Category Archives: October

5th October 2019- Premier League, Watford 0 Sheffield United 0

Referee:Andre Marriner
Attendance: 20,811

Watford earn their first clean sheet in 20 league matches with goalless game against Sheffield United

Watford record clean sheet but unable to beat Sheffield United in draw

Quique Sanchez Flores feels a more confident Watford would have beaten Sheffield United

Watford head coach explains Etienne Capoue’s absence against Sheffield United and sends a ‘message’ to his squad

Watford players rated after Sheffield United draw

Sebastian Prodl claims to have suffered a lot during Watford absence

Christian Kabasele thinks Watford have too much quality for relegation

Watford manager Quique Sanchez Flores said his team are “on the road to finding” their first win of the season after they were held to a forgettable goalless draw by Sheffield United.

Despite having just 39 per cent of the ball and registering just two shots on target, Watford created the big opportunities in the match but Andre Gray, Danny Welbeck and Craig Dawson were denied as Blades goalkeeper Dean Henderson redeemed himself after last weekend’s error against Liverpool.

Watford’s teamsheet read like a classified ad: Desperately Seeking Solidity. Their manager, Quique Sánchez Flores, tried to repair a defence that had conceded 20 goals in their previous seven league matches by changing formation and giving Sebastian Prödl a first league start for 17 months, putting him in the heart of a five-man rearguard. Flores later denied it was his intention to sit deep and hope for counterattacks at home to a newly promoted team; but that is how things panned out. The Blades had most of the ball but were unable to unpick the Watford padlock.

Six months ago, as we entertained realistic hopes of European competition, it would not have seemed credible that we’d go into a match at home to a newly promoted side, even a Sheffield United who have started the season in decent form, not being strong favourites to win.

The main positive from the afternoon was that this was the first clean sheet since February. Our defence has been dreadfully leaky and we looked much stronger with three at the back, although this improvement at the back may have been helped by the opposition being Sheffield United. Still, Prödl had a great game, he is much more of a commanding presence at the back than either Cathcart or Dawson. Kabasele was immense and was named man of the match by the sponsors and thoroughly deserved it.

20th October 2018- Premier League, Wolverhampton Wanderers 0 Watford 2

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Referee:Lee Mason Attendance:31,144

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clips of Jon Marks BBC 3CR commentary Goals:1 2

Watford Observer

RELIVE – Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Watford: Quick-fire double sees Hornets seal Premier League win

Watford win at Wolverhampton Wanderers through Etienne Capoue and Roberto Pereyra goals

Watford boss Javi Gracia delighted with manner of victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers

Watford: Javi Gracia praises high levels of Etienne Capoue and Abdoulaye Doucoure

Watford player ratings: Hornets on song as Wolves are beaten in Premier League

IN PICTURES: Watford triumph at Wolverhampton Wanderers

Gerard Deulofeu: Watford’s perfect first half key to success over Wolverhampton Wanderers

Watford fringe players impress Etienne Capoue during Wolverhampton Wanderers win

Watford: Departure from 4-4-2 key to beating Wolverhampton Wanderers, says Javi Gracia

BBC Sport

Two goals in 58 first-half seconds saw a dominant Watford seal their first win since September and end Wolves’ six-game unbeaten run.

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The Hornets produced a perfect response after losing 4-0 to Bournemouth two weeks ago, and there was less than a minute between Etienne Capoue (20) and Roberto Pereyra’s (21) strikes that sealed the win for the visitors.

guardian

There was no Troy Deeney, owing to a hamstring injury, meaning Javi Gracia handed opportunities to Gerard Deulofeu and Isaac Success in attack, while the Italian Adam Masina made his first league start at left-back. It all pointed to another home victory for a team who have been described as the best promoted side in Premier League history by Jamie Redknapp, but, in Pereyra and Abdoulaye Doucouré, Watford have players who would grace almost any team in the division.

Fran

After an even start that had been short on chances, Watford took the lead on 20 minutes. The move started with some really good work from Deulofeu before Doucouré played the ball out to Capoue who blasted a low shot from distance into the Wolves net. There was a momentary delay before the celebration as we couldn’t quite believe what we had seen. It was a terrific strike. We had hardly stopped bouncing when the second goal went in. Straight from the restart, the ball found its way to Pereyra on the left from where he effortlessly curled a shot over the keeper and into the opposite corner. Well, that was unexpected!

