Watford 2-1 Wolves
By Tom Bason
November 17 2012
Wolves today lost again, to extend their winless run to seven games. Christophe Berra was sent off with the scores at 0-0, before Nathan Chalobah gave Watford the lead. Bakary Sako (who else?) equalised, but Troy Deeney won Watford the three points with a 68th minute winner.
- With captain Karl Henry suspended, it was always a question of which David would replace him - Davis or Edwards. Given the way Ståle Solbakken spoke about Davis during the week at the fans forum, I fancied Edwards to be on the bench, but instead it was the Welsh international alongside Tongo Doumbia in the centre of midfield. Upfront Björn Sigurðarson was preferred to Sylvan Ebanks-Blake who was on the bench.
- Firstly, I was sat on the second row behind the goal, so don't expect much in the way of tactical analysis. Whenever I sit this close to the pitch, I wonder how any manager can see what's really happening on the pitch. Sure, you can be close enough to influence the players, but can you really see whether your system is working, whether the player on the opposite side of the pitch is doing what he should be doing. I'm unaware of whether Ståle has a man in the stand watching the game, but if I were him I'd be tempted to spend one game higher up to get a better view.
- During the week, Ståle was questioned on the slow tempo that we have been using this season. He answered that this wasn't necessarily what he wanted, and at times there is a split between the British players and the new boys in terms of tempo. He specifically mentioned Bakary Sako, saying that occasionally he had no idea why Sako slowed play down so much. Perhaps Sako snuck into the forum, or at least heard what was said because he seemed eager to run at his fullback early on. Twice in the opening few minutes he picked up the ball and went directly down the flank, turning Lloyd Doyley inside and out before putting crosses in. Still, it was also clear that Gianfranco Zola had identified Sako as the most threatening player - at one point Sako had three players marking him.
- The controversial moment was the sending off of Christophe Berra. Troy Deeney found himself through on goal (I forget how this happened), with Berra chasing him back. Berra, as usual, had his arms all over Deeney - I remember thinking that of Deeney went down, Berra was sent off. As it was, Deeney, perhaps mindful of Jonathan Hogg not being awarded a penalty a few minutes earlier decided to stay on his feet and get his shot away, well saved by Ikeme. But, the referee decided Berra's infringement was enough to warrant a red card. The big question here was whether Berra denied Deeney a goal scoring opportunity; given Deeney was still one-on-one with Ikeme and managed to get a shot in from which he should have scored, this is questionable. But, I remember a similar incident a few seasons ago in an FA Cup match between Tottenham and Fulham in which Michael Dawson tugged back Clint Dempsey with Dempsey through on goal. Dempsey stayed on his feet, but the keeper saved his effort. On that occasion, Dawson was also sent off. Initially, I thought the red was harsh as Dempsey still had the clear goal scoring opportunity. But, it was later cleared up - Dawson had prevented a goal scoring opportunity; the chance that Dempsey missed was a second goal scoring opportunity. I'm not 100% sure that applied in today's case - I don't think Berra did prevent a goal scoring opportunity and there is nothing in the laws of the game that says a player should be sent off for trying to prevent a goal scoring opportunity. The wording is pretty clear - "denying an obvious goalscoring opportunity to an opponent moving towards the player's goal by an offence punishable by a free kick or a penalty kick ". Yes, Berra was in the process of fouling Deeney, but I think the right decision would have been a Watford freekick and a caution for Berra. But, what I will say is that is if a defender is pulling an opponent's shirt when they are going clear on goal, I'm not sure the defender should be getting the benefit of the doubt - he was clearly in the wrong initially.
- With Berra off, for the second week in a row Jermaine Pennant was again a first half sacrifice for Danny Batth, with Sigurðarson pulled back to wide right. But, infuriatingly, for the second time in a week, we concede after having a player sent off direct from our attacking corner. Last week is was Roger Johnson who lost possession for the counter attack, this week it was an over hit Sako corner which was cleared upfield and the impressive Fernando Forrsteri rolled the ball across the penalty area for Chalabah to put Watford into a halftime lead.
- Wolves lined up in the second half with a back three of Johnson, Batth and Richard Stearman. Stephen Ward and Sigurðarson worked the flanks, with Sako moving to just behind Kevin Doyle. And it wasn't long until we got the equaliser, although there was more than a hint of fortune about it. An over hit inswinging Sako freekick from 40+ yards was completely misjudged by Manuel Almunia, who could only watch the ball sail over his head. From nothing we had an equaliser, and almost immediately we switched back to the 4-4-1 formation we finished the first half with. After Watford again took the lead, we moved to a 4-2-1-2 formation, with David Davis introduced for the Doumbia, providing a platform for Sako to play just behind Doyle and Sigurðarson.
- Man of the match for me was David Edwards. I've never been the biggest Edwards fan, lots of running in straight lines with very little else, but today I thought he was superb. He used the ball well, twice setting up potential counter attacks in the second half with good passes to the wings. The only blot on his copybook was a 'dive' in the penalty area, for which he was cautioned. It looked like he went down easily, and I don't think anyone protested too vigorously, but it was doubly frustrating given an earlier decision. I mentioned before that Hogg had not been given a penalty when he went down easily, but on this occasion the referee decided not to show Hogg a yellow card, instead telling him to get up and waving play on. What made this even more annoying was that Hogg was later shown a yellow card to leading with his elbow into an aerial challenge with Doumbia. His simulation looked very similar to Edwards', and Hogg may think himself a little fortunate that Watford didn't also finish the match with 10 men.
- I apologise, we were always going to lose today as soon as I bought a ticket - we've lost every away match I've attended so far this season. How much will you lot pay me to miss the trips to Bristol City and Middlesbrough over the next couple of months?
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Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2012:12:02:15:22:34 by toomb.
I've sometimes wondered too about the disadvantages of managers watching from the pitch, rather than from a stand.
PS I assume from your write up that you were elected to the Fan's Parliament?? ....Congrats if you have been!
I have indeed been elected to the Fan's Parliament - many apologies for not informing you all of this sooner. Please see this link for more detaills
toomb's twitter
What do you think we need to do and what should the line up be, apart from avoiding getting players sent off in the first half
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