Watford 0 Sheffield United 2 (17/01/2009) 17/01/2009
Posted by Matt Rowson in Thoughts about things.trackback
Five thunks from the defeat to Sheffield United
1- In a desperate clutch at some perspective, it has to be conceded that the first half was a bit better. Much as we’d gotten away with a couple of things, we’d actually created some, you know, proper chances too. Not scored of course, nothing that drastic… but there was no collective hand-wringing at the interval.
2- Despite which, this was a minor deviation from the Reading script, a soap-opera recycling the same old storyline with different characters rather than a radical departure. Without playing Reading’s clinical sit-back-and-break game United made beating us look painfully easy.
3- As DM accurately pointed out, what flavour of idiot does Stephen Quinn have to be to get himself booked needlessly when two-up away from home against a side not so much punchless as unable to muster the gusto to clench a fist.
4- My brother speculated on the way back to the car that this may be the worst Watford team he has ever watched. I’d still have to cite Colin Lee’s late 1990 vintage as worse. But looking back, that side may have featured McLaughlin, Andy Kennedy, Mark Gavin… but it also featured David James, Gary Porter, Nigel Gibbs, Paul Wilkinson…. And the fact that we’re as much as having the conversation…???
5- Early days, yeah yeah. Knee jerk reactions help nobody, managers are given no time to impose themselves, to make their mark these days, yadda yadda yadda. Inherited a difficult situation, unbalanced squad with lots of dead wood and no budget. Whatever. Bollocks. We’re going down with Rodgers in charge.
BHaPPY (not BSaD) 
Totally agree with thunk 5 Matt – we are done for unless Rodgers is replaced.The fact is he’s brought in 2 players ( Cork & Hoyte ) who are better than the players they have replaced yet we’re still terrible and for that we must blame the manager.
We must also blame him for our punchless attack which has not looked like scoring for several matches now which is a woeful stat given the ability ( championship wise ) of Smith,Rasiak,JM,even Hoskins.
IMO If Malky was still in charge we’d possibly be actually safe by now given the way we played v QPR ( home ) & Bristol City ( away )with him in charge…
i really dont see why we didn’t keep malky in charge.
Rodgers is beginning to worry me. Not an ounce of emotion, at least you could see AB going ballistic and showing some passion for what was happening on the pitch. Rodgers seems to be a bit detached from it all, a bit like the witness who doesn’t see anything when there is a car crash in front of him.
Looking at the fixture list, unless there is a dramatic change in performances Matt is right, going down and before March is upon us.
1- Slightly better with Rasiak at the top of the christmas tree
2- True but if you play 4-5-1 at home?
3- Quinn has always been a Knobhead
4- A close call with Perryman’s tenure
5- Graham Taylor your club needs you..!!!
Thunk 5…. totally agree. There is just no sign of hope, or energy. The sight of our last two remaining centre-halves, one of whom is our captain, engaging in a shoving match inside the first 15 minutes suggests that all is not well behind the scenes. Where’s the drive, the leadership, the belief we can fight our way out of this mess?
In the words of the Broken Family Band, we don’t have the time to mess around. I don’t care about a contact book, ‘special’ friends, or a ‘philosophy’. In a few weeks we have gone from a side with energy and belief that took apart an insipid QPR side to… well, a replica of that insipid QPR side. In a few more weeks it will be too late to save our season.
1. pass – pass – pass – lose possession
2. repeat until defenisve mistake
3. rely on goalkeeper OR
4. pick ball out of net
5. go to 1
Alternatively
1. Yawn
2. ZZZZZ
3, 4 and 5 lost in my dreams
Oh well, always good to visit Bradford City.
Managed to get to this match: H’mm. Should have worked and earnt some money instead. Thanks Matt. Pretty much said it all for me. Powderpuff football.
For us with longer memories, Colin Lee was bad, but parallels with Mike Keen and (worst of all) George Kirby return to haunt me. Kirby and Keen were, at least, worse that today.
For those who enjoy humorous reading, the quoted Rodgers comments in the W.O. are recommended. Particularly the parts where he states he is introducing a style of football necessary for the Premiership. Good. I’m sure he is–I hope he also brings the eleven players he needs for this style of football, and the premiership, within the next two weeks.
In isolation today would simply have left me underwhelmed. In conjunction with other recent performances it has left me frustrated and worried and agreeing with Thunk 5.
