Watford Observer: Paulo Pezzolano on Charlton test: ‘We have to win the fight’

Sky: Summer signing Harvey Knibbs scored a stoppage-time winner for Charlton as the Championship new boys made it a losing start for new Watford head coach Paulo Pezzolano.

BBC: The impressive Apter curled a left-footed effort wide in the final few minutes before Watford had a penalty claim turned down in stoppage time when substitute Nestory Irankunda felt he was fouled by goalkeeper Thomas Kaminski..

Watford Observer: RECAP: Charlton Athletic 1-0 Watford

REPORT: Charlton Athletic 1-0 Watford

Pezzolano on Charlton defeat, penalty controversy and subbing Imran Louza

Paulo Pezzolano analyses Luca Kjerrumgaard’s Watford debut at Charlton Athletic

Egil Selvik: ‘We have to grow up fast if we want to win games’

Where Watford went right and wrong as ‘small details’ cost them at Charlton

BHappy: There were some… euphemistically brave substitution decisions. Irankunda for Baah was a bit weird but then Baah hasn’t done a full 90 since mid-January, was on a yellow and getting increasingly feisty. The withdrawal of Louza in favour of Kayembe in the name of physicality was perhaps the most odd… Edo got as warm a reception as you’d hope and of course decisions are always easier in retrospect and if you’re not the one making them. Nonetheless, Louza’s departure was tantamount to sacrificing possession and inviting pressure… maybe we were better able to defend it, good decisions don’t guarantee good outcomes, but prevention (keep possession) is better than cure (defend set pieces).

Fran’s Watford Blog: As the post-match celebrations on the pitch continued, Baah got involved in some handbags. I wondered what had provoked it until I was told that Jones had celebrated in front of the Watford fans. I wouldn’t have expected anything else, although he had been receiving abuse from the away end throughout the game.

From the Rookery End: As the 2025–26 season got underway for Watford, Jon, Mike, and Kieran headed down to The Valley to watch the Hornets take on Charlton Athletic — only to see them suffer a gut-wrenching defeat to an injury-time goal. With the season’s business now underway, we took the chance to share our first impressions of the new players, the returning faces, and the fresh style of play under Paulo Pezzolano’s guidance.