted to give my thoughts on today's game.


Thought Reading were very good 1st half, outplayed us and played some lovely football. You were a bit on the 'rough side' but were allowed to get away with it by an incompetent ref, who was absolutely awful for both sides. 2nd half you started pretty much the same as the 1st, going at us and really pushing for it. However, after about an hour or so, Fabbrini changed the game. You simply didn't know what to do and couldn't cope with him.

Your goals were good, especially the first. What a cracker that was. But the other two could have been avoided from our point of view, due to some poor defending. Our second, the penalty. From I was it seemed a pen, but what got me was that the ref was about to book Fabbrini for diving, but saw his linesman had given it and so had no choice but to give it too. Will need a second and maybe a third look at it to determine if it was a pen or a dive.

After that, we were gunning for it. You effectively crumbled, apart from a few moments where you looked like you could have got a decisive fourth. Crazy moment at our third! Thought the atmosphere was good today, from our seats we were very vocal, even at 3-1 down. Whether that was the same in the Reading end I don't know. The 'banter' between us and you was funny.

Anyway, I think you will be up there hovering around 1st/2nd/3rd come April, and absolutely wouldn't mind if you went up with us. Good luck for the rest of the season guys, well played today!

Oh, and the Drenthe looked class, he will be one of the ones to get you to the top of the table.

Nice to see an intelligent opposition fan! It was also good to see some spirit in what should be a local derby.

I cannot believe you thought we were dirty first half though. Your defence took it in turns to kick us like a 70s Leeds team.

[AkpansBFF]

Mccarthy 7 - Done a good save or two but nothing spectacular

Gunter 6 - Done nothing really
Morrison 8.5 - Done really well, good clearence off the line, him and pearce kept deeney quiet
Pearce 7.5 - Good performance
Bridge 8 - Few off passes, but good trickery on the ball, used his experience well to get out of situations

Guthrie 8 - Done well unlucky to give away the pen
Karacan 9 - Finished two chances, played well, sharp

Blackman 6.5 - Fairly good first half, little faulty in the second half
Drenthe 8.5 - Great first half, very lively, created a lot, doesnt panic on the ball, fast, skillful, very good
McAnuff 7 - Looked good when on the ball

Alf 7.5 - Great goal but didnt see loads of him

Williams 7.5 - Done well to beat the players he beat, energetic, looked good
Hrk 6 - No real impact
McCleary 6 -No real impact

Just think we need a target man and a real goalscorer then I think with time in the league our style will set and we will only get better then we will be hopefully complete

[Royal Ginger]

Mccarthy 7 - Done a good save or two but nothing spectacular

Gunter 6 - Done nothing really
Morrison 8.5 - Done really well, good clearence off the line, him and pearce kept deeney quiet
Pearce 7.5 - Good performance
Bridge 8 - Few off passes, but good trickery on the ball, used his experience well to get out of situations

Guthrie 8 - Done well unlucky to give away the pen
Karacan 9 - Finished two chances, played well, sharp

Blackman 6.5 - Fairly good first half, little faulty in the second half
Drenthe 8.5 - Great first half, very lively, created a lot, doesnt panic on the ball, fast, skillful, very good
McAnuff 7 - Looked good when on the ball

Alf 7.5 - Great goal but didnt see loads of him

Williams 7.5 - Done well to beat the players he beat, energetic, looked good
Hrk 6 - No real impact
McCleary 6 -No real impact

Just think we need a target man and a real goalscorer then I think with time in the league our style will set and we will only get better then we will be hopefully complete

Tips: consider punctuation, look-up the correct way to use the word 'done'

[Super_horns]

Your defence took it in turns to kick us like a 70s Leeds team.

Casseti wasn't even playing and he is the one most prone to fouling..

I think we'll both be in the top 6 at least if not better.

Got Forest next week so another tough test.

[Royalclapper]

Hey guys, Watford fan in peace here. Just wanted to give my thoughts on today's game.


Thought Reading were very good 1st half, outplayed us and played some lovely football. You were a bit on the 'rough side' but were allowed to get away with it by an incompetent ref, who was absolutely awful for both sides. 2nd half you started pretty much the same as the 1st, going at us and really pushing for it. However, after about an hour or so, Fabbrini changed the game. You simply didn't know what to do and couldn't cope with him.

Your goals were good, especially the first. What a cracker that was. But the other two could have been avoided from our point of view, due to some poor defending. Our second, the penalty. From I was it seemed a pen, but what got me was that the ref was about to book Fabbrini for diving, but saw his linesman had given it and so had no choice but to give it too. Will need a second and maybe a third look at it to determine if it was a pen or a dive.