On the journey home I was also left wondering whether it was too much to expect the manager to be able to answer two questions without using the expression “as I said” eighteen times? I only listen to the guy for 3 minutes a week but can feel my soul being sucked out through my bleeding ears. Based on recent performances I wonder if the players feel the same way?
I’ve just been listening to Rogers on
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/7835786.stm
The man’s just got nothing – no sense of urgency, no sense of fighting spirit – he just sounds dull and souless
Is there going to be a massive “Rogers Out” campaign from the next match onwards?? Can’t sing up myself as I live overseas – what’s going to be done about it??
Bloody Hell Matt. I have never known you to be like this.
And I like it!!!
1 – Seen the light Matt? If there are 3 worse team than us I have yet to see them this has relegation all over it and a lasting legacy from Gimpson & Cashton. Was appointing Buck his little joke to those who questioned him?
2 – Jay Demerit close the door on the way out. You have been fortunate to date in playing with experienced defenders such as Malky and Clarke and to a lesser extent Shitu. Without that you look like a lost sheep.
3 – Williamson sorry still haven’t seen it box to box player IMO little technical ability to play the way Buck wants. Didn’t we miss the option of JJoT breaking into the box…….
4 – Buck says it may take 3 or 4 more transfer windows to sort it out. So why appoint him? Surely we would have been better to make an appointment that could galvanise what we had. IMO we were only 2 or 3 half decent defenders short of having a half decent side.
We are still 2 or 3 defenders short but it now looks like we need a forward and play maker in the middle of the park! – Doesn’t a bad workman always blame his tools…
5 – I thought we played more direct today is……. Buck learning? Clueless? Clutching at straws?
Malky looks set to join Boofers a Norwich this week.
Mercifully, i’ve almost forgotten yesterday already. Nothing from the game seems to have made it into my memory.
I do remember some words coming to mind. Limp. Dull. Wrong-headed. Lifeless.
Of those, wrong-headed is fixable. Rodgers can change the formation from the one that hasn’t scored – or even looked like it – over the last three games.
The other adjectives – limp, dull and lifeless – are inexcusable for a side in our position, and for a Watford team. Trouble is, I’d apply them to the man in charge, too.
An inverted pyramid of piffle (c. Boris Johnson)
I thought we looked better in the first half than of late but there is no confidence in front of goal and there is absolutely no communication. How many times did we see Watford players run into each other or collide going for the same ball? This is compounded by a lack of height and weakness in the air, particularly at the back. The last is not down to Rogers as it was a problem last year as well, but his approach isn’t helping.
The players do not look as though they either a) know what he wants them to do or b) feel happy with it. On a positive note MacAnuff plyed better and Smithy looked more his old self than of late. Williamson did not look fit but Hoskins looked very lively when he came on. For goodness sake why don’t we just play to ouir strengths and with our strongest players.
I can only concur that we will go down unless there is a change and we really can’t afford to do that. Rambling on about building a team for the premier league is not what I want to hear when the problem is relegation. What is he going to do about the position now that is about to get a lot worse, Southampton at home in five games time is the first game I see possible points in. However, the team are likely to be so demoralised and lacking in confidence, even that is looking a challenge.
I don’t know how long the high wage player contracts are but if we take them down to the first division we will be in financial trouble. The alternative is that they go on free transfers in which case all that money down the drain.
Thought some of the comments on the Reading game were OTT. After yesterday I’ve changed my mind. Pete Bradshaw’s comment sums it up.
We seem ok until we inevitably lose a goal. Then the game’s up. No fight whatever. Woeful.
I can’t disagree with anything that has been said so far and that we are careering towards Div One (Ok Three!)
Just to cheer myself up here are some positives from yesterday that go some way to easing the pain of the league table;
1. GT on the front row of the directors box next to the Russos
2. Tommy Smith busting both bollox to try to haul HIS club out of this mess – and if only he’d passed to an unmarked Rasiak on 2 occasions he might have done it. Smudger is going nowhere me thinks…
3. Jack Cork. Even if its only to be till the end of April that lad is showing some desire to go with his undoubted quality on the ball. Don’t tell me loan players don’t care, he does and I love him for it
4. Luton Town
5. see 4.
