The Season Starts on Saturday. Watford.

[Gravedigger]

Give over. If you hadn't scored 6, Soton would have thrashed you 0-1.

[Relentless09]

Birmingham will be a harder fixture and I'm just hoping Chungy and Sordell were rested. As with Petrov, dear only knows what he's done, told Coyle he's crap at ping pong ?

[Gail Platz]

I think most has been said on the performance yesterday, all I've got to add is Keith Andrews is an absolutely shocking footballer. There's a reason he's spent the majority of his career in the lower divisions and this is exactly it. I never thought someone could outdo Darren Pratley in the "I will prance around the centre of the park and not really do anything" role, but my God he's managed it.

I'm just so glad for the Jay Spearing signing. Hopefully Coyle will drop that piece of garbage Andrews and if he wants someone who can have a shot from the centre of midfield, put Eagles there. Spearing is the ball winning tidy passer that we've been crying out for for fooking ages.

[bobo the clown]

Spearing did look good .... & with "attitude", the sort we've not had recently. I suspect there is a red card or two per season in him but you know, I'd take that over the bllx we're getting used to.

It's the first time I've seen Andrews & it wasn't very uplifting, to the point where it was a relief to see Pratley come on. Maybe signing him was planned to make us appreciate Pratley ??

[Always hopeful]

Spearing did look good .... & with "attitude", the sort we've not had recently. I suspect there is a red card or two per season in him but you know, I'd take that over the bllx we're getting used to.

It's the first time I've seen Andrews & it wasn't very uplifting, to the point where it was a relief to see Pratley come on. Maybe signing him was planned to make us appreciate Pratley ??

[bobo the clown]

Spearing did look good .... & with "attitude", the sort we've not had recently. I suspect there is a red card or two per season in him but you know, I'd take that over the bllx we're getting used to.

It's the first time I've seen Andrews & it wasn't very uplifting, to the point where it was a relief to see Pratley come on. Maybe signing him was planned to make us appreciate Pratley ??

Yes ..... he was THAT poor !!


I'd have preferred to see Mavis moved inside & Lee.Petrov brought on, but Julie Andrews was so far out of his depth even Pratley seemed a better option.

[Always hopeful]

Spearing did look good .... & with "attitude", the sort we've not had recently. I suspect there is a red card or two per season in him but you know, I'd take that over the bllx we're getting used to.

It's the first time I've seen Andrews & it wasn't very uplifting, to the point where it was a relief to see Pratley come on. Maybe signing him was planned to make us appreciate Pratley ??

Yes ..... he was THAT poor !!


I'd have preferred to see Mavis moved inside & Lee.Petrov brought on, but Julie Andrews was so far out of his depth even Pratley seemed a better option.

He's really is a genius isn't he?

[Gail Platz]

Spearing did look good .... & with "attitude", the sort we've not had recently. I suspect there is a red card or two per season in him but you know, I'd take that over the bllx we're getting used to.

It's the first time I've seen Andrews & it wasn't very uplifting, to the point where it was a relief to see Pratley come on. Maybe signing him was planned to make us appreciate Pratley ??

Yes ..... he was THAT poor !!


I'd have preferred to see Mavis moved inside & Lee.Petrov brought on, but Julie Andrews was so far out of his depth even Pratley seemed a better option.

Got to agree and this went through my mind during the game, my mate gave me a right stunned look when I said 'We might as well put Pratley on'.

Things must be bad when you are asking for Pratley.... and things must be worse when you've got a manager that would rather stick a centre midfielder out on the right just to cater for Keith Andrews, meaning the player that he allocated 50% of the reason for us getting relegated was stuck on the bench (Lee for those who don't know who I mean).

[Lost Leopard Spot]

So what is it with the Petrov situation? He's clearly not injured otherwise he wouldn't be on the bench.

[Athers]

The worrying spell was when Davies was in his infamous "West Brom" auxiliary left back role and Afobe was walking around somewhere around right wingback, meaning our whole team were within about a 10 yard band across the pitch.

Strange strange midfield yesterday..... Again you have to wonder about the philosophy on this one - the manager constantly tells us he loves a winger to get to the byline but we had Eagles on the left coming inside to think about a shot, and Mark Davies always wanting to drift in to get involved.

Curious anyway, pleased he was trying something.

Also interesting that Petrov isn't getting a look in now.