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6th October 2018- Premier League, Watford 0 AFC Bournemouth 4

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Official site match highlights

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RELIVE – Watford vs AFC Bournemouth: Joshua King double helps sink sorry Hornets after Christian Kabasele red card

Bad day for 10-man Watford as they suffer heavy Bournemouth defeat

Watford vs AFC Bournemouth: Eddie Howe felt Christian Kabasele’s two yellow cards was ‘right call’

Javi Gracia admits it was a ‘bad day’ for Watford in Bournemouth defeat

Watford vs AFC Bournemouth: Christian Kabasele red card put Cherries in control, says Joshua King

Watford vs AFC Bournemouth player ratings: Defenders disappoint in desperate Premier League loss

Pictures from Watford’s heavy Bournemouth defeat

Gerard Deulofeu admits Watford need to improve ‘many things’ after Bournemouth defeat

David Brooks opened the scoring for the Cherries before Joshua King converted from the spot after being brought down by Christian Kabasele, who was sent off for a second bookable offence.

The result moves Bournemouth up to fifth in the Premier League after back-to-back wins, while Watford drop to eighth after failing to register a victory in their last four games.

Javi Gracia said Watford must now get down to work to ensure no repeat of their hefty defeat. “It has been the first game where we hadn’t competed at the same level as other games,” the Watford manager said. “Today we have conceded more chances, we’ve made more mistakes than in all the other games put together.”

the first 14 minutes were OK… Bournemouth dropped deep and invited us into congested areas, but we did an encouraging enough job having accepted said invitation. This culminated in Andre Gray’s shot being blocked as he span away on the right hand side of the area, and shortly afterwards the cumulative attritional effect of a series of attacks peeled open a space for Will Hughes to have a go. It was a relatively comfortable ask for Begović, who held the ball down to his right, but as an opening salvo it was perfectly acceptable.

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28th October 2017- Premier League, Watford 0 Stoke City 1

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Watford Observer

Relive Watford v Stoke City: Darren Fletcher corner gives Potters victory at Vicarage Road

Darren Fletcher goal enough to send Watford to home defeat against Stoke City

Watford v Stoke City: Marco Silva fumes at ‘slow’ Hornets as poor first-half costs them in Potters defeat

GALLERY: A selection of images from Watford’s defeat to Stoke City

Watford v Stoke City: Tom Cleverley blamed for Potters goal by Marco Silva

Darren Fletcher said victory at Watford was “what was needed” as Stoke City held on to win away from home for the first time this season.

Stoke enjoyed their first Premier League away win of the season to ease the pressure on Mark Hughes as Darren Fletcher’s sweetly-struck volley was enough to seal a 1-0 win over Watford.

Mark Hughes told Troy Deeney he “should know better” after the Watford captain sparked a late melee in their 1-0 Premier League defeat by Stoke City. In stoppage-time Stoke put the ball out of play after a player went down injured, but rather than pass the ball back Deeney appeared to attempt a cross into the visitors’ penalty area. Joe Allen reacted angrily but found himself being grabbed by the face by the burly Hornets striker.

Much as we tried to convince ourselves that this was going to be a case of New Watford putting a struggling side to the sword, the day hadn’t felt right. Wonky. Our reserved table set for the wrong number of places at the restaurant. Harry the Hornet heading resignedly into the Red Lion pre-match. Empty seats in the stadium. Lots of them, despite what was officially a 20k+ gate. And a confused pre-match process involving a bagpipe recital and a minute’s silence in recognition of Remembrance Day in which nobody seemed quite sure what was happening. Wrong. Wrong.

Back to Vicarage Road again and, after a busy week, it was lovely to sit down with the crowd for the pre-match pint. I bumped into someone that I hadn’t seen for a while, a regular who had almost given up in the dark days at the end of Mazzarri’s reign. He was all smiles again, thoroughly enjoying the football as we all are. I must admit that, going into this game I was less confident than last week against Chelsea. There is something about Stoke and their negative style of play that made me think that we could struggle.

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21st October 2017- Premier League, Chelsea 4 Watford 2

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clips of Jon Marks BBC 3CR commentary Goals: 1 2

Watford Observer

Chelsea v Watford LIVE: Cesar Azpilicueta gives Chelsea late victory despite Watford-dominated second half

Watford left to rue misses as Premier League champions Chelsea come from behind to win

Marco Silva reflects on what could have been after Watford beaten at Chelsea

Watford v Chelsea: Antonio Conte says Hornets game “very tough”

GALLERY: A selection of images from Watford’s defeat at Chelsea

Chelsea v Watford ratings: Midfield on song despite collapse at Stamford Bridge

Chelsea v Watford analysis: Substitutions and missed chances show Marco Silva and Richarlison are only human

BBC Sport

Chelsea manager Antonio Conte said his side showed they have the “attitude to fight” as they scored two late goals to come from behind and claim a dramatic victory against Watford at Stamford Bridge.

sky

Michy Batshuayi’s double capped a resilient Chelsea display as they fought back from 2-1 down to beat Watford 4-2 at Stamford Bridge.

guardian

“That’s why we’re champions,” crowed the Matthew Harding Stand after César Azpilicueta had bundled Chelsea back from the precipice. Their meaning was clear enough: you do not win titles without the wherewithal to make light of a seemingly lost cause and the way that – invigorated by Antonio Conte’s substitutions – they punished Watford in the last 20 minutes brought to mind some of last season’s remorseless displays.

