More games from 23rd September at https://oldwatford.com/tag/sep23/
15th September 2018- Premier League, Watford 1 Manchester United 2
Referee:Mike Dean Attendance:20,537
Match Report: Watford 1-2 Manchester United
Cathcart: “We Deserved To Come Out With Something”
Gracia: “We Tried Until The End”
Highlights: Watford 1-2 Manchester United
Foster: “We Can Hold Our Heads High”
Gallery: Watford v Manchester United
clips of Jon Marks BBC 3CR commentary Goals: 1
RELIVE – Watford vs Manchester United: Romelu Lukaku and Chris Smalling strikes down Hornets
Watford’s perfect start to the season ends with Manchester United defeat
Jose Mourinho ‘very happy with the points’ after Manchester United beat Watford
Javi Gracia reflects on Watford’s defeat to Manchester United
PICTURES: A selection of images as Watford fall to narrow Manchester United loss
Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho said Romelu Lukaku epitomised his team’s performance as they withstood a spirited fightback from Watford to claim back-to-back victories and condemn the Hornets to a first loss of the season.
The Watford supporters very audibly sensed vulnerability in United but, with Mourinho imploring his players forward, they suddenly struck twice shortly before half-time. 
Watford’s qualities showed their flying start to the season has been no fluke. Their state of blissful cohesion – so in the groove Javi Gracia has not felt the need to tinker with their starting XI at all so far – created a feelgood factor that was tangible.
A play in three acts, this. The Hornets lined up in the now conventional eleven; United kicking towards the Rookery in an alternative kit of nondescript colour which looked, as Cathal later observed, like it might be inside out.
It was a day to remember absent friends as it would have been GT’s 74th birthday and Toddy’s anniversary is this week. While there was little expectation that our 100% record would continue, we had to hope that the lads would still do them both proud.
2nd September 2018- Premier League, Watford 2 Tottenham Hotspur 1
Referee:Andre Marriner Attendance:20,141
Highlights: Watford 2-1 Tottenham Hotspur
Kabasele: “We Can Beat Anybody”
Gracia: “I Am Very Proud Of Them”
Janmaat: “We Really Deserved It”
Match Report: Watford 2-1 Tottenham Hotspur
clips of Jon Marks BBC 3CR commentary Goals: 1 2
Watford beat Tottenham Hotspur to continue perfect start to season
Mauricio Pochettino labels Tottenham Hotspur’s defeat ‘so painful’
Javi Gracia says Watford will enjoy win against Tottenham Hotspur the same as their other victories
Jose Holebas: Watford’s character key to downing Tottenham Hotspur
Watford player ratings: Troy Deeney and Craig Cathcart on song as Hornets down Tottenham Hotspur
Watford: Selection of images from a memorable victory against Tottenham Hotspur
Watford: Jose Holebas believes club are ready to build settled Premier League side
Troy Deeney the providing the spirit behind Watford’s fine start, says Javi Gracia
Watford came from behind to maintain their 100 per cent start to the season as two quickfire headers gave them a 2-1 win over Tottenham at Vicarage Road on Super Sunday.
To the delight of Elton John, who sat in the posh seats, and every one of their other supporters, it was Watford rather than Tottenham who maintained their 100% start to the season. It is four wins out of four for them in the league and, for the first time since 1987, Watford triumphed in this fixture.
Next up for Watford, after the international break, are Manchester United and a group of players with their own vulnerabilities. The likes of Deeney, unapologetically destructive on days like these, will target United’s pressure points with snarl and venom. “He is the captain, the spirit” said Gracia. “You can see always his example. He has not changed, he wants to win.”
Having had to man the barricades at the end of the first half, Spurs’ goal came from nothing eight minutes into the second. A loose clearance, an aimless low cutback from Moura and a freak deflection off Doucouré that wrong-footed Foster. The sort of goal that would normally be a hammer blow. “You don’t give away goals like that against teams like this. It can’t be our day. They haven’t had to do much to earn that…”.
There was a certain inevitability to the goal and we settled back to witness the defeat that was sure to come. But the players were of a completely different mindset and the goal seemed to galvanise them into action. First Gray hit a powerful shot that was just over the bar. Then Deeney hit a shot across goal that took a deflection off Vertonghen before coming back off the inside of the post. So close! Spurs were rattled and Dembélé went into the referee’s book for pulling down Hughes. Holebas took the resulting free kick which was met by Deeney who powered the header home to level the game and send the Rookery wild.
29th August 2018- League Cup Second Round, Reading 0 Watford 2
Referee:Andy Davies Attendance:9,265
Match Report: Reading 0-2 Watford
Gracia: “Tonight We Have Good News”
Success: “The Atmosphere In The Dressing Room Is Incredible”
Wilmot: “It Was A Good Performance All-Round”
Highlights: Reading 0-2 Watford
clips of Jon Marks BBC 3CR commentary Goals: 1 2
RELIVE – Reading vs Watford: Isaac Success and Domingos Quina send Hornets through in Carabao Cup
Reading vs Watford ratings: Domingos Quina and Ben Wilmot impress in Carabao Cup win
Isaac Success: Watford forward pleased with Carabao Cup contribution
Domingos Quina: Debut strike leaves Watford youngster hungry for more
Watford – fourth in the Premier League after winning their opening three games – made 11 changes from the side that defeated Crystal Palace 2-1 at Vicarage Road on Sunday.
