'I rate it as one of the best performances' (From Watford Observer)
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Gianfranco Zola admits to doubts before Watford's 4-0 victory over Birmingham City
6:16pm Saturday 16th February 2013 in Sport
A through the net view of Almen Abdi's fourth goal for Watford. Picture: Action Images
Gianfranco Zola rated Watford’s performance in their 4-0 victory at Birmingham City as one of their best of the season, admitting he had doubts beforehand after the Hornets had to shuffle their defensive ranks.
With Joel Ekstrand still ruled out with a knee injury and Tommie Hoban sustaining a recurrence of an ankle problems, the visitors’ defensive options were further limited by a hamstring injury to Fitz Hall which is likely to keep him out of action for at least a couple of weeks.
This meant Marco Cassetti moved back to play on the left side of the central defensive trio alongside Nyron Nosworthy and Lloyd Doyley, but the Hornets produced a generally solid defensive display to finish with a clean sheet alongside Troy Deeney’s brace and singles from Ikechi Anya and Almen Abdi to lift them back up to third in the table.
The Hornets head coach said: “It was a good result and a good performance on a day when we had a few doubts before the game. But the attitude and the performance of the players, they just removed all the doubts and the clouds we had around us. That was very, very important for me.
“We were missing players like Fitz, Joel Ekstrand and also Tommie Hoban and so we had to adapt a little bit. But Marco Cassetti came in [to the defence] and has been excellent today.
“Also we had doubts because the last week in the second half [against Crystal Palace] we dropped the performance too much and we were concerned about our physical condition. Maybe we thought it could have been a difficult moment for us physically wise but that performance today I think it cleared everything out, it was very important.”
Asked if the performance was as good as Watford have produced this season, Zola responded: “I think there were some spells in the game when we were really good. I rate it as one of the best performances considering the difficulties that we had. But I think we’ve played some better games than this.”
Comments(47)
CARDIFFHORN
says...
6:45pm Sat 16 Feb 13
DuffmanWFC
says...
6:47pm Sat 16 Feb 13
We are a strong side that has plenty of cover/options! Just think about it... No Hall, Hoban, Neuton, Ekstrand or Eustace! Who are all very good defenders/workers for the side.
We still have to play a lot of the teams way outside the top half of the league and we have Cardiff at home and Leicester and Hull away which I think will suit us as our counter attack style could over whelm them?
Exciting times, all we need now is a few extra closet fans to turn up at home games and lend their voices and continued strong away support and we could even win this league!
WHIZZY HORNET
says...
7:24pm Sat 16 Feb 13
Summer breeze
says...
7:36pm Sat 16 Feb 13
mattymashup
says...
8:25pm Sat 16 Feb 13
I predicted 3 nil, guess I shouldn't have been so bloody pessimistic!
Forza Watford!
The BestTrip2011
says...
8:25pm Sat 16 Feb 13
DuffmanWFC
says...
9:01pm Sat 16 Feb 13
What an exciting prospect that is... Beating McPie and his over rated lady boys on the telly to go top!
Come On You Horns!
DuffmanWFC
says...
9:02pm Sat 16 Feb 13
wwwssss!
willia6692
says...
9:56pm Sat 16 Feb 13
Sounds like the Watford fans were in fine voice today, we need this at the Vic, lets start to raise the noise levels at home. You stay away fans, dont be shy come on down this is an exciting ride. We need you. The boys need you. Come on Watford.
Mangoputney
says...
10:52pm Sat 16 Feb 13
willia6692
says...
11:05pm Sat 16 Feb 13
Mangoputney
says...
11:10pm Sat 16 Feb 13
willia6692 wrote:This post stinks of bullying lol.
watford watford im so proud of you. amazing scoring goals for fun. Please get 3 points again tuesday. please please please. need to sing loud on Saturday Watford.
tiger bay
says...
12:35am Sun 17 Feb 13
PhilippineOrn
says...
