WHUFC vs Watford -- February 10th, 2018

Hello, me again....

so... 11th against 12th... we could get done by Watford TWICE in a season... not twice ever... twice... IN A SEASON... yeah... football's a funny old game... our home record against Watford is shit... W1 D1 L3... that's the actual stats... not some ultra depressive way of looking at a glass half full...

so... we have our shiny new signing ready to take the plunge... will we be forEVRA blowing bubbles... or will Arnie's return to duty be all that we hope for?

so... since it's still friday night here in sunny (well, the sun's gone down but you know what I mean) L.A. let's look at the other fixtures taking place and how they might affect things because this table is tighter than a gnat's chuff...

If Watford turn us over again... there'll be a 6 point gap between us... we need to beat them by more than 3 goals to actually overtake them... YES.... WATFORD!!!!

It was depressing enough standing in the open air all those years ago watching Watford draw 2-2 against us... (at Vicarage Road) today... a draw would actually be a half decent result for us... I know... a DRAW.... with WATFORD....

we live in interesting times...

Saturday's games...

Tottenham vs Arsenal -- meaningless game... no one gives a shit

Everton vs Crystal Palace -- a win for the Toffees would kinda put them out of our reach unless we also win. A Palace victory would put them above us unless we win... so whatevs, we have to do better tomorrow than Palace do.

Stoke vs Brighton -- another tough to call game where ideally from our point of view both teams would lose. Brighton (yes, BRIGHTON!!!!!!) are level with us on everything... so we gots to do better than they do... but if Brighton lose then that puts Stoke on the same points we have (but with way worse goal difference) - so we can't afford to lose is basically the upshot because no result here really works in our favor... I guess if you have to pick a side then let's Brighton rise above and hopefully consign more teams than us to relegation...

Swansea vs Burnley -- let's face it... Burnley are kinda out of sight (I know... BURNLEY!!!!!! oh boy... we live in interesting times) The Swans are kinda on the up 'n' up... but if they win then they get to rise to the lofty heights where we currently are... so I guess we got to for Burnley to continue to rise and rise and rise...

West Ham vs Watford -- there's only one result here .West Ham win!!!!!

Man City vs Leicester -- unless there's a major re-adjustment of the table, I don't see us catching Leicester... which basically means... who gives a shit who wins or loses this one...


Anyway... that's enough pointless pontificating... I need to get some dinner, catch some zzzz's and be up at 6:45am for the big game...

I shall be there this afternoon and just hope we can hold our own against a team full of big players.
3 points would be very nice but at the moment I would settle for a point.

Having just seen their goals against Chelski, I cant see anything but more misery for us. 

SACK THE BOARD 

Blimey... its a bit crowded round here...

almost overslept and so missed the first two minutes of the game... fortunately we haven't conceded yet.

Looks like Arnie is back... so is Antonio... I can see Ginge, Ogbonna, Zab... oh yeah... Noble's out there...

interesting little corner.... almost a goal... but adrian reacts quickly to block the header...

seen a great run down the wing by Antonio...

now Arnautovic trips the light fantastic through the crowded penalty area...

nice bit of pressure from us...

nothing ultimately comes of it... but it shows a bit of willing.

Arnie picks out Chiharito with a great ball but Chich has no option but to loop a high ball into the box because he's meant to be the one on the receiving end...

Any sausages?

half an hour gone and we're not out of it yet...

and Chicharito has the ball in the back of the net but it's ruled offside... not sure I agree with the decision... they've only shown the one angle on it so far and the slow motion replay looks like he's in motion as the ball is played... so how could he be offside...

oh well... watford go up the other end and almost score... which is an improvement for us as the opponent would usually go score at a time like this.

we're definitely stronger with Arnie and Antonio in the team.

a decent free kick, gets headed on to Arnie and he's stretching to get a toe on it in front of the keeper....

and as the comma are dissecting it... we almost miss Chicharito scoring.....

another header form 6 yards out as Antonio crosses the ball into him...

so simple... but so effective...

1-0


for once all our pressure actually pays off!!!!

JulianDicksLeftKnee wrote:Any sausages?

sorry dude... I pay for mine so I never go looking...

JulianDicksLeftKnee wrote:Any sausages?

there's so talk of such things on Facebook and they are pointing to ironstv, zorro-someihtng and saying twitter has a bunch of the old sausage

the death throes of the first half... only 1 minute of added time to go

watford try to attack,,, but we hold them off..

I'd go as far as to say this is one of the better halves of footie we've played this season...

Half time... a well deserved cuppa for everyone

Brighton - who were snugged up cozily beneath us on the same points and GD... are also in the lead and so along with them we're in the same place but on 30 points, level with Watford but we need to get another three goals to leapfrog them...

hopefully we keep playing like we have for the first 45 and can win this - maybe even add a goal or two (three would be nice)

we shall see...

2nd Half underway...

poor decision for a free kick against us... poor free kick but we still struggle to clear.

if everything stays the same in all the games (results-wise) we'll be safe in 12th until next weekend...

some nice pressure but no goals from it.

Arnie is trying everything but he needs more support from the rest of the team

Watford have another free kick just outside the area...

1-0 leads are always a little precarious

good save from Adrian from the free kick...

there's been no shaving foam used for the free kick/wall positions... is that the new normal?

a passage of Watford pressure... fortunately they don't score...

63 minutes gone...

70 mins gone and still almost all Watford...

ball goes out for a goal kick...

Watford gonna make a sub

no sign of Evra yet...

a 2nd goal would really make things - oh em gee... Chicharito dances through but gets tangled up with the keeper and loses the ball

a 2nd attack ends up with Noble getting a corner...

our corner ends with Watford breaking... but the tempo is raised and everyone is fighting for the ball

West Ham make a sub... Mario goes off and Byram comes on....

yeah...

And Arnie gets what he deserves... a goal...

corner... poor pass... ping pong... lands at Arnie's feet four yards out, so he just digs it into the corner of the net.

that'll do nicely...

the cushion we need

78 minutes gone...

3 points is looking good.

Arnie comes off so he can get his well deserved ovation

Rice replaces him...

56,197 in attendance

Chicharito comes off to be replaced by Hugill