Author Archives: rajo1974

6th April 2026- Championship, Watford 1 Charlton Athletic 1

Watford Observer: Still on Charlton: All we can do after bad results is bounce back

Watford Observer: MATCHDAY AS IT HAPPENED: Watford 1-1 Charlton Athletic

Five talking points as Watford forced to settle for a point

Match Report: Irankunda equalises but Watford held to 1-1 Charlton draw

Coady lost consciousness after blocking shot, Jones confirms

Still takes confidence from ‘completely dominating’ second half against Charlton

BBC: Nestory Irankunda’s emphatic finish earned Watford a point and denied Charlton Athletic a first win in four matches in a chance-laden Championship draw at Vicarage Road.

Sky: Charlton’s Conor Coady was stretchered off being struck in the head by a venomous shot by Tom Ince. The former England international had lengthy treatment on the pitch.

BHappy: Irankunda levels after being released by Louza, a fine, confident, Premier League finish, and then thumps in an evil bouncing bomb that Mannion pushes away. Goglichidze, who’s had an erratic afternoon, gets on the end of a deep cross but heads criminally wide. I can sense Hutch combusting from half the stadium away. Shots are repeatedly fired in but are repelled, most tellingly and representatively when Conor Coady commemorates the 500th appearance of his career by getting in the way of a Tom Ince piledriver. He is knocked out cold interrupting play for a good ten minutes, the incident encapsulating Charlton’s dogged defiance in the face of mounting pressure.

From the Rookery End: Jon, Jordi, Mike and Kieran are on presenting duties after Watford’s Easter weekend fixtures — a 1-1 draw at home to Charlton on Easter Monday, coming hot on the heels of the 2-1 defeat away at QPR on Good Friday.

3rd April 2026- Championship, Queens Park Rangers 2 Watford 1

Watford Observer: Team news: Watford down to ‘bare bones’ with Bola among doubts for QPR

Still exploring reasons behind injuries but believes it’s largely bad luck

Watford still aiming to ‘create some magic’ this season

‘Not many teams can win 6-1 in the Championship’ – Still on QPR threat

Watford Observer: MATCHDAY AS IT HAPPENED: QPR 2-1 Watford

Match Report: Watford lose 2-1 at QPR in flat display

Still: ‘The lack of consistency has caused us problems’

Micro and macro reasons behind Watford’s defeat at QPR

Still will analyse why key attackers are struggling to score

BBC: Paul Smyth scored one goal and made another as QPR claimed a third successive win to all but end lacklustre Watford’s already slim hopes of sneaking into the Championship play-off places.

Sky: Imran Louza pulled a goal back with a superb 85th-minute free-kick, but the visitors were unable to find an equaliser.

Fran’s Watford Blog: It had been a poor performance from the Hornets whose injury-ridden squad struggled. The first start for Bove was not an impressive one. Maybe he was too keen to make an impression, but his great touch was little in evidence, and he committed a series of rash tackles, that endangered his presence on the pitch. Kjerrumgaard generally struggled although he did have an excellent strike early on which, had it gone in, would have changed the game. There was a lively finish to the match, as the introduction of Baah injected some energy. This game featured the good Baah, who is always fun to watch. Louza’s goal was a thing of beauty and made sure that there was some tension in the final minutes. But my highlight was the debut of Nabizada. I have seen some excellent performances from him at U18 and U21 level and it was good to see him take his opportunity in the first team. He started a bit slowly, but grew into the game and put a few decent crosses into the box. I hope that this is the first of many first team outings for him.

21st March 2026- Championship, Watford 0 Leicester City 0

Watford Observer: Still on whether he judges himself on points or performances

Still not focused on the ramifications of Leicester game

Watford Observer: MATCHDAY LIVE: Watford 0-0 Leicester City

Five talking points as Watford held to Leicester stalemate

Match Report: Selvik saves penalty as Watford and Leicester slog to goalless draw

Still: Watford played through the pain barrier and wanted ‘close game’

BBC: Patson Daka had a penalty saved as relegation threatened Leicester City were held to a goalless draw by play-off chasing Watford.

Sky :Daka’s 40th-minute spot-kick was brilliantly tipped on to the post by home goalkeeper Egil Selvik. The striker also headed wide of a near open goal in the second half as the Foxes failed to climb out of the bottom three.

BHappy: Forgive me, I know that ranting about referees is unspeakably dull and I wouldn’t for one moment suggest that his performance had anything to do with the disappointing outcome of this game, but I do need to try to extract some pleasure from the exercise. As the second half descended into mind-numbing stalemate, Smith seemed determined to inject some randomness into proceedings with a series of absurd decisions in both directions. The most bizarre, a yellow against Doumbia which saw him drop to his knees in astonishment after he held off an aggressive challenge from behind. In the first half, the official had dropped the ball and run off the pitch and down the tunnel during a break in play that contributed to eight minutes being added before the interval; one can only assume that in the interim some sort of alien abduction took place, or an unwise experiment with hallucinogenic drugs such was his performance in the second half. No surprise at all that when Bobby Decordova-Reid obstructed Egil Selvik’s attempt at a clearance even the Norwegian, that mildest-mannered of mild-mannered janitors, was at a boiling point that saw a significant scuffle ensue. “That was the ref’s fault”, said everyone in the stadium (as well as the interfering extra-terrestrials, one assumes).

