Category Archives: November

5th November 2024- Championship, Swansea City 1 Watford 0

Swansea produce an online only programme. https://www.swanseacity.com/swansea-city-v-watford-2024-25-programme

Report: Swansea City 1-0 Watford – Watford FCDownload

BBC: Swansea City moved to within two points of the Championship play-off places as Myles Peart-Harris’ first goal for the club proved enough to see off Watford.

Sky: It was the fourth time in seven home league games this season that the Swans had kept a clean sheet as they pegged back fifth-placed Watford and moved up four places to 10th in the table.

Watford Observer: RECAP: Swansea 1 Watford 0

Swansea 1 Watford 0 minute-by-minute report

‘We paid Swansea too much respect’ admits Cleverley

A winning ticket on Saturday but a loser from the Watford tombola last night

Cleverley felt he didn’t give his team any ‘tactical edge’

Fran’s Watford Blog: It was another disappointing showing on the road. To be fair, the second half performance had been much improved, and the Hornets created several chances from which they could have snatched a point, but that would have felt a bit fortunate. After the goal fest on Saturday, it was a disappointment that we didn’t manage a shot on target over the 90 minutes. There was certainly more energy when Baah came on, but he made some poor choices. The first half was too cautious against a team that concedes few goals. Too often there were misplaced passes or a run into an opposition player who dispossessed them. The second half saw more forward breaks, but the Swansea defence was very well organised and restricted the opportunities to shoot.

From The Rookery End: after an amazing away trip to Sheffield, the Brigadier, Colin Mace, made the trip down to South Wales to see Watford lose 1-0 at Swansea.

2nd November 2024- Championship, Sheffield Wednesday 2 Watford 6

WFC.Net Goal Commentary: 1 2 3 4 5 6

Report: Sheffield Wednesday 2-6 Watford – Watford FCDownload

BBC: Vakoun Bayo scored four second-half goals in an astonishing individual display as Watford netted five times after the break to crush Sheffield Wednesday and end a run of five consecutive away league defeats.

Sky: Michael Smith quickly cancelled out Ryan Porteous’ opener before penalties from Tom Ince and Bayo put Watford in the driving seat. Bayo bagged his second and claimed the match ball either side of Pol Valentin’s reply for the Owls and then claimed his fourth in the closing stages.

Watford Observer: RECAP: Sheff Wed 2 Watford 6

Sheffield Wednesday 2 Watford 6 – how the action happened

Cleverley happy if incredible away win leads to increased expectations

Brilliant Bayo is four-midable as Watford end away hoodoo in style

Ince is ‘the player we have been missing in some of our inconsistent days’

Cleverley happy away fans saw five goals at their end

Bayo’s beautiful chip a result of excellent opposition analysis

Fans at Hillsborough witnessed a slice of Hornets history

BHappy: Not confident, no.  Not with our away record.  Not with our soft underbelly, our demonstrated tendency to get overwhelmed by sides that put us under pressure.  I wasn’t here expecting this sort of outcome… 

Fran’s Watford Blog: The post-match celebrations were joyous. Bayo picked up the match ball from the referee and filmed himself and the crowd who were blasting out “Bayo’s on Fire”. I was so thrilled for him. He has been given so much grief by the crowd for his failures in front of goal but has never hidden. He was absolutely superb on this occasion, a little bit of confidence allowing him to score goals that you know he would have missed on another occasion. He was man of the match by a country mile, but there were plenty of other great performances. I was impressed by Dwomah who fitted in very nicely so that we didn’t miss Sissoko. I was disappointed that Ebosele did not start, but he did very well when he came on. The score doesn’t tell the full story of the game as Wednesday had been tough opponents until the second goal went in when they collapsed.

From the Rookery End: Watford scored a rare SIX on the road and FOUR Vakoun Bayo goals made the LONG journey to Sheffield oh so worthwhile.

https://www.11v11.com/league-tables/league-championship/03-november-2024/

28th November 2023- Championship, Watford 3 Norwich City 2

https://www.skysports.com/football/watford-vs-norwich-city/teams/484911

WFC.Net Jon Mark’s Goal Commentary: 1  2  3

Sky: Yaser Asprilla’s goal saw Watford come back from 2-0 down to beat Norwich 3-2 in an entertaining contest at Vicarage Road.

BBC: The Colombia international showed quick feet to dance the ball around Canaries goalkeeper George Long and finish to win it for the Hornets in the second half.

Watford Observer: RECAP: Watford 3 Norwich City 2

Hornets show spirit, togetherness and character to battle back and beat Canaries

Early ‘cold shower’ helped Watford clean up their act

Livermore ‘always ready to sacrifice himself on the pitch for everyone at the club’

Fran’s Watford Blog: It was a brilliant game of football.  We saw the best and the worst of this Watford team.  The failure to defend at set pieces and a fragile confidence allowed Norwich to take an early lead, which looked unsurmountable until a moment of magic from Koné gave the lads some belief.  It helped that the second Watford goal came almost immediately and from that moment it was Norwich who were struggling, although that was a result of a newfound determination in the Hornets to harry the opposition, not allowing them any space and being more careful and confident with the passing.  That resilience to come back from the two-goal deficit was very impressive and shows that this team is going in the right direction.  Koné scored a gorgeous goal and could well have had more.  He had an excellent game and is quickly becoming a favourite of mine.  But the man of the match award deservedly went to Livermore.  He was fantastic, calm and controlling the midfield.  The leadership that he shows is something that we have missed since Troy left and is a huge factor in our improved performances.

