Aston Villa vs Watford Sir Graham Taylor Memorial Game

[Sexual Ealing]

I largely agree with that, Peter. I can think of Waddle, maybe? It didn't help that one of the best players available to him, Barnes, was roundly booed by most of the neanderthals who went to every home game back then.

[Matt Collins]

i argued this point when he was manager and in the aftermath. I challenged anyone to name which players available to Taylor should he have picked that he didn't. As has been said about Lineker, its easy to forget how poor and ineffective he was at Euro 92, so it wasn't a surprise that Smith and Wright were looking more likely to be a useful strike force.

Definitely true and he was unlucky shearer and hirst got injured.

He was too quick to jettison Beardsley and waddle though; while Venables immediately called up the likes of Anderton

[peter w]

Injury to gascoigne too; plus he was the first manager to point out Gascoigne's "refuelling" issues.

[tomd2103]

I was there for his first game at Ipswich and his last game at Everton and most of the ones in between first time around and got to meet him twice. I made sure I got tickets for his 'homecoming' when he brought Watford back up*, seats right behind the dug out. I wouldn't miss this game for the world and hope everyone who was around when he turned our club around will do everything they can to make it.

*People talk about his three promotions first time around at Watford and taking them to runners up in the top flight and an FA Cup final and also getting us promotion and a top flight runners up place. What doesn't get mentioned so much is his two promotions second time round at Watford, plus a Division Four title with Lincoln. Quality and class as a manager and a man.

Sums up perfectly what tomorrow will be celebrating.  I still think the dignified way he dealt with the despicable abuse he received when England manager best summed up the type of man he was.   

I have just watched 'The impossible Job' documentary on Youtube for the first time in years. Taking over England after a World Cup semi, players who had been denied European football for the previous five years, the most senior players (Shilton and Butcher) retiring from international football and Robson past his best (even Lineker was starting to go downhill) plus players who became crucial in Euro '96 not yet at that level, Gazza's serious injury, terrible mistakes on the pitch by so called international footballers and terrible decisions by so called international officials. Looking back, did anything actually go for him as opposed to against him?

The introduction of the backpass rule severely impacting on Des Walker's game didn't help either!

[PeterWithesShin]

Shame the weather isn't nicer to encourage a few more walk ups.

[four fornicholl]

Do you think he'll start with the side he hopes will start next week?

[tomd2103]

Talks about his England time here:

[olaftab]

Can't go today due to a mandatary wedding invitation. I hope it's a good crowd and I will follow it on this thread.

[berneboy]

Do you think he'll start with the side he hopes will start next week?

I would - barring injuries or match fitness.

[Matt Collins]

Team is broadly as I thought, except

- no Johnstone - must still be injured 😢
- gabby ahead of Hogan FFS

Hope Hogan gets the second half

Steer

Hutton Chester Terry Taylor

Whelan Lansbury

Elmo Grealish Green

Gabby

[berneboy]

Team v @WatfordFC: Steer, Hutton, Terry, Chester, Taylor, Lansbury, Whelan, Green, Elmohamady, Grealish, Agbonlahor.

[berneboy]

Subs v @WatfordFC: Bacuna, Hogan, Hourihane, Bree, Bjarnason, Amavi, Samba.

[Matt Collins]

Limited goal threat without Hogan for me

[cdbearsfan]

No goalie on the bench?

[paul_e]

I hope that shape is right and Grealish is genuinely playing higher up the pitch.  Last season after Bruce cam in he was played far too deep and he's just not quick enough to do what he does on the halfway line, he needs to be 20-30 yards from goal when he draws people in and leaves them, if they kick him it's an attacking set piece and if they don't he has space where it's actually useful.