WFC.Net goal commentary: 1  2  3

Sky: Watford continued their winning start to the season with a convincing 3-0 victory at home to Stoke.

BBC: Victory put Watford behind only pacesetters Burnley in the Championship table, yet it will have been the cutting edge in front of goal – they have now scored six in two league outings – that will please Cleverley most.

Watford Observer: RECAP: Watford 3 Stoke City 0

A blistering and brilliant second-half performance saw Watford sweep aside Stoke and make it three wins from three with a 3-0 success at sun-drenched Vicarage Road.

Watford 3 Stoke City: five talking points from Hornets’ win

Cleverley delighted with Watford’s second-half intensity

BHappy: What is utterly stunning about Watford’s second half performance is the business-as-usualness of it.  “Nothing to see here, this is just what we do…”   …when anyone who’s seen us play in the last few years knows that this isvery f***ing far from what we do!  But it keeps coming, relentlessly and without the excitability of an unforeseen or unexpected circumstance – not that it’s not joyful but it’s… expected.  By those on the pitch, at any rate.  Larouci cuts between his now terrified markers, his deflected effort finds its way to Edo whose shot comes back off the crossbar, this perhaps adding to the sense of carnage more than another goal at this stage would have done.  Another Larouci run and a cross is met by Bayo whose flicked near post header beats the keeper but lacks the power to cross the line before it is swiped clear.

Fran’s Watford Blog: It was a tremendous half of football with accurate passing and incisive moves that made me wonder if I had imagined the pre-season. I had been concerned that we wouldn’t score many and have now been treated to eleven goals in three games. There were no weak links, with everyone doing their jobs and playing as a team. While I had no complaints about Ngakia’s contribution, the introduction of Larouci completely changed the game. He had the freedom of the left wing and just made things happen. He was a joy to watch. Kayembe scored two and could have had more. His first was a real poacher’s goal. Andrews was lively with a goal and an assist (sort of). Pollock is looking strong in defence and the headband is just so reminiscent of Steve Terry. Chakvetadze is a joy to watch, but I almost wish he would reign it in a bit until the transfer window shuts.

From the Rookery End: Mike, Jon and Jas convened after the Stoke game to discuss Watford’s third win from three, as Tom Cleverley and his Hornets continue their perfect start to the season.
The lads talk through the win, which seemed to be inspired by the half time introduction of Yaser Larouci, building on a hard fought but largely even first half showing.
You can also hear from new Watford Women Head Coach Renee Hector and captain Meg Chandler as the Golden Girls look to bouce back to the Championship at the first time of asking.

BBC: Just 11 months ago, in only his second home game in charge, Alex Neil’s Potters lost 4-0 to the Hornets, Slaven Bilic’s first game as Watford boss. But Watford have since got rid of two more managers – and Stoke showed just much progress they have made under Neil, especially after an 11-man summer refit.

Sky: Twenty minutes passed until either side had a sight at goal with Watford the first to threaten.

Watford Observer: Live Feed

Report: The first half was particularly poor. It wasn’t that Stoke bettered the Hornets during that opening 45 minutes, more that Watford seemed to have forgotten the basics that Valerien Ismael had drilled into them.

Reaction: “Our performance in the first half was not good enough,” admitted Ismael.

Fran’s Watford Blog: The second half had been better than the first, but it had still been a game of little quality.  There were some decent passing moves in the second half, but a reluctance to shoot and some decent defending by the home side meant that chances were at a premium.  The Stoke goal was a rare moment of quality and it was a shame that it came during our best spell of the game when we were finally getting on top.

FTRE: DCW is joined by Mike and WD18’s Charlie Zazzera to reflect on Saturday’s 1-0 loss away at Stoke. We pick the bones out of a largely lacklustre performance and attempt to take the temperature of the new season after a win, a draw and a loss in the first three games. The lack of goals in the last two matches comes into sharp focus as we assess the ongoing search for a new striker and look at the type of player who is likely to fill that particular need.