Zola: 'We need to sort out defending set pieces' (From Watford Observer)

Geijo and Battachio Tuesday please

Sunday morning defending again we have had 2 weeks since the shambles at Derby to sort things out,

Former manager & chairman of WFC, Graham Taylor, is 68 today.

If he knows it's a problem why did he only spend a few days on it and why did he think the first half would be difficult and the second not?

Tell us something we don't know G.Z .
I know it is early days but with 16 new faces its going to take longer than normal to gel . Lets hope we sort it on Tuesday .Otherwise they will be queing to get free kicks and corners for easy goals.
Nice one Lloyd, good to see your name on the score sheet. COYH

gffyoung wrote:
Former manager & chairman of WFC, Graham Taylor, is 68 today.

Happy Birthday GT

Could do with a big strong lump at the back. Someone like Martin Taylor, at Sheffield Wednesday.

Oh , hang on, we let him go, too busy shipping over Udinese's Reserve squad.

Zola: nice guy, great player, terrible manager.

Defending set pieces is part of the basics. On the positive side it should be easy to rectify however allowing two clear attempts within ten yards of the goal on target from set pieces both well below head height is simply something that any proffesional defender should not allow and points to a lack of desire to do "the dirty jobs".
That is a concern.

Also playing a passing game is fine but first we must win the right to play buy pressing well and then moving the ball quicker when in possession

Let's hope Tuesday bring a change in attitude and outcome

Monstermunch17 wrote:
Could do with a big strong lump at the back. Someone like Martin Taylor, at Sheffield Wednesday.

Oh , hang on, we let him go, too busy shipping over Udinese's Reserve squad.

Zola: nice guy, great player, terrible manager.

Yeah we let Taylor go. Shame. Now get over it.

Zola: nice guy, great player, knows more than you do.

Only muppets with mullets make judgements against a new manager this early

Need minimum 3 points from next two home games !

I thought we might get spanked today, and at 0-2 was concerned

However brighter 2nd half, but we must get the forwards scoring, let's get Geijo in Tuesday

Yeah nice one Holly 2 -1 great result

I agree with Monstermunch17 totally.

Bloke is out of his depth and has no idea, bolton are long ball merchants and everyone knew they would look to play that way except zola it seems. Disappointing because we really seemed to be on top second half.

Sort it out zola

Within 3 years we will be in the Prem and within 4 years actually stay up in Prem !

No Pain No Gain

COYH

Zola's not a new manager - at West Ham he impressed everyone with his friendly smile, his pleasant, humble manner - and proved himself a thoroughly inept football manager, as a lot of great players tend to.

Give Zola a break guys he has been in the job 5 minutes. Even if he did make mistakes at West Ham is he not entitled the right to show he has learned from them.

I don't think Zola wanted to sell Taylor or bring in 16 or whatever it is loan players but he is making the best of it. Let's give it until Christmas before we start caning the guy?

Oh and happy birthday GT. legend

Happy Birthday God

Jon_mk wrote:
Give Zola a break guys he has been in the job 5 minutes. Even if he did make mistakes at West Ham is he not entitled the right to show he has learned from them.

I don't think Zola wanted to sell Taylor or bring in 16 or whatever it is loan players but he is making the best of it. Let's give it until Christmas before we start caning the guy?

Oh and happy birthday GT. legend

Well spoken Jon. Sorry you come from such a hole as mk. Glad you've not lost the will to live, and speak out against these chaps who have written off GZ already. They have made premature outbursts and can't go the distance

It could be worse. We could be supporting Liverpool!

Fans are so bleeding fickle. The vast majority of thinking fans said, when GZ and The Pozzo's took over, that we would need at least 10 games to even start to get ourselves organized and fit. That we would probably be in the lower half of the table for half of the season and close to the play-off's at the end. It's been only 5 games and there are signs of his game plan starting to work. If we can properly defend set-pieces, and get our new strikers scoring a few goals then we will start to pick-off teams, even the goods ones. KEEP THE FAITH.

