A relegation fight ahead?

Don't get me wrong guys, I would like nothing better then for the team to be knocking on the play-offs door but unfortunately after all the euphoria of whats happened at Watford the harsh realities are beginning to kick in

We have a large number of foreign players who are here for different reasons, i.e young and up and coming, last chance saloon and experience wannabees, we have a manager that has failed at the last level he was at and new owners who have not got the faintest idea about what the supporters are about nor do they appear to want to have

The sound playing principles that Sean Dyche nurtured last season are gone as is Bassini who alledgedly was about to put the club into administration

Where are we now? Zola has still to find out that big Chris could not score in a Thai knocking shop although the penny has dropped with regards Garner. Our play now stems with sending the high ball to CI where he tries to knock it on for other players......and this is where its all going wrong. No one is playing off him because as our matches progress we play deeper and deeper therefore leaving him an isolated figure. When Beleck came on for CI last night our play became far more progressive as it was played to feet and not to a head.

How long will it take Zola to find a winning team amongst the foreign legion, in fact can he find a winning team? Are we in for a big relegation fight if Zola decides wrong players in wrong positions, he has already demonstrated bad judgement when he put Carl Dickinson in at CB

The player I thought we missed the most last night........was Troy Deeney (I may get slated for this). I feel he is the only player now that can steady the ship and produce performances which gain us points. Chris Iwelumo or Troy Deeney....its a no-brainer

 

I can understand the frustration and the facts speak for themselves. However I was encouraged by last night's game, especially in the first half. Brighton are a team that will there or there abouts when it comes to the playoffs, and any team that can take CMS off and replace him with Dobie has to be taken seriously.

We are where we are there is little to be gained from wishing this or that had or hadnt happened. My hopes for this season have now been lowered. I would like to see visible progress on the pitch to the point that next season we can make a real challenge for promotion. yes, as striker is a major requirement, but if we are now pinning our hopes on Troy Deeney, heaven help us!!!

 

Lots to be optimistic about. GZ is implementing a fairly decent passing game. just a shame there was not enough responsbility taken at the sharp end... agreed, a proper striker is an absolute necessity. Plenty of improvement since the debacle against Ipswich and the drubbing at Derby so I'm not particularly worried.

However, any team that faces 11 plus the muppet with the whistle last night is not going to win too many games.

 

Isn't that a bit unfair on the Muppets?

 

6 games in, calm down! We have 6 points, not great I admit but that doesn't tell the whole story. Last night there was a fine line between losing 1-0 and winning 2-1. The team are getting better each time we see them ( apart from Derby) and we know what some of our players are capable of, as we showed against Birmingham.

Remeber last season after 6 games we were on 7 points and people were panicking as they are now, look where we ended up that season and thats with half the talent we have this season.

No need to be panicking yet, give it 6 more games and then lets look at where we are. Patience is a virtue.

 

We have signed several players with better technique...though not yet the attitude that the team showed in the second half of last season. A good striker would be welcome, but they'll need better service than they got last night. Too often the central midfield was crowded with players appearing to duplicate roles. And of course we've only got 40 games to save ourselves...might as well fall on the sword now...

 

Short answer to the question...no. Long answer...hell, no.

 

I too am getting increasingly worried as from what I see we might be able to play nice neat football (on occasions) but we couldn't hit a barn door from 5 paces out - our scoring record is woeful. Added to that a fragile defence - we might well be looking at the relegation zone come next March

 

I dont think we will be in a relegation fight. From what I saw in the first half yesterday and hear about the Bolton match there is a fair bit of progress and plenty to look forward to. We have shown signs of improvment and I feel there is more to come. However, if we dont get a win soon then I can see heads dropping and this causes problems as you get into a rut.

 

To say we are in a relegation fight after 6 games is quite honestly laughable. We are 4 points off the play-offs, hardly means we are in a promotion push either at the moment! Last season we had a number of changes on and off the field, and the first six games read DLLDDW, so 6 points from 6... then another draw and loss, so 7 points from the first 8. With this league, you only have to win 2/3 in a row and you climb up the table! We improved considerably as the team bedded in, and fully believe this season will be no different!