For the first time since becoming a Watfor supporter in the mid 90’s I don’t hsve the enthusiasm to buy a cup ticket for Palace
Does that make me a poor excuse for a supporter? I hope not and I do hope that Wilson, Winter and Taylor together are able to salvage something from the embers of our flaming ugly season
I do not blame Rodgers totally for this mess – if you look at the body language of players like Hoyte, DeMerit, McAnuff and even Mariappa they don’t even deserve to be associated with a team that had gutsy, passionate players such as Hessenthaler, Mooney, Gibbs and Robinson in it. It is a wonder hearing Rodgers speak how he even motivates himself to drive the right way into the Vic car park let alone a team of average Watford contracted players and young loanees that can’t get a place in Premiership teams. My Sat Nav sounds more uplifting than he does.
Finally two rather telling points to prove that things aren’t going well: in thunk 3 Matt found himself talking about an incident involving an opposition player as there is very little left to say about our performance yesterday and the number of fans who had already left the Rookery after 90 minutes (it was less than two thirds full) I think told Rodgers and the players just what they needed to know about what the fans thought.
If he doesn’t get the message that he is losing (or already lost) the support of the Hornet faithful who can’t even be arsed to clap the players off then he may as well go back to Chelsea’s training ground – he won’t be short of volunteers to drive him there.
The most depressing aspect was that at half time the general concensus was we were still in the game against a good team and with a bit of luck we might get a result Noooooooo….. that is not what happened and the lack of urgency,understanding once we went down was worrying to the extent that I feel that had we even scored first, they would still have scored two…..as I said, depressing.
Also, although the loanees look talented they do play in a rather languid ‘premiership’ style which is not what we need if we are to be fighting relegation. We need some in your face players- bring back Bangura!!!
On the manager – like others I think Malky would have done a better job. Also do you think Rogers suffers from having a empty stand behind him. He might have driven me mad last season but I think ‘noisey’ East Stand man might just get the message accross.
Do you remember this time last year when we complained about the complete lack of football and blamed everything on Doyley? I don’t think at that time we were asking for AB to go just yet. Now at least we are trying to play. I know we have a defence that can’t clear the ball, a midfield that always seems to be missing and an attack that does not even look like scoring (Be honest when we went 1-0 down, what were YOU thinking?) We won’t change managers and we will go down. Our bad run started in November 2007. The present problems are deep, If you took over the club, what players would you keep? The poor performance and lack of passion on the pitch was only matched by the fans on the terraces. What was that miserable chant from the Rookery. Someone must know, it was the only one. Bright spots- Jenkins is still young and improving, Hoskins looked as if he cared. Its not the lack of concentration on the pitch, BR, its the total lack of interest.
Wat4Steve- two teams worse than us are Charlton and Derby. I am sorry to say this but when Charlton played us earlier I told my friend who is a Charlton supporter that I thought both teams were relegation bound (I was just being nice I did’nt really think we would be). Now I think we will be the third team.
Hindsight is a wonderful thing but I can’t help wondering what might have happened had Simpson and Ashton gone BEFORE Aidy. Failing that, why oh why didn’t we give Malky a bit longer as caretaker?!! We were doing well under his guidance and the players looked like they knew exactly what was expected of them and had a desire to win. During those five matches we scored 7 goals, admittedly we conceded 6 but still less than we scored.
In our last 5 matches we have conceded 10 goals while only scoring 3. Our goal threat has completely dried up and Tommy Smith’s creativity is being stifled. The same players that looked good under Malky now look very poor and there are new players who’ve been brought in to improve things! That has to be down to the management.
I agree with Matt that the first half was better, if either of the chances cleared off the line had gone in perhaps things might have been different but somehow I doubt it. I’m usually fairly positive but I really agree with Thunk 5 and can’t see things improving any time soon. It worries me even more that Malky might be heading off to Norwich; can we offer him anything that might persuade him to stay and take over? I only wish we could.
Derby won’t got down so that don’t count!
On a different subject what is wrong with our keepers? They seem poor at coming to collect the ball the first goal was head tennis in the six yard box before it got to the smallest player on the pitch. Why didn’t Loach collect it?
I am starting to wonder if Alex is up to the job, being a nice guy isn’t enough he needs to improve the skills of the players in what is a specialist position. To date both Poom and Lee have gone backwards and whilst it is difficult to benchmark Loach he was subject to a bid from Liverpool last year.