SAHornet wrote:
Fans are so bleeding fickle. The vast majority of thinking fans said, when GZ and The Pozzo's took over, that we would need at least 10 games to even start to get ourselves organized and fit. That we would probably be in the lower half of the table for half of the season and close to the play-off's at the end. It's been only 5 games and there are signs of his game plan starting to work. If we can properly defend set-pieces, and get our new strikers scoring a few goals then we will start to pick-off teams, even the goods ones. KEEP THE FAITH.

You may be miles away springbok but you're closer to reason and truth than some titty monsters

another loss eh. i won't start doom mongering but i will say that i am not seeing any improvement at all from last season. i believe that, if SD had been retained, we would have had a placebetter start to the season . still there is a long long way to go. HC.

p.s: nice one lloydinho

Very very early days. Far better performance today. A close loss to championship favourites.In fairness it must be a nightmare to select best 11 for Gianfranco.Clearly the loss of both Tiny and Adrian has been a problem thus far, but given time feel sure we will sort out the clear weakness.On tuesday Brighton will be another stern test i am sure, but with each game feel sure we can progress, win lose or draw.

Every new manager needs at least 12/13 games before fans can start to assess the managers progress. When GT took over at Lincoln he went his first fourteen matches without a win. Zols would not have been my choice, but he deserves the time before being judged.

Talking of GT, happy birthday, and thanks for all those wonderful memories.

Went to the game today and although the first half was shambolic the 2nd half performance especially from neuton who looked out of his depth first half gives me a lot to be positive also young forresterie looks looks very promising, keep the faith I think we'll be fine and have a decent latter half of the season. Ps.seeing doyley hit the net was worth all the effort of going up there, coyh!

peter10531089 wrote:
Defending set pieces is part of the basics. On the positive side it should be easy to rectify however allowing two clear attempts within ten yards of the goal on target from set pieces both well below head height is simply something that any proffesional defender should not allow and points to a lack of desire to do "the dirty jobs".
That is a concern.

Also playing a passing game is fine but first we must win the right to play buy pressing well and then moving the ball quicker when in possession

Let's hope Tuesday bring a change in attitude and outcome

"Lack of desire" that's a bit harsh ! More like trying too hard and confusion of who to pick up because of communication problems between Neuton and Nosworthy.
I'd like to see Ekstrand play on Tuesday to partner Neuton as they have played together before.
Let's hope your attitude changes by Tuesday!

funny how the people calling for dyches head after a couple of games last season are now the total opposite. i think there the fickle ones...yes it will take time to gel but it worry about his statements like "under estimating derby" surely a manager should never do that and dont we have people going to watch the teams we will be playing soon?
as for the defensive issues it is frustrating but we had similiar problems when mcpie was in charge....and he was a central defender, hopefully it will get better soon

The Rover wrote:
It could be worse. We could be supporting Liverpool!

More chance of the proverbial whale being deposited than support those Brenda and those clowns.

JohnnyHornet wrote:

The Rover wrote:
It could be worse. We could be supporting Liverpool!

More chance of the proverbial whale being deposited than support those Brenda and those clowns.

" support Brenda and those clowns ".

really should leave the Sunday morning booze until a bit later.

It's all very well giving Zola time (which he needs), but he doesn'tr induce confidence by persisting with carthorse Chris!

If we don't go up this year, we can try all Grenada's reserves next year, see how they fare.

Or we could try building a team properly like a real football club, rather than being a vanity project for 2 guys, (3 if you include their amiable but bumbling frontman), who know next to nothing about English football.

Despite losing 3 out of 5 Championship matches the performances have been a hell of a lot better than last year.
Keep playing good entertaining football and the results will come.
Give GZ time. Really if we can stay up in a resonably secure mid table position this season it will a sucess. Don't forget without the changes we would have still lost Marriapa and probaby Taylor as well and Murray as he wouldn't have enjoyed the hoofball we were playing again!

JohnnyHornet wrote:

JohnnyHornet wrote:

The Rover wrote:
It could be worse. We could be supporting Liverpool!

More chance of the proverbial whale being deposited than support those Brenda and those clowns.

" support Brenda and those clowns ".

really should leave the Sunday morning booze until a bit later.

So nice to have Gianfranco, and not Judas

Tuesday's crowd will be interesting. A handful on here continue to preach that all's well and we're at the start of a bright new era but the punters will vote with their feet. 2,200 Albion fans and 8,500 season tickets holders so no doubt the official attendance will be 12,000-ish, but how many in the ground? Let's hope for a decent turn-out.

