McAnuff wins it for Horns
4:57pm Saturday 22nd December 2007
Comments (34)WATFORD will spend Christmas Day at the top of the Championship after continuing their impressive away form this afternoon with a workmanlike 1-0 win at Sheffield Wednesday.
A seventh-minute strike from Jobi McAnuff was enough to hand the Hornets their eighth away win of the campaign and usurp West Bromwich Albion at the top of the table. More encouragingly for Watford fans will have been the impressive performance of Nathan Ellington who showed glimpses of the talent that prompted Watford to pay a club record fee for the striker.
Ellington justified his inclusion ahead of Tamas Priskin, who did not even make the 16, by leading the line well, winning his fair share of headers and setting up the winner for McAnuff. His task is to now help Watford end their miserable home form against Cardiff City on Boxing Day.
Boothroyd recalled Francis, McAnuff and Ellington to the starting line-up for the game at Hillsborough and saw the trio combine for Watford to open the scoring after just seven minute.
Francis, who added some much-needed dynamism to the midfield, charged forward from midfield, played the ball into the path of Ellington who advanced forward before bisecting two defenders with a perfectly weighted pass for McAnuff. Running from left to right, McAnuff steered the ball first time past Lee Grant and into the bottom right-hand corner for his first goal for the Hornets. It was the sort of start Boothroyd must have dreamed of.
Ellington looked particularly bright in the first 45 minutes and he will feel he should have broken his duck on 17 minutes. Receiving a pass from Marlon King on the left-hand side, Ellington turned his man brilliantly to give himself a shooting opportunity but his shot looped harmlessly over the bar after he appeared to have done all the hard work.
However, Watford failed to build on their promising start, seemingly content to sit back and strike on the counter attack with their rapier front runners and it was Wednesday who fashioned the better chances for the remainder of the half.
Marcus Tudgay and Steve Watson both comically contrived to miss their kick after a clever piece of play down the left from Burton O'Brien and then an unmarked Tudgay sidefooted just wide after some good play from Glenn Whelan and Wade Small.
In the final five minutes of the half, Hinds failed to generate sufficient power on a header from ten yards out before Tudgay blasted into the side-netting.
Wednesday started the second half as they had ended the first - on the front foot and it took a fine save to his left from Richard Lee to deny Tudgay who had tried his luck from the left-hand edge of the penalty area.
At the other end, Ellington should really have hit the target with a free header from a Tommy Smith corner while McAnuff was only denied his second by a brave block from Lee Bullen.
Boothroyd replaced the impressive but tiring Ellington on 72 minutes with Darius Henderson, but the nine-goal striker's first task was to form part of a goal-line defensive wall after the referee penalised Lee for picking up a pass back from Jordan Stewart. And the wall did its job, with John-Joe O'Toole bravely charging down the close-range strike from Whelan.
Much to Boothroyd's relief that was the final anxious moment of the afternoon and Watford successfully closed out the game to ensure they returned to the top of the table at the first attempt.
Sheffield Wednesday: Grant; Bullen, Hinds, M Johnson, Spurr; J Johnson, Watson, Whelan, O'Brien; Tudgay, Small.
Subs: Burton for J Johnson and Folly for Watson, 69. Esajas for O'Brien, 82. Lunt and Beevers not used.
Watford: Lee; Doyley, DeMerit, Jackson, Stewart; Smith, Francis, O'Toole, McAnuff; King, Ellington.
Subs: Henderson for Ellington, 72. Williamson for McAnuff, 81. Ainsworth, Poom and Shittu not used.
Ref: Clive Oliver Booked: Watson, Small, Whelan.
Att: 19,641
Your Say YourWatford Observer
alan, mk says...
5:04pm Sat 22 Dec 07
Voice of reason, Watford says...
5:10pm Sat 22 Dec 07
alan wrote:We'll get a few from Kings Cross.......
Wonder how many posts we will see after this win. Not many!
Have we recently set up a supporters club down there?
We've got the best away record in the country......Up we go!
Colin Inconsistency Watcher, Nr St Albans says...
5:19pm Sat 22 Dec 07
Tough luck Col Christmas has not come early, you've got it wrong again, your wish has not come true and we are top again.....
A sad night in watching the X Files to help you dream up new conspiracy theories and your old Luton videos in store for you sadly........you sad, sad little man.