Red: Who says we won’t change managers !? If we did we would not be the first team to sack 2 managers in one season and we would not be the last.What about Leicester City last season – Allen went after beating us 4-1.Then Megson came and went followed by Holloway who was sacked after they were relegated.
We have Malky ready and waiting to take over.It would not cost that much to sack Brendan Rodgers as he’s probably not on that much plus he’s only on a one year rolling contract.
If us fans want him out before its too late lets do something about it!He may as well go now rather at the end of the season assuming we’re down ( which I really think we will be with Mr.Lacklustre in charge)
Surely the board,Elton John and Graham Taylor can see somethings desperately wrong as apart from the woeful displays you only have to look at the body language of the players.
Rodgers out RIGHT NOW!
Although I find it terrible to advocate the dismissal of a manager less than two months into the job, I can’t see any alternative if we are to have any chance of staying up.
Although the first half was a marginal improvement on Reading is as much as we created one chance from which we ‘should’ have scored (Cork’s), the eventual outcome always felt inevitable.
What I’ve found truly disturbing and that gives me such little belief that things can improve under BR’s are his comments such as ‘it was never a four goal difference’ post the Reading debacle (repeated a week later in the match programme!) and this idea that we should be ‘preparing for the premier league’ when we are right now facing a wholly avoidable footballing calamity at the other end of the table.
How can someone who I assume is an intelligent guy and who has lived and breathed the game all his life talk such garbage?
The situation calls for pragmatism, not the implementation of a technical style of football that even Chelsea’s millionaires have stuggled to make effective this season.
Time to re-instate Malky and Burkinshaw before its too late? I fear it won’t happen not becasue it isn’t the right thing to do, but because we can’t afford to pay the compensation to BR and his backroom team.
On reflection, subsequent to my previous comments, I would reflect on our last relegation season from the championship/division 1, under Roeder and prior to G. T.’s return. We were poor then, with a club owner, as now, (Petchey) who refused to allocate any money to the manager. In the team that first half season were Kevin Phillips, Mooney, Hessenthaler, Steve Palmer, Gary Porter, Craig Ramage, Colin Foster, Kevin Miller:- quality, effort, endeavor and flair, to varying degrees, who could at least be viewed as beacons of hope by the supporters. Even so, and with an end of season revival under Taylor, we were relegated by four clear points.
Tommy Smith apart, can we look with hope at the current squad players with any similar hope of a revival? Can we seriously expect a revival under this manager (Taylor took over at the end of February that season, too late to make a real charge). I doubt that there will be a change of manager now–any revival is down to Rodgers. Personally, I think the squad of players that season were better than now (even with Jamie Moralee). And even with Jamie Moralee they were scoring goals. I recollect that the main problem was the lack of a big, bustling central forward—I think we are lacking far more than that now.
If Rodgers pulls us out of this mess then he probably would deserve an extended contract!
JohnM
in fairness, we had a load of injuries that season that didn’t help – it’s not really a fair comparison. Foster, Hessie, Gibbs, Penrice, Phillips all had long spells out.
On the plus side, the scoreboard was working again…
Over the last two years, we have watched our squad become more and more unbalanced, both in type of player and salaries. The blame lies in all directions, including fans. Unrealistic expectations has put players under undue pressure, and some players’ performances suffered (Doyley and Mahaon spring to mind). The lack of atmosphere at the Vic has also been a hindrance. Yesterday it was like a morgue.
The ridiculous wages that were approved by Simpson and Ashton is bewildering. Surely Simpson must have learned his lesson after the ITV debacle? Obviously not.
The signing of players by Boothroyd, most of them not fitting into his choice of tactics, and then selling off all of out taller or aggressive players has left us with mostly a bunch of lightweight midgets (by comparison).
Like some others here, I don’t think that Rodgers is up to the job. We need to cut out losses, and fast.
I always liked Jamie Moralee. No idea why.
The football at the moment is horrible. I couldn’t make the game because I was on a train for five hours travelling down from Newcastle. I’m not sure what would have been worse, being at the Vic of being on the train with the worst hangover I can remember. Tough call.
Still had my Watford shirt on. Thought it might make me feel better. It didn’t.
I think we all know, the situation at the moment is bordering on depressing. But as long as the players are turning out, I’ll be trying to turn out too. A couple of wins on the bounce and who knows, things might look a whole lot rosier.
