Monthly Archives: September 2018

29th September 2018- Premier League, Arsenal 2 Watford 0

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Watford Observer

Relive as Watford lose out to late Arsenal double strike

A-Craig-Cathcart-own-goal-and-a-Mesut-Ozil-strike-secure-Arsenal-2-0-win-over-Watford-_-Watford-Observer Download

A spirited Watford were made to pay for missed chances as two quick-fire Arsenal goals in the last ten minutes sealed the Gunners a 2-0 win.

Javi Gracia praises Watford’s performance in Arsenal defeat

Watford player ratings: Christian Kabasele impresses in Arsenal defeat

PICTURES: Images from Watford’s defeat to Arsenal

Will Hughes rues Watford’s inability to take their chances following Arsenal loss

Watford: Marc Navarro’s Premier League debut a dream come true despite Arsenal loss

A 2-0 victory over Watford at Emirates Stadium on Saturday, thanks to two goals in the last nine minutes, secured the Gunners’ fifth league win in a row.

Alexandre Lacazette’s pressure on Cathcart saw him turn Alex Iwobi’s cross beyond Ben Foster with nine minutes to go at the Emirates, before which the visitors had enjoyed the better of the chances. Will Hughes had volleyed an early chance wide, Andre Gray had a one on one saved by substitute goalkeeper Bernd Leno and an Isaac Success effort glanced the post with the scores goalless.

Watford had played well but, after their flawless start, have slipped to a four-match winless sequence that has included three narrow defeats. “I’m very upset for my players – I think we deserved a better result,” said their manager Javi Gracia. “It was a very good performance – more shots than Arsenal and lots of clear chances – I’m very proud of my players.”

Seven successive wins is a helpful statistic, but Emery was as impressed to see how Arsenal mastered their most difficult test since the first week of the season – when they lost to Manchester City and Chelsea. This was a true test of their mettle, with Watford starting the day ahead of them in the table thanks to their well‑organised ambition, and threatening to take all the points until Arsenal scored twice in three high-energy minutes in the late summer sun.

It’s an indicator of how far our feet are under the table that this is all so familiar now. Four of the five visits to the Emirates since promotion and the environs are now as familiar as Borough Market pre-Millwall, as the cricket club at Turf Moor, as the discarded bin bags spewing their contents all over the pavements between Norwood Junction and Selhurst Park.

It was a cruel finish to the game. Watford had been the better side for most of the second half and had considerably more shots on goal, but the hosts made the most of those that they had and it was the finishing that proved the difference between the teams.

Despite the defeat, the atmosphere in the away end after the final whistle was not that of animosity, in fact quite the opposite. Watford were still the louder set of supporters in the stadium, everyone evidently realising and appreciating the effort the team put in. And that’s all we ask for as fans, certainly as supporters of a club like Watford anyway. We don’t expect to turn up at a place like Arsenal and turn them over, we don’t really expect much in all honesty. What we do expect though is effort, a sense that the players care as much as we do about the badge that’s on their chest. And we got that, in fact we’ve been getting that since the season started.

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26th September 2018- League Cup Third Round, Tottenham Hotspur 2 Watford 2 (Tottenham won 4-2 on penalties) at Stadium MK

The game was played at Stadium MK as Tottenham’s new stadium was still not ready to be used and their temporary home, Wembley Stadium, was unavailable as it had hosted an Anthony Joshua title fight the previous weekend.

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Referee: Lee Mason Attendance: 23,650

clips of Jon Marks BBC 3CR commentary Goals:1 2

Watford Observer

RELIVE – Tottenham Hotspur vs Watford: Dele Alli strikes decisive spot kick as Hornets exit Carabao Cup on penalties

Watford knocked out of Carabao Cup by Tottenham Hotspur on penalties after 2-2 draw

Watford player ratings: Isaac Success the standout performer in Carabao Cup loss to Tottenham Hotspur

PICTURES: Watford knocked out of Carabao Cup by Tottenham Hotspur

Tottenham Hotspur vs Watford: Isaac Success takes pride in Carabao Cup defeat

Watford: Javi Gracia delighted with squad players despite Tottenham Hotspur loss

Isaac Success put Watford ahead, goals from Alli and Erik Lamela made it 2-1 before Etienne Capoue equalised.

After Capoue and Domingos Quina missed spot-kicks in the shoot-out, Alli stepped up to send Spurs through to the fourth round.

For this odd occasion at Milton Keynes, Mauricio Pochettino made the local boy his captain. And within five minutes Alli was belting the length of the pitch to earn a corner. It was a run which drew nostalgic applause from the thousand or so MK Dons fans who, to add further to the oddness of the occasion, were stationed above the Watford contingent.

Javi Gracia had made even more changes, with Craig Cathcart the only survivor from the lineup that has started all six of Watford’s league games this season. But Watford, too, were eager to advance and Gracia introduced Christian Kabasele from the bench in the 77th minute to help protect their lead. Three minutes later the Belgian was on his way back off again, shown a red card after his challenge led to Alli tumbling to the floor. Alli got up to score from the penalty spot. Gracia was dismayed by the sending off – “I cannot understand this decision,” he said, before indicating that Watford would appeal against it.