I think SAhornet is dead right about giving them time and 10 games isn't enough. Equally play-offs or there abouts would be an outstanding performance in this league. Loads of clubs with a previous firmer footing than us are trying to buy their way out of the league. Ie Forest, Leicester, Blackburn (£8m striker for example), Cardiff, Brighton and so on. The other 2 teams relegated still have lots of Prem players. Then there are teams like Blackpool, Middlesboro and Ipswich which have steadily improved their squad and that's without the one or two teams that will overachieve through good team spirit. Another point Zola has 24 more first team players than Eddie Howe at Burnley. Too many is worse than too few how do you breed team spirit when there are always going to be glum faces, we need minimum 12 gone straight away to stand any chance. We probably have one of the biggest first team squads in Europe. Nani has clearly lost his marbles if he thinks it will work!
Reading through the extremes of comments on this site the last few weeks I have always come to the conclusion that there are 2 different perspectives going on. The happy clappers like Lutondown and Buckler are in the land of we had no chance of being a Prem club under the previous chancer and the club was going to be liquidated, the debts have gone, we are buying lots of new players, happy days clap, clap, clap. The more pessimistic comments are coming from the folks who feel they own a chunk of the club and they feel the new owners are taking their club away, turning us into a feeder club and somewhere for them to chuck players they don't want or they want to get experience.
I believe that all we need to do is on some points quell the expectancy to save extreme disappoint later as promotion should not even be hoped for this season as it is a massive long shot. Equally all the doubters need to do is give it time, so that they feel comfortable with the club again, once hopefully all the big fears are dealt with. I for one think a bit of realism needs to be had about the previous regime. Though he was a chancer, he did do some good, his PR and general people skills were legendarily appalling. He probably spent too much money he didn't have, ran out of finance and Lord Ashcroft etc then protected their investment. I don't think he was a bad person and helped the club retain our Championship position and came in when no one else wanted to. He was just an appalling business man. Be nice to have some comments back on my thoughts.

Graham Taylor is holding a Q AND A Evening at Amersham Town FC School Lane Amersham on monday 24 september at 19.30.tickets 20 pounds. This is a non-Watford event .Graham is president of Amersham and is helping raise funds for the club.

Anyone interested please respond via this forum and i will reserve places.you may pay at the door.Lets show our support for a Watford legend.

Happy Birthday GT you have not been forgotten

Monster munch : WUM ! I think you'll find Taylor played for Sheff Weds Friday night, what was the score ? Oh, they let in 3 !

We haven't even seen some of what will be our key players this season, do how can we judge !?!?

This is what I expect the "Squad" to be in coming weeks :

Goalkeepers : Almunia / Bond / Bonhom

RB : Cassetti / Doyley / Hodson

LB : Pudil / Facchone / Dickinson

CH : Neuton / Ekstrand / Nosworthy / Hall / Hoban

M : Hogg / Eustace / Abdi / Chalobah / Battochio / Smith / Buaben

W : Murray / Vydra / Mbia / Anya

S : Geijo / Forestieri / Deeney / Beleck / Iwelumo

Now if we can't get a decent 18 week in week out when all 30 FIT and CHAMPIONSHIP FIT by Xmas then I agree we would then have a problem, but after 5 games lets not be silly ! 11 are current internationals at different levels, and over half in total have Top League and International experience.

Of the other 12 players :

Thompson and Bennett out on loan, I believe they will get sold in January to lower league for small fees

Assombalonga is flying and will be pushing first team next season

Of the other 9 :

Yeates, Garner, Mingoia, Jenkins, Wichelow to go in January

Tumwa, Hamilton-Forbes to be loaned out

Cant even think who other two are ??