After that, we were gunning for it. You effectively crumbled, apart from a few moments where you looked like you could have got a decisive fourth. Crazy moment at our third! Thought the atmosphere was good today, from our seats we were very vocal, even at 3-1 down. Whether that was the same in the Reading end I don't know. The 'banter' between us and you was funny.

Anyway, I think you will be up there hovering around 1st/2nd/3rd come April, and absolutely wouldn't mind if you went up with us. Good luck for the rest of the season guys, well played today!

Oh, and the Drenthe looked class, he will be one of the ones to get you to the top of the table.

LOL Presuming that you do go up! Don't think it's just going to be between Watford & Reading tbh, there's 43 games to go - great start though.

[windermere_royal]

Your defence took it in turns to kick us like a 70s Leeds team.

Casseti wasn't even playing and he is the one most prone to fouling..

I think we'll both be in the top 6 at least if not better.

Got Forest next week so another tough test.

you can`t get better than top 6

[Westwood52]

I am absolutely gutted after that. To be honest I thought given Watfords results I thought we would get battered-however as an attacking threat we were so much better than them and only three soft goals let them in.Must be Mapps in for Pierce-Williams for McAnuff and anybody for Blackman.

McCarthy 7: No chance on the goals ,two excellent saves; some weak kicking again though.

Gunter 7: No problems
Bridge 7: Ditto-when he got himself into trouble managed to get himself out of it.
Morrison 7: Couple of excellent last ditch saving tackles
Pierce 5: Why is he in the team ?
Guthrie 8: MOM put in a good shift and controlled the game
Karra 7: Badly ran out of steam last 20 mins-needs to work on this.
McAnuff 4: I am usually his biggest supporter-but seems to have lost his zip-playing as badly as last season against now inferior opposition.
Drenthe 7: Worked really hard-why isn't he fit ?
Alf 6: Superb goal but missed (for him) two very good chances.
Blackman 5: Not good and seems out of his depth

Williams 8: We may have a real class act here=must start
Kanu 5: Looked disinterested-was supposed to hold the ball up for us and put in a shift-couldn't be bothered.
McLeary : Not on for long enough.

In Guthrie, Drenthe and Williams we may have three of the best players in the division-but we cannot give away three goals at home.

[LoyalRoyalFan]

Pierce 5: Why is he in the team ?

I don't know why Pierce is in the team. I know why Pearce is, though.

[RoyallyFcuked]

Really disappointed not to have come away with 3 points. We controlled most of the first half and deserved our lead, and at times we played some nice football and coped very well defensively against a good Watford side. Each time we scored though it looked like we eased off abit, and there's not really any excuses for throwing away a 3-1 lead at home to your promotion rivals, with 20 minutes to go.

Still though, I felt hard done by. Watford did come out much better second half but after a preventable goal from a corner and a quick response from us to get the third it was really disappointing what happened next. My first reaction to the penalty incident was that looked harsh. Looked like Guthrie got a bit of the ball and their man made the most of it. The referee didn't give it until the linesman told him to, even the Watford players and fans wernt really appealing for a penalty. It looked like he was going to book their guy for diving. I need to see the incident again though. After they scored that I was still thinking, 2 goals flatters them. But that goal gave them new hope. We never really looked like scoring again and when they scored it was lucky but you could see it coming. Watford have some good players and look good going forward, but still a big shame as I felt over the 90 minutes we deserved the win. Felt like a defeat when the final whistle went. We cant be letting anything of this sort happen again.

McCarthy - 7 - Made one outstanding save, and as usual was reliable when called upon. His kicking is still his only weak point.
Gunter - 6 - Too inconsistent. I wouldn't mind seeing Kelly given another chance
Pearce - 7 - Looked pretty solid
Morrison - 7 - Same as Pearce, plus he is better passer of the ball and more comfortable in possession
Bridge - 7 - His experience showed, we have needed someone like him on the left for ages
Drenthe - 7 - At times he shows he does have real quality and I think he will keep getting better. Poor delivery though.
Guthrie - 8 - Was instrumental in most of our good play
Karacan - 8 - Played very well and worked hard, got in the right place for his first goal, even if it was a bit lucky and took his second very well. MOTM
McAnuff - 6 - As usual, average at best. Poor delivery too.
Blackman - 6 - At times looks ok but other times looks out of place. His first touch isn't great, still lacking in confidence too. Not good enough to be starting in the Championship IMO.
Le Fondre - 7 - Quality finish for his goal, but I'm sure he will be more disappointed with himself than we were after shooting straight at the keeper when through one on one and fluffing that other chance.

Williams - 7 - Created our third goal and almost created another. Looks a quality signing.
HRK - 6 - Not enough time to make an impact
McCleary - 6 - Same as HRK

[LoyalRoyal22]

Gutted in the end. But at least we are unbeaten. Think both sides will finish the season in the top 6. If we could have kept the ball better when it was 3-2 we would have won the game, this was partly down to the fact we had no striker who could hold the ball up so we could push up and retain the ball. I feel we are a stronger side than Watford and without a lucky brake for them at the end we would have had 3 points.