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If there’s a way in which the Chelsea matchday experience resembles the Watford matchday experience it’s in the Fulham Road beforehand, a seething artery that channels the masses towards the stadium transforming it into something quite unrecognisable to those who see it on a “normal” day, in much the way as Vicarage Road always feels odd if you chance down it during the week. Today the October spinning dial that promised sunshine and rain and wind and made preparation next to impossible settled on sunshine, fitting for a rare trip to the Bridge that didn’t come with the knowledge that we were likely to get stuffed.

Fran

Toddy’s funeral took place on Wednesday. It has to be said that his family and many friends gave him a magnificent send off and it was fitting that the wake was held in the Captain’s bar at Vicarage Road. The help given to Toddy’s family by his friends at the club, especially Dave Messenger, has been outstanding and a testament to what he meant to the people there.

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14th October 2017- Premier League, Watford 2 Arsenal 1

The ‘cojones’ game.

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clips of Jon Marks BBC 3CR commentary Goals: 1 2

Watford Observer

Watford fans’ group to unveil huge flag at Arsenal game

RELIVE – Watford vs Arsenal: Tom Cleverley strikes at the last as Watford climb into Premier League top four

Tom Cleverley’s injury-time winner gives Watford first home win over Arsenal in almost 30 years

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger hits out at ‘scandalous’ penalty decision after Watford defeat

Marco Silva hails Watford’s belief after Arsenal win and speaks in protection of Richarlison

GALLERY: A selection of images from Watford’s first victory over Arsenal at Vicarage Road in almost 30 years

Adrian Mariappa praises Watford’s work-rate after comeback win over Arsenal

RATINGS: Troy Deeney and Richarlison on song as Watford stun Arsenal

Football Association reportedly looking into Watford’s Richarlison reaction to win penalty from Arsenal’s Hector Bellerin

Arsene Wenger: Arsenal boss faces potential FA charge for confronting ref in wake of Watford loss

Richarlison: Watford winger avoids FA rap for alleged dive during Arsenal win

WATFORD FAN’S VIEW: Arsenal win shows how together Hornets are – if we didn’t know already

Arsene Wenger bemoaned a “scandalous decision” to award Watford a penalty as Arsenal squandered a lead to lose 2-1 in injury time at Vicarage Road.

Watford’s Richarlison will not face any action over simulation allegations after he won his side a penalty in a 2-1 victory over Arsenal on Saturday.

Late goals by Troy Deeney and Tom Cleverley saw Watford come from behind to beat Arsenal 2-1 and go fourth in the Premier League.

For Watford this was the thrilling story of another last-gasp triumph thanks to a 92nd-minute goal by Tom Cleverley following an equaliser from the penalty spot by Troy Deeney. For Arsenal it boiled down to a tale of two Germans and one 20-year-old Brazilian.

Richarlison’s late winner at Swansea City was good, and his equaliser at the death at West Bromwich Albion too was important too. But this Watford fight-back, sealed by Tom Cleverley’s 90th minute winner, sparking carnage at Vicarage Road, was the best of the lot.

Troy Deeney has rubbed salt into Arsenal’s wounds following their defeat at Watford suggesting they don’t have the “cojones” for the fight.

We’ve noted this before, but if you were to list the things you missed about the Second Division, floodlit matches at the Vic would be up there. And no, this wasn’t strictly an evening game but the sun was on its way home for “Strictly” and beans on toast by kick-off and the marvellous focused intensity of such occasions was thick in the air. The 1881’s latest magnificent flag shrouded the Rookery as the teams came out and then rattled back down the stand like an opening curtain on the spectacle.

Given the two away games and the international break, this was the first home game since Toddy passed away, so it was a sombre crowd that gathered. There was a huge contingent of Norfolk Horns in attendance and Toddy’s son, Chris, came along, which was just lovely. I doubt he has ever been hugged so much before. Glasses were raised, happy memories exchanged and there was a determination to sing our hearts out for Toddy as well as the lads.

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