Come Xmas can see line up :

Almunia, Cassetti, Ekstrand, Neuton, Pudil, Chalobah, Battachio, Abdi, Vydra, Geijo and Mbia

Bench : Bond, Facchone, Murray, Forestieri, Belleck, Anya, Hall

Terry Dactile wrote:
I think SAhornet is dead right about giving them time and 10 games isn't enough. Equally play-offs or there abouts would be an outstanding performance in this league. Loads of clubs with a previous firmer footing than us are trying to buy their way out of the league. Ie Forest, Leicester, Blackburn (£8m striker for example), Cardiff, Brighton and so on. The other 2 teams relegated still have lots of Prem players. Then there are teams like Blackpool, Middlesboro and Ipswich which have steadily improved their squad and that's without the one or two teams that will overachieve through good team spirit. Another point Zola has 24 more first team players than Eddie Howe at Burnley. Too many is worse than too few how do you breed team spirit when there are always going to be glum faces, we need minimum 12 gone straight away to stand any chance. We probably have one of the biggest first team squads in Europe. Nani has clearly lost his marbles if he thinks it will work!
Reading through the extremes of comments on this site the last few weeks I have always come to the conclusion that there are 2 different perspectives going on. The happy clappers like Lutondown and Buckler are in the land of we had no chance of being a Prem club under the previous chancer and the club was going to be liquidated, the debts have gone, we are buying lots of new players, happy days clap, clap, clap. The more pessimistic comments are coming from the folks who feel they own a chunk of the club and they feel the new owners are taking their club away, turning us into a feeder club and somewhere for them to chuck players they don't want or they want to get experience.
I believe that all we need to do is on some points quell the expectancy to save extreme disappoint later as promotion should not even be hoped for this season as it is a massive long shot. Equally all the doubters need to do is give it time, so that they feel comfortable with the club again, once hopefully all the big fears are dealt with. I for one think a bit of realism needs to be had about the previous regime. Though he was a chancer, he did do some good, his PR and general people skills were legendarily appalling. He probably spent too much money he didn't have, ran out of finance and Lord Ashcroft etc then protected their investment. I don't think he was a bad person and helped the club retain our Championship position and came in when no one else wanted to. He was just an appalling business man. Be nice to have some comments back on my thoughts.

I agree with a lot of what you say. These are facts what ever you may think of the situation, the 2 players we have signed are both on 1 year deals, the South West corner still looks the same as it did at the end of last season. The amount of loan players we have is not good (far to many) is it maybe give it a year then we can sell the club on if we do not like the way things are going ?

Gut feel for Tuesday, same team as yesterday BUT Battachio for Yeates, Geijo for Iwelumo

Terry Dactile wrote:
I think SAhornet is dead right about giving them time and 10 games isn't enough. Equally play-offs or there abouts would be an outstanding performance in this league. Loads of clubs with a previous firmer footing than us are trying to buy their way out of the league. Ie Forest, Leicester, Blackburn (£8m striker for example), Cardiff, Brighton and so on. The other 2 teams relegated still have lots of Prem players. Then there are teams like Blackpool, Middlesboro and Ipswich which have steadily improved their squad and that's without the one or two teams that will overachieve through good team spirit. Another point Zola has 24 more first team players than Eddie Howe at Burnley. Too many is worse than too few how do you breed team spirit when there are always going to be glum faces, we need minimum 12 gone straight away to stand any chance. We probably have one of the biggest first team squads in Europe. Nani has clearly lost his marbles if he thinks it will work!
Reading through the extremes of comments on this site the last few weeks I have always come to the conclusion that there are 2 different perspectives going on. The happy clappers like Lutondown and Buckler are in the land of we had no chance of being a Prem club under the previous chancer and the club was going to be liquidated, the debts have gone, we are buying lots of new players, happy days clap, clap, clap. The more pessimistic comments are coming from the folks who feel they own a chunk of the club and they feel the new owners are taking their club away, turning us into a feeder club and somewhere for them to chuck players they don't want or they want to get experience.
I believe that all we need to do is on some points quell the expectancy to save extreme disappoint later as promotion should not even be hoped for this season as it is a massive long shot. Equally all the doubters need to do is give it time, so that they feel comfortable with the club again, once hopefully all the big fears are dealt with. I for one think a bit of realism needs to be had about the previous regime. Though he was a chancer, he did do some good, his PR and general people skills were legendarily appalling. He probably spent too much money he didn't have, ran out of finance and Lord Ashcroft etc then protected their investment. I don't think he was a bad person and helped the club retain our Championship position and came in when no one else wanted to. He was just an appalling business man. Be nice to have some comments back on my thoughts.

