2nd December 2020- Championship, Nottingham Forest 0 Watford 0

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It is really important to remain positive and adopt a glass-half-full mentality after this tough, challenging year so we’ll do just that here. Watford extended their handy little run to one defeat in ten matches with a point here at the City Ground and made ground on the top two during this latest quick-fire round of fixtures in the Championship.

Watford’s unable to find breakthrough at Nottingham Forest

Watford play out dull goalless draw with Nottingham Forest

Vladimir Ivic calls for Watford to improve away form

Nottingham Forest boss Chris Hughton felt Watford’s Nathaniel Chalobah should have been sent off

Christian Kabasele claims Watford need to be better away from home

A resolute defensive display helped Nottingham Forest end a run of three straight defeats as they held promotion-chasing Watford to a 0-0 draw at the City Ground.

Watford remain in third, having failed to capitalise on leaders Norwich’s defeat by Luton Town.

Sorry.  No.  Just no.  Not that we were dreadful.  Not that an away point at Forest is a disastrous, not that we deserved any more (even against a ragbag bunch of whinging ghosts of Championship past – Arter, Knockaert even more objectionable with a silly little beard, Lolley less objectionable and admirably gutsy but an echo of a miserable afternoon).

We weren’t sure how to react to The Hornet draw away at Forest but Jon, Mike and Colin discuss the match and try to find answers to the consistent away record – as in not that impressive and what effect the returning crowd will have at Vicarage Road, on Saturday.

28th November 2020- Championship, Watford 4 Preston North End 1

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Another home game, another win – a sixth in seven games – and a best start to a season at Vicarage Road in at least 13 years. No wonder the fans are so desperate to have their name pulled out of the hat ahead of the return of supporters next week.

Watford batter Preston North End with attacking display

Watford produce impressive display to beat Preston North End

Vladimir Ivic wants improvement despite Watford win over Preston

Watford players rated after thrashing Preston North End

Nathaniel Chalobah delighted to score for Watford against Preston

Joao Pedro hoping to learn from Watford captain Troy Deeney

Vladimir Ivic calls Troy Deeney a leader after Watford win

Watford captain Troy Deeney marked his first start of the season with an inspired display in a 4-1 victory over Preston.The 32-year old scored one and created another to give the Hertfordshire side a comfortable afternoon at Vicarage Road.

Watford made it 19 points from a possible 21 at Vicarage Road this season, but had to overcome a side which boasted the second-best away record in the division, with all but three of their 16-point total earned on the road.

If we’re edging closer towards what things Ought To Be off the pitch, we’re suddenly ahead of the game on it.  Today’s shuffling of the deck saw the fielding of the same 20 names that muddled their way to a point at Ashton Gate on Wednesday but with a critical switch bringing Troy in for his first start of the season in place of João Pedro.

Ahead of supporters returning to the Vic, it was a welcome return to form for Watford, who turned on a scintillating second half display to punish Preston.

25th November 2020- Championship, Bristol City 0 Watford 0

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It wasn’t a classic and the fans were certainly not missing much by being absent from this one, but the Hornets kept the points tally ticking along this evening to ensure they are still bang in the mix for when, fingers crossed, they can return in some shape of form next month.

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Watford draw 0-0 with Bristol City

Watford and Bristol City play out goalless draw

Vladimir Ivic in positive mood after Watford and Bristol City draw

Watford players rated after draw with Bristol City

Ben Foster tells Watford players to be more clinical

City goalkeeper Dan Bentley made the save of the match in the 74th minute, showing great reactions to tip over a shot from Domingos Quina.

Vladimir Ivic’s visitors, who were without three unnamed players who have tested positive for coronavirus, tailed off in the second half as City forward Antoine Semenyo looked the most likely to make something happen.

This was football which deserved to be played behind closed doors. That old Shankly quip about closing the curtains if Everton were playing down the bottom of the garden. But there’s something lurking underneath that too, a sense of how football re-shapes itself when it isn’t so conscious of the public gaze. It’s hard to believe that Bristol City could be quite this cautious in front of a stadium full of their own supporters; unless the opposition is particularly illustrious, and sometimes even then, home fans tend to want to see their team do more than line up in defensive banks. They don’t touch the ball for the first two minutes, content to get their shape and sit tight. In real life, you just can’t do that without a rising restlessness in the stands.

It ended honours even at Bristol City, and while it was level pegging at Ashton Gate, there was a difference of opinion when it came to discussing the performance for the podcast…

21st November 2020- Championship, Queens Park Rangers 1 Watford 1

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Ben Wilmot’s recent 21st birthday marked his ascension from a boy to a man. The occasion also nudged open the goalscoring floodgates, resulting in a first for his country and now a first for the club.

Watford draw away at Queens Park Rangers

Watford have to settle for draw away at Queens Park Rangers

Vladimir Ivic left frustrated after Watford draw with QPR

Ben Wilmot’s second-minute opener – his first goal for Watford – gave the visitors the perfect start at the Kiyan Prince Foundation Stadium

Ilias Chair’s late equaliser earned QPR a share of the spoils and denied Watford top spot in the Championship.

There’s been a degree of reflection and stock taking of the season so far during the international break.  My own view for what it’s worth, as these reports have probably reflected, is that us getting to where we’ve got to without being particularly convincing is a Good Thing.  If Vlad was giving the impression of thinking we were sorted there’d be a concern.  This isn’t the case at all, and as such woe betide the division when we get our shit together.

Win your home games and draw your away games and you’ll be promoted, that’s what Jas has been telling us for the last ten years. But this away draw at QPR, after a poor second half performance, didn’t feel like a promotion pushing side. Jon, Jason and Mike gather to discuss the game, and hear from Vladimir Ivic in the post match press conference.

7th November 2020- Championship, Watford 3 Coventry City 2

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The Hornets served up a five-goal thriller for the second successive home game, producing the perfect response to those fans who regrettably missed the one three days earlier on Hive Live and leaving themselves in a wonderful position to launch a promotion bid of some substance.

RELIVE: Watford go second in the Championship with win over Coventry

Watford beat Coventry City to move up to second in the Championship

Vladimir Ivic felt Watford were not amazing in Coventry win

Ismaila Sarr struck an 83rd-minute penalty to secure the win, after William Troost-Ekong had equalised following a Coventry comeback.

Andre Gray gave Vladimir Ivić’s side the lead shortly into the second half with his first goal for almost exactly a year, only for Gustavo Hamer to equalise for Coventry with a header from 25 yards out. The Sky Blues then went ahead a minute later as a long ball was flicked on to Tyler Walker to thrash home his first league goal of the season. Their advantage only lasted two minutes before James Garner’s corner was headed in by centre-back William Troost-Ekong for his first goal since joining Watford from Udinese in September.

Today was a good day. On a bad day, maybe we don’t get that equaliser and the game disappears into a miserable, frustrating defeat.  On a bad day, maybe James Garner is pulled up for his challenge in the box prior to the penalty – a coulda rather than shoulda been a foul.  But definitely a coulda.  But today was a good day.  Troy was on by this stage, half the man he used to be but twice as mobile for it;  despite this Ismaïla Sarr picked the ball up and rolled in his third strike in four games. At almost exactly the same time, news broke from the United States that the racist, misogynist, narcissistic, malevolent manchild in the White House had finally been disposed of, and a great big party started.  Today was a good day.

And breathe! For the second time in a week Watford won at Vicarage Road by the odd goal in five, with the win against a spirited Coventry City giving Jon, Jas and Mike plenty to talk about.