The Cleverley Era Starts with a Win

Porteous on the ball as Koné points the way

As it is such a short journey to Birmingham, I was able to have a leisurely breakfast before leaving home to catch the train.  Well, it would have been leisurely if I hadn’t kept checking that I wasn’t mistaken about the time of my train.  There was a slight delay on the journey up, but I was soon heading for the pre-match pub and, on the way, recognised the backs of Pete, Jacque, and Adam in front of me, so our party arrived together and met Serena at the bar.

The pub had a sign up saying that it was cash only.  They told us that they were in the process of changing banks and their card provider was taking some considerable time to update their system.  As I was the one with cash in my purse, I bought the first round.  They also had a more welcome sign behind the bar which read “We don’t sell Carling”.  Even better, they did sell Taytos.

The pub usually hosts a good number of Watford fans, and I was delighted to see Ross and Zoë from Ayrshire, who I haven’t seen in a while.

At the appointed time we headed for the ground.  I had to empty out my bag to be searched and, when they saw my (compact) camera, I was told that I would have to keep it inside my bag.  I argued that most people going into the ground had a powerful camera on their phone, but they countered that I could record the game (as could everyone with a phone).  I gave up arguing in order to get inside, but at least that distracted them from searching my person.

Dele-Bashiru on the ball

Team news was that Cleverley had made two (enforced) changes for his first match in charge with Pollock replacing the suspended Hoedt and Morris in for Lewis who was absent through injury.  So, the starting XI was Bachmann; Morris, Pollock, Porteous, Andrews; Koné, Dele-Bashiru, Kayembe; Asprilla, Dennis, Chakvetadze.

When we took our seats in the stand, it was good to see a large turn-out of Junior Hornets next to us with the wonderful Ann Swanson in charge.

The home side started the game brightly as a cross from Stansfield was headed away by Porteous, it came back for James who headed over the bar.  Laird then broke down the right, his cross was cleared to Miyoshi on the edge of the box whose shot was just wide of the target.  The first attack from the Hornets came as Asprilla played the ball out to Dennis but his cross for Chakvetadze was dreadful and the chance was gone.  Birmingham had a great chance to take the lead after 20 minutes when a corner from Bacuna was headed just over the bar by Laird.  At the other end Kayembe played a great ball for Koné who went down under a challenge and the referee waved play on.  Then Andrews broke down the wing and crossed, but Laird turned it behind.

Celebrating the goal

The home side threatened again as James played the ball back to Bacuna in the box, his shot was blocked by Porteous.  Then a brilliant shot from Aiwu was stopped by a great save from Bachmann, but the flag was up anyway.  The Hornets threatened again as Koné played the ball out to Asprilla who broke forward and put in a shot that was blocked.  The best chance for the Hornets so far came as Dele-Bashiru exchanged passes with Koné before shooting over the bar.  Then Andrews crossed for Dennis who shot wide of the target.  At the other end a shot from outside the box by Bacuna cleared the bar.  Then Kayembe exchanged passes with Koné before playing the ball out to Asprilla whose effort was well over the target.  For the home side a corner from Miyoshi was met by the head of Buchanan but Bachmann was equal to the effort.  Watford took the lead just before half time and it was a goal out of nothing.  A throw-in reached Aiwu on the edge of the box, he dwelled on the ball allowing Dennis to rob him and shoot over Ruddy into the net to spark major celebrations in the away end.  The Hornets looked to get a second before the break.  First Asprilla found Dennis whose shot was pushed wide by Ruddy.  From the resultant corner the ball came out to Asprilla who could only find the side netting.  So, the Hornets went into the break with a very welcome, if undeserved, lead.  It had been a poor half of football.  The home side had started strongly, the Hornets had come back into it, but there was a lack of quality and a dearth of chances.  If we hadn’t scored there would have been a lot of grumbling at the break.

Gathering for a corner

The Hornets started the second half brightly as Pollock met a corner from Asprilla with a header that was blocked on the line, the ball came back to Asprilla whose cross was headed just over the bar by Buchanan.  The resultant corner from Chakvetadze was caught by Ruddy.  At the other end, the home side had a great chance to draw level as Stansfield broke into the box beating a couple of players, but the ball fell to Sunjic who shot well wide of the target.  At the other end, Asprilla advanced and got to the byline but his shot was blocked by the keeper.  The home side threatened again with a shot from Bacuna that flew wide of the target.  Birmingham should have equalised after Bacuna played the ball back to Aiwu in the Watford box, his shot was blocked, and the ball rebounded to Miyoshi whose shot was stopped by a great save by Bachmann.  Cleverley made his first change at this point bringing Bayo on in place of Dennis.  The substitute almost made an immediate impact as he ran on to a through ball from Kayembe and shot across goal and just wide of the far post.  The first booking of the game went to Chakvetadze for a high boot, although many around me were complaining that Laird had ducked to meet it.  The resultant free kick was straight into the arms of Bachmann.