3:19am Sun 17 Feb 13
mellow yellow
says...
6:46am Sun 17 Feb 13
lutondown
says...
7:07am Sun 17 Feb 13
tiger bay wrote:Good shout, tbh I have seen us better, and youre right, in that Brum were not clinical in front of goal, but to not be at full tilt and win at will like we did, is the mark of a good team!
Thought Marco Casseti showed a bit of class today..effortlessly switching to centre-back and Nat Chalobah was back to his best alongside an immense Almen Abdi.....Dont be completely fooled by the scoreline, Brum created a few good chances but some of Watfords one touch passing oozed Premiership quality. The fans were loud away from home again..only sour note was the over-zealous stewarding with several ejections via unreasonable force..Forza Watford!!!
mellow yellow
says...
7:12am Sun 17 Feb 13
"If there’s one positive it is that it’s all over, most of the clubs around City still have the pleasure to come."
The BestTrip2011
says...
8:14am Sun 17 Feb 13
mellow yellow wrote:Those Brummies always were illiterate.
A Birmingham fan on one of their fanzines, on meeting Watford:
"If there’s one positive it is that it’s all over, most of the clubs around City still have the pleasure to come."
SAHornet
says...
8:25am Sun 17 Feb 13
The BestTrip2011 wrote:What a stupid comment....makes no sense. Why not try to be at least a little bit constructive?
mellow yellow wrote:Those Brummies always were illiterate.
A Birmingham fan on one of their fanzines, on meeting Watford:
"If there’s one positive it is that it’s all over, most of the clubs around City still have the pleasure to come."
ChunkeyMonkey
says...
8:53am Sun 17 Feb 13
lutondown
says...
9:34am Sun 17 Feb 13
SAHornet wrote:Yes it was a compliment, we don't need to be ungracious in victory.
The BestTrip2011 wrote:What a stupid comment....makes no sense. Why not try to be at least a little bit constructive?
mellow yellow wrote:Those Brummies always were illiterate.
A Birmingham fan on one of their fanzines, on meeting Watford:
"If there’s one positive it is that it’s all over, most of the clubs around City still have the pleasure to come."
We were that team we beat yesterday and if we hadn't got lucky be facing the same bleak future.
DuffmanWFC
says...
10:52am Sun 17 Feb 13
It was only a year ago when we thought administration was a certainty, thank you Pozzo, Nani, Duxbury, Zola, the staff and players for transforming our club!
lockerbiehornet
says...
11:19am Sun 17 Feb 13
Great result yesterday, I do love strutting round Glasgow with my Horns shirt on these days! Proud as fek
micksolly
says...
4:42pm Sun 17 Feb 13
Holly68
says...
4:52pm Sun 17 Feb 13
micksolly wrote:Some of our younger (teenage/early twenties) generation fans were attacked by approx 15 men in their mid 30's (zulu's) by the roundabout down from McDonalds, they ambushed our fans from behind, knocking a couple to the ground, one needed medical treatment but was then ok. Our fans stood up for themselves and the Birmingham Zulu's ran back into housing estate, especially when police arrived.
Did anyone else get caught up in the trouble after the game?
There was another altercation outside Birmingham New Street station, again a different group of Birmingham Zulu's ambushed some of our younger adult fans, who I understand stood up for themselves and after minor skirmishes the Birmingham group ran off into the shopping centre.
This sort of thing probably happens at every Birmingham home game in small doses, away fans are fair game in their eyes when walking in smaller groups back to New Street Station.
lutondown
says...
4:55pm Sun 17 Feb 13
Zulus? They've shrunk a bit since the nineties! More like pygmys
micksolly
says...
5:22pm Sun 17 Feb 13
Holly68 wrote:So if that happens on a regular basis why don't the local police have a few officers at certain points on the route to the station? Really poor thought that sort of thing was all in the past obviously not.
micksolly wrote:Some of our younger (teenage/early twenties) generation fans were attacked by approx 15 men in their mid 30's (zulu's) by the roundabout down from McDonalds, they ambushed our fans from behind, knocking a couple to the ground, one needed medical treatment but was then ok. Our fans stood up for themselves and the Birmingham Zulu's ran back into housing estate, especially when police arrived.