Just to be clear Terry, I am firmly in the LD, Buckler camp on how I see the future now as opposed to how I saw it at the end of last season, despite our league position (administration more than looming large, wasn't it?). Call me a clapper if you want but I was the opposite last season and this feels much, much better.

I hope that we do NOT get promoted this season. I don't think it would be good for the club so soon. Another good season in The Champ next year and we'll be all the stronger for a sustained presence in The Prem from 2014/15 onwards.

I am convinced that we will start to see results after 10 games or so and that the quality of football will start to improve from now on. A stout and resolute defence and a couple of goal scorers and we'll be picking off the also rans and some of the better teams as well. PATIENCE, YOU 'ORNS.

Bush Hornet wrote:

Monstermunch17 wrote:
Could do with a big strong lump at the back. Someone like Martin Taylor, at Sheffield Wednesday.

Oh , hang on, we let him go, too busy shipping over Udinese's Reserve squad.

Zola: nice guy, great player, terrible manager.

Yeah we let Taylor go. Shame. Now get over it.

Zola: nice guy, great player, knows more than you do.

Only muppets with mullets make judgements against a new manager this early

Early in what?, the career (Nani and Duxbury induced) to date is't sparkling.

Holly68 wrote:
Gut feel for Tuesday, same team as yesterday BUT Battachio for Yeates, Geijo for Iwelumo

Where was Battochio yesterday?

I also have a feeling Ekstrand will be more suited to the Championship than the Neuton and Fanchone

Those fans who continue to moan moan moan about Watford's owners need to stop it. Of course there are negatives (nothing's perfect) but the positives far outweigh the negatives. Watford is a stable club now, how many other clubs can say that?

The problem everybody knows is the central defense the weakness is in dealing with set pieces.

This is subject to 'cause and effect'. Cause Marriapa and Taylor sold. Two of the best in the championship both with premier league experience.

Effect; so far Derby and Bolton.

The Pozzo's management team have screwed up big time in allowing this to happen. What are they going to do about it?

It needs more than blatantly obvious comments from Zola. We just can't manage to make those two excellent players reappear. This will be a test for Zola the Pozzos know it too!

On the flip side, the performance against Birmingham was outstanding, from what I heard yesterday, the fightback at Bolton was very good with Bolton in the end lucky to get the win.

Had Marriapa and Taylor stayed we possible would be top of the league now.

After five games into the season it is ridiculous for any reasonably intelligent fan to make judgments at this stage.

Under SD we had a terrible start in the previous season much worse than this season. He turned it around to where we actually got an outside chance of reaching the playoffs.

My only criticism of Zola is he must be his own man. He should have put his put down letting Taylor and Marriapa going without having quality replacements or a settled squad.

Unless they threaten him with a horses head in the bed, he should stand up to his bosses on football matters like a Mourinho or Ferguson would. Zola must learn this lesson now.

Fans keep the faith, this is a blip the owners are real football people who really know football allbeit not the two top leagues in England but in time they will.

The future is bright - the future is yellow.

My Blip; of course it should read should read; Zola should have 'put his foot down'!

Thanks

Bush Hornet wrote:

Monstermunch17 wrote:
Could do with a big strong lump at the back. Someone like Martin Taylor, at Sheffield Wednesday.

Oh , hang on, we let him go, too busy shipping over Udinese's Reserve squad.

Zola: nice guy, great player, terrible manager.

Yeah we let Taylor go. Shame. Now get over it.

Zola: nice guy, great player, knows more than you do.

Only muppets with mullets make judgements against a new manager this early

Agree 100% Bush, anyway Monster I would think this is more to do with the defensive coaches rather than GZ directly. I think some of you need to remember where we last season after 5 games!

Monstermunch17 wrote:
If we don't go up this year, we can try all Grenada's reserves next year, see how they fare.

Or we could try building a team properly like a real football club, rather than being a vanity project for 2 guys, (3 if you include their amiable but bumbling frontman), who know next to nothing about English football.

Talking of bumbling........

