Watford 0-1 Saints - Match Thread

[OttawaSaint]

Move above Watford and Villa and now just 1 behind Brentford who all the pundit have been blowing all season, only 3 behind the mighty Leicester...

[qwertyell]

Well that was fucking agony. So many poor decisions in the second half, heavy touches, general incompetence. Comical lack of composure all round. A big save from McCarthy (after Romeu's latest headless chicken act had overrun the play) preserves the points.

This season is going to kill me off if we can barely manage a goal a game and are dependant on holding on to clean sheets to get anything. Yeesh.

Anyway, bank the points - 7 from 9 from our "easy run" - breathe a sigh of relief and move on.

MOTM? I think Walker-Peters did a solid job down the left and just about came out on top of Watford's best player, Sarr.

 

[vectraman]

Get in there Saints 😁😁😁😁

Well played boys - kept us on the edge of our seats, but take the 3 points 🏅

[trousers]

If we don't have clubs trying to take Livramento and Salisu off our hands next summer then I'm Arthur Mullard. 

Edited 30 October, 2021 by trousers

[Uncle Albert]

Definitely staying up, proving the pundits wrong. 😁

[The Cat]

Superb performance. Totally bossed the first half and remained solid in the second.

Some exceptional performances from Salisu, Livramento, Romeu and then McCarthy who not only made a stunning save at the end but got a vital touch to the one cleared off the line in the first half and claimed everything comfortably.

[Matthew Le God]

  On 30/10/2021 at 15:59, OttawaSaint said:

Move above Watford and Villa and now just 1 behind Brentford who all the pundit have been blowing all season, only 3 behind the mighty Leicester...

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Only a 3 point gap to 8th place Man Utd

[OttawaSaint]

  On 30/10/2021 at 16:00, qwertyell said:

Well that was fucking agony. So many poor decisions in the second half, heavy touches, general incompetence. Comical lack of composure all round. A big save from McCarthy (after Romeu's latest headless chicken act had overrun the play) preserves the points.

This season is going to kill me off if we can barely manage a goal a game and are dependant on holding on to clean sheets to get anything. Yeesh.

Anyway, bank the points - 7 from 9 from our "easy run" - breathe a sigh of relief and move on.

MOTM? I think Walker-Peters did a solid job down the left and just about came out on top of Watford's best player, Sarr.

 

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Cheer up! We won!!

[Uncle Albert]

  On 30/10/2021 at 15:42, trousers said:

They'll equalise. Inevitable unfortunately

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Whoops😁😁

[cloggy saint]

Never in doubt.

[Matthew Le God]

  On 30/10/2021 at 16:00, trousers said:

If we don't have clubs trying to take Livramento and Salisu off our hands next summer then I'm Arthur Mallard. 

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I doubt that'll happen. I'd guess he wants to return to Chelsea and the deal doesn't allow them to sign him until at least summer 2023.

[AlexLaw76]

Salisu is now a very good player.  Another great game from him.

Romeu was very good also.  

Adams for that goal

Both fullbacks

And McCarthy was assured, with an outstanding save

 

We have to be much better in front of goal though.

[trousers]

  On 30/10/2021 at 16:02, Uncle Albert said:

Whoops😁😁

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Reverse psychology m'lud

[VictiAbNonem]

We've bought some seriously good defenders in the last couple of years.

Starting with KWP and Salisu last year, now Tino and Lyanco (I know he's unproven, but looking really solid). I think Perraud looks half decent too.

[Chapel End]

  On 30/10/2021 at 15:59, DT said:

Fantastic result. Well done Saints. Big three points. All down to my insurance bets obvs

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How did Redmond and McCarthy do?

[CanadaSaint]

As much as I like KWP, we were vulnerable with him at LWB today. So much of Watford’s threat came wide down our left, and KWP is much weaker tackling with his ‘wrong’ foot and less accurate with clearances. He’s a better player than Perraud but we can look more vulnerable defensively, and that exposes Salisu as well.

[Give it to Ron]

Big 3 points today have to beat these teams to ease any pressure.

Well done nervey but over the line

[Toadhall Saint]

  On 30/10/2021 at 16:05, trousers said:

Reverse psychology m'lud

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That was my guess - didn’t want to jinx it tho 😉

[Chez]

So many good performances. Redmond had a very good game again. Livramento too. Like Salisu bullying forwards and taking the yellow wen needed. Up front, we dint take the chances but we created them, which is encouraging. Credit to McCarthy. That save at the end looked a worldie. He keeps making them Bpsaint 😉 

[Chapel End]

  On 30/10/2021 at 16:07, CanadaSaint said:

As much as I like KWP, we were vulnerable with him at LWB today. So much of Watford’s threat came wide down our left, and KWP is much weaker tackling with his ‘wrong’ foot and less accurate with clearances. He’s a better player than Perraud but we can look more vulnerable defensively, and that exposes Salisu as well.