I think I might start a petition: Bring back Mooney from Marbella.
Dave Hart :That last paragraph should have started with – “Like ALL the others here”.
We ALL want Rodgers out,lets make that known before its too late starting on Tuesday when no doubt we will lose at home to Burnley
mustering perhaps one decent shot at goal in 90 minutes.
Richard S I don’t think the Malky/Burkinshaw dream team will become a reality, and in any case do we really need the wise counsel of Burko if SGT is back? – if as predicted Aidy goes to Narch this week I see his trusty lieutenant MM and/or Martin Hunter going with him
That will be a great shame for all us Watford supporters and be yet another depressing episode in the WD18 soap opera this year
to be fair williamson wasn’t fully fit today, and o’toole couldn’t play as he was suspended.
Matt:- True about the injuries—Gibbs was absent virtually alll season, hence why I didn,t mention him. However, apart from Hessy, and to an extent Porter, the mentioned players were available for the majority of the time Roeder was in charge. Admittedly, injuries led to disruption of the team, which obviously didn,t help.
However, at least we had the comfort, at the time, of knowing that the quality of the players at the club, when fit, was high. How many quality outfield players do we have not available through injury at present? Williams—?
Cut losses is the right phrase, Dave Hart. Who says we can’t sack the manager so soon? There’s no such rule on the matter – and it’ll take folk with the gumption of GT and the Russos to make what will potentially amount to a season-saving decision.
I’ll tell you what will look more stupid than doing that, going down to League One by doing nothing about it now.
I won’t be happy until the last (footballing) legacy of the previous regime has gone. That’s a decision I’ve come to after seeing some of the insipid, spineless pap we’ve been served up.
He was clearly told the club’s in rude health, you’ve got time to shape your own way and there’s no pressure on results. Thanks to the previous incumbents for one last parting gift.
Rodgers is in a dream world. WE’RE FOURTH FROM BOTTOM AND SINKING FAST – SACK HIM NOW WITH NO HINT OF REMORSE.
Agreed Walker ( R ).
Now dilemma time.Do we ?
A ) Boycott the match on Tuesday to show our disgust / anger / Annoyance
Or :
B ) Go to the match and keep chanting “Rodgers out” as well as booing which might be difficult if we miraculously find ourselves 3-0 up!
If one moment summed up our plight, it was during a break in play 10 minutes from time: While a Blunts player was receiving treatment, Blackwell called the others over to receive instructions, which they duly did; Meanwhile, Buck sat there, arms folded, while our lot stood around doing the hands-on-hips double-teapot. No one offered encouragement or shook a threatening fist.
The nearest we came to a bit of passion was when Marriappa and Demerit showed each other their handbags in the first half.
I’m really not looking forward to seeing Colin on Saturday……..
Hoyte and Cork are no better than what we already have
I have supported the ‘Orns home and away for close on 30 years and the last time I felt this bad about a manager was when Bassett took over. I felt so bad I defected to Upton Park instead of going to away games for a while to get some atmosphere and decent football! Rogers may be a decent coach but he is no manager. How can you continue to play one up front when we are not scoring. Hoskins needs a good run in the side. He is quick, skilful and wants to play and will create opportunities. As GT once said defending the long ball “if you don’t get it in the box, you won’t score”. Saturday was depressing and I can’t see where the revival is going to come from. The defence is a shambles. DeMerit and Mariappa obviously don’t get on and there is no confidence in Loach when balls are crossed in because he tends to stay on his line. Smith is being stifled with the new formation and the attack is toothless! Someone like Mooney may be getting on a bit but he would still put more effort in than all the team put together!
My 200 mile round trip to home games is getting harder to do with the knowledge that we will put on an insipid display and lose. I am not one for knee jerk reactions but Rogers is not the man for us. I have seen nothing in his tactics or talk that gives me confidence. Get rid of him now while we still have a chance of clawing our way out of relegation!
