12th August 2023- Championship, Watford 0 Plymouth Argyle 0

Official site: Match Dashboard

https://www.watfordfc.com/match-report/match-report-watford-0-0-plymouth-argyle

BBC: Watford and newly-promoted Plymouth Argyle extended their unbeaten starts to the Championship season with an entertaining goalless draw at Vicarage Road.

Sky: While the visitors could at least take an unbeaten start to their first second-tier campaign in 14 seasons back with them to Devon, there was scant consolation for Watford who managed to hit the target with just three of their 20 goal attempts.

Watford Observer: Live Feed

The closest they came to making the breakthrough was during the first half was when Imran Louza hit the post from distance, while Vakoun Bayo will feel he should have done better after the break when he pulled a shot wide after being sent clear by a fine reverse pass from substitute Yaser Asprilla.

There were two key words that Valerien Ismael took away from the 0-0 draw with Plymouth: ruthlessness and mistakes.

BHappy: A week on, everything’s different.  We’re only a week into the football season, it’s still a bit of a novelty, we’re still getting into the swing…  but the niceties are over.  We’re no longer happy just to be back in the stadium.

Fran’s Watford Blog: While there was some disappointment at the end of the game, as the Hornets deserved more than a point, most fans leaving Vicarage Road had smiles on their faces.  It had been a terrific performance.  The high intensity of the play continues, the players are all working hard and linking up well and the result is some really entertaining football.  Plymouth were a much better team than QPR, so it was great to see the Hornets put in another dominant performance.  Dan Bachmann almost played himself into trouble on a few occasions, but Ismaël has made it clear that this is under instruction from him, so we will have a good few more nervy moments this season.  The positive is that, so far, the defence (including Dan) have reacted to cover the mistakes.  The forward play has been excellent.  Bayo may not have scored, but he is getting into the right places.  Martins was very exciting in attack and Asprilla continued in the same vein when he came on.  Andrews linked up well with them both and should have been on the scoresheet.  Sema and Louza both continue to deliver as expected.  It is all rather fun.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/66413440