Travelling Hornet wrote:

peter10531089 wrote:
Defending set pieces is part of the basics. On the positive side it should be easy to rectify however allowing two clear attempts within ten yards of the goal on target from set pieces both well below head height is simply something that any proffesional defender should not allow and points to a lack of desire to do "the dirty jobs".
That is a concern.

Also playing a passing game is fine but first we must win the right to play buy pressing well and then moving the ball quicker when in possession

Let's hope Tuesday bring a change in attitude and outcome

"Lack of desire" that's a bit harsh ! More like trying too hard and confusion of who to pick up because of communication problems between Neuton and Nosworthy.
I'd like to see Ekstrand play on Tuesday to partner Neuton as they have played together before.
Let's hope your attitude changes by Tuesday!

Well I stand corrected clearly everything can be excused and the article above this thread isn't "we need to sort out defending set pieces" and we didn't concede the second goal to a stooping header from 10 yards out.

We have seen in the last five years in the uk a lot of foreign coaches struggle with our set piece culture - Benitez at Lpool springs to mind with the zonal v man marking thing. I love the fact that GFZ wants to play football but this league will punish those that do not defend set pieces properly, personally I wish it were not so, however the reality is we are already flagged as an easy touch and restarts.

If that means my attitude is bad then sorry, in my day it was called having an opinion and having the right to express it.

rogeruk wrote:
Those fans who continue to moan moan moan about Watford's owners need to stop it. Of course there are negatives (nothing's perfect) but the positives far outweigh the negatives. Watford is a stable club now, how many other clubs can say that?

The problem everybody knows is the central defense the weakness is in dealing with set pieces.

This is subject to 'cause and effect'. Cause Marriapa and Taylor sold. Two of the best in the championship both with premier league experience.

Effect; so far Derby and Bolton.

The Pozzo's management team have screwed up big time in allowing this to happen. What are they going to do about it?

It needs more than blatantly obvious comments from Zola. We just can't manage to make those two excellent players reappear. This will be a test for Zola the Pozzos know it too!

On the flip side, the performance against Birmingham was outstanding, from what I heard yesterday, the fightback at Bolton was very good with Bolton in the end lucky to get the win.

Had Marriapa and Taylor stayed we possible would be top of the league now.

After five games into the season it is ridiculous for any reasonably intelligent fan to make judgments at this stage.

Under SD we had a terrible start in the previous season much worse than this season. He turned it around to where we actually got an outside chance of reaching the playoffs.

My only criticism of Zola is he must be his own man. He should have put his put down letting Taylor and Marriapa going without having quality replacements or a settled squad.

Unless they threaten him with a horses head in the bed, he should stand up to his bosses on football matters like a Mourinho or Ferguson would. Zola must learn this lesson now.

Fans keep the faith, this is a blip the owners are real football people who really know football allbeit not the two top leagues in England but in time they will.

The future is bright - the future is yellow.

Great post, the only thing I would add is why we have seen so many players on the treatment table for so long - this concerns and frustrates me.

AngelHornet wrote:

Holly68 wrote:
Gut feel for Tuesday, same team as yesterday BUT Battachio for Yeates, Geijo for Iwelumo

Where was Battochio yesterday?

I also have a feeling Ekstrand will be more suited to the Championship than the Neuton and Fanchone

He played for Italy U20's on Thursday so not time to recover for yesterday

After 5 games I am of the very early conclusion that this is the toughest championship for a long long time. Lots of clubs have extra investment, all seeking Prem status. Zola quite correct to state that this year is transition, he said on football focus yesterday when asked about promotion this year he replied "No Way" !

There are very physical teams, teams who have spent £M's on new players, 20 years ago this would have been the Prem standard before foreign influx !

As long as we mid table come January who knows, BUT ......

WE ALL MUST SEE BIGGER PICTURE

It's not just about today and the here and now

LET'S GET BEHIND THE TEAM AND CLUB

6 Points from next two games (hard but achievable)

AND WE WILL ALL BE VERY HAPPY

Neither Brighton or Bristol are mugs. I'd be happy with 4 points - 1 from Albion and the other 3 from City. Bet Buckley scores against us tho :-(

Excuse the totally different thread but I do feel a bit sorry for Mapps. He hasn't got a game yet for Reading and as far as I know, hasn't even been brought on as a sub. You would have thought they could have used him after Spurs second went in this afternoon. Still, I suppose he must have known that there's a huge difference between Champ and Prem quality and I think that many of us figured that he's not quite Prem.