You could try a 'well done' of course for winning in the freezing cold at Hillsborough in December but you won't will you. Because so many Watford managers have done that in the past haven't they..... and of course we should have done it by five with Fatty Hasselbank scoring a hatrick.
Perhaps if a few more of your negative fantasist chums got behind the team at home we'd see a difference there?
Ex Pat, Watford says...
5:31pm Sat 22 Dec 07
Have you got any big words for this one like, Well done Lads, or sorry for doubting, or....
ozy, voce of unresun says...
5:34pm Sat 22 Dec 07
Voice of reason wrote:so wat yu sayin, idiut. good wE WON TODAY, wat yu want
alan wrote:We'll get a few from Kings Cross.......
Wonder how many posts we will see after this win. Not many!
Have we recently set up a supporters club down there?
We've got the best away record in the country......Up we go!
Voice of reason, Watford says...
5:50pm Sat 22 Dec 07
Aidy's not the longest serving manager in the Championship for nothing, he's done remarkably well as the stats prove, we are lucky to have him, we can't be a bad team...we're top and have the best away record, the table doesn't lie, ok the home form is a concern but that'll get sorted, you've got to do anything to get out of this league and if that means playing hoofball then so be it
what's up with Colin, is he studying his dictionary again?
henry, oxhey says...
6:13pm Sat 22 Dec 07
Perhaps with NE and DF beginning to fire up it won't be enough for the likes of Plymouth to stifle our 'creative players' e.g. by getting three around Smithy every time he gets the ball ! Let's hope no-one at the back goes walk-about against Cardiff.
Neil Young, Broken Arrow says...
7:36pm Sat 22 Dec 07
Come on you 'orns, Come on you 'orns.
Clap Clap Clap
Darren, Canada says...
8:01pm Sat 22 Dec 07
James, Watford says...
9:35pm Sat 22 Dec 07
Keeping, it real says...
9:49pm Sat 22 Dec 07
Keep the faith.
doogle4, bovy says...
10:42pm Sat 22 Dec 07
And to make it all that bit sweeter for us positives, we won with the 2 players good old col loves to slate NL and JM, Well done the Duke it just shows what can happen if you give a player more time on the pitch .. Oh and that all so terrible result against stoke away !!! and then WBA lose 3-1 to the same team ....
there is nothing between any of the teams in the top 8 or so, we are going to have plenty of ups and downs over the coming months but as long as we are there or there abouts its fine with me !!!...
yellowperil, mars says...
10:51pm Sat 22 Dec 07
You spineless tit, get on this site and say something ... And the rest of you miserable P***ks who love to moan, someone stand up and be counted .... you cant just post on the matches that are S**te ... walking along, singing a song walking in a no colin wonderland ...... If i had the A**se of a crow,,, colin should watch out !!! .....
ian, watford says...
11:45pm Sat 22 Dec 07
By the way, Happy Xmas to all the true WFC supporters on here!!
Richard, Come on you Golden Boys says...
12:06am Sun 23 Dec 07
Good to hear that Ellington had a decent game and Mcanuff scored the winner. Will do their confidence no harm at all and could signal the start of better things.
I won't be at the Boxing Day game, duty calls, so please give them an extra cheer on my behalf. Would be great to stick a few past Cardiff without reply, although 3 points is the same reward as for a 1-0 win - which would do just fine.
Keep the faith & Come on you Golden Boys!
Watford Boy, Kings Cross says...
2:50am Sun 23 Dec 07
Sing your hearts out on Boxing Day, please. They don't say they need our support for nothing.
johnny b, bushey says...
8:48am Sun 23 Dec 07
Some good moves in the january window,and it will be CLAP,CLAP,CLAP all the way..
HAPPY XMAS COLIN..YOU LUTON LOVE CHILD
Voice of reason, Watford says...
11:40am Sun 23 Dec 07
Watford Boy wrote:I think there maybe another called Ozz or Odd or something that come from Kings Cross, It's great to hear from other Watford supporters that are from London and don't support Arsenal.
There certainly should be a WFC fan group down here but I might be the only clapper. Kept the faith all the while, home form dodgy but it is a steeplechase. Someone on this site (not sure who) claimed we had \"relegation form\" but 7 points from 9 away is certainly top-of-the-league stuff.
