Category Archives: Valerien Ismael

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

27th August 2023- Championship, Watford 0 Blackburn Rovers 1

https://www.watfordfc.com/match-report/match-report-watford-0-1-blackburn-rovers

BBC: Blackburn rode their luck on the way to snatching a narrow win over a dominant Watford side in the Championship.

Sky: The only goal of the game came after 72 minutes, when Ryan Hedges took over after Lewis Travis could lead the counter no longer, controlled the ball with two neat flicks and fired in from the tightest of angles.

Watford Observer: Live Feed

While it would be unfair to describe the Hornets’ second straight defeat as a smash-and-grab raid for their opponents, the fact the Hornets had 24 goal attempts to the visitors’ five would suggest they did enough to at least secure a point. But of those just four were on target and goalkeeper Aynsley Pears was only forced into two saves of note, meaning it is now three-and-a-half league games since the Hornets last found the back of the net.

Head coach Valerien Ismael felt his side shouldn’t have lost to Blackburn, but also admitted they need to adapt when opponents change their style of play.

BHappy: Prior to kick-off there was tribute payed to Andy Rankin who passed away during the week.  I was surprised to hear that he made his last appearance in 1979, the year I started attending matches as my memory was of watching him for far longer than that.  He had been my first goalkeeping hero and I was very sad to hear of his passing.  The minute’s applause was heartfelt. On 30 minutes the big screen showed a photo of Matt Sillitoe, the PA announcer at Ewood Park, who has passed away at the age of 30.  All sides of the ground joined in the minute’s applause. At half time, Danny Webber and Neil Cox were at the side of the pitch remembering Jimmy Davis as it is 20 years since his passing.  Gangster’s Paradise was played over the tannoy as this was the song that Jimmy had sung for his initiation.  Danny was very emotional talking about his friend.  Jimmy is remembered for his bubbly personality and cheeky smile as much as for his great footballing talent.  Danny talked about what a hard worker he was, wanting everything that he did to be perfect.  This even extended to the song, which he had practised until it was perfect.  He was enjoying his performance so much that he had to be carried off the stage as he wouldn’t stop singing.  Jimmy had been a very popular member of the team and is greatly missed by all who knew him.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/championship/table

12th August 2023- Championship, Watford 0 Plymouth Argyle 0

https://www.watfordfc.com/match-report/match-report-watford-0-0-plymouth-argyle

BBC: Watford and newly-promoted Plymouth Argyle extended their unbeaten starts to the Championship season with an entertaining goalless draw at Vicarage Road.

Sky: While the visitors could at least take an unbeaten start to their first second-tier campaign in 14 seasons back with them to Devon, there was scant consolation for Watford who managed to hit the target with just three of their 20 goal attempts.

Watford Observer: Live Feed

The closest they came to making the breakthrough was during the first half was when Imran Louza hit the post from distance, while Vakoun Bayo will feel he should have done better after the break when he pulled a shot wide after being sent clear by a fine reverse pass from substitute Yaser Asprilla.

There were two key words that Valerien Ismael took away from the 0-0 draw with Plymouth: ruthlessness and mistakes.

BHappy: A week on, everything’s different.  We’re only a week into the football season, it’s still a bit of a novelty, we’re still getting into the swing…  but the niceties are over.  We’re no longer happy just to be back in the stadium.

Fran’s Watford Blog: While there was some disappointment at the end of the game, as the Hornets deserved more than a point, most fans leaving Vicarage Road had smiles on their faces.  It had been a terrific performance.  The high intensity of the play continues, the players are all working hard and linking up well and the result is some really entertaining football.  Plymouth were a much better team than QPR, so it was great to see the Hornets put in another dominant performance.  Dan Bachmann almost played himself into trouble on a few occasions, but Ismaël has made it clear that this is under instruction from him, so we will have a good few more nervy moments this season.  The positive is that, so far, the defence (including Dan) have reacted to cover the mistakes.  The forward play has been excellent.  Bayo may not have scored, but he is getting into the right places.  Martins was very exciting in attack and Asprilla continued in the same vein when he came on.  Andrews linked up well with them both and should have been on the scoresheet.  Sema and Louza both continue to deliver as expected.  It is all rather fun.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/66413440

5th August 2023- Championship, Watford 4 Queens Park Rangers 0

https://www.skysports.com/football/watford-vs-queens-park-rangers/teams/485024
https://www.watfordfc.com/match-report/match-report-watford-4-0-qpr

BBC: Watford eased to a dominant win over sorry Queens Park Rangers in Valerien Ismael’s first Championship game in charge of the Hornets.

Sky: The red-hot Hornets produced a swashbuckling first-half display which saw them score all their goals inside 43 minutes as Rangers showed why many have tipped them to struggle to stay up this season under Gareth Ainsworth.

Guardian: Even as Watford eased off in anticipation of the final whistle, the contrast between the two teams was stark: one with a weight off their shoulders, playing neat one-twos, and the other labouring under some invisible burden. “We made the perfect first step, but it’s nothing more than the first step,” said Ismaël.

Watford Observer: Live Feed Match Report

BHappy: Let’s get the elephant in the room out of the way first off.  QPR are terrible.  They were expected to be terrible, and they do not disappoint.  There are manifold reasons for this, and far from all of them lie at the feet of Gareth Ainsworth.  Many of these involve money, or rather the absence of it;  the sight of erstwhile director of football Les Ferdinand quietly letting himself out of the back door over the summer was ominous in the extreme.  So too was seeing Gareth Ainsworth, who had deplored the lack of fight in his charges at the tail end of last season whilst vocally anticipating a rebuild, finding himself in charge of largely the same bunch three months on, minus goalkeeper Samy Dieng and key centre-back Rob Dickie.  Two further senior centre-backs are missing here, which means we face a pairing of two left-sided defenders, one of whom reportedly half fit and the other making his full debut.

Fran’s Watford Blog: That performance was just what we needed.  The Hornets were completely dominant.  They clearly had a plan and executed it.  They looked like a team rather than the group of individuals that we saw all too often last season.  All of the players worked hard, and they looked a lot fitter than they did last season.  It was pleasing that nobody ran out of steam after an hour.  Sierralta’s move to a midfield position had been met with some scepticism, but he was excellent, breaking up play when needed, but also contributing going forward culminating in an assist for Bayo’s goal.  It was great to see Tom Dele-Bashiru back from injury.  He looked really sharp, did well for his goal and almost scored a second.  Ngakia has also come back this season with something to prove after an injury-plagued season last time out and he was instrumental in a lot of the forward play.  Louza looked back to his best.  And the new man, Chakvetadze contributed a very encouraging cameo.  He is going to be fun. 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/66345298