Watford (h) pre-match thread

[Stevieatlasblue]

Happy New year blues..win tonight please..i don't mind a draw either..any news on kdb?

 

[sir baconface]

I can’t see David Silva being at the races due to his recent personal issues, whatever they are.

We're both just speculating but I'm more sanguine than you. I can see Dave being well up for this after his lay-off. What better way than a Merlinesque performance to give himself a tonic?

On a related note, a short enforced rest for KDB may not be such a bad thing either.

 

[Neville Kneville]

I'm not disputing that, but he would be useless in a pep system. I get we are all miffed as to why our front players are struggling to find the net as well as we know they can, but I just dont see any argument to suggest an ex player would have slotted them as it can only be a speculative call

He wouldn't play much in a 'Pep system' (although I'm pretty sure he could have, had he not missed two years early in his career) he would just help win us a few games when he did get on, as he did previously.

2015/2016 P 7(19) Mins 753 Goals 8 Assists 1 Shots per game 1.1


2016/2017 P 5(15) mins 528 Goals 4 Assists 3 Shots per game 1.1

Never complains, just works hard & does what he can, including score.

A 3rd striker who can do that, & doesn't have to 'rotate' the senior players, would be perfect. Be good if Nmecha could step up.

 

[mosssideblue]

It's very noticeable and it's no coincidence how often we've scored within a few minutes of the second half starting right after Pep has been in their ear for 15 minutes. I get sometimes the plan is to tire them out over the course of the game but given most players will have a week before their next game after tonight there's no reason not to go out and try and blow them away in the first 20 minutes. Just want to see a return of that intensity and relentless feeling of "we're going to run you ragged and not let you breathe until we score and decide we're comfortable" that we've not seen for a number of games now if i'm honest. Against Palace it wasn't really there, KDB showed it in glimpses inbetween trying not to get put in a wheelchair and Kyle Walker definitely showed it in the last 10-15 minutes but nobody else did.

Maybe that is Peps 1st half tactic - play half arsed in the first 45 making sure they dont score of course, let the opposition get in for their half time cuppa and bacon sarnie and manager thinking they have done well only for us to come out and give them the Ali treatment "float like a butterfly - sting like a bee)







:)

 

[Len Rum]

[QUOTE="Stevieatlasblue, post: 10688351, member: 66055"i don't mind a draw either[/QUOTE]
U wot?
Watford are top of the injured list ( along with the dippers), they have Troy Deeney suspended and they are near the bottom of the league and you wouldn't mind a draw.
FFS!

 

[mosssideblue]

He wouldn't play much in a 'Pep system' (although I'm pretty sure he could have, had he not missed two years early in his career) he would just help win us a few games when he did get on, as he did previously.

2015/2016 P 7(19) Mins 753 Goals 8 Assists 1 Shots per game 1.1


2016/2017 P 5(15) mins 528 Goals 4 Assists 3 Shots per game 1.1

Never complains, just works hard & does what he can, including score.

A 3rd striker who can do that, & doesn't have to 'rotate' the senior players, would be perfect. Be good if Nmecha could step up.

Fully agree with that but we are derailing the thread so will leave it there

 

[sir baconface]

A hypothetical argument no? Sterling has been in "the right place" quite often recently and still we are debating missed opportunities

Yes, of course, but that's what we do on a forum. I have no argument with Sterling's contribution and am not sure why he keeps getting dragged in. We are missing more chances as a team than we should though.

 

[domalino]

it is purely speculative to suggest AN Other would have slotted them when one of the worlds current and future best have failed

The problem with that is Aguero isn't currently one of the best strikers in the world. He just isn't playing at that level currently. The goal numbers in league and European competition back that up.


In September he was - scoring, creating, running people ragged... the car crash seemed to derail him, but that was over 3 months ago now, and even though everyone knows that player is still in there, we've only seen brief glimpses like half an hour vs. Bournemouth of the same kind of form.


Would love for him to rekindle that form vs. Watford - he was absolutely sensational in the away game - but every week that goes by, I get a little less confident that Aguero will be coming back.