Did anyone else get caught up in the trouble after the game?
There was another altercation outside Birmingham New Street station, again a different group of Birmingham Zulu's ambushed some of our younger adult fans, who I understand stood up for themselves and after minor skirmishes the Birmingham group ran off into the shopping centre.
This sort of thing probably happens at every Birmingham home game in small doses, away fans are fair game in their eyes when walking in smaller groups back to New Street Station.
Holly68
says...
5:42pm Sun 17 Feb 13
lutondown wrote:A Watford fan received medical treatment from an ambulance at the roundabout after being hit but was then fine and didnt go to hospital. No Birminghsm fans were hurt at the McDonald's roundabout, they ran off after cowardly ambushing our yoofs.
Holly, it was not a Watford fan who went to hospital, it was a Brum fan. The guy who was supposedly injured put record straight on twitter yesterday.
Zulus? They've shrunk a bit since the nineties! More like pygmys
So if a Brum fan went to hospital was unrelated or after outside station incident, which again was a targeted ambush by different Brum
Holly68
says...
5:46pm Sun 17 Feb 13
micksolly wrote:We are talking about deprived areas in a major city, football or no football there are always incidents in these places.
Holly68 wrote:So if that happens on a regular basis why don't the local police have a few officers at certain points on the route to the station? Really poor thought that sort of thing was all in the past obviously not.
micksolly wrote:Some of our younger (teenage/early twenties) generation fans were attacked by approx 15 men in their mid 30's (zulu's) by the roundabout down from McDonalds, they ambushed our fans from behind, knocking a couple to the ground, one needed medical treatment but was then ok. Our fans stood up for themselves and the Birmingham Zulu's ran back into housing estate, especially when police arrived.
Did anyone else get caught up in the trouble after the game?
There was another altercation outside Birmingham New Street station, again a different group of Birmingham Zulu's ambushed some of our younger adult fans, who I understand stood up for themselves and after minor skirmishes the Birmingham group ran off into the shopping centre.
This sort of thing probably happens at every Birmingham home game in small doses, away fans are fair game in their eyes when walking in smaller groups back to New Street Station.
Plus the Watford fans did walk down the road singing very loudly and being bullish, I know that's no excuse to be attacked, but they did draw attention to themselves.
When I went to Birmingham in the eighties on our way to the Cup Final when we won 3-1, there was major disorder before, during and after the game, you were lucky to get of the place in one piece, so compared to now, it's a needle in a hay stack compared to the eighties
micksolly
says...
6:30pm Sun 17 Feb 13
Holly68 wrote:I was also there in the eighties and remember how intimidating it was that day and was discussing the john Barnes goal with a blues fan in a pub before the game. I just feel that the local police should be proactive rather reactive ie the police van pulled up after the Zulus or pygamies had done a runner.
micksolly wrote:We are talking about deprived areas in a major city, football or no football there are always incidents in these places.
Holly68 wrote:So if that happens on a regular basis why don't the local police have a few officers at certain points on the route to the station? Really poor thought that sort of thing was all in the past obviously not.
micksolly wrote:Some of our younger (teenage/early twenties) generation fans were attacked by approx 15 men in their mid 30's (zulu's) by the roundabout down from McDonalds, they ambushed our fans from behind, knocking a couple to the ground, one needed medical treatment but was then ok. Our fans stood up for themselves and the Birmingham Zulu's ran back into housing estate, especially when police arrived.
Did anyone else get caught up in the trouble after the game?
There was another altercation outside Birmingham New Street station, again a different group of Birmingham Zulu's ambushed some of our younger adult fans, who I understand stood up for themselves and after minor skirmishes the Birmingham group ran off into the shopping centre.
