Category Archives: March

12th March 2025- Championship, Watford 1 Swansea City 0

WFC.Net goal commentary: 1

Report: Watford 1-0 Swansea City – Watford FCDownload

BBC: Watford boosted their Championship play-off hopes as Moussa Sissoko’s goal ended Swansea City’s unbeaten run under Alan Sheehan.

Sky: Goncalo Franco gave the ball away to Ince in a dangerous position and with the defence stranded he found Sissoko to slot home his third goal of the season.

Watford Observer: RECAP: Watford 1 Swansea 0

Five talking points as Hornets edge out Swans

Watford 1 Swansea 0 minute-by-minute report

‘We can’t keep putting these games to chance’ admits Cleverley

Reduced impact of substitutes is a cause for concern

Points, play-off potential, progress – but not plain sailing

8th March 2025- Championship, Watford 1 Millwall 2

WFC.Net goal commentary: 1

Report: Watford 1-2 Millwall – Watford FCDownload

BBC: Josh Coburn was again Millwall’s match-winner, as they came from behind to beat Watford at Vicarage Road and boost their hopes of a Championship play-off place.

Sky: The Lions trailed at half-time after Mattie Pollock had given the home side a 30th-minute lead with his first league goal of the season.

Watford Observer: RECAP: Watford 1 Millwall 2

Watford 1 Millwall 2 minute-by-minute report

Second half was a big learning curve admits Cleverley

Consistency of recent weeks shattered by two contrasting halves in one game

BHappy:  We weren’t on it at all from the start of the second half. Not… overrun, not obviously complacent. But not on it. Critical perhaps was the departure of Doumbia with what looked like a hamstring strain; on came Bayo for his familiar skittling around, his 100th appearance… but it was evident after far fewer than 100 games that holding the ball up was never his thing. Millwall now had a much easier proposition on their hands being able to push up on us high up the pitch without us having as effective an out-ball.

Fran’s Watford Blog: Prior to kick-off there was a minute’s applause for Dennis Bond and Barry Hartle who passed away recently. This was impeccably observed, and it was lovely to see the Millwall fans joining in. They are likeable after all.

From the Rookery End: It was a cliche, as Watford v Millwall was a game of two halves. First half was great, the second was simply awful. Jon, Jason, Jordi and Mike met to discuss it , outside the hornet shop.

1st March 2025- Championship, Stoke City 0 Watford 0

Report: Stoke City 0-0 Watford – Watford FCDownload

BBC: In a grim game of few chances, the Potters fans suffered a third goalless draw in the five Championship home games since Mark Robins took charge. For fellow former Manchester United man Tom Cleverley, it was only the Hornets’ second goalless draw of the season.

Sky: Watford enjoyed a 70-30 percent possession split approaching half-time without doing anything positive with it.

Watford Observer: RECAP: Stoke 0 Watford 0

Stoke 0 Watford 0 minute-by-minute report

Tactically sound but without sufficient end product

A pair of hat-tricks as Watford Women smash seven on the road

Abankwah’s continued emergence the highlight of dull sunny day in Stoke

Fran’s Watford Blog: The second half had been much better than the first with the Hornets playing much more positively but mostly failing to test Johansson. The star performance among the Watford players was from Abankwah who put in some decisive and perfectly timed tackles. He has been a great addition to our squad. As has Selvik, who had virtually nothing to do but pulled off a terrific save at the end of the game to keep the clean sheet. The fact that we were disappointed with a point and a clean sheet away from home shows how much our expectations have been raised in recent weeks.

From the Rookery End: It was by no means a classic, but there were plenty of positives for Mike, Jordi and Colin to discuss after Watford’s Stoke stalemate. The trio talk Tom’s tactics, Louza’s continued resurgence, defensive delight after a third clean sheet in a row, while also considering the ongoing goalscoring conundrum.

29th March 2024- Championship, Watford 2 Leeds United 2

https://www.skysports.com/football/watford-vs-leeds-united/teams/485169

WFC.Net Goal Commentary: 1  2

Sky Sports: Watford began brightly in Tom Cleverley’s first match at Vicarage Road as interim manager. They won early set pieces and had a shout for a penalty – but Ethan Amapdu’s coming together with Yasser Aspirilla was not enough for a spot kick.

BBC: The hosts produced perhaps their best half of the season as Vakoun Bayo and Emmanuel Dennis struck before the break, either side of a Crysencio Summerville stunner, to put them 2-1 ahead at half-time.