 

[kaz7]

is there not a nacho v razzer thread somewhere lads

 

[kaz7]

[QUOTE="Stevieatlasblue, post: 10688351, member: 66055"i don't mind a draw either

U wot?
Watford are top of the injured list ( along with the dippers), they have Troy Deeney suspended and they are near the bottom of the league and you wouldn't mind a draw.
FFS![/QUOTE]
rumour has is steve is not a blue

 

[Neville Kneville]

This is where Aguero is lacking for me this season. There was one that did reach him in the first half and he had time to take a touch and pass t in but hit it first time under no pressure and put it wide by some distance.

He looked sluggish and I have no idea what is going on with him but without Jesus we lose so much energy. Sanchez in the short term wpuld be a huge improvement due to his high energy levels. We didnt force errors from palace because Aguero barely closed them down. Sane did a lot of running but he was the only one until Sterling came on. That off the ball work is key to our success. Aguero needs to step up tonight because Watford have the ability to create more chances against us if we play with such low energy.

Perhaps tiredness is hitting but we have enough players who have played very little relatovely up to now. We have got through December and need our key players back. A successful January and we can be in the league cup final and have the league near enough tied up. Staying in the FA Cup too is going to be a push. This will be a challenging month.

I think he's had a good season, for the team, but he is looking less than sharp in front of goal at the moment & also I think Jesus has looked less than sharp recently, but Pep had been looking after him a bit & imo, he was just about ready to take off again, where maybe Serge would have a breather.

We have been lacking that 'utility' striker who just steps in & helps out here & there.

 

[fulabeer]

The only people i wouldn't select for tonight is Mendy/Jesus/De Bruyne in that order!

No fucking around resting anybody for this match. I wouldn't play Yaya unless absolutely necessary or towards the end.
Same goes for Vinny. Come weekend then make some tactical changes.

I echo what had been said of Merlin and Sane. They both need to play to get the best results.

 

[mosssideblue]

is there not a nacho v razzer thread somewhere lads

no:)

 

[mosssideblue]

The problem with that is Aguero isn't currently one of the best strikers in the world. He just isn't playing at that level currently. The goal numbers in league and European competition back that up.


In September he was - scoring, creating, running people ragged... the car crash seemed to derail him, but that was over 3 months ago now, and even though everyone knows that player is still in there, we've only seen brief glimpses like half an hour vs. Bournemouth of the same kind of form.


Would love for him to rekindle that form vs. Watford - he was absolutely sensational in the away game - but every week that goes by, I get a little less confident that Aguero will be coming back.

Fingers crossed he does as we do need him now

 

[Charlie Chuck]

I'd like us to try shots on sight of goal more, instead of trying to create a perfect team goal by passing it into the net. With Jesus out, all of the team should now be looking to score if given half a chance. Too many times(especially against bus parkers) we try and pass it about for tap ins. If there's a sight of goal no harm done in pulling the trigger with a rasping shot to test the keeper. The keeper will often parry it for a tap in or tip it round for a corner.

 

[Deleted member 81382]

we'll be crap as usual at home until pep gets in their faces at halftime

Hope we can get an early goal for a change, don't seem to be getting many lately.

 

[kaz7]

sergio has been carrying a heel injury for a while but he going to have to get injected up,get a goal and then get subbed

 

[Neville Kneville]

Fully agree with that but we are derailing the thread so will leave it there

It's relevant to tonight imo, as Jesus is missing & we possibly might need someone else to play centrally, depending on whether Serge hits form.

If he's on it, there is no problem, but if he's not, he could need at least a partner, up there.

I actually think Sane is an option for that as well. He scared the bejeesus out of Spurs last season when we pushed him through the middle more.

 

[kaz7]

Hope we can get an early goal for a change, don't seem to be getting many lately.

i find myself getting really frustrated with the first halves at home,we are better away i think,i'm not sure it's good mentally to know that you can score late goals as you amble about feeling like you can get a late one and you will get caught out in the end

 

[Neville Kneville]

I'd like us to try shots on sight of goal more, instead of trying to create a perfect team goal by passing it into the net. With Jesus out, all of the team should now be looking to score if given half a chance. Too many times(especially against bus parkers) we try and pass it about for tap ins. If there's a sight of goal no harm done in pulling the trigger with a rasping shot to test the keeper. The keeper will often parry it for a tap in or tip it round for a corner.

Every game, we should do that more.

That piledriver from Otamendi last week, changed the game, even though it was saved.