This sort of thing probably happens at every Birmingham home game in small doses, away fans are fair game in their eyes when walking in smaller groups back to New Street Station.
Plus the Watford fans did walk down the road singing very loudly and being bullish, I know that's no excuse to be attacked, but they did draw attention to themselves.
When I went to Birmingham in the eighties on our way to the Cup Final when we won 3-1, there was major disorder before, during and after the game, you were lucky to get of the place in one piece, so compared to now, it's a needle in a hay stack compared to the eighties
Diggercally
says...
6:51pm Sun 17 Feb 13
'...and I would walk 500 miles;
and I would walk 500 more; just to see Gianfranco's Watford;
and to see our Almen Abdi score; Almen Abdi;
Almen Abdi;
Almen Abdi;
Almen Abdi;
da de de lan de de lan etc etc... or something similar?
Holly68
says...
7:57pm Sun 17 Feb 13
Diggercally wrote:Start slowly then build the pace :
Struggling to get the Almen Abdi chant off the ground. What about a verse beforehand eg:
'...and I would walk 500 miles;
and I would walk 500 more; just to see Gianfranco's Watford;
and to see our Almen Abdi score; Almen Abdi;
Almen Abdi;
Almen Abdi;
Almen Abdi;
da de de lan de de lan etc etc... or something similar?
I would walk 500 miles
And I would walk 500 more
Just to see Gianfranco's Watford
And see Almen Abdi score
Almen Abdi
Almen Abdi
Almen Abdi
Almen Abdi
Da da da de etc etc
Holly68
says...
8:22pm Sun 17 Feb 13
"Yellow"
See Watford's stars,
Look how they shine for you,
And everything you do,
We are all yellow.
We come along,
We sing this song for you,
And all the things you do,
We are all "Yellow".
Your skills,
Oh yeah your skill and goals,
Turn in,
to something beautiful,
You know,
you know I love you so,
You know I love you so ...
Yellows, Yellows, Yellows, Yellows
lutondown
says...
8:27pm Sun 17 Feb 13
Holly68 wrote:That'll get the legends rocking!
2nd Song :
"Yellow"
See Watford's stars,
Look how they shine for you,
And everything you do,
We are all yellow.
We come along,
We sing this song for you,
And all the things you do,
We are all "Yellow".
Your skills,
Oh yeah your skill and goals,
Turn in,
to something beautiful,
You know,
you know I love you so,
You know I love you so ...
Yellows, Yellows, Yellows, Yellows
willia6692
says...
10:30pm Sun 17 Feb 13
Diggercally wrote:class, this is brilliant, come on we need this unreserved seating to get these songs off the ground. Im so excited. Tuesday night who will be the first.
Struggling to get the Almen Abdi chant off the ground. What about a verse beforehand eg:
'...and I would walk 500 miles;
and I would walk 500 more; just to see Gianfranco's Watford;
and to see our Almen Abdi score; Almen Abdi;
Almen Abdi;
Almen Abdi;
Almen Abdi;
da de de lan de de lan etc etc... or something similar?
Holly68
says...
10:45pm Sun 17 Feb 13
where I was born,
l met a man,
who sailed to sea,
and he told me of his life,
in the land of submarines
So we sailed on to the sun,
Till we found our pitch of green, With our hearts at vicarage road,
In our yellow submarine,
We all live in a yellow submarine, yellow submarine, yellow submarine
willia6692
says...
12:00am Mon 18 Feb 13
s. i cant wait for tuesday ipswich.
willia6692
says...
1:35am Mon 18 Feb 13
Look at the stars
Look how they shine for you
And everything you do
Yeah they were all yellow
I came along
I wrote a song for you
And all the things you do
And it was called yellow
So then I took my turn
Oh what a thing to have done
And it was all yellow
Your skin
Oh yeah your skin and bones
Turn into something beautiful
You know you know I love you so
You know I love you so
What do you think guys, i can see their point.
Tonytheaceman
says...
