Holmes_and_Watson

Last time out showed that Ralph's playbook can't cope with tall folk that can head a ball. This time, the opposition having a strong bloke in the midfield defeats the playbook too. Sissouko bossed that. But we let it happen. Suicidal defending gifted them the first. Passing it across and out from the back because that's what they've been told to do, rather than having an awareness of the passes that needed to be done. Someone went missing for the second, as Perraud came across to cover. The intensity has really been lacking in recent games. I'd hate to think it's some sort of mental sigh of relief at pretty much getting to safety. Ralph playing Smallbone off of Adams seemed odd at the start. I've not seen enough of Smallbone to be able to say if he had all the attributes there. On recetn performances AA would have seemed a better shout. A fit Redmond could have doen a job there too. I could see that Ralph might have wanted to have a bit more presence just off where we had a front two. Redders in for Mo and AA for Smallbone would have bee a stronger set up. After a couple of defeats starting Smallbone was taking a chance. And it didn't work. Without that intensity or sense of purpose, it doesn't matter if it's two up front or 4-4-1-1. By the time the ball got anywhere near that area, Watford were more than set up for it. Very slow int he build up, and not putting pressure on them to make mistakes. KWP had the occassional moment, but niether him nor Perraud really pushed Watford back, or got a lot into the box. So , little going through the middle or from fullbacks meant that was a much, much easier game than it should have been against a team desperate to get out of relegation.

Long = goals!

Broja taken out by Foster

Good header from Adams. Good work from Redmond.

Broja didn;t beed to run that out, after decetn KWP dribble.

Bednarek takes out Dennis, so we can get a gel break.

that took 10 seconds from Romeu going off for them to get a chance.

wrong option from Mo there. Again, people in there waiting for a delivery.

Broja had a littel space there, but it was an awkward ball and didn;t really know what the best option was with it.

What do you solemnly swear, if we lose? 🙂

Another nearly header form a JWP delivery.

If Smallbone was in the side to give us more chances to break them down in the final third, it might be the tactic for the second half. Although they'll look for a counter, Watford will be focusing on being compact. We'll need more creative players in there. That said, I'd not mind seeing AA and later Djenepo on there a bit sooner than we saw last time out. Becuase we lacked drive and directness for a lot of that half, and we're going to need to drive at them at some point, and not pass it around in front of them.

Adams I thought could have drilled that one across for Mo to put in. Didn;t put enough on it.

Yay! FInally one goes in from a JWP cross!

Not too far away from Peraud. But not offering much form JWP crosses in.

oh sod.

A better couple of mins from us with KWP the player you want to run at their defence.

We're going to ahve to have learned from the last match , in how to break teams down. Poor choice from Adams there. Had the chance to whip in a cross with people in there, and passes it instead behind and out of play.

Oh for .... possibly the clumsiest goal I've seen in ages.

Chewy

Creature

Blue

Fall

John