Sing your hearts out on Boxing Day, please. They don\'t say they need our support for nothing.
You got in late last night!!
Merry Christmas one and all, except Colin!
chris, the vic says...
12:54pm Sun 23 Dec 07
Now for two homw games where the opposition will look to stifle us and catch us on the break...just like the last three home defeats.
It is now up to Aidy to build on the good away form. Whether this is done with the same team remains to be seen.
But Tamas out of the 16 having been patently played in the wrong role by the manager against Plymouth seems harsh, and at wednesday a 'brilliant' back pass by Jordan when a corner kick could have been given away....maybe he should be thrown out of the club!
Seriously pleased that we won but seriously worried that after almost three years of Aidy we have a team that has gone backwards in entertainment and flair.
However well done Aidy...top of the league at Christmas is a good start so here is to a boxing day extravaganza please!!!!!!!!
colin, says...
3:12pm Sun 23 Dec 07
Get a grip lads, of course we will continue to win games, but I tell you what, we will also continue to lose games as well, starting with Cardiff on boxing day. 2-1.
It was hardly a convincing victory and there was very little evidence to suggest that Boofers intends to alter the playing style.
Moreover with the departure of King in January, the team should be sitting comfortably in mid table by April.
Merry xmas clappers....but it WONT be a happy new year i'm afraid.
Ian, Watford says...
3:44pm Sun 23 Dec 07
As you put it "we will lose games", but strangely enough so will other teams before the season ends....we're not claiming to be Arsenal are we!!
No one is going to walk this division and the instances of relegated teams going straight back up are very rare: so if Watford do achieve that, then its something AB will deserve much credit for.
In case it passed you by, we have the best away record in the country never mind this division - that form is just as essential in winning promotion as home
form. Teams such as Charlton and Sheffield United have also struggled at home this season, as the 3 relegated Premiership teams are seen as the big guns in this division.
Even WBA the "proper football team" of this division have been turned over, so give us all a rest and find something else to talk about where you have knowledge of the subject.
Oh and the "Marlon King leaving in January" story is getting really boring now. Its been around ever since he joined - but guess what: he still plays for us!!
Every single true Watford fan will be delighted at being top at Xmas - so you obviously can't be!!
Ben Thornhill, Watford says...
4:07pm Sun 23 Dec 07
Ben Thornhill, Watford says...
4:16pm Sun 23 Dec 07
doogle4, bovy says...
4:31pm Sun 23 Dec 07
We just want to get the best out of the tools we have got, as pointed out by some other posters.
lets look at Charlton, last year they spent over £20 million at the start of the season !, then shef utd, spent more than us in the last 2 seasons and this year attracted james Beattie !, they r both bigger clubs and both are behind us in the league.. add to that West brom who spent more than us when they were in the championship and we were in the premiership !!!. So the summary doom merchants is this : Boothroyd has done a fantastic job with the tools given, and those tools are considerably less than others in and around us, ok the football is sometimes a bit poo but he says things are going to change, so lets believe and stay positive....
I wonder if every club has a Colin ?, if Charlton or shef utd do then then i offer my deepest sympathies to you both.
Merry Christmas and a happy new year to any of the so called happy clappers, a name that i am getting quite fond of !.....
Mark, Watford says...
5:03pm Sun 23 Dec 07
EVERYONE in this league will lose games deluded fool.why do you think we are top!?
Arsenal and Man U only won by a goal at home this weekend...do you think their fans care?
Anyway I thought we were a "very crap team"..who are going to be "mid-table"?
Yesterday was the sort of results those types of sides get.
Danny, says...
7:25pm Sun 23 Dec 07
johnny b, bushey says...
8:16pm Sun 23 Dec 07
colin wrote:Oh Dear,
Oh dear, one scrappy away win and all of a sudden we\'re promotion material again.
Get a grip lads, of course we will continue to win games, but I tell you what, we will also continue to lose games as well, starting with Cardiff on boxing day. 2-1.
It was hardly a convincing victory and there was very little evidence to suggest that Boofers intends to alter the playing style.
Moreover with the departure of King in January, the team should be sitting comfortably in mid table by April.
Merry xmas clappers....but it WONT be a happy new year i\'m afraid.
The luton love child gets worse..
You really do have to just read this to know he,s not a hornet fan..
Happy xmas COLIN you weapon..
Oh and don,t forget colin mate..