SAHornet wrote:
Excuse the totally different thread but I do feel a bit sorry for Mapps. He hasn't got a game yet for Reading and as far as I know, hasn't even been brought on as a sub. You would have thought they could have used him after Spurs second went in this afternoon. Still, I suppose he must have known that there's a huge difference between Champ and Prem quality and I think that many of us figured that he's not quite Prem.

Nail on Head !

Mapps bought as Cover

Why is it that everyone jumps on the bandwagon denouncing hoofball as if the passing game is the cure. If you cannot defend set pieces you will leak goals. Pretty but losing.

Watford did not play hoofball. They got forward quickly and DEFENDED set pieces.

Now they fanny about and leak goals.

gloryhornet4 wrote:
Why is it that everyone jumps on the bandwagon denouncing hoofball as if the passing game is the cure. If you cannot defend set pieces you will leak goals. Pretty but losing.

Watford did not play hoofball. They got forward quickly and DEFENDED set pieces.

Now they fanny about and leak goals.

Don't quite understand your point glory. What has the"passing game" or "pretty football" as you call it got to do with defending set-pieces in the proper way? 2 separate issues, surely? There's room for passing football done correctly but no room for sloppy defending and it's that that they need to do some serious work on.

SAHornet wrote:

gloryhornet4 wrote:
Why is it that everyone jumps on the bandwagon denouncing hoofball as if the passing game is the cure. If you cannot defend set pieces you will leak goals. Pretty but losing.

Watford did not play hoofball. They got forward quickly and DEFENDED set pieces.

Now they fanny about and leak goals.

Don't quite understand your point glory. What has the"passing game" or "pretty football" as you call it got to do with defending set-pieces in the proper way? 2 separate issues, surely? There's room for passing football done correctly but no room for sloppy defending and it's that that they need to do some serious work on.

Thanks SAHornet - I agree - naff all point in this pretty football if the basics are not there. Both elements are required. Not much point in being able to drive a car fast if you don't know how the brake works.

When the new owners and management team arrived they were greeted by certain naive contributors as being God's gift to WFC.

They brought in their men and their players. many players we have yet to see Why not? are they unfit (if so a disgrace after the first international break. Our contributors wrote off most of our existing players. Thanks for the goal Lloyd, sorry you are not there John E. we sold Mariappa (sensible) got rid of Taylor (should have given him a two year contract) loaned out our better youngsters and have lost to two teams beneath us in the table at the time of playing. And having signed all these players our striker role may well now be filled by Troy.
yes we play nice ineffective football and do not appear to have strengthened the team as much as we all hoped.
Still need to be patient, but have to get back to the team work ethic and spirit that did so well for Dyche. Over to you GFZ
We at least have a seemingly stable situation off the pitch but now we must see the team step up, it can be turned round but we must start now

Leicester didn't defend two set pieces yesterday and conceded two goals which cost them the match. So we aren't the only ones.

How you can say the new players haven't made a difference is unreal :

Almunia better than Loach ?

Pudil better than Dicko ?

Abdi better than Yeates ?

Vydra better than Deeney ?

I think YES to the above, as for the rest we haven't seen them consistently yet !

As for injured, it's more a case of caution and getting them right for the Championship, and evolution in the playing team rather than revolution.

Not one player can say they haven't had a fair craic yet !!!! (except the new boys)

Love your logic Holly

Almunia is better than Loach but no better than Tamas or maybe other loan goalies. But I am more than happy with him

Abdi is better than Yeates but they both played. Not sure I prefer him to Eustace

Pudil is better than Dicko

Vydra better than Deeney...maybe but very different players

oh one question you forgot to ask is this team better than the team that finished last season?? Not so far but hopefully they may get there.

Have we replaced Marriappa or taylor with better players...Not so far

and as for the rest Beleck reminded me of Garner and will some of the players we have signed be fit by the end of this month or maybe by the end of October? What in heavens name is Nani up to? So try looking at the overall Holly and to date we have got off to a very shaky start and justify our position in the table.