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Eh! He did a great job on Sarr

[Totton Saint]

I asked for a clean sheet (no more anal jokes please) and lo and behold they delivered (Macca take a bow).

e

 

[Chez]

  On 30/10/2021 at 16:07, CanadaSaint said:

As much as I like KWP, we were vulnerable with him at LWB today. So much of Watford’s threat came wide down our left, and KWP is much weaker tackling with his ‘wrong’ foot and less accurate with clearances. He’s a better player than Perraud but we can look more vulnerable defensively, and that exposes Salisu as well.

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Good point. and Sarr caused Salisu problems with his pace. The Perraud signing has not worked so far. Hope he can improve. Not sure he offers the quality we need.

[VictiAbNonem]

  On 30/10/2021 at 16:07, CanadaSaint said:

As much as I like KWP, we were vulnerable with him at LWB today. So much of Watford’s threat came wide down our left, and KWP is much weaker tackling with his ‘wrong’ foot and less accurate with clearances. He’s a better player than Perraud but we can look more vulnerable defensively, and that exposes Salisu as well.

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So much of our first half threat came down the left because of KWP. I thought he had a pretty solid game defensively 

[Baird of the land]

  On 30/10/2021 at 16:08, Chapel End said:

Eh! He did a great job on Sarr

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Exactly so much of their play came down that side because Sarr is their best player by a country mile. That's why KWP was in today imo(because Ralph trusts him slightly more defensively than Perraud)

Edited 30 October, 2021 by Baird of the land

[Vancouver Saint]

OMG that was TORTURE! Classic us...should've been out of sight at half-time...9 shots on goal 1 on target says it all...

Looked very leggy second half. Can't understand why Ralph waited so long to sub Elynoussi off, although S Armstrong had one of his worst caemos and is still clearly not match fit. Even the DAZN commentator was saying Che Adams was tired with 20 minutes to go...and we were struggling to hold the ball up top - why on earth not bring Tella on and defend by attacking?!

McCarthy man of the match - made a match-winning save at the end.

Happy we got the points, but my goodness it's no surprise we seem to have mastered the formula for losing points from winning positions - giving teams that should be dead and buried hope.

[DT]

First away win in 238 days. Apparently. Crikey. 

[Teddeer]

That was reasonably comfortable and Watford really only had the one chance in the second half when McCarthy pulled off a good save. We were unlucky with a couple of deflected shots that, on another day, might have sneaked in. Think with Broja up front that would have been a more convincing win. 7 points from Leeds, Burnley and Watford is what I hoped for so happy with that. Stu Armstrong clearly needs games to get back up to speed. No bad performances today, it was a good team effort and a much needed win plus another clean sheet. Watford looked poor in general so this was a game we needed 3 points from. 

[angelman]

Nice to get 3 points, but we HAVE to take those chances.....

[Matthew Le God]

  On 30/10/2021 at 16:16, angelman said:

Nice to get 3 points, but we HAVE to take those chances.....

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We didn't 'have to'... as we won regardless 😉

[CanadaSaint]

  On 30/10/2021 at 16:10, VictiAbNonem said:

So much of our first half threat came down the left because of KWP. I thought he had a pretty solid game defensively 

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I was okay with him starting, but the pattern change after HT saw almost all of Watford’s penetration coming down our left. Salisu started to look much less assured.

My first change would have been Armstrong on for Mo - ten minutes earlier. My second would have been Perraud for KWP - especially because Salisu was on a yellow.

This is maybe our biggest Achilles heel - Ralph failing to respond to major opposition pattern shifts.

[VictiAbNonem]

  On 30/10/2021 at 16:15, Teddeer said:

That was reasonably comfortable and Watford really only had the one chance in the second half when McCarthy pulled off a good save. We were unlucky with a couple of deflected shots that, on another day, might have sneaked in. Think with Broja up front that would have been a more convincing win. 7 points from Leeds, Burnley and Watford is what I hoped for so happy with that. Stu Armstrong clearly needs games to get back up to speed. No bad performances today, it was a good team effort and a much needed win plus another clean sheet. Watford looked poor in general so this was a game we needed 3 points from. 

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Chance cleared off the line by KWP in the first half too

[Teddeer]

  On 30/10/2021 at 16:18, VictiAbNonem said:

Chance cleared off the line by KWP in the first half too

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I meant that in the second half Watford only had one chance. Didn't see the first half.