Guardian: “Everyone wants to play front-foot football but you have to be structured,” Cleverley said. “Against a team like Leeds if you’re a bit gung-ho they can slice you open. We looked a really controlled team. It’s a tough task to come up against the league leaders but we showed we can more than compete. I want everyone to leave at the end of the season thinking we’ve got a promotion push in us next year.”

Watford Observer: Watford 2-2 Leeds United: Bayo and Dennis on target in draw

BHappy: Emmanuel Dennis is haring towards the Sir Elton John Stand and the stadium – barring the rammed away section – is collectively doing its nut. This is Vicarage Road  at it’s finest…  an evening kick-off, for one thing.  This stadium is ours and home.  We know it’s special for all sorts of reasons that might not be immediately apparent to a neutral, let alone a rival.  But even the most journeyed supporter would surely concede that there’s nowhere that quite sucks in the darkness like Vicarage Road on such occasions. 

Fran’s Watford Blog: Before kick-off, Tim Coombs welcomed Tom Cleverley to the dug out for his first home match in charge.  His photo was displayed on the big screen with the caption “Our Tom” which was just lovely.

16th March 2024- Championship, Birmingham City 0 Watford 1

WFC.Net Goal Commentary: 1

BBC: Struggling Birmingham City were left ruing a defensive lapse that ruined an otherwise much-improved performance as Emmanuel Dennis’ first-half goal gave Tom Cleverley a win in his first game as Watford interim head coach.

Sky: Aiwu could not control Cody Drameh’s throw-in across his own penalty area and Dennis got the better of the defender before finishing ruthlessly past John Ruddy.

BHappy: There’s a new broom in town… and yes, yes, we’re quite used to that and no, it’s not all about the head coach, deeper problems, yada yada.  Nonetheless.  There’s a newness to it and the potential for something different.  Daughter 2 notes that the large away end is full.  It’s not just the convenient distance that has brought folk out, and the new (interim) head coach’s name is being sung before the man himself even appears.

Fran’s Watford Blog: So, the Cleverley era started with a win, but it had been a very poor game of football between two poor teams.  The Hornets had taken the three points based on an opportunist goal and a couple of excellent saves from Bachmann.  Pollock impressed as did Porteous and Tom Dele-Bashiru, but the forwards had a disappointing afternoon.  Still, three points are always welcome, and we now have a fortnight to prepare for the challenges of the Easter weekend.  Let’s hope that this result will instil some confidence and that the remaining games yield some entertainment.  This has been a trying season.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/68519397

9th March 2024- Championship, Watford 1 Coventry City 2 after which Valerien Ismael was dismissed and replaced by Tom Cleverley who was named as Interim Head Coach

https://www.skysports.com/football/watford-vs-coventry-city/teams/485145

WFC.Net Goal Commentary: 1

Sky: Haji Wright scored twice as Coventry came from behind to beat Watford 2-1 at Vicarage Road.

BBC: Ryan Porteous put the home side in front after a bright start from the out-of-form hosts. USA forward Wright scored a penalty just before half-time to level after Josh Eccles was fouled, before adding another 18 minutes from time.

Watford Observer: RECAP: Watford 1 Coventry City 2

The drop and the chop – could one or both happen to Ismael?

Hornets’ home misery continues with Coventry defeat

Around five and a half hours after the game finished the club confirmed that Valerin Ismael had been dismissed as Head Coach and would be replaced by Tom Cleverley on an interim basis.

BBC: Watford have sacked boss Valerien Ismael following a run of only one win in 10 league games, with Tom Cleverley named as interim head coach.

Sky: Ismael was Watford’s 20th different manager since the Pozzo family took control of the club in 2020.

Watford Observer: Ismael sacked – Cleverley takes interim charge

Ismael sacked: he got more time than many but couldn’t survive this run

Sacked in March but Ismael’s January decisions were his downfall

BHappy: And so midway through the writing of this report the news breaks that has been coming, however reluctantly.  Ten months is probably not far from average for a managerial tenure these days and any number of statistics will support the fact that most clubs in this position would have taken the same steps by now, not that this will prevent any tired hacks from wheeling out tired gags.

Fran’s Watford Blog: I went to a gig in the evening and, while travelling home, picked up the news that Valerien had gone.  Given the terrible run of results that we have had lately, it was hardly a surprise.  I just hope that Tom Cleverley can bring some of the magic that he has had with the youngsters to the first team.  I certainly wish him well.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/68454825