If you want my personal opinion on playing at a neutral venue, I thought it was an absolute farce and makes a mockery of the whole competition. If you are entering a cup competition and you know full well you will not be able to fulfill a fixture, you either agree to reverse it and play away from home, or you don’t enter the competition at all.

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22nd September 2018- Premier League, Fulham 1 Watford 1

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Screen Shot 2018-09-24 at 21.20.57 Referee:Martin Atkinson Attendance:23,418

clips of Jon Marks BBC 3CR commentary Goals: 1

Watford Observer

RELIVE – Fulham vs Watford: Andre Gray and Aleksandar Mitrovic on target in Premier League draw

Watford unable to build on Andre Gray’s goal in Fulham draw

Slavisa Jokanovic praises Fulham’s attitude and character after Watford draw

Fulham vs Watford: Javi Gracia admits Watford could have killed the game in the first half

Fulham vs Watford ratings: Andre Gray and Ben Foster on song in Premier League draw

PICTURES: Watford forced to settle for point at Fulham

Ben Foster: Watford made to pay for poor finishing in Fulham draw

Watford’s Troy Deeney critical of failure to make dominance pay against Fulham

Watford had to settle for a draw at Fulham after Aleksandar Mitrovic struck late on to earn the hosts a point. The Hornets punished a poor start by Fulham as Andre Gray sidefooted home inside 90 seconds and the visitors, who won their first four Premier League games of the season, dominated the first half.

The home side were lucky to go in at the break only one goal down after Christian Kabasele and Gray spurned presentable openings, while it could have been even worse had referee Martin Atkinson sent off Timothy Fosu-Mensah for a studs-up tackle on Troy Deeney just past the half-hour mark.

Watford’s captain now appears likely to be Gracia’s first enforced change of the season, having left Craven Cottage with his right leg in a protective boot and revealed he will require an X-ray after Fosu-Mensah’s 32nd-minute tackle. “I may have a broken bone or two but we crack on,” Deeney said. He had still completed the 90 minutes. “I am a tough, ugly boy so it will be all right.”

Isaac Success replaced Gray for the final 10 minutes and the Nigerian’s impact was impressive. He almost scored after cutting in from the left but was foiled by a low save from Marcus Bettinelli. Fulham also sensed more points might be on offer and Mitrovic twice went close to winning the game.

So, for the second week running, we came away disappointed at the result. I think we would all have taken a point before the game, but our first half performance was such that we should have been further ahead at half-time and, had that happened, it seemed unlikely that the home side would have been able to recover. Instead, Fulham were still in the game at the break and Jokanović made changes that strengthened his team, who pressed harder against the Hornets who then misplaced more passes and allowed the home side to threaten more.

I like Fulham. As I only live a short distance away I was able to go to several of their games last season. I find Craven Cottage a ‘proper’ football ground and have always felt like it’s a welcoming stadium to visit. The significance of our trip this time round was of course that it was the first time former Watford Head Coach, Slavisa Jokanovic had come up against us, since he got us promoted back in 2015. Of course, he received a warm reception from the travelling Hornets and was full of praise for the supporters in his pre-match press conference.

Craven Cottage has been a nice place for the Hornets to visit, but this week’s visit was a mixed bag, but still ended in a draw. In another away day diary style podcast, Colin takes a trip to Fulham, talking with fellow fans and sharing his story of the day.

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15th September 2018- Premier League, Watford 1 Manchester United 2

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Referee:Mike Dean Attendance:20,537

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.

Ben Foster was excellent in the first half despite the scoreline, and made a wonderful save from Alexis Sanchez in the 32nd minute as a long ball from De Gea was put into the Chile forward’s path by Lukaku. He then dribbled down to the right of the area before taking aim, but Foster was equal to it with a fingertip stop at the near post.

The Watford supporters very audibly sensed vulnerability in United but, with Mourinho imploring his players forward, they suddenly struck twice shortly before half-time.

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 74^th 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.

I did have one question still on my mind as I left the ground. Did the United kit man accidentally leave a red sock in with the white United shirts?

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2nd September 2018- Premier League, Watford 2 Tottenham Hotspur 1

Screen Shot 2018-09-03 at 12.42.09 Referee:Andre Marriner Attendance:20,141

clips of Jon Marks BBC 3CR commentary Goals: 1 2

Watford Observer

RELIVE – Watford vs Tottenham Hotspur: Hornets’ perfect Premier League start extended at Spurs’ expense

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.

Tottenham had scored a fortuitous opener as Watford midfielder Abdoulaye Doucoure bundled into his own net but, after winning their first four league games for the first time in 30 years, it is the Hornets who join Liverpool and Chelsea on maximum points at the top of the table.

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.

I had been saying “take a point” in my mind throughout the week leading up to this game. Suddenly though, it felt as though all three points were a very real possibility. As a corner came in, again a pinpoint delivery from Holebas, Craig Cathcart nodded it into the Rookery End net and Vicarage Road erupted. I had never seen us beat Spurs in my whole life. In fact, the last time we beat Spurs I would have only been 1 year old, back in 1994.

Yeah… we beat Spurs, for the first time in over 30 years. After a fantastic win, Jon, Jason and Colin discuss a comeback win for the Hornets which will be remembered by us and the rest of the League for a good while.

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