Watford (a) Post-Match Thread (2-1 defeat)

[KJT]

4 minutes ago, Monsell1976 said:

Since the run of 4 wins, I think we have been flat.

 

 Is it the new manager bounce over, and we are back to how they played under shakers, or do we face facts, some of these players are not good enough, or at least not good enough consistently.

 

 Puel’s team selections raise concerns, and his tactics and subs at times are questionable, but it’s hard to judge him, as this isn’t his squad, and I don’t think some of these players can play his way, so I have kind of written of this season already, see what puel has with his own team next season, but a massive freshen up of playing staff needed in the summer.

Can't puel bring on the sub's earlier on then bringing them on in the last 10 minutes, cos we looked good attack wise in right at the end and slimani was good

[Monsell1976]

1 minute ago, KJT said:

Can't puel bring on the sub's earlier on then bringing them on in the last 10 minutes, cos we looked good attack wise in right at the end and slimani was good

Agree, this is why said subs questionable, at times seems very slow at changes when they are needed.

 How flat we are, we need to use the squad, but we can’t just throw them in at the deep end for a game, or sub appearance, and expect them to be up to speed.

 I like slim, and think he could do a job, but like many brought, and not used, we seem to stick to virtually the same players, if they perform or not, whilst we have players frustrated at not getting a chance to prove themselves.

[SemperEadem]

What on earth were the club thinking with those hats?!

[steveherbe]

1 hour ago, Dan LCFC said:

I can't put it entirely on Puel. It seems to me like you really have got to be totally fresh to get in the side under him hence why Iborra can miss out completely despite our lack of midfield, although when I put it like that it sounds quite daft really.

 

King isn't the answer in midfield. He's done a lot for the club but he just isn't good enough. With King it isn't so much the mistakes he makes, it's more the lack of what he does in the game. He's never imposed himself enough on games.

 

Chilwell I thought had his worst game in a Leicester shirt.

 

Vardy had one of his worst games in a while. I was convinced he'd scored his chance.

 

It really was just such a flat, insipid performance against a crap side. I don't think there's a ground we're so consistently poor at as much as Watford. At least at Arsenal we actually do play quite well sometimes despite the results. At Watford we often end up faced against a poor side and yet end up losing the game. I felt like I've seen that game today about 5 times already.

 

We really did tick off some Leicesterisms today. Conceded to ex player (who ranks as one of our most bizarre signings ever), conceded on the stroke of half time (AGAIN), conceded two awful goals courtesy of set pieces (AGAIN), ended a teams awful run (AGAIN). Just such a waste of time and a shit away end to boot. I regret going.

Agree with the last sentence, I was surrounded by some right idiots. Dan( betting against his own team), Adam, Tom, Luke, Jack, yep, I really got the short straw. Cheers UFS. But we had a laugh.

[Brizzle Fox]

1 hour ago, Gerard said:

 

Puel has took over a squad that he had no say in, changed the way we play and took us from the relegation zone to 10pts above it. We have to accept that this is a work in progress and the transition won't be as smooth as we'd like.

 

We have too many squad players who aren't really complementing the first team nor are they progressing as footballers. I think we'd accept any reasonable bid for:

 

Jakupovic

Hamer

Benalouane

Amartey

King

James

Musa

Slimani

Ulloa

Iheanacho

When listed like that it really brings home how many players we have who are just not very good and also how poorly we've bought since winning the league.  A two window rebuilding job for Puel I'd say, so to be honest if we end up finishing anywhere around where we find ourselves at the moment at the end of the season then we'd have done ok.

 

As a side note considering how awful many seem to think we are, the fact we are still 8th shows how rubbish the 'best league in the world' really is.

[AjcW]

How are none of you used to us losing a winnable game after pulling off an amazing result yet? 

 

Look... all In all if we get a draw at Pool December has been great considering we’re still a team missing a centre mid!! 

 

What I would like, against the likes of Palace and Watford... is us going back winning a little bit ugly, the fancy football works well against the better teams

[BenTheFox]

17 minutes ago, baker11 said:

What on earth were the club thinking with those hats?!

To be fair mate I don't think anything has ever gotten lower than the Vardy masks. 

[NotTheMarketLeader]

5 hours ago, MPH said:

Look, the lads obviously had a few  Christmas bevvies, we didnt play well, rested a few, scored an OG, Gomes made some worldies. and most of you are there complaining probably because you,unlike the players., HAVE THE DAY OFF, and were able to watch/listen to the game,

 

 

Stop overreacting and getting your knickers in a twist. Bad day at the office and now time to move on.