Fran’s Watford Blog: There was disaster for the Hornets ten minutes before the break as Fatawu went on a dangerous run into the box, getting behind Formose Mendy who tripped him. The referee had no choice but to point to the spot. The penalty was at the same end as Knockaert’s all those years ago and Selvik did an Almunia by diving the right way and pushing Daka’s shot onto the post where it rebounded out sparking joyous celebrations in the home stands

From the Rookery End: Watford served up the full emotional buffet this week — from the genuine high of a feel-good win over Wrexham (and that moment), to the all-too-familiar frustration of a stop-start, slightly baffling 0-0 with Leicester.

17th March 2026- Championship, Watford 3 Wrexham 1

Watford Observer: Minute’s applause for Amelia Aplin to be held during Wrexham game

Doumbia out to set the tone on decisive night at Vicarage Road

I’m not a fan of the club using AI to create images, especially not of legendary players. The back row here looks like they got together a load of look a likes.

Watford Observer: MATCHDAY LIVE: Watford 3-1 Wrexham

Five talking points as Watford win to keep play-off hopes alive

Match Report: Bove seals the deal as Watford bounce back to beat Wrexham 3-1

Still: ‘We did the basics right – that’s the big positive’

GALLERY: Best images of Bove’s Rookery End goal and celebration

BBC: Watford kept their Championship play-off hopes alive while denting those of Wrexham by beating the Red Dragons at Vicarage Road.

Sky: Goals from Marc Bola and Edo Kayembe did the damage for the Vicarage Road outfit and although Max Cleworth pulled a goal back for the hosts, Edoardo Bove netted his first Hornets goal in stoppage time.

Fran’s Watford Blog: On 15 minutes, there was a minute’s applause in memory of Watford fan, Amelia Aplin, who passed away after collapsing while playing in goal for Oxford Academy. As fans at both ends of the ground stood to applaud, the ball went out for a throw and the game paused while the players and officials joined in the applause. It was a wonderful tribute, and I doubt there was a dry eye in the stadium.

14th March 2026- Championship, Stoke City 3 Watford 1

Watford Observer: Watford working on aggression and playing forwards ahead of ‘tough’ Stoke clash

Stoke trip is a test of whether Still is making Watford better

Still – ‘The only question is how to win – 4-4-2, 3-4-3, I don’t care’

Watford Observer: MATCHDAY AS IT HAPPENED: Stoke City 3-1 Watford

Match Report: Play-off hopes hanging by a thread as Stoke beat wasteful Watford 3-1

Still insists Watford’s season is not over after Stoke defeat

Still adamant Watford have the strength of character to do better

Another season fades away as Watford can’t master the art of winning

Irankunda left out because ‘he can’t rock up, expect to start and not perform’

BBC: Million Manhoef’s brace helped Stoke return to winning ways with a comfortable victory at home to Watford.

Sky: The Dutch winger found the net either side of half-time before Sam Gallagher added a third late on just after Nestory Irankunda’s stunning strike had pulled one back for the Hornets.

Fran’s Watford Blog: There were very few travelling Hornets left in the away end at the final whistle. The players were greeted with a mix of sympathetic applause and boos. One fan near the front expressed his dismay in such a way that Bola reacted angrily and came over to remonstrate with him. Pollock followed and ushered him away.

From the Rookery End: Back behind the mic, Jon and DCW look back on a bruising week for Watford after a frustrating draw at Sheffield Wednesday and a damaging defeat at Stoke. There’s talk of missed chances, flat performances, fading playoff hopes and what Ed Still can realistically get out of this squad in the final stretch. The lads also hear from the Watford Observer’s Adam Drury, who was at the bet365 Stadium and shares what Ed Still had to say in the aftermath of the defeat. Plus, with Wrexham and Leicester up next, they ask what there is still to play for — and whether simply finding some stability might be the biggest win of all.

10th March 2026- Championship, Sheffield Wednesday 1 Watford 1

Watford Observer: Pollock touch-and-go as Still seeks best display of his reign at Sheff Wed

How Still has used 11-day break as a ‘mini pre-season’

Kjerrumgaard has been ‘one of the standout players’ under Still

Watford need two months of stable, solid football – starting tonight

Still: ‘We’re aware of what a difficult opponent Sheff Wed will be’

Watford Observer: MATCHDAY AS IT HAPPENED: Sheffield Wednesday 1-1 Watford

Match Report: Watford equalise late but fall short in poor 1-1 draw at Sheff Wed

WATCH: Immediate reaction to Sheffield Wednesday 1-1 Watford

Still points to missed chances and second-half mistakes after Hillsborough draw

Lack of composure and ideas saw fragile Watford fall into Sheff Wed’s trap

Ngakia set for weeks on the sidelines with hamstring injury

Fixing possession problems a tougher job mid-season, says Still

BBC: Sheffield Wednesday were denied only their second league win of the season right at the death as Vivaldo Semedo’s late equaliser earned Watford a 1-1 draw at Hillsborough.

Sky: Wednesday, who have been in administration since October and are already relegated from the Championship following an 18-point deduction by the EFL, were minutes away from ending a wretched winless run going back to September when Jerry Yates’ second-half header put them in front.