Category Archives: Gianluca Vialli

16th March 2002- New Division One, Watford 3 Coventry City 0

Went off half time 2-0 up after another headed goal from Brown having dominated the first half. Mahon, in particular, had been a star in defence but, on the rare occasion that the boyz had given, or lost the ball, they went looking for it as unit, and worked very, very hard. Delightful stuff.

Still, let’s enjoy it. Sure, the scoreline gives little indication of what a hard-fought contest this was, nor that there were periods when Coventry were clearly on top. Until the third goal went in, we were never comfortable. That’s a good thing, though. We need challenges right now, we need to be tested, we want to get into the habit of meeting opponents head-on rather than hiding away. Just as we’d imagined that we’d seen all that Luca Vialli’s Watford had to offer – some gorgeous football, made mediocre by limp performances and stupid results – it has revealed a darker, more threatening side. A First Division mentality, if you like. A winning mentality, certainly.

https://www.soccerbase.com/matches/results.sd?date=2002-03-16

https://www.11v11.com/league-tables/league-division-1/16-march-2002/

2nd March 2002- New Division One, Watford 0 Crewe Alexandra 1

Crewe striker Dean Ashton scored the only goal of the game to ease his side’s relegation fears. It was Ashton’s eighth goal of the campaign but Watford boss Gianluca Vialli will wonder how his side lost.

Somehow, another opportunity has slipped from our grasp. While this performance fell far short of Tuesday’s, neither capturing its furious intensity nor matching the elegance of some of the football, it still should’ve been enough to produce a single goal victory.

https://www.soccerbase.com/matches/results.sd?date=2002-03-02

https://www.11v11.com/league-tables/league-division-1/02-march-2002/

26th February 2002- New Division One, Watford 2 Norwich City 1

At seven o’clock, debate is raging in the Estcourt. Whatever his mistakes, I can’t help feeling a little sorry for Luca Vialli, who has so far failed to create a team that can speak on his behalf and is therefore in the position of having every word in every sentence in every interview picked apart. Personally, I’m thoroughly bored by it all…so many opinions, so many personalities, so much guff (and I include this guff, of course) where there should be football.

It’s a long time since I have been able to pack life’s niggles into a box and keep the lid on it all the way through a Watford match. For me, going to football used to be all about leaving the outside world behind for ninety minutes, and immersing myself in a world of yellow and red. Somewhere along the way, the boundaries came down, and the world seeped in; the colours lost their brightness.

https://www.soccerbase.com/matches/results.sd?date=2002-02-26

https://www.11v11.com/league-tables/league-division-1/26-february-2002/

10th February 2002- New Division One, Watford 2 Grimsby Town 0

With our confidence dragging around our ankles and patience running out, anything might’ve happened here. Anything didn’t happen here, which is a sign of…well, “progress” would be too strong a word. “Survival” would be a better one, perhaps.

6th February 2002- New Division One, Watford 1 Burnley 2

I don’t ever recall hearing the Flintstones Theme Watford chant being sung by the Rookery (see Hornets in Harmony pages 31-33)

Watford’s manager Gianluca Vialli called on his team to win this game, and a second home fixture against Grimsby on Sunday, to haul themselves back into the promotion frame. But the plea fell on deaf ears here last night, and Marcus Gayle’s listening equipment must be of the cloth variety.

Ten o’clock pm. Final whistle. Swift exit for the train station, through the shouting, grumbling, miserable hordes. Except those who’ve stayed behind to abuse the team, that is. Stride quickly through the streets, checking my watch and wondering if, deep down, I ought to be feeling rather more angry and disillusioned. I’m unable to figure that out. Or maybe I don’t want to try too hard.

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20th January 2002- New Division One, Watford 1 Manchester City 2

Kevin Keegan’s promotion bandwagon was given a slice of good fortune as Watford gifted Manchester City all three points on Sunday.

As early as the quarter hour mark we were forced into a reshuffle as Cox limped off having earlier received treatment. Doyley dropped into his more accustomed central role, with Heidar continuing his tour of the outfield positions as a right wing-back.

At this point, anyway, Luca brought Helguson on, and I assume we went to four in defence, with Glass dropping back and Helguson, inexplicably, playing wide right. Hindsight is a beautiful thing, and there’s no denying Pennant’s usefulness up front, but isn’t he supposed to be a right winger and Helguson a striker?

A difficult pitch and a difficult opponent, full of tricks and movement, but we played as well as we could, which is all you can ask for. Although City were better than us, technically, our battling performance could have earned a draw. Helguson’s unfortunate own goal gave City a win they barely deserved: that’s what happens when you ask strikers to play a defensive role.

https://www.soccerbase.com/matches/results.sd?date=2002-01-20

https://www.11v11.com/league-tables/league-division-1/20-january-2002/