Just a few observations. With Taylor gone, it is obvious Watford need an experienced, commanding and organising CH. Would that be Fitzhall? (I don't know enough about him). If so, we need him fit and ready.
Quality of players: If SD had last seasons squad, with just Almunia, Pudil, Abdi and Vydra added, he would have been a very happy manager. If he had been offered ALL the players we now have (without a Nani in place), I am sure he would have cherry-picked about eight---maximum ten---, and turned down the rest---because fitting-in 16 players causes too many difficulties. Zola now has the same problem. He can either throw in as many as possible as quickly as possible, or assess the players gradually, fitting them in the team a player at a time---which seems to be what he is doing. Even more reason to wait before critcising.
Nani and Duxbury. Same thing---wait before criticising. Interim feelings---Duxbury o.k. so far. Nani---uneasy. Should have taken on fewer players.

Holly68 wrote:
Monster munch : WUM ! I think you'll find Taylor played for Sheff Weds Friday night, what was the score ? Oh, they let in 3 ! We haven't even seen some of what will be our key players this season, do how can we judge !?!? This is what I expect the "Squad" to be in coming weeks : Goalkeepers : Almunia / Bond / Bonhom RB : Cassetti / Doyley / Hodson LB : Pudil / Facchone / Dickinson CH : Neuton / Ekstrand / Nosworthy / Hall / Hoban M : Hogg / Eustace / Abdi / Chalobah / Battochio / Smith / Buaben W : Murray / Vydra / Mbia / Anya S : Geijo / Forestieri / Deeney / Beleck / Iwelumo Now if we can't get a decent 18 week in week out when all 30 FIT and CHAMPIONSHIP FIT by Xmas then I agree we would then have a problem, but after 5 games lets not be silly ! 11 are current internationals at different levels, and over half in total have Top League and International experience. Of the other 12 players : Thompson and Bennett out on loan, I believe they will get sold in January to lower league for small fees Assombalonga is flying and will be pushing first team next season Of the other 9 : Yeates, Garner, Mingoia, Jenkins, Wichelow to go in January Tumwa, Hamilton-Forbes to be loaned out Cant even think who other two are ?? Come Xmas can see line up : Almunia, Cassetti, Ekstrand, Neuton, Pudil, Chalobah, Battachio, Abdi, Vydra, Geijo and Mbia Bench : Bond, Facchone, Murray, Forestieri, Belleck, Anya, Hall

Only one player in your team for Xmas that is not a loan this is not the way forward for any team. Loan players come & go some are good some are not so good, no place in your team for Hogg Eustace or Nosworthy ? Do you not think we have too many loans. When you loan a player would it not be better if they were fit to play, otherwise why bother. Lets hope your team is not the one that plays at Xmas.

Isn't the other problem, you need 6 home grown players in your 18 - and you only have 3 on the bench - sO you need to fit in 3 more - Doyley- Eustace - Iwelumo at least.

Interesting test against Brighton as I don't expect them to test as much in the air on Tuesday. May suit our game and I can see us grabbing a 2-1 win

AngelHornet wrote:
Interesting test against Brighton as I don't expect them to test as much in the air on Tuesday. May suit our game and I can see us grabbing a 2-1 win

They are on fire and have won their last 3, scoring 11 goals and conceding 2. This will be a really tough game. The understanding at the back needs to be so much better than Saturday.

I'm still unhappy they didn't offer Tiny a 2 year deal. Make someone win the shirt from him rather than being left trying to plug a gaping hole and leave his understanding with Nos intact. The new guys may be better on the floor but in the championship #1 priority is knowing when the ball is crossed into the box, a yellow head will win the first header.

Remember you must have 6 home grown players in your matchday squad of 18........So signing 15 loans who dont have home grown ( Anya counts as scottish ) so far we play hogg and murray and doyley and Nosworthy and have Bond on bench so we must be careful when picking squad.

Just read something that made me laugh. I was browsing the Udinese blog , they had a report on the The Times piece about Pozzo's comparing Gino to the Moneyball guy Billie Beane.
Some Italian wag had commented
Billie Beane?..... Mr Bean!

The Super Seagulls are coming to thrash you tonight. The Hornets will improve after we have given you a footballing lesson.