 

 

 

It’s not AN off day.

 

Shit against Palace shit here. Not enough desire to get forward an score goals

aa far as I am concerned.

 

Some shocking performances today; and those saying we missed Iborra clearly haven’t watched his last three games where he has been awful.

 

2/3 of the last 3 games we have lost to very poor sides

 

Despite people saying it’s not the manager’s fault; he ‘chucked’ the league Cup for 1pt in 3 games in the league.

 

Puel IS doing something wrong when you note the number of goals we are conceding,

its his job to sort that these errors out.

Edited 26 December 2017 by NotTheMarketLeader

[Sol thewall Bamba]

19 minutes ago, baker11 said:

What on earth were the club thinking with those hats?!

Best marketing team ever!

[l444ry]

Think the disappointment of losing has caused an  exaggerated over reaction here. Couple of rotations and injury did for us today. Probably should have won that game when we were on top but that's football. With so many games in a short time I can't see what alternative Puel had.

[brucey]

Of the 11 games under Puel, I feel like we've only been consistently good throughout in two games - Southampton and Man United.

Even during the winning streak, the performances seemed to be 'a tale of two halves' or alternating brilliant and shit every 10 minutes.

Couple of opponents scoring own goals and missing open nets during that period... things are just evening out now.

I feel like Shakey could have gotten a point from today with a better team selection. Although I don't think he would have gotten anything from Man U.

Not moaning too much about today due to the CM situation, apart from probably 2 exceptions over the last two seasons, every time we haven't had our first choice pairing available we've been pretty shit. Silva in 1 week.... let's hope he's a good one.

[NotTheMarketLeader]

4 hours ago, esoog said:

Dragovich was the ONLY poor performance that stood out. Possibly being played out of position. You will get disappointed games and can see the reaction from the players at the end. Onwards and upwards 

You didn’t watch the game did you.

 

Ndiddi constantly gave the ball away.

 

Kasper cocked up and scored an og.

 

Chilwell was appalling.

 

To name but 3

Edited 26 December 2017 by NotTheMarketLeader

[Julian Joachim Jr Shabadoo]

Put Hamer in goal for a few games, Schmeichel has made some sloppy errors lately and either needs time out or a kick up the stinkhole

 

As for the game, utterly dreadful. Could barely stay awake for the 2nd half.

[NotTheMarketLeader]

1 hour ago, Cardiff_Fox said:

What’s gave you that idea ?

His post match interview 

[RumbleFox]

4 hours ago, FoxInTheBirstallBox said:

Not wrong though, he cannot defend, he hits it up field aimlessly. Gets pushed off the ball so easily. Useless would be a compliment to him

No need to swear and give personal insults though eh?  How does that add credence to anyone's argument? X

[RumbleFox]

35 minutes ago, brucey said:

Of the 11 games under Puel, I feel like we've only been consistently good throughout in two games - Southampton and Man United.

Even during the winning streak, the performances seemed to be 'a tale of two halves' or alternating brilliant and shit every 10 minutes.

Couple of opponents scoring own goals and missing open nets during that period... things are just evening out now.

I feel like Shakey could have gotten a point from today with a better team selection. Although I don't think he would have gotten anything from Man U.

Not moaning too much about today due to the CM situation, apart from probably 2 exceptions over the last two seasons, every time we haven't had our first choice pairing available we've been pretty shit. Silva in 1 week.... let's hope he's a good one.

It's almost like he was new or something?  Or like a team is trying to get used to a new system of playing?  Not saying you are wrong but clearly these things take a little time?  Let's see where we are after another 10 games before we panic too much. X

[esoog]

26 minutes ago, NotTheMarketLeader said:

You didn’t watch the game did you.

 

Ndiddi constantly gave the ball away.

 

Kasper cocked up and scored an og.

 

Chilwell was appalling.

 

To name but 3

I watched  but I don't go about moaning about players who have proven themselves very well in games this season. Everyone's allowed an off game. Didn't think chillwell or Ndidi were the weakest link in this game. Just unlucky really, and definitely think a different score line today.had we had a fit Danny Simpson playing at RB

[Ted Maul]

What's the word on Iborra anyway? Can't understand the thinking behind resting him today, if that's what it was. This was the important winnable game, not Liverpool. Should have played the strongest side possible today, gone all out for the win and then made a couple of changes at Anfield, sat on the edge of our own box and try to nick a point on the break. 

 

There's going to be so much pressure on that Huddersfield game now.