It’s very depressing to read about the lack of passion in the side, as the one constant of Watford sides since the Glory Days has been passion, even if it often hasn’t been quality or results. On the whole, players and managers have believed in the ‘Watford way’ and usually put in effort and commitment. Even during the accursed Vialli season, the real players in the squad (not the expensive pointless imports like Vega) played with commitment and Vialli himself even got worked up though he was a seriously crap manager. For players to show as much life as a week-old wet fish as comments on here indicate, is an indictment of club personnel and management and board level. To continue the fish theme, the old saying is that a fish rots from the head down and that head is Clodagh who really gives the clear impression of a novice swimmer floundering in the deep end wishing that he’d never gone near the pool in the first place. Getting rid of him would be a favour for him as much as the team.
Malky, though, is nothing if not a passionate man, and passion and belief are what players need in situations like this. Being led by a wet fish in a flasher’s mac is not going to inspire them, being led by a Glasgow hard man with fire in his eyes is. No player would dare to not give his all with oor Malky there tae give him laldy. If we’re going to go down then let’s go down fighting as Scunny did last season, as then we’ve a good chance of bouncing back straight away. At the very least, if Clodagh is to cling on, then FFS keep hold of Malky.
Looking at future fixtures I think we’re lucky that Royston Vasey have gone into a sudden slump so could be ripe for turning over, and Southampton are seriously crap so if we can’t beat them we deserve to go down. Wolves and Cardiff away are write-offs, of course, and even 1 point from those games would count as a major success. It’s sad, but we can only hope that Soton and Charlton continue being dire, and don’t suddenly put together runs like Forest and Donny have.
Pete Bradshaw: you do too much coding, lad, though the algorithm is sadly sound. And don’t you know that a ‘real programmer’ would never use a “go to”? 😉
Apparently it’s going to take three or four transfer windows to put this right according to Rodgers. Err… we could be in league two by then Brendan. And what sort of message does that send to the current squad, when it’s clear that they need to be instilled with some belief and confidence if they’re going to show the stomach needed to keep us up. Counter-productive, Brendan.
And apparently we’ve been in for a couple of players in this window and it hasn’t worked out -one of them was an attacking player. We didn’t have a problem with our attack until Brendan imposed his vision and tactics on them, so he can hardly cite lack of quality up front as the cause of our current form and league position. Sort the defence out, Brendan, and play to our attacking strengths.
What is apparent is that we are going down under Brendan – he isn’t going to do a U-turn on his beliefs and tactics, and the current squad aren’t going to get it working for him. So if we are to avoid relegation it follows that we must take action and replace Rodgers now – it’s a woeful situation – he’s hardly had any time to work things out and I’ve always believed in supporting the team manager, never booed, and haven’t wanted to see a manager gone since Perryman. But this is a terrifying situation for our club. Relegation doesn’t just mean a quick sojourn in league 1, time to rebuild, before returning magnificently to the Championship. Relegation may well precipitate administration, especially in the current financial climate and with the crippling wage bill for players that nobody will want to take off our hands. With a ten-point penatlty we’re only a poor-ish season away from league 2. And will our academy survive administration? We’re staring down the barrel of a 12-bore here and that’s what’s so scary.
So we need action. Our best hope is that Graham taylor and the Russos can see the problem, and will act on it if and when it’s announced that they are on the board (and we need action here quickly too). It seems absurd after such a short period of time, but a Rodgers out campaign IS needed, otherwise we’re limping out of the championship in a 4-3-3/4-5-1 formation and we may never return.
Andy I believe you are wearing coloured specs there mate.
Hoyte is a million miles better than Doyley and Cork is in a league of his own. You could question whether or not we had bigger priorities, I mean what is the point of two holding mids on loan. Particularly when one is sat of the bench?
I honestly thought Cork would play in defence where he has for Southampton all year , Demerit has lost it, is probably one of the biggest wages earners on a reported 7K per week, I say take £500K now why we still have half a chance!
Walker (R) and Reg shame on you!!; according to Bucky himself comments such as yours make his wife cry; he said as much when talking post match about a letter she had read in the WO 😦
Sequel rather poignantly wrote: “Buck sat there, arms folded, while our lot stood around….No one offered encouragement or shook a threatening fist.” maybe mate he was waiting for Mourinho to do it – Mrs Rodgers?- you’re not the only one who wants to weep at the moment
Dave Hart struggling for some positivism wrote: “On the plus side, the scoreboard was working again…” yes Dave but the left hand number is stuck on “0”; I read today that home and away we have endured five and a quarter hours of football since seeing a Watford player score a league goal – Rasiak at quarter to one on Boxing Day (and that’s WITHOUT the aid of the broken scoreboard!)
