Monthly Archives: February 2018

24th February 2018- Premier League, Watford 1 Everton 0

DWu1DNBX0AExmmG

Screen Shot 2018-02-28 at 18.31.46

Screen Shot 2018-02-28 at 19.12.35

screen-shot-2016-09-12-at-23-36-22clips of Jon Marks BBC 3CR commentary   Goals: 1

Watford Observer

RELIVE – Watford vs Everton: Troy Deeney earns vital Premier League win

Troy Deeney scores the winner as Watford beat Everton

Watford’s work rate praised after taking ‘three very important points’ against Everton

Javi Gracia discusses switch to two strikers after Watford’s win over Everton

Watford vs Everton ratings: Stefano Okaka impresses from the bench as Troy Deeney hits winner

Images from Watford’s victory over Everton as Troy Deeney scores decisive goal

Watford: Sebastian Prodl praises ‘individual class’ in vital Premier League win over Everton

skyTroy Deeney struck late as Watford secured a 1-0 win against Everton in the Premier League at Vicarage Road on Saturday.

BBC SportCaptain Deeney smashed a shot into the roof of the net – his first goal from open play all season – to help the Hornets crawl six points above the bottom three.

guardianBlunt as ever, Troy Deeney described this match as “pretty dire”. That may have been something of an exaggeration but it was not wholly inaccurate – yet ultimately this was an occasion to savour for Watford’s captain.

TelegraphWatford may have got over Marco Silva pretty quickly, but, on this evidence, Everton might still hanker over the manager they had been prepared to pay £10million for.

BHappy imageAny sense of blood and thunder and scores to be settled was short lived. The teams arrived to a particularly densely packed wall of flags in the Rookery and an unexpected cannonfire of yellow and black streamers from the base of the stand. Briefly this had the desired effect as the crowd roared the Hornets on, until it became clear that said streamers had been fired with sufficient welly to reach and entangle themselves into the hooks and anchors in the ceiling of the stand which has never received more attention during a game as the tendrils of streamers blowing in the wind provided an unusual frame to the action, a garish new Instagram filter for the rest of the evening. 

FranIt had been a remarkably dull game with most of the excitement of the first half deriving from having to fight off streamers that had detached themselves from the roof.

The Hornets Nest Absolutely nothing happened in the first half.  Complete naff all.  It was so bad that I felt sorry for the pundits and editors of highlight shows who had to desperately search for something to talk about and show.

https://audioboom.com/posts/6692571-nullified-8-36

Screen Shot 2018-02-28 at 21.34.59

Screen Shot 2018-03-09 at 21.23.13

Screen Shot 2018-03-09 at 21.26.18

10th February 2018- Premier League, West Ham United 2 Watford 0

001_WHUFC_WAT_COVER2.indd

Screen Shot 2018-02-13 at 12.43.42

Screen Shot 2018-02-13 at 12.48.54

Watford Observer

LIVE – West Ham United vs Watford: Marko Arnautovic stars as Hornets suffer Premier League defeat

Watford disappoint as West Ham United win 2-0 through Javier Hernandez and Marko Arnautovic goals

Javi Gracia felt West Ham United showed greater aggression in Watford win

West Ham United vs Watford ratings: Marvin Zeegelaar and Daryl Janmaat struggle in Premier League loss

Marvin Zeegelaar: Watford’s West Ham loss serves reminder Premier League survival battle is still on

skyMarko Arnautovic scored on his return from injury as West Ham boosted their survival hopes with a 2-0 win over Watford on Saturday.

BBC SportWatford, who remain 11th, went close through Adrian Mariappa’s header and Gerard Deulofeu’s free-kick but Adrian was equal to both efforts.

guardianWatford were uninspired. They displayed none of the brio that allowed them to crush Chelsea last week, with Gerard Deulofeu and Richarlison failing to find space on the flanks, and were fortunate when the lively Hernández had a goal ruled out by a tight offside decision in the 31st minute.

TelegraphJavi Gracia, the Watford manager, accused his players of not being “aggressive” enough, saying: “Our last match against Chelsea showed us how we can get points: running, fighting. And, today, we didn’t do it enough.”

The Hornets NestTo say we were surprised at this shift in performance would be a lie. It’s so wonderfully Watford.

FranWatford had played considerably better in the second half but, while it could be said that the score was a little flattering to the hosts, some poor defending and equally poor finishing meant that it felt as though the Hornets didn’t deserve anything from the game.

https://audioboom.com/posts/6666589-non-progredi-est-regredi-8-34

Screen Shot 2018-02-13 at 14.20.05

Screen Shot 2018-02-13 at 14.21.27

5th February 2018- Premier League, Watford 4 Chelsea 1

Screen Shot 2018-02-07 at 21.55.24

Screen Shot 2018-02-07 at 21.57.26

screen-shot-2016-09-12-at-23-36-22clips of Jon Marks BBC 3CR commentary   Goals:1  2  3  4

Watford Observer

RELIVE – Watford vs Chelsea: Troy Deeney and Gerard Deulofeu on target as Hornets thrash Premier League champions

Remarkable finale sees Watford dismantle Premier League champions Chelsea

Watford boss Javi Gracia reflects on ‘unforgettable night’ after remarkable Chelsea victory

PICTURES: Images from Watford’s memorable win over Chelsea

Watford vs Chelsea player ratings: Gerard Deulofeu impresses on home debut as Hornets down Blues

Troy Deeney: Watford skipper’s Chelsea celebration a response to transfer speculation

skyWatford piled the pressure on Antonio Conte as a late flurry of goals secured a thumping 4-1 win over 10-man Chelsea on Monday Night Football.

BBC SportThe Blues played an hour with 10 men after Tiemoue Bakayoko’s red card capped a dreadful individual 30-minute performance – in which he gifted Watford four chances.

guardianThereafter, profligacy rather spared the visitors until Hazard, whipping in a glorious equaliser that dipped under Orestis Karnezis’s outstretched left hand, made it level. Briefly, tantalisingly, Chelsea dared to consider inducing another late Watford implosion but it would be the champions who unravelled. Janmaat, Deulofeu and the substitute Pereyra would each glide into space to drive home their advantage while the majority inside the arena pinched themselves in the giddiness of victory. “It’s difficult to explain how I feel at this moment,” said Gracia. “We needed the three points badly but for motivation and to believe in our possibilities, in our work, today was very important.”

TelegraphWatford thoroughly deserved to win; a win that takes them six points clear of the relegation zone and halted the alarming run of results that led to the sacking of Marco Silva as head coach. This was Gracia’s first home game in charge and his January signing, fellow Spaniard Gerard Deulofeu, was outstanding in a rampant performance which Chelsea simply could not cope with.

BHappy imageThe route home was slightly easier; Dad dropped me at St Albans, I made the train waiting at the platform, grabbed the only cab on the rank at Bedford, home at not-quite-silly’o’clock.  And then lay in bed, staring upwards in the dark. For hours.  Completely wired.

The Hornets NestFollowing Chelsea’s 3-0 defeat at home to Bournemouth during the week, I was prepared for the backlash in Javi Gracia’s first home game in charge of the ‘Orns.

https://audioboom.com/posts/6643525-thrashing-the-champions-8-33

Screen Shot 2018-02-07 at 22.16.59

Screen Shot 2018-02-07 at 22.18.18