[KingKoala]

CP hasn't really rested some of our starting 11 so I think they are just out of form due to fatigue.

[winteriscoming]

Imo we are a mid table side a top 6 side would of won that game comfortably by a couple of goals - they were shit and we were worse than them. Even with Silva coming in our midfield options are limited. King does nothing. I don't think puel could of done much more other than make the changes sooner. Ulloa and slimani don't win enough in the air. This season I would happily take finishing top 10 and I think we will. I might be in a minority but I would take a boring mid table finish. 

[fuchsntf]

3 hours ago, EastAnglianFox said:

We are what we are, mider table, inerconsistent and can see t rshis beisng us for the next few years now unless the owners fancy pushing us on again.

Thats what we are exactly, there is nothing wrong with that, too many expecting we Should be chasing top 6 automatically.

Its this "Expectation' that is wrong , egoistic, and simply arrogant.Ambition, hope, dreams, desire, all ok, but the big 'E'..!!

 

It might sound strange to some, but disney world is for the fantasies.

Football you have to earn thr right, to dream the dream.

We have earned the right, to play at the high level and to compete.

 

Although, we have bad days, bad periods, bad runs, we are doing it in the PL, because we also

have had good days, good periods, excellent runs, in this 3yr period, we are competing in the area,

where it gives us just that chance to really believe higher ambitions are possible, but we are nowhere

near that "Expectation-level"   

Like many I know our history,we have a fair tradition, but accepted long ago , we might find top money

investors, but at present even with some good quality players, we are not yet financially at a level to 

continually compete for that top coverted top 6 position..Clubs like Soto, Everton have had  several attempts, to

find that  consistency, to continually knock on that door. 

 

Of course like many I get frustrated, feel quite deflated some weeks, but I wont jump on single games, or results,

nor the accompaning performances.  Puel has made slight changes, but he cant change the personel, so his 

rebuilding will Take  some time. His changes/ideas/tactics  will Also need time before players can translate it/them,

on a consitent level. His part successes, has given him and us a buffer and breathing space,

and  an actual Upward curve of new potential, after a somewhat awkward   period of stagnation.Immediately after

taking the prize of all prizes.

 

We see that the squad can produce great football with quality, but those qualities are not holding any length or time

of consistency, that requires its own special skills  and mental discipline  from within, any good group of Players.

CP and today, were bad days, but every single player are still in the mix, there .will be natural movement over

the next 6-9 months.I still hold certain ambitions for this season, I see no point going off on tirades against single

Players, who have just started their 1st real season, under their 2nd manager.

I grind it out at least  once a month, but Imho until we play 3 out n out midfielders, of a decent quality, we wont be able to find any real consistency, burn- out , mental tiredness will be  always an unwelcome  companion. Ndidi/a.n.other are carrying too much on their shoulders...

The inconsistency in our inividual gameday matches themselves plus over 4-6 game periods, 

adds ammo to my opinion.Defenders are not getting enough cover, then unnecessary mistakes

become too regular .Hoof ball then becomes  inevitable...

 

Though one issue remains a mystery, our continual problems with corners and set pieces,

Plus our own free kicks, show a total lack of plan or forthought. 

   

 

 

 

 

[VLC86]

30 minutes ago, Julian Joachim Jr Shabadoo said:

Put Hamer in goal for a few games, Schmeichel has made some sloppy errors lately and either needs time out or a kick up the stinkhole

 

As for the game, utterly dreadful. Could barely stay awake for the 2nd half.

Nobody wants to see that at Liverpool away Jesus Christ. It looked like Dragovic was going to get sent off at one point and the only option for RB for that then would have been Benny .

[lcfcdamo]

Can silva play next game

[The Doctor]

16 minutes ago, Costock_Fox said:

Nobody wants to see that at Liverpool away Jesus Christ. It looked like Dragovic was going to get sent off at one point and the only option for RB for that then would have been Benny .

Amartey was only suspended for today wasn't he, one match ban for two yellows. Big Dan Amartey vs some combination of coutinho, salad and mane... Chaos.

 

3 minutes ago, lcfcdamo said:

Can silva play next game

Earliest he can play is fleetwood in the cup

[VLC86]

1 minute ago, The Doctor said:

Amartey was only suspended for today wasn't he, one match ban for two yellows. Big Dan Amartey vs some combination of coutinho, salad and mane... Chaos.

 

Earliest he can play is fleetwood in the cup

Oh yeah buzzing, Can’t wait to see him get sent off again.