Match Day Thread Watford v Manchester City

Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear. Do I not like to look of Sunday.

 

I thought the game was tomorrow night but have just seen the result. In previous seasons there was a feeling that to keep City less than 5 goals would be a good result. So to get a "good result" and play pretty badly might be classed as an improvement!!

 

It’s at this point you start thinking about how good it would be to be visiting Wycombe and Coventry (at Brimingham) next year - then you remember you may still not be allowed to go and it becomes more depressing.

 

Fooking ell the stats at the bottom of this link make me feel disgusted:

https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/53399056

 

First half was ok but we gave away a silly penalty.

2nd half was a non event.

We managed to let in a free header from a free kick again - that is just bad organisation and defending.

These results won't be the reason we go down though...late goals v Everton and Villa.

Friday night's rubbish.

And no we would have probably not done better under Pearson.

 

I’m not sure about that. The recent games are when it really mattered, when you have to stand up and be counted. We barely look like we are trying. Contrast that with West Ham, Brighton and now perhaps Villa. Even Bournemouth against City as compared to us.

 

Sorry I just meant the Man City scores in their own.

But quite right - losing twice to West Ham, 1 point v Brighton,0 v Southampton. Everton, Burnley etc.

See Deeney did get close to a Man City player - at the end chasing KDB shirt like a kid.

Hasn't gone down well.

 

Foster basically saying they have no morale or confidence and just played to being hammered.

 

I did force myself to watch the Villa game, and must say that was one of the most inept displays by Arsenal I have ever seen. Even in the last minutes of the game when they should have been trying for an equalizer they still seemed quite happy to just keep playing it around in their own half. Very strange.

 

Agreed.... i just didnt get it.....

The only solace is that they were playing deep as they do... and we have sprung that before.......

 

Typical Arsenal.

They beat the top teams then lose to the bottom ones.

It's why they are mid table.

 

Going by this from the Athletic article and summarised elsewhere seems Mullins was basically being told whet to do by others during the game.

Bullet points:

• Giraldi sat towards the back of the stand for 60 mins and only moved once - to go to the changing room at HT.
• He sat next to Jose Alfonso Morcillo, our Head of Performance - described as another ‘trusted man of the owner’ and one of ‘Gino Pozzo’s main men’.
• Upon conceding the third goal Giraldi could clearly be heard shouting in anger and moved immediately to be behind the dugout.
• Eric Roy joined the drinks break huddle for the first time.
• Morcillo then seemed to actively be involved in making the subs after consulting Giraldi each time, making the hand signals to the coaches that universally are know as ‘sub’.
• Exasperation when Mullins didn’t make them immediately.

 

Given that these men have to carry some of the responsibilty for the mess we are in... very worrying

 

They are always at the training ground and making comments on the tactics/selections.

Maybe this happens at all top clubs but when you are not going well it just adds to the pressure on the manager and probably shows a lack of trust.

Just think if you're boss breathing over your shoulder all the time!

 

What is certain is that we don't know exactly why Pearson was sacked. If Troy is to be believed there was no physical altercation at half time, so it comes down to what has been said. It is quite possible that Pearson asked in fairly forthright terms just who was supposed to be the head coach and it was not appreciated. Whatever is going on it cannot be a happy place at the moment.

 

Its all very bad PR and gives everybody from players to the media an excuse to hide behind really - saying "we only went down because Pearson was sacked" (if that happens!)

I know Deeney said there wasn't a punch up but doesn't mean as you say there wasn't a row.

And dare I say Deeney might view a punch up differently to others,

Hands raised isn't the same as actual punching......

Pearson did leave Derby after a falling out with the owner pretty sharply.

 

A case of after the Lord Mayor's show. We motivated Villa by our result against City, Arsenal were always looking suspect after their last week. You do not become a good team overnight and they have had issues all season. Hopefully, ( wishful thinking) they will play a lot of squad players on Sunday, and we will somehow manage to put in a performance to match some of Villa's or Bournemouths recent efforts because we sure as hell have not put up a decent fight over the last few weeks. We have left so much out on the pitch in recent games, when we should have left nothing.

 

As someone on Twitter - where else? - pointed out, he said that there was no punch up at half time. The same person then claimed it happened after the match... That place is a hotbed of Troy haters.

 

If the owners want manage the team, why don't they? Perhaps they do and when it goes pear shaped they have someone to sack?

 

Will spam be as motivated against villa as they apparently we're tonight?