Post Match

Well, that’s the goal of the month for October sewn up.

Joao Pedro stunner gives Watford win over Derby County

Joao Pedro scores stunning winner for Watford at Derby County

Vladimir Ivic thought Watford beat Derby County as a team

Tom Cleverley thinks Joao Pedro deserved Watford winner

Watford players rated after beating Derby County

Watford’s Brazilian teenager Joao Pedro scored a sensational winner as the Hornets earned a narrow 1-0 win over struggling Derby at Pride Park.

An error-strewn affair, without even a shot on target until the 74th minute, was eventually decided by a real moment of class from the 19-year-old, turning on the edge of the box before bending a brilliant right-footed effort into the top corner.

Wayne Rooney ‘seething’ after visit from friend who later tested positive for Covid. Derby County and Watford squads now likely to take tests

The announcement of the starting eleven was underwhelming.  No Troy, no Hughes, we knew that, but no Sarr either.  The club may have been aware that he wouldn’t realistically be back in time (despite Senegal’s Tuesday game with Mauritania having been scratched, so a little difficult to reconcile) but we didn’t.  And no Capoue, despite the suggestion that his return was a possibility.  The first eleven, certainly the attacking side of it, looked a bit botched together and the bench, flimsy. Vladimir Ivić had picked a side based on what he had available, but it was a side that looked even more focused on defensive solidity, asking an awful lot of two young attacking players in João Pedro and Domingos Quina.

League football is back and so is that winning feeling! With the International break over and the transfer window finally shut, the boys convene to discuss Watford’s victorious return to action at Pride Park.