McCarthy -8
Gunter -7
Bridge- 7
Morrison- 7
Pearce- 7
Karacan- 8
Guthrie- 8
McCanuff- 7
Drenthe- 7
Le Fondre- 8
Blackman- 6

[Westwood52]

McCarthy 7

Gunter 6
Pearce 5
Morrison 6
Bridge 7

Guthrie 5
Karacan 7
McAnuff 5

Drenthe 6
Le Fondre 6
Blackman 5

How on earth can you give Guthrie a 5 ?

[Pseud O'Nym]

Thanks Ian! Who was weakest on the pitch IYO?

No need to look for new scapegoats when we already have McAnuff and Blackman surely?

[URZZZZZ]

from 2 nil at half time and then 3 - 1 in the second half, to finish at 3 - 3 is poor regardless of who we were playing

[Pseud O'Nym]

from 2 nil at half time and then 3 - 1 in the second half, to finnish at 3 - 3 is poor regardless of who we were playing

To err is human, but Finnish is Scandinavian.

[NewCorkSeth]

Thanks Ian! Who was weakest on the pitch IYO?

No need to look for new scapegoats when we already have McAnuff and Blackman surely?

Not looking for anyone to blame! Both teams are very strong and a draw seemed most likely to happen anyway! Only note is maybe to change things up a little for our next game! Bring in fresh faces and see if we can keep a clean sheet!

[Pseud O'Nym]

Thanks Ian! Who was weakest on the pitch IYO?

No need to look for new scapegoats when we already have McAnuff and Blackman surely?

Not looking for anyone to blame! Both teams are very strong and a draw seemed most likely to happen anyway! Only note is maybe to change things up a little for our next game! Bring in fresh faces and see if we can keep a clean sheet!

Just found it funny that your first question was who was worst.

[NewCorkSeth]

Just found it funny that your first question was who was worst.

Ahh yes well Everyone always talks about who was best on the pitch! I needed balance wanna know where we were weak as well as where we were strong!

[MmmMonsterMunch]

Watford fan saying we were dirty first half? Really?! I lost count of the number of fouls they made during the 1st half. If anything we gave some of it back 2nd half.

Bit peed off really - we got the subs wrong today & the whole dynamic of the midfield changed. Thought we looked a lot worse when McAnuff & Drenthe left the pitch but in fairness Williams did look good when he came on & I'd be inclined to pick him ahead of Jem next game.

I'm scratching my head as to how we fell apart so much in the last 20 mins. We started panicking & hoofing the ball up to Alfie instead of trying to retain possession like we'd done in the first half.

Mind you I'm all for a bit of entertainment & generally I'd imagine we'll score more than the other team most matches if we play like we did 1st half.

We need another striker asap - really hoping we do get Cameron Jerome now.

[NewCorkSeth]

Adkins denied we are in for Jerome..

[sandman]

I am absolutely gutted after that. To be honest I thought given Watfords results I thought we would get battered-however as an attacking threat we were so much better than them and only three soft goals let them in.Must be Mapps in for Pierce-Williams for McAnuff and anybody for Blackman.

McCarthy 7: No chance on the goals ,two excellent saves; some weak kicking again though.

Gunter 7: No problems
Bridge 7: Ditto-when he got himself into trouble managed to get himself out of it.
Morrison 7: Couple of excellent last ditch saving tackles
Pierce 5: Why is he in the team ?
Guthrie 8: MOM put in a good shift and controlled the game
Karra 7: Badly ran out of steam last 20 mins-needs to work on this.
McAnuff 4: I am usually his biggest supporter-but seems to have lost his zip-playing as badly as last season against now inferior opposition.
Drenthe 7: Worked really hard-why isn't he fit ?
Alf 6: Superb goal but missed (for him) two very good chances.
Blackman 5: Not good and seems out of his depth

Williams 8: We may have a real class act here=must start
Kanu 5: Looked disinterested-was supposed to hold the ball up for us and put in a shift-couldn't be bothered.
McLeary : Not on for long enough.

In Guthrie, Drenthe and Williams we may have three of the best players in the division-but we cannot give away three goals at home.

Hope Jobi Continues to play as "badly" as last season as he was one of our best if not the best last season. Jem got two knocks and had given everything when he was subbed and if there is one thing he doesn't have to work on it's his energy levels. Apart from continually being pulled out of position and allowing their winger to get in easy crosses unopposed you're right Gunter had no problems. Oh btw it's Pearce and he's in the team because he is a bloody good defender.

Still, football's all about opinions I suppose.