25th November 2023- Championship, Leicester City 2 Watford 0

https://www.skysports.com/football/leicester-city-vs-watford/teams/484897

BBC: Jamie Vardy’s first goals since early October ensured Leicester City stayed top of the Championship as they beat Watford 2-0.

Sky: It had looked like being a half of frustration for the former Premier League Golden Boot winner, after he somehow missed an open goal from four yards out in the 74th minute.

Watford Observer: RECAP: Leicester City 2 Watford 0

Air of inevitability in defeat as Watford fail to grind out a draw

Ismael not happy with first-goal defending and Bachmann’s initial yellow card

Jet-lag a major factor in Saturday’s team selection

Fran’s Watford Blog: Most Watford fans that I spoke to after the game thought that it had been a decent performance from the Hornets.  They had set up to frustrate Leicester and had been very effective but, once the breakthrough came, a comeback looked unlikely.  The Bachmann sending off was frustrating, although the first yellow seemed rather harsh.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/67459828

11th November 2023- Championship, Watford 5 Rotherham United 0

https://www.skysports.com/football/watford-vs-rotherham-united/teams/484893

WFC.Net Jon Marks Goal Commentary: 1 2 3 4 5

BBC: The Hornets are up to 13th and unbeaten in six, their best league run since April 2021, and have conceded just three goals in that spell.

Sky: Injury and illness had forced Ismael into three of five changes made from the goalless draw at Huddersfield, including a first league start this season for goalkeeper Ben Hamer after regular shotstopper Daniel Bachmann was ruled out due to a concussion in training.

Watford Observer: RECAP: Watford 5 Rotherham 0

Learnings from last week paved the way to five-goal romp

Clinical Watford canter to impressive five-goal victory

BHappy: Rotherham are pretty terrible.  That’s the caveat.  The opening goal saw Ken Sema afforded enough time to grab a coffee and nip to the loo before sending in the cross that Rajović directed into the net and this will be a feature of the first half in particular.  As significant is the fact that our passing is much crisper;  fewer touches, less dawdling.  Rotherham are narrow, and we’re successful at switching the play quickly.

Fran’s Watford Blog: What a difference a week makes.  From utter tedium at Huddersfield to a thrilling goal fest at Vicarage Road.  The Hornets had dominated both games against poor opposition, but the difference came with the attacking intent shown.  Huddersfield had set up to defend, but I felt that the Hornets didn’t press them enough.  Against Rotherham there were plenty of willing runners who got behind the defence and caused problems.  King Ken was one, but it was also great to see Andrews back making surging runs.  Rajović had a great day at the office.  He can be invisible when there is no service, but he was perfectly placed for both of Sema’s crosses and is the goal poacher that we needed.  Hamer didn’t have a lot to do, but coped well with everything that Rotherham threw at him, which was good to see given how little he has played of late.

4th November 2023- Championship, Huddersfield Town 0 Watford 0

https://www.skysports.com/football/huddersfield-town-vs-watford/teams/484872

BBC: The draw – the first between the sides in 17 meetings – means their league positions stay unchanged, with the Terriers 21st and Watford 16th.

Sky: In a game short of clear-cut opportunities, Yaser Asprilla and Matty Pearson came closest for either side, on an otherwise comfortable afternoon for both goalkeepers.

Watford Observer: RECAP: Huddersfield 0 Watford 0

Passing without purpose and loitering without intent

‘At some point we have to do something, we have to shoot’ – Ismael on bore draw

Why was the balance between trying to win and not losing so wrong?

Hoedt accepts Hornets didn’t move the ball quickly enough

BHappy: What follows is, without wishing to be unduly melodramatic, quite possibly the worst game of competitive football that I’ve ever seen (that’s now 1300 Watford games and counting – yes I’m a bit sad, sue me).  Not “worst” in terms of a low level of competence, although heaven knows this was, generously, unremarkable in that regard.  Nor the worst in terms of the overall experience;  we’ve all been at games sat in the rain rather than watching from beneath a roof, harassed by locals or stewards or sat near complete scumbags rather than just vaguely boisterous lads looking for a way to keep themselves entertained. But it terms of entertainment this was completely appalling.

Fran’s Watford Blog: It had been a strange game.  The second half was better than the first, but that isn’t saying much, and the overriding impression was that neither team wanted to lose.  This meant that Huddersfield were happy mostly to sit back and defend.  The Hornets had the vast majority of the play but were very cagey, playing around at the back and shooting from distance when a few more runs at the Huddersfield defence could well have paid dividends.  Watford certainly had the better of the chances, but they were few and far between and the travelling Hornets were not impressed.  At the end of the game Hoedt was the first over to us to give his shirt to a fan.  He was greeted with boos and looked less than impressed at the reception.  Interestingly, King Ken was the last to come over to applaud us and give away his shirt.  He was greeted with cheers.  Maybe the boo boys had left at this point, but I was glad that he got a good reception.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/67247351