I have the utmost respect for happy clappers who are prepared to give our new manager time (although surely a defeat against Palace will spell the end) but it is clear he still thinks he is a coach and if GT discovers when he rallies the troops this week that he has lost the dressing room then, as Walker (R) has said a decision will HAVE to be made.
The whole club is paralysed by indecision and that is uncomfortable and very painful to witness
Stephen Quinn pretty much made my afternoon with that booking. Wonderfully brain-dead behaviour and I heartily hope it was his 5th of the season….
As for the rest, I can add nothing to what’s been said. There’s the door Brendan, pull it shut on you way out. We’ve got the three bar fire on…
This fixation with Malky is somewhat surprising me……..
He may be a good manager (one day) but what makes you all think he is the answer now? Lets consider the facts;
He has been coaching our defence all year
He is still learning the art of coaching having only stopped playing about a year ago
His only real achievement is beating a very poor QPR team that couldn’t muster a shot on target until they were 4-0 down
Yes we beat Swansea in the cup but they made 8 changes from the team that beat us in the league
A point at Bristol, on paper a fair result, but they have one of the worst home records, or did have when we played them
I really can’t see the arguments for other than it would be popular with the fans, until it goes horribly wrong that is!
Any way as I said he will be joining Hoofers at Norwich this week
Gerry G: Depends who you talk to – Some old timers might claim that “Real Programmers aren’t afraid to use GOTOs.” (from USENET post “Real Programmers Don’t Use Pascal” for any ‘geeks’ that have never seen it)
I agree with most of the stuff already posted and haven’t got the energy after Saturday’s debacle to comment further – However, what I can’t bloody get my head around is this:
We are having a shite season with only one recognised centre back ( who continously gets the wrong side of strikers) left on the books. (Sorry Marriappa you are not a centre back) The Defence is struggling is at 0-2 down in a league match so what happens???? The opposition bring on one of OUR players to defend against US. Thats what F***ing happens!!!
What kind of warped situation can possibly allow that?
I’m emigrating. Logic and Reality in Football is finished as far as I’m concerned.
Gerry, be fair to Pete. Like me he remembers BBC Basic. You had to use the odd goto back then! 😉
1. Sack Rodgers.
2. Would Graham Taylor return to manage Watford?
3. If answer is “yes” Goto Graham Taylor.
4. If answer is “I’m too old for all that day to day football stuff” Goto Kenny Jackett or similar.
BTW, I do a wicked cricket captain game with ASCII sprites on the BBC Micro if anyone is interested? No. Thought not.
Wat4Steve: One of the reasons it would make sense for Malky to take over is because he’s already on the payroll.If we sack Rodgers ( and therefore have to pay him and his cr*p assistants off ) the last the thing we should do is employ another ( possibly )equally poor manager who still might not save us from the inevitable.
At least Malky will harness team spirit and get the players playing 100% in the right formation to their strenghs something Rodgers has not done.
Also, I belIeve it was that waste of money/space Hunter who was employed as defensive coach, not MM & I really hope that Boothroyd ( if he goes to Norwich ) will take him and not MM!
Harefield – Sorry disagree Mariappa most definitely is a centre back. He has been play well (better than Jay), Even on Sat I though he played Hendo quite well until it all went pants and we know how good Hendo is in the air, yet time and time again he out jumped him. I am guessing, maybe unfairly, you are judging his ability on his physical attributes, which IMO is somewhat unfair.
MarkyMark – Don’t know if you have a point about Hunter or not. Only thing I will say is……. I can not believe with all his experience in defense and in the championship MM has not had an input into our defensive coaching. I addition Hunter left in November and our defense appears to be getting worse! Agree re cost. I for one was surprised when he did not get the job but only for that very reason.
I was told one more than one ocassion that “there’s nothing wrong with a well-placed GOTO”.
Mind you, the person who told me later had a spell in a “residential mental health facility”.
There’s nothing wrong with our defenders individually. The problem is that as part of a unit none of them provides the required organisation.
If Mrs Rodgers didn’t like the letter in the Watford Observer last week I suggest she doesn’t open it this Friday…
I’m sure Brendan is a good coach, and probably the ideal guy to have coaching young, gifted players in a low pressure environment where the results are secondary to player development. Unfortunately, he’s now manager in the Championship with a struggling side, and results are the number one priority for the rest of the season. Some pragmatism, and some fight, is called for. It seems abundantly clear to me (and most others, it seems), that Brendan is utterly dogmatic in his approach to the game and will not make the sacrifices required to give us a chance of staying up this year.
