Relive – Hornets hammered on final day by ruthless City
Man City mauling ends Mazzarri malaise
Mazzarri ‘would like to see a team that could do better’ with injury woes
RATINGS: Sorry Hornets end season in disappointment
Manchester City sealed their place in next season’s Champions League by crushing Watford to finish third in Pep Guardiola’s debut season.
Pep Guardiola’s first season at Manchester City ended with a flourish as a 5-0 thrashing of Watford secured third place and Champions League football on Sunday.
To their credit, Watford’s supporters stuck around to applaud their team during the lap of honour after the final whistle. “You give us a bit of shit from time to time,” Deeney said. “But we deserve it.”
Mazzarri has often cited injuries as the reason for his team’s indifferent performances and the situation was so bad here that he was forced to select two goalkeepers among the substitutes. But there was no excuse for continuing his perverse insistence on beginning with club captain and leader Troy Deeney on the bench. That left his team short of heart and spirit and it showed.
Our leader, in a final peevish move by his manager, was on the bench (and it’s arguable that in the admittedly ring-rusty Ben Watson, another to have been discarded cheaply by Mazzarri, we had another wise head underemployed). And, of course, we named two goalkeepers… much as we all love Rene Gilmartin this was no tribute to a departing hero (notably, no fawning 26th minute intro/outro for Rene who isn’t nearly a vain enough peacock to have suggested one) but a pathetically self-indulgent sulky statement by the outgoing coach. “Look what I’m left with”. A Charlie Rowan, a Carl Stewart or an Ogo Obi could have filled that space and garnered Mazzarri more sympathy and options.
Gomes denied Agüero again dropping to block and getting injured in the process. What a relief that there were two goalkeepers on the bench.
21st May 2017- Premier League, Watford 0 Manchester City 5
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