[Dr.Karl]

Also interesting that Petrov isn't getting a look in now.

Must've pissed him off somehow. I don't understand it tbh, he was easily our best player in the second half of last season and would probably tear up some cloggers in this division. Either in a 4-4-2 or a five man midfield, surely can't be worse that Mavies out wide(although I didn't see this game).

[Peter Thompson]

The worrying spell was when Davies was in his infamous "West Brom" auxiliary left back role and Afobe was walking around somewhere around right wingback, meaning our whole team were within about a 10 yard band across the pitch.

Strange strange midfield yesterday..... Again you have to wonder about the philosophy on this one - the manager constantly tells us he loves a winger to get to the byline but we had Eagles on the left coming inside to think about a shot, and Mark Davies always wanting to drift in to get involved.

Curious anyway, pleased he was trying something.

Also interesting that Petrov isn't getting a look in now.

IMO we need to bring someone in ASAP who can advise Coyle on man management, shape, formation, organisation & tactics because its clear to most that Coyle and his current team of lower league 'not up to it' so called coaches are absolutely clueless, and tbh I really can't see what they contribute to the club.

We bring decent players into the club, but within a very short period of time they all seem to go backwards, in terms of form & confidence.

On the other hand when you read that back - what is the point of having Coyle ?, and if he doesn't oversee all of the above then what exactly does he do as manager.

[ohjimmyjimmy]

Also interesting that Petrov isn't getting a look in now.

Must've pissed him off somehow. I don't understand it tbh, he was easily our best player in the second half of last season and would probably tear up some cloggers in this division. Either in a 4-4-2 or a five man midfield, surely can't be worse that Mavies out wide(although I didn't see this game).

If so, another example of Coyle's stubbornness taking precedence over the good of the team and the club.

Ironic how he said he loves this club and it was the only one he would leave Burnley for. If you love it, do whats best for it not whats best for your own ego.

[plymouth wanderer]

Just watched the highlights on the wanderers player and Alonso looked decent i know you can't read to much into it because it's only hightlights but how did he look (from people that went to the game)

[boltonboris]

He had nothing to do at all. The only but of defending he had to do, saw him allow the winger to get his cross in far too easily and they scored from it. Albeit a fluke, but it was preventable.

[Hoboh]

The worrying spell was when Davies was in his infamous "West Brom" auxiliary left back role and Afobe was walking around somewhere around right wingback, meaning our whole team were within about a 10 yard band across the pitch.

Strange strange midfield yesterday..... Again you have to wonder about the philosophy on this one - the manager constantly tells us he loves a winger to get to the byline but we had Eagles on the left coming inside to think about a shot, and Mark Davies always wanting to drift in to get involved.

Curious anyway, pleased he was trying something.

Also interesting that Petrov isn't getting a look in now.

IMO we need to bring someone in ASAP who can advise Coyle on man management, shape, formation, organisation & tactics because its clear to most that Coyle and his current team of lower league 'not up to it' so called coaches are absolutely clueless, and tbh I really can't see what they contribute to the club.

We bring decent players into the club, but within a very short period of time they all seem to go backwards, in terms of form & confidence & fitness.

On the other hand when you read that back - what is the point of having Coyle ?, and if he doesn't oversee all of the above then what exactly does he do as manager.

You missed one!

[truewhite15]

A match report (because I haven't had the time until now)

A very, very strange game. I won't be inciting the negativitists by stating how poor Watford are, or were, because after all, you can only beat what's in front of you.

In the first half, we looked very good, without looking like we'd actually gotten out of second gear. Speculative efforts and goal-mouth scrambles aside, Watford never really threatened us, and we should really have translated our superiority into a little more than just a two-goal lead. Our formation was...bizarre. At times it looked like we were playing a lop-sided 442, with Eagles wide left, Sparky, Andrews and Spearing forming much-of-a-muchness in centre midfield, and Mears given the freedom of the right flank. But given Eagles's general habit of popping up wherever he bloody well wanted, I think it's fair to say we were playing a 4312, with Eagles as the "1" and given a completely free role.