I hate calling for the manager to go, I hate the fact that I booed my team for the first time in god knows how long (since the end of Roeder, probably). But I think it is that important that a change is made, and quickly.
As well as being cheap, the big thing that Malky has going for him, as MarkyMark pointed out, is that the players will play their hearts out for him. Priskin was excellent in those games and DeMerit was completely different to the player he is now.
I think it is unfair to say the players aren’t trying. I just can’t see that Rodgers is inspiring them at all; the effort they are putting in isn’t being rewarded because we are not playing to our strengths. And as time goes on I think the players are finding it harder to respond to what they’re being asked to do.
As I said in my earlier post I can’t see that changing (I’m happy to be proved wrong though!) and wonder how long we can leave it before we do take action. If Malky does go to Norwich we really are sunk.
I think BFH is on to something. Every single player out there on Saturday is more than good enough to play in the Championship. Somehow AB and BR have not been able to make them gel as a team, especially when defending. We don’t lack skill but we do lack heart and leadership. I fear it is time for a change. Sorry Brendan – hope it works out better for you next time.
Dilemma: I certainly have no positive feelings about Rodgers—quite the opposite (see my previous postings). However, clubs that change their manager twice before February are usually doomed (unless they throw around big money). Unfortunatly, and as unpleasant as it appears, we may have to stick with Rodgers, for better or worse.
Any newly appointed manager now (short of utter genius) would have no chance (or possibility) of bringing in new players and would need time to assess the existing players properly. When G.T. returned to the club after Roeder he was unable to prevent relegation—it took until the last four matches before results turned—and that was with squad players far better than the club has at present.
Any new manager would have 3 months to change the playing system (again), instill morale, confidence and enthusiasm, and be capable of pulling the best out of each player. With all due respects to Malkie, given his close involvment with both managers and the coaching this season, would he fit the bill? If he is still here—.
The only type of manager that might succeed would be a Keegan-esque type, pulling performances out of the team through sheer charisma, enthusiasm and drive.
Bugger. I’m depressed now.
After careful consideration, I’ve spent the 20 quid it would have cost for me and my son to go to the Palace game on an Alfred Hitchcock boxed set. Cracking entertainment from start to finish.
Which got me thinking……….
A year ago , we had VERTIGO looking down from our lofty perch near the top. Now, we’re anxiously looking through the REAR WINDOW at the relegatiion pack, in a FRENZY at the thought of the drop. The players, led by THE WRONG MAN, seem to have STAGE FRIGHT. Without A SHADOW OF A DOUBT we’re walking THE 39 STEPS to trouble. It’s MURDER!
What we need is a PSYCHO or two.
Let’s not forget the positives from Saturday:
1) Loach didn’t roll the ball out once……….
……er, that’s it
Chance_of_staying_up = 0.5
While Rodgers_is_in_charge and Not (Season_over)
Wait until Match_end
Chance_of_staying_up := Chance_of_staying_up * 0.9
Endwhile
Andy C, you’re quite right, real programmers aren’t afraid to use GOTOs as I’d forgotten to my shame until I looked at this article. My grovelling apologies to Pete Bradshaw for traducing his programming pedigree ;-). Mind you, I’ll bet that real programmers wouldn’t do algorithms, they’d write it all off the cuff in Assembler, or even better bare hex :o)
Methinks that the forum planned for February could be very interesting indeed if the woeful performances & results continue under Rodgers and nothing is done about it!
After all, if it continues will could be virtually relegated by the end of February.
If thats the case,for safety reasons alone they may have to cancel the forum!! lol
The announcement of the Fans Forum suggests….
1) Brendan Rodgers will still be at the club then
2) A new board may have been unveiled. (“it is hoped further panelists will be confirmed nearer the time.”)
I don’t know how many people are going to be there, but I’ve been lucky enough to have grabbed a place at the forum. Should be interesting!
BFH : Surely a forum can easily be cancelled even at short notice ?
Note : GT is not going to approve of the Rodgers way of playing football.Thats a certainty !
I blame Frank Lampard snr