Your NICK OWEN fan club membership,has to renewed in january,and i hope your new years resolution of losing your cherry comes off..
You might start talking some sense then
hornetboy84, Ricky says...
8:55pm Sun 23 Dec 07
He could have said "Well done lads - but lets be careful as we need to a) get our home form sorted and b) start playing with some more imagination and style (which needs confidence) - but no .... he chooses to almost wish future losses and poor form.
He clearly is not any kind of Hornet fan. Even when you are still concerned, frustrated and just imploring your team to play like Arsenal - you would at least acknowledge that to be top at Xmas with some players startting to show form is a good thing. Look at the bench on Saturday - Shittu, Henderson, Ainsworth, Williamson .... not bad ... it shows we are starting to get there. Add 3 or4 quality players in Jan and we can push on strongly.
What annoys me about ANYONE slagging off AB (when we are where we are) - is taht they fail to say who should be in charge instead. I remember first time round fans thinking that maybe GT had run his time --- but he was WFC and we needed him back to get going again. Look at Charlton who had enough of Curbs or Bolton with Alladyce --- for gods sakes guys - one day AB will leave us and THEN we WILL be sorry.
As for Simpson and criticism, - get real!! - he nearly lost all his investment - has overseen stability - and deserves a big reward for his achievement. He has stated he would welcome the right investor to take us forward in a stronger way ... but until then we should ackowledge that he is ensuring that we "develop responsibily and appropriately". Yes we have to go up or we will re-balance all finances and have to sell / trim next summer - but if they get through this season - we are set to be a long term force ... even if it still means some yo-yo seasons.
HB84
Darren, Canada says...
1:20am Mon 24 Dec 07
Stuart, Hong Kong says...
4:07am Mon 24 Dec 07
Merry Xmas all, and a glass of red raised in your direction, Darren!
Cheers,
Stuart
Mark, Watford says...
5:19am Mon 24 Dec 07
No-one should get too excited over another away win as to gain promotion we will need to win home games (you would think anyway) and the performances need to be more consistent.
BUT WE ARE ALLOWED TO BE HAPPY WHEN WE WIN!?
Richard, Come On You Golden Boys! says...
12:40pm Mon 24 Dec 07
May the pathetic moaners see the error of their ways in the season of goodwill and start supporting the team for a change. (Might be easier finding 3 wise men amongst them).
We are not perfect but are top of the league, have a good squad and a young talented manager who is very keen to succeed.
Despite the recent poor home form, we still have a great chance to get promotion again this year - or go very close.
By the way, If you are interested in all things Waford FC, I have setup a website in their honour: www.gloryhornetboys.
co.uk . It's just a bit of fun really and has only just started but enjoy, keep the faith & as always .... Come on you Golden Boys!
Anthony, Bushey says...
2:35pm Mon 24 Dec 07
Colin, I don't know you from Adam so I can't judge you. I am really interested to know whether you really are a Watford fan or just on a wind up. Cos if you are a WFC fan, IMHO you are a disgrace. Why do you support the club? Why would you come on here being so supersilious, enjoying slating people and being such a merchant of doom.
Football is a game. For us FANS, it should be about getting pleasure from seeing our team play and win. As has been said, we are punching above our weight.
I don't want to slate you mate, but if you are a true Watford fan, I really think you ought to take stock of your life as we go into a new year. You don't seem to get any pleasure from it. Or is there nothing good in your life? Use the New Year as a new start. Be more positive and get behind the team or use your time more productively. Cos you are only creating negative energy in your life and everyone's on here. Please, if you don't support Watford, go and do something useful; the wind up has gone on long enough and as someone who has never posted on here before, I'm bored of your miserable postings.
Good luck to the boys - top of the league again :) - and merry Christmas to all.
In this section
- Your chance to quiz Mackay
- Will Watford report Reading to Football League?
- Released Academy keeper re-signed by Watford
- Brighton considering O'Toole move
- Win a place on Saracens summer camp
- Watford Observer Plate final rearranged
- Saracens announce Wembley match
- Luca Vialli in Newcastle United frame?
- Russo questions how Rodgers knows Tommy's plans
- Watford game moved due to Sky
Sponsored Links
Local Advertisers
Local Information
Enter your postcode, town or place name
Mark, Watford says...
5:04pm Sat 22 Dec 07