I have no idea what our esteemed leader told them at half time. But when we came out for the second half, Watford had, understandably, kicked in the afterburners, and we never looked like coping. It was surely clear to one and all what Watford would be doing, and yet, Coyle had failed to anticipate and address it. We fell back. And back. And back. We looked like a completely different team from the one in the first half. It would have been no surprise had Watford equalised in that half hour spell before they ran out of steam, but in the end they had to settle for a fluke cross that eluded Bogdan and floated in. In the last 15, the game evened out, and we should have scored more goals, in truth. But let's be clear. We were incredibly fortunate to get away with conceding only one goal, and incredibly fortunate to come away with all three points. We need to take our chances. And we need to stop collapsing into the defence like cheap flat-pack furniture whenever the opposition shows even a hint of attacking potency.

I understand the boos at the final whistle. I didn't quite agree, and I certainly didn't join in, but I understand them. We'd just won, yes, but the second half performance was not, and will never be, good enough at ANY level. Having been 2-0 up at half time, you should never finish the match feeling lucky that you won. Don't get me wrong, I'll take fluky, nervy wins from now until the end of the season if you offered it. But more often than not, if we play like that, the opposition WILL come back to take points off us.

We've got two very, very important away games coming up. Lose both of them, and we could well be looking for a new manager this time next week. Take points away from them, and we can start looking up the table.

[Always hopeful]

A match report (because I haven't had the time until now)

A very, very strange game. I won't be inciting the negativitists by stating how poor Watford are, or were, because after all, you can only beat what's in front of you.

In the first half, we looked very good, without looking like we'd actually gotten out of second gear. Speculative efforts and goal-mouth scrambles aside, Watford never really threatened us, and we should really have translated our superiority into a little more than just a two-goal lead. Our formation was...bizarre. At times it looked like we were playing a lop-sided 442, with Eagles wide left, Sparky, Andrews and Spearing forming much-of-a-muchness in centre midfield, and Mears given the freedom of the right flank. But given Eagles's general habit of popping up wherever he bloody well wanted, I think it's fair to say we were playing a 4312, with Eagles as the "1" and given a completely free role.

I have no idea what our esteemed leader told them at half time. But when we came out for the second half, Watford had, understandably, kicked in the afterburners, and we never looked like coping. It was surely clear to one and all what Watford would be doing, and yet, Coyle had failed to anticipate and address it. We fell back. And back. And back. We looked like a completely different team from the one in the first half. It would have been no surprise had Watford equalised in that half hour spell before they ran out of steam, but in the end they had to settle for a fluke cross that eluded Bogdan and floated in. In the last 15, the game evened out, and we should have scored more goals, in truth. But let's be clear. We were incredibly fortunate to get away with conceding only one goal, and incredibly fortunate to come away with all three points. We need to take our chances. And we need to stop collapsing into the defence like cheap flat-pack furniture whenever the opposition shows even a hint of attacking potency.

I understand the boos at the final whistle. I didn't quite agree, and I certainly didn't join in, but I understand them. We'd just won, yes, but the second half performance was not, and will never be, good enough at ANY level. Having been 2-0 up at half time, you should never finish the match feeling lucky that you won. Don't get me wrong, I'll take fluky, nervy wins from now until the end of the season if you offered it. But more often than not, if we play like that, the opposition WILL come back to take points off us.

We've got two very, very important away games coming up. Lose both of them, and we could well be looking for a new manager this time next week. Take points away from them, and we can start looking up the table.

I hope you're right, but I think this is highly unlikely I'm afraid.

[m_taylor]

Did Watford create any clear cut chances in the second half? I can't remember.

I think Petrov started this season poorly regardless if he WAS the best player at the end of last season he should be dropped. Eagles is our main player at the minute and Chungy needs game if he is going to get where he was pre-injury. I don't think Petrov has done anything to upset Coyle but given our options i would play Eagles and Chungy.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

But a run of results AND performances & will eat my words. It's just that I know that won't happen.

I'm not holding my breath - deep down i know we are doomed... so maybe I am starting from a lower base than you... but I would be perfectly happy with a long run of wins - sod the performance... we're not arsenal fans FFS - it's not entertainment!

I heard that... Bit disapointing only the 6 goals yesterday i thought, could do better...

You got outpassed by them, Wenger will be fuming...

Bish - you know what Bobo's saying though - Wins welcome fo sho but the performances need to prove positive change. Jammy wins won't last forever.

As for Petrov, I'm surprised he's not playing if we're going 4-4-2; he was also our best player at Crawley, his only appearance since being subbed on the hour at Burnley. Scapegoat or just too far down the Coyle-loyalty totem-pole?