Two moves R's practice in training:
Endless short passing triangles, next to the touchline.
Long balls from deep to Smith, who isn't really much use with his back to goal.

& how many goals from distance have we scored this season?

0

Gawd! Wretched football once again. But a reminder of where we're at...we have a manager whose tactical habits are ingrained and they might be sufficient to get hi through a season in the Championship. Against better opposition the sit-back-on-1/0-lead aproach will usually fail (as we've seen this season(. Even the the opposition doesn't bite your hand off, a ref's decision here or there, or a bound bounce here or there, anything really, can produce a goal against you. Luckily, Fulham didn't have it. But there's the word...luckily. I've said before here, MP is a reckless gambler, betting against the odds that his fragile team won't concede. His obstinacy in this recklessness is what's going to send us down this year.

3

Even against Fulham, we exposed our main shortcoming, playing someone up with that lone striker.
Would have been a good time to try, but then you can trust our bone headed board/committee that pick the team to put JWP in that role, even though he's an accomplished supplier to our invisible duo. Well taken goal James.

0

MUST BE SACKED IN THE MORNING

5

We're to start well we did it again forgot t this is a 90 in game not 45.Give credit first half again we played well but why oh why do we play like we have done now all season just back off and hope to on hang on and it hasn't worked all year long.Have to admit there second was awful miss by the ref and linesman but it was coming all game.Sad to say the miss by the Ref will probably keep PM in his job

2

Should of been MP.

0

Good game. Should move Soares up to CF and give Prowsey and Davis Knighthoods.

-2

MOPO2 must go up to halftime we had the game in the bag. Don’t know what’s in the drink or managers talk at halftime but a different team came out. First half look like their old selves second half team as per normal for this season. He must have known by now you just can’t sit back and defend with the defence we now have, obviously he just don’t comprehend this and must go to make way for someone that does.

2

We never learn
How many times have we been in front and then go all defensive - only to concede
Opposing teams know how to play us - just go for it and put an extra man up front and we have no clue how to defend and will definitely wilt under the added pressure we invite on ourselves.

Burnley went for it and won, Hudd went for it when losing and got a draw, Palace went for it and turned a defeat into a win and Watford went for it and came back from 2 down to get a win. Time and time again this happens but we never learn, are too slow to react and wait til it is too late when making subs.

Yes today Davis lost it for the first goal and defenders should have reacted quicker once it came back off the bar. Yes Stephens crucially slipped and it was hand ball for their second, but we played so negatively in the second half and invited the pressure.

I am struggling to see why this is such a trait - especially after having played so well in the first half. Oh to have scored a couple more when we were so on top.

A old turn out today and plenty of positive singing and support - only a little bit of negativity at the end towards MP, which turned towards the ref instead, once it filtered through to everyone that their equaliser was deliberate hand ball.

The ref was a power mad idiot who gave Saints too many unnecessary cards for things he let Watford get away with and ultimately he got the biggest decision of the lot wrong - but of course nothing will happen to him or the Watford player.

Oh well, it is only Spurs up next !!

11

So frustrating once again. Excellent display in the first half with two well worked goals and solid at the back - Watford didn't really have a sniff. Then the bromide in the half time tea again and we're watching a fired up Watford piling on the pressure and it was inevitable that the panic would set in. Davis inexplicably turned and gave the ball away for the first and it was only a matter of time before the second and, even though it was handball, you felt that another goal was coming.
Regardless of Saints sitting back and waiting for it, it has to be said that Roger East was beyond a joke throughout the game. Long was being assaulted every time the ball went anywhere near him and we got maybe 2 out of 10 decisions. And in the build-up to the goal, there was a foul around halfway when the defender had both hands on (I think) Tadic's shoulder and pushed him to the floor and it was given as a throw-in to Watford. Then there was the most ridiculous foul throw, the ball moves forward and the points are gone. I counted at least 15 foul throws (most by the Watford left back). It got to the stage that people around me were laughing at how many were being missed. If we can see it that far away, how do two officials constantly miss it? And the second Watford goal could make the difference between staying up or going down.
But finally, having said all that about terrible officials, Saints brought the pressure on themselves instead of pressing on and looking for another goal. Scoring just before half time is supposed to be a big boost but it triggered the decision to sit back and let them come at us.

6