4:50am Mon 18 Feb 13
The BestTrip2011 wrote:Like Palace out sung us :(
There is nothing like going to places like Birmingham and outsinging the home support. But that was the reality! What a fantastic away support. On to Ipswich...
COYH
Eastsussexhornet
says...
8:33am Mon 18 Feb 13
Tonytheaceman wrote:How often is it the case that the visiting supporters are louder than the home supporters - nearly always. Too many of us have an inferiority complex....!
The BestTrip2011 wrote:Like Palace out sung us :(
There is nothing like going to places like Birmingham and outsinging the home support. But that was the reality! What a fantastic away support. On to Ipswich...
COYH
Travelling Hornet
says...
9:23am Mon 18 Feb 13
willia6692 wrote:This would work! The song is an anthem , but getting everyone to sing in unison is the problem.
A few people on the WFC Forum are suggesting that the bigger teams that have 'Anthems' Liverpool 'Youl never walk alone' Man City 'Blue Moon' these songs work because the original words are sang.
Look at the stars
Look how they shine for you
And everything you do
Yeah they were all yellow
I came along
I wrote a song for you
And all the things you do
And it was called yellow
So then I took my turn
Oh what a thing to have done
And it was all yellow
Your skin
Oh yeah your skin and bones
Turn into something beautiful
You know you know I love you so
You know I love you so
What do you think guys, i can see their point.
Play it over the PA just before Z cars everymatch then we can sing along and learn the words as we go.
Failing that does anyone in the South Oxhey choir have Gareth Malones number!
tiger bay
says...
4:58pm Mon 18 Feb 13
Holly68 wrote:We all sup-port a yellow football team..a yellow football team..a yellow football team etc....
in Watford town,
where I was born,
l met a man,
who sailed to sea,
and he told me of his life,
in the land of submarines
So we sailed on to the sun,
Till we found our pitch of green, With our hearts at vicarage road,
In our yellow submarine,
We all live in a yellow submarine, yellow submarine, yellow submarine
tiger bay
says...
5:03pm Mon 18 Feb 13
I was born under a Rookery roof
I was born under a Rookery roof
Boots were made for kicking
Guns were made to shoot
If you come down to the Rookery
And we'll stick in the boot!!
Very anthemic but obviously needs tweaking as the sticking in the boot bit is a tad outdated....unless of course you're a Zulu.....
lutondown
says...
5:09pm Mon 18 Feb 13
tiger bay wrote:Yep the old ones were the best.
One of my old favourites was to the tune pf 'Wandering Star'
I was born under a Rookery roof
I was born under a Rookery roof
Boots were made for kicking
Guns were made to shoot
If you come down to the Rookery
And we'll stick in the boot!!
Very anthemic but obviously needs tweaking as the sticking in the boot bit is a tad outdated....unless of course you're a Zulu.....
Current pop songs and altered with thuggish suggestions...
It's a long way to Watford Junction
It's a long way to go.....( sang to quivering away fans)
lutondown
says...
5:12pm Mon 18 Feb 13
tiger bay wrote:And the completely daft but catchy..
One of my old favourites was to the tune pf 'Wandering Star'
I was born under a Rookery roof
I was born under a Rookery roof
Boots were made for kicking
Guns were made to shoot
If you come down to the Rookery
And we'll stick in the boot!!
Very anthemic but obviously needs tweaking as the sticking in the boot bit is a tad outdated....unless of course you're a Zulu.....
In Watfords fair City
Where the girls are so pretty
I first set my eyes on sweet Molly Malone
Where she wheeled her wheel Barrow
From Watford to Harrow.....
Total nonsense!
And knees up mother brown knees up mother brown..up the table we must go he hi he hi he hi ho
And if I catch you bending
I'll saw your legs in half
Knees up knees up...
The days!
Hopemole
says...
12:45pm Tue 19 Feb 13
PeteBogHorrorHornet says...
6:35pm Sat 16 Feb 13