We all knew that patience was needed and it will take time first of all to start playing a new style but also to bring in so many players into the team, while trying to get them to adapt. We are a work in progress, and as much as I don't think we will be pushing for promotion, I htink it is highly unlikely we will be near relegation either

 

Sorry, really disagree here with anyone slating Zola or being so cynical as to assume a relegation fight only 6 games in.

"Zola failed in his last job". FInished 9th first season, then avoided relegation. Next manager failed to do that. I don't see it as a failure, I think he did quite well... West Ham was a sinking ship and he was not to blame.

He came into the job here at Watford quite late... the takeover took too long and although a few new players arrived swiftly.... most have barely had any time to settle in and are either unfit or injured. So many new signings, so many departures... you can't expect immediate success.

However... what I do expect is for things to come together. There have been promising signs from day one. Zola is still learning about the side, I trust him to learn from the mistakes we are making and set them right. I trust that over time the match squad will become more familiar and players who are not wanted or not ready will be given the opportunity to play football elsewhere. What matters for me is that we have talented players in the squad. For me, too talented for us to consider relegation. You lose to Brighton and Bolton by the odd goal, two teams at the top of the table and suddenly everything is looking dire? I think the groundwork is in place..... we have talented players in the squad and it should work out for us. Perhaps not to challenge for the play offs or higher, though I refuse to rule that out..... we beat a very poor Reading last year away from home, they set at the bottom of the table and somehow turned it around and won the league. I'm not saying we'll do that... but this is a tight league and things can change quickly. I think anyone who is trying to kid themselves into thinking a high placed finish is impossible should look back to last season. Ye of little faith.....

 

Something also worth remembering are the other new signings who are yet to feature

 

just because we have lost our last 3 league games, we should have had two penalties against Brighton, and didn't play that bad against Bolton (even Doyley scored!) so I still think Title Challenge or at least promotion via playoffs. I'm not being optimistic, because that means that it is unlikely to happen, and it is very likely.

 

luxWFC.....did Zola do well at West Ham? according to WH some supporters he made some very unwise signings, in fact he spent £5 million on one player alone who turned out to be a disaster.
I'm not trying to slate anyone but early signs are not brilliant, although there was some improvement in the side last night, I particularly liked the Chelsea lad Chalobah so hopefully him and a couple of others can come good. I just hope we don't get relegated whilst we're searching for who is good and and who isn't

 

He's trying to integrate Dyche's players with the new foreign loanee's, two completely different set of players. Sooner or later he's going to realise that most of last seasons players just wont be able to change the way they play to suit his style/idea's/tactics and what we will find is that 9 of the starting 11 every week will be the new players with maybe Murray and one other from last season. Then and only then do I think we will start to get some rhythm and consistency, because quite frankly no manager in the world would be able to get a team playing effective passing football with players like Nosworthy and Iwelumo in the team. I also think that we might win say 6 of our last 8 games.

 

A quote regarding his time at West Ham "After a shaky start Zola began to develop a side with a flair not seen in a West Ham side for some years. He was also praised for integrating more youth products into the first team."

And IIRC his position at West Ham was the same as with us - Head Coach. Like now, he had little say in which players were bought - so to say that he made some very unwise signings a little wide of the mark.

I seem to remember similar concerns being expressed this time last season - ridiculously early IMO. Yes the results aren't going our way, but from what I can gather the team performances are far better, as is the standard of players at our disposal. Dyche was quite rightly given time to turn things around and turn them around he did - it would be sheer stupidity to not afford GZ the same. Personally I think he will - and far earlier than Dyche did.

 

Too soon to answer this question. At the moment I would be no more surprised to be in a play off fight than a relegation struggle

 

As others have said... his position now is quite similar to that of West Ham before. I don't know how much say he has in transfers, if any, but it's not primarily him making the decision/recommendations.

The Championship season is long. Still 40 games to go..... I think there's some standout poor teams in this division and it'd take a lot for us to finish below them.

 

If we got religated, I'd be very surprised.

We have only played a handful of games. If we are down that end of the table come December then it would be bad. I'm not going to hit the panic button just yet.

 

Its all very well saying its going to happen - and i really hope it does - but we have lost 4 of 6 games - two of them (Ipswich and Derby) very badly and two of them unluckily. But it doesn't matter how good you are playing - if you can't score goals you won't win games. Last night we didn't look like scoring (other by way of two penalties) and therein lies our problem.