[Toadhall Saint]

Turning into a good day all round - schooling the Aussies in the T20.

[redkeith]

Created soo much in the first half, could have been 2 nil up after 3 minutes. Great goal but didn't take the easy ones.

Good performances all round, but with some better decisions we would have been out of sight.

[saintadjg]

Great 1st half . Another good performance from Redmond I must say (I really don't like him but credit where it's due) . Didn't see all the 2nd but other than last 5 mins what I did see we looked comfortably in control. God knows what AA needs to do to bury one, gets in great positions. Tino outstanding again. Top save by Macca to keep them out.3points clean sheet what's not to love. Well done Ralph.

 

[Mr X]

Bit worried for Adam Armstrong hopefully it will happen Soon as he's creating chances seems to be hitting his chances a bit too hard at times and losing direction of shot 

[Streaky]

  On 30/10/2021 at 16:07, CanadaSaint said:

As much as I like KWP, we were vulnerable with him at LWB today. So much of Watford’s threat came wide down our left, and KWP is much weaker tackling with his ‘wrong’ foot and less accurate with clearances. He’s a better player than Perraud but we can look more vulnerable defensively, and that exposes Salisu as well.

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Disagree completely with that. Kwp wasn't vulnerable at all. Dominated the game apart from last 5 minutes. Also got to the byline multiple times and beat his man on the outside and the inside.

[Turkish]

Fair play comfortable win much the better side should have won by more but 3 points are 3 points. We seem to have a bit more bollocks and resilience about us this season 

[VictiAbNonem]

  On 30/10/2021 at 16:25, Mr X said:

Bit worried for Adam Armstrong hopefully it will happen Soon as he's creating chances seems to be hitting his chances a bit too hard at times and losing direction of shot 

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I share your concern, but he did I think look quite a bit better today than in midweek. His shots were all closer to the goal, and he actually created a couple of decent chances.

I think he'll come good, but at least if he doesn't we should have a good alternative in Broja 

[Turkish]

  On 30/10/2021 at 16:25, Mr X said:

Bit worried for Adam Armstrong hopefully it will happen Soon as he's creating chances seems to be hitting his chances a bit too hard at times and losing direction of shot 

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He’ll be fine, getting in good positions, once he gets one the goals will come. I’d be more worried if he wasn’t in the position to get chances 

[CanadaSaint]

  On 30/10/2021 at 16:26, Streaky said:

Disagree completely with that. Kwp wasn't vulnerable at all. Dominated the game apart from last 5 minutes. Also got to the byline multiple times and beat his man on the outside and the inside.

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That’s fine - we each call it as we see it.

But there is no way that we “dominated the game apart from the last 5 minutes”. We completely dominated the first half and should have been out of sight. After Ranieri’s HT changes we played much of the second half on the back foot.

[trousers]

  On 30/10/2021 at 16:25, Mr X said:

Bit worried for Adam Armstrong hopefully it will happen Soon as he's creating chances seems to be hitting his chances a bit too hard at times and losing direction of shot 

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I definitely think he's trying to be too accurate at times. Good assist for the goal though, so he ultimately played his part in the victory.

[CanadaSaint]

  On 30/10/2021 at 16:36, trousers said:

I definitely think he's trying to be too accurate at times. Good assist for the goal though, so he ultimately played his part in the victory.

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I’m not sure whether he’s trying to be too accurate or not accurate enough. He’s getting himself into great positions but seems to lack a little composure at finishing time. He’s “snatching” at his shot rather than taking that extra millisecond. But there are signs that he could go on a scoring tear soon.

[VictiAbNonem]

Salisu might be our best buy since VVD. I think there's ample evidence now that he's our best CD since.

[Sheaf Saint]

I'm not going to go over the missed chances again because that's been done to death already. For me, that win is thanks to two pieces of top quality - Ché's finish and Macca's late save.

Edited 30 October, 2021 by Sheaf Saint

[Baird of the land]

  On 30/10/2021 at 16:47, VictiAbNonem said:

Salisu might be our best buy since VVD. I think there's ample evidence now that he's our best CD since.

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Just hope we can convince him to extend his contract.

[eurosaint]

Tks to Ralph and the boys I’m having a great birthday 🥳!!

[SaintBobby]

Terrific three points. Am just daring to look up the table a bit, not just down it

[LiberalCommunist]

  On 30/10/2021 at 16:50, eurosaint said:

Tks to Ralph and the boys I’m having a great birthday 🥳!!

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I needed today to go right. Had a tough end to the week, needed to stop the spiral. 

Thanks Saints, needed that.

[hypochondriac]

Cracking win. Probably our biggest game so far and to win it is superb. We aren't going down this year we are too good.