WHUFC vs Watford -- July 17th, 2020

Watford free kick

out for a corner...

Bowen counters... gets brought down just outside the Watford area...

Cresswell's free kick crashes off the wall... noble is slow to get to it and can barely manage an outstretched foot to put the ball out of play... but it at least slows the Watford counter attack...

just under half an hour to go...

At some point I'd love to be a club where being two goals up inspired confidence, not dread.

Watford bring on fresh legs up front...

our substitute policy??????

The hell defending was that?

Long range declan rice shot... gets deflected for a corner...

If Noble whips it right at the keeper again...

music kicks n as they stop for more oranges and drinkies...

Twenty minutes left in this season. Leave it all out there lads.

Cochese wrote:If Noble whips it right at the keeper again...

they didn't defend that corner well... if we keep at them then we have a chance...

if we sit back and hope to hold on... we'll be in trouble...

it's been the story of our season, last few years...

Haller comes on... volleys from 25 yards out... but it is painstakingly pushed wide by a diving keeper...

Oh my goodness

who did Haller replace?

oh yeah... formals... good move...

15 minutes to go...

Antonio cross with the outside of the boot... soucek climbs but can't get to it...

Antonio fighting away, turning defenders... Noble just stands watching him... not moving into a position, not looking to receive the ball... just watching...

Noble just spectating now.

Keeping them from scoring again could be absolutely crucial.

Bowen comes off and Yarmolenko comes on...

Why not sub noble?

He got his 500th appearance... he got his appearance money...

Bowen has done well...

Watford somehow miss from 4 yards out

Cochese wrote:Keeping them from scoring again could be absolutely crucial.

agreed...

I mean... if we win 3-2 it'll still be job done and our goa difference is worth a point as it's so congested down there...

but it won't make the rest of the game any easier to watch...

86 minutes... another Watford sub...

Yarmolenko gets hacked down but we'll love the free kick and a little more time on the ball...

Just as I was about to say the result wasn't in question, we get caught out at the back and almost let in a second one.

2 minutes to play... Watford volley over...


Antonio had a good run on goal... might have been better to head for the corner or play it out wide to maintain possession rather than shoot... but at the same time... 4-1 would have sealed the deal... hopefully we've done enough either way...

Cochese wrote:Just as I was about to say the result wasn't in question, we get caught out at the back and almost let in a second one.

and that's been our biggest problem these past few years... as Watford get behind us again...

everything we did well in the first half is not happening now... admittedly we have opposition in the 2nd half which we didn't have in the first... but we get cut apart too easily... if we'd not gone in at 3-0 we'd be in trouble...

It's hard to be negative at 3-1 or talking about a half time 3-0 lead... but there's more to these things than just the results... because it's ultimately the performances that determine the results...

we've done okay or well against poor opposition - like in the first half tonight - but when a ham starts playing well against us, we just don't seem to know how to cope... ho to put our foot on the ball or how to take hold of the game.

that's why we're down in the basement of the league

we can't just hope teams fail to show up against us... it's not going to work like that

5 minutes to go... Balbuena replaces Antonio who as usual can well deserve his early bath.

99% safe.