Watford 3-2 Aston Villa 15/16 tribute act post match thread.

[PaulWinch again]

We didn’t look prepared tactically, mentally or physically. It was desperately poor from everyone involved, certainly in the first half.

[London Villan]

When you think back to our intensive pre-season kickabouts by the Thames it all seemed very laid-back.

[LukeJames]

Of the the 5 players that could play cm, no combination of any two fill me with confidence. Sanson, Nakamba, McGinn, Luiz , Ramsey, none of them are going to dominate a game, The best you could say about any of them is that they have energy and are tidy. Adding JWP wont change that. We need a bastard in there who will break up play, tackle and move the ball faster. Not cheap at all but we should be sitting on a healthy budget. Put Ndidi in our midfield and we'd be a different animal, obviously we'd never get him but Id like Axel Witsel or Thomas Delaney for a couple of years from Dortmund. Both can dominate, have a good build, have good passing and discipline. Camavinga looks the best upcoming cm but he looks like he will be going to PSG or Real.

[Nunkin1965]

Bad day at the office - it was almost scripted. Some of the nonsense after 1 game is hilarious - who needs Peter Kay when you can see the meltdown comments of some fans and guffaw uncontrollably.

The nonsense about us looking over our shoulders is as bad as the nonsense our fans call out when Brentford and Watford fans start talking top half finishes! It’s one game ….. 3 points - there are 111 more points to play for.

It will come good - the new boys need time to settle in and I have no doubt we will be much improved next Saturday in front of a full house.

UTV

Agree 100% but I can understand the disappointment.
It's 1 game and I can't wait till next week with an absolutely rocking VP and with hopefully Ollie and Leon starting we can put this poor start right.

UTV.

[curiousorange]

I can't honestly say whether Ward-Prowse is the solution to our long-term midfield issues (I suspect not, myself), but it's galling to think that Kante was picked up for five million and does the job expertly, and we'd be spending the thick end of fifty million on somebody who may not do everything we need him to do.

[Beard82]

If I had a penny for every time "undercooked " is mentioned,I'd have 19p.

In that case - do us a loan

[Villa Lew]

This is the most excited I've felt before a season for a long time, so today's performance was a huge disappointment. The only positives were probably Ramsey and Bailey and Ings scoring. Still feeling positive for next Saturday, hopefully Ollie will be back, Bailey will start and Buendia will show, why we paid all that money for him.

[eamonn]

When you see the river rising outside your backdoor you take action before it bursts in. Today after 10 mins we saw the problem but waited until the  water had flooded the ground floor before we took action.

Sounds like the practical real-life comparison that Brian Green would champion.

[Clive W]

Does anyone share my view that for the last few seasons we have never seemed as fit as our opponents - even lower league teams in cup games?

[eamonn]

Worst performance in years and years. Utterly insipid shite.huge problems all over the park.

Nah. Last time we played there, 20 months ago, was even worse.

[LeonW]

A). Disrupted pre-season
B). A lot of new players for the established team to get use to.
C). Newly promoted team with their tails up in front of fans today.

Recipe for a defeat.

Scoreline flattered us to be honest. Just need time for the players to get match sharp and get use to each other. Only one game in.

Big concern is what a number of posters (including myself) have said for awhile and that is the lack of a physical presence who can’t be knocked off the ball in the centre of the pitch. It cost us a lot last season against more physical sides and it was on display again today. If the club don’t address this before the end of the transfer window we’ll be having the same problem all season. Having done a lot of good work in improving areas we struggled in last season (more pace, another top striker, strengthening the squad, spreading the creative threat out, more players who can press) i’m surprised that we’ve not signed the enforcer we need yet. Still time yet.

[mr underhill]

what about all the new players that didn't know each other that Watford fielded? Buendia's right toe probably cost more thatn the lot of them. Were were shite - and you can colour that any way you like. Mr Grealish is casting a long shadow.

[rougegorge]

Worst performance in years and years. Utterly insipid shite.huge problems all over the park.

Nah. Last time we played there, 20 months ago, was even worse.

Yes, to say that was the worst performance in years and years is a massive exaggeration. There were several worse in that season 2 years ago for a start.

[LeonW]

what about all the new players that didn't know each other that Watford fielded? Buendia's right toe probably cost more thatn the lot of them. Were were shite - and you can colour that any way you like. Mr Grealish is casting a long shadow.

They did, that’s true and it was a very poor performance from Villa. Still along way to go in the season yet. I personally don’t think Joe would have made a difference today. Problems were much further back and in the centre of the park.

[pooligan]

Another game under Smith where we have failed to turn up for the first 65 /70 minutes Yet again we were woeful in midfield and Deano just can not see it