There are certain prerequisites when it comes to the early stages of the Rumbelows Cup. Some of these are met in sunny Berkshire tonight… a half-empty stadium (albeit a respectable enough 2500 make the short journey from Hertfordshire), much-changed starting line-ups (eleven changes for the Golden Boys in the green away kit’s first outing). Check, check.
26th August 2018- Premier League, Watford 2 Crystal Palace 1
Referee:Anthony Taylor Attendance:20,014
Match Report: Watford 2-1 Crystal Palace
Gracia: “Something Special, Something Amazing”
Kabasele: “You Need That Little Bit Of Luck”
Highlights: Watford 2-1 Crystal Palace
clips of Jon Marks BBC 3CR commentary Goals: 1 2
RELIVE – Watford vs Crystal Palace: Perfect Premier League start continues for Hornets
Watford make it nine points from nine with battling Crystal Palace win
Crystal Palace boss Roy Hodgson reflects on Watford defeat
Watford: Javi Gracia says it’s ‘special’ to get three consecutive Premier League wins
PICTURES: A selection of images from Watford’s historic win over Crystal Palace
Ben Foster: Javi Gracia’s style key to Watford’s flying Premier League start
Watford: Javi Gracia pleased with Roberto Pereyra’s all-round contribution
Watford’s Christian Kabasele highlights importance of team spirit as winning run goes on
The Hornets maintained their perfect start in the Premier League to move behind Liverpool and level with Chelsea at the top of the table on goal difference.
Wilfried Zaha struck 12 minutes from time at Vicarage Road to raise hopes of a visiting fightback but the hosts held on as Roberto Pereyra’s 53rd-minute strike and Jose Holebas’s freak second (71) proved enough.
Graham Taylor never managed three straight wins at the start of a first division season, a run that carried Gracia’s team to second place ahead of Chelsea’s game against Newcastle United and pegs Watford above champions Manchester City for the week. They might not have played any of the title contenders yet, but amongst those for whom survival is the first thought – Brighton, Burnley and now Crystal Palace – Watford have been ruthless.
This snarl of a game was deep into stoppage time when Luka Milivojevic swung over one last hopeful corner kick and, with the majority in the arena anxiously holding their breath, Joel Ward leapt unchallenged into the six-yard box only to head wide of the post. The locals’ outpouring of relief at the miss was almost as deafening as the raucous delight which greeted the final whistle moments later.
The build-up to this game was all about Harry Hornet who, in answer to a question from a journalist, had been branded a ‘disgrace’ by Roy Hodgson for an incident two years ago that I doubt Hodgson had actually ever seen, when Harry collapsed behind Zaha while the post-match handshakes were happening. Sticking up for your player is all well and good but Roy lost all credibility when he claimed, with a straight face, that Zaha didn’t dive. Sorry, Roy he gets booked for it, which was what provoked Harry’s action. You couldn’t help but feel that Roy’s words would come back to haunt him.
It feels more like March than August bank holiday weekend. Palace have brought the traditional Croydon microclimate with them and it dampens our quick start before it gets going. Only the hissing, spitting hot fat of this fixture burns on unperturbed, and it hadn’t needed Roy Hodgson ambling into a Harry-shaped animal trap in the visitors’ pre-match press conference to ignite it. Our encounters have a bad-tempered, even spiteful undercurrent all of their own.
It only took four minutes for the game’s first talking point to occur. As Capoue tripped Zaha in the middle of the pitch, the referee awarded the midfielder a yellow card. At the time and due to where I was sitting I thought this decision was harsh. Replays show however that Capoue may have been lucky to stay on the pitch, after a potentially dangerous challenge.
19th August 2018- Premier League, Burnley 1 Watford 3
Referee:Paul Tierney Attendance:18,822
Match Report: Burnley 1-3 Watford
Gracia: “It’s Only The Beginning”
Hughes: “It’s A Lot Harder Than It Looks!”
Highlights: Burnley 1-3 Watford
Deeney: “You Can See The Togetherness”
clips of Jon Marks BBC 3CR commentary Goals: 1 2 3
Frustrated Burnley boss Sean Dyche believes Watford’s Will Hughes should have been sent off
Watford: Javi Gracia delighted to get off away mark at Burnley
PICTURES: Watford score three fine goals to beat Burnley
Watford: Javi Gracia keeping his feet on the floor
RATINGS: Troy Deeney gets top mark as Watford beat Burnley
Watford’s Will Hughes targeting more goals after scoring against Burnley
Watford’s Troy Deeney has got the ‘buzz’ back after Burnley goal
Gracia paid tribute to his strikers. “When you score three times it makes it easier to manage the game,” he said. “I know it is not easy to get points here, but I can only be pleased at the start we have made.” Gracia had not even seen an away goal since becoming Watford manager but he had to wait only three minutes for his side to nose in front, Andre Gray scoring against his old club after pushing the ball out to Troy Deeney on the right and moving up to meet the return with a sweetly struck right-foot volley.
As I was on a flight to the US last Saturday for work, I missed the Brighton game, so I was really looking forward to my season starting properly. But, as Watford hadn’t scored away from home since January 2nd and we never get anything at Burnley, my expectations were pretty low prior to kick-off.
The End Of The North West Curse
