The Watford Match.

[mickd1961]

From some of the stuff I saw tonight I can see them ripping our defence to shreds on Monday night.

They look very powerful up front, physical and fast.

Just the sort of forward line we struggle with.

It might get ugly.

[baggieal]

From some of the stuff I saw tonight I can see them ripping our defence to shreds on Monday night.

They look very powerful up front, physical and fast.

Just the sort of forward line we struggle with.

It might get ugly.

Which is why Furling should not play and Okay such a shame he won’t feature with bottler Livermore! Won’t be long before he gets a red and loses us another 3 points!

[Yarmbaggie]

This is why I am amazed at the amount of optimism there is on the site at the moment. On the thread ‘where do you think we will finish this season’ I said for me there are 7 of the starters at Boro who no one will convince me should be automatic or regular names on the start sheet - Button, Furlong, Townsend, Livermore, Molumby, Phillips and Grant.

Add to that several players who were in the squad or on the bench who are not even as good as the 7 named, being Bartley, Mowatt, Robinson, Zahore.

Yes there are shining lights in Swift, Dike, Yokoslu and Wallace but they must be sitting at home wondering what the hell they have signed up for.

There are probably at least 12 sides with expectations to be in the top 6, so many are going to fail by that criteria.

I am just waiting for the honeymoon period to be over. I suspect during the month of August we will start to see momentum building to get rid of the Bruce’s. I can see this season turning ugly very quickly.

I have little hope for a great season so will not be joining the clamour for heads. It is the hope that kills you!

[baggieal]

This is why I am amazed at the amount of optimism there is on the site at the moment. On the thread ‘where do you think we will finish this season’ I said for me there are 7 of the starters at Boro who no one will convince me should be automatic or regular names on the start sheet - Button, Furlong, Townsend, Livermore, Molumby, Phillips and Grant.

Add to that several players who were in the squad or on the bench who are not even as good as the 7 named, being Bartley, Mowatt, Robinson, Zahore.

Yes there are shining lights in Swift, Dike, Yokoslu and Wallace but they must be sitting at home wondering what the hell they have signed up for.

There are probably at least 12 sides with expectations to be in the top 6, so many are going to fail by that criteria.

I am just waiting for the honeymoon period to be over. I suspect during the month of August we will start to see momentum building to get rid of the Bruce’s. I can see this season turning ugly very quickly.

I have little hope for a great season so will not be joining the clamour for heads. It is the hope that kills you!

Good post and sadly true! You fail to mention the player who Steve Bruce said was first class - Adam Reach

Had it not been for Swift and Wallace ( as mentioned by Boingy ) - we would have been well and truly stuffed at Boro!

[Yarmbaggie]

Good post and sadly true! You fail to mention the player who Steve Bruce said was first class - Adam Reach

Had it not been for Swift and Wallace ( as mentioned by Boingy ) - we would have been well and truly stuffed at Boro!

Correct about Reach, on my original post but forgot on this one. Must have been another senior moment.

Not sure Swift and Wallace saved us at Boro, think it was awful finishing from their forwards that did for them. Swift and Wallace played well but wouldn’t have stopped us getting beat if they could have scored from 2 yards on a couple of occasions.

[Omegstrat6]

We were certainly far too easily over-run first half at Boro. and Yarm. is dead right about some of Boro's poor finishing saving us from defeat.

Going forward (provided Bruce has eventually realised that you need to actually show urgency and get numbers forward when breaking!) then having Swift, Wallace and Dike this season should mean we score more goals but defensively we looked poor. Hopefully Yokoslu will add some bite to our midfield as well as creativity and O'Shea had a good second half (as did Ajayi to be fair) but Townsend was poor and although I like his attitude Furlong isn't good enough. As for el Capitino/ Bartley/Phillips/Reach ....

Still, the transfer window is still open so I'm sure we'll manage to pick up a solution to this🙄

[Albionic68]

There boss Rob Edwards is very promising. Watford did well to get him from Forest Green Rovers in my honest opinion.

If we'd have gone for him some on here would have had a meltdown though as he lacks experience at this level.

It'll be interesting to see how he does with the undoubted attacking resources at his disposal.

So what's the Watford defence like? Genuinely don't know so any observations would be appreciated.

[Albionic68]

Good post and sadly true! You fail to mention the player who Steve Bruce said was first class - Adam Reach

Had it not been for Swift and Wallace ( as mentioned by Boingy ) - we would have been well and truly stuffed at Boro!

Reach is fine as a squad player. If anything he'd have been a better bet to start on the left at Middlesbrough and double up on Jones with Townsend than Phillips.

That said Bruce should never have tried to utilise him the way he did last season. Reach is an honest pro who puts a shift in, but a Pereira he is not.

[Albionic68]

'Their' boss Rob Edwards not 'there'...... s hitty predictive text and edit function 😡 .

[DaveP67 is back!]

Watford’s front 3 are a cut above in this division, I know it’s early days but if they keep them they would be my early favourites for automatic promotion, Monday will be a test but it’s early days let’s see where we are come the end of September, we will be in the mix I think.