Morris prepares for a free kick as Pollock points the way

The home side had a great chance to draw level on 70 minutes when James played a lovely ball to Miyoshi in the box, but his shot was terrible and flew past the far post.  The home side made a double substitution at this point bringing Roberts and Jutkiewicz on for Miyoshi and James.  The hosts pushed for the equaliser as a cross from Bacuna was met by the head of Stansfield, but his effort was wide of the target.  With just over 10 minutes remaining, Cleverley made a double substitution replacing Chakvetadze and Koné with Ince and Martins.  The Hornets had a chance to extend their lead after Kayembe exchanged passes with Martins before hitting a shot that reached Bayo whose effort to find the target cleared the bar.  The home side then made a double substitution as Laird and Sunjic made way for Hall and Gardner.  Another chance went begging for the Hornets as Bayo failed to connect with a cross from Morris.  Cleverley made a final substitution bringing Sierralta on in place of Asprilla who had just been booked for a foul on Hall.  Birmingham continued to attack and a low shot from Roberts was saved by Bachmann.  Then a cross from Bacuna was met by the head of Jutkiewicz but his effort flew into the arms of Bachmann.  The next chance for the home side came when a corner was headed out to Paik Seung-Ho, but the shot was well over the target.  There was a break in the game after Pollock and Jutkiewicz went up for a ball and both ended up needing treatment.  The Birmingham man was unable to continue so was replaced by Hogan.  The game restarted with a drop ball for Birmingham which allowed a cross that was met with a good punch from Bachmann.  So, the game ended with a rare win for the Hornets.  The players all came over to celebrate with us and it was lovely to see Tom Cleverley right in the middle of them.

Cleverley applauds the fans after win

After the game we returned to the pub and perched on the end of a table occupied by a local.  His mates soon turned up and one was complaining about how few shots on target they had had given that they had a total of 26 shots.  When we outed ourselves, he said that he thought we should finish upper mid-table.  They had seen many teams worse than us this season.  He also told a great story about the play-off semi-final.  They had had a terrible journey to Vicarage Road, but he was the first in the queue for the bar inside the ground.  He looked at the queue behind him and ordered 16 pints for his group of four so was set up for the night.  They were great company.

So, the Cleverley era started with a win, but it had been a very poor game of football between two poor teams.  The Hornets had taken the three points based on an opportunist goal and a couple of excellent saves from Bachmann.  Pollock impressed as did Porteous and Tom Dele-Bashiru, but the forwards had a disappointing afternoon.  Still, three points are always welcome, and we now have a fortnight to prepare for the challenges of the Easter weekend.  Let’s hope that this result will instil some confidence and that the remaining games yield some entertainment.  This has been a trying season.

Xisco’s Last Stand

Lining up in the third kit

It was an early start for the trip to Leeds, but the move to London has meant that I have time for a coffee at home before leaving for the train and do not have to leave at the crack of dawn.  I was rather pleased with my single seat by the window and with the table service which delivered a bacon roll for breakfast.  I was in Leeds early doors and quickly found my way to our pre-match pub.  As I arrived, the doors were closed, but Graham was inside.  He waved me around to the doors next door.  It took me a couple of tries before I found the door marked “Mr Benn” which took me to the next stage of my adventure.  When I found him, it was still four minutes before the bar in that section opened, but I was soon sitting with a pint of Ossett Brewery’s Silver King, which was rather lovely.  The pub also served food from the πhole.  I had initially decided only to get the pie and peas, but reconsidered and added the mash and gravy.  The chicken and chorizo pie was very tasty, but the addition of creamy mash, minty mushy peas and gravy made it a perfect lunch for a wet afternoon in Leeds.  We had grabbed a table in our ‘usual’ area and were soon joined by the Happy Valley ‘Orns, who I haven’t seen since pre-COVID times.  There were beaming smiles and warm greetings, it was so lovely to see them again.

Gathering to meet a free kick

We left the pub at 2 to catch the shuttle bus to the ground and were very glad that we had, as there was a massive queue.  Even the locals were commenting that they had never seen such a long queue.  Leeds, like many clubs, have introduced a very strict bag policy (nothing larger than a sheet of A4).  I was a little concerned that my bag would violate their policy.  It was definitely small enough, but I was carrying a hardback copy of Hilary Mantel’s “The Mirror and the Light” which is over 900 pages and quite weighty.  I contemplated leaving it at home, but my entertainment next Saturday afternoon, during the international break, is the RSC production of the play and, as I still had 270 pages to read, the long train journey seemed the perfect time to do it.  When I got to the turnstile, they took a cursory look in my bag, before tagging it as acceptable.  I paused, expecting to be searched, but the female steward paid me no further attention, and I was soon in the ground with bag intact.

Team news was that there were two changes from the Newcastle game with Sierralta back after his mysterious absence in place of Cathcart and Tufan in for Cleverley.  So, the starting line-up was Foster; Rose, Sierralta, Troost-Ekong, Femenía; Sissoko, Tufan, Kucka; Dennis, King, Sarr.  I was irritated to see that we were playing in our third kit as I had only brought the red one with me.

Before kick-off there was a minute’s applause for Roger Hunt, who recently passed away.  It was impeccably and enthusiastically supported by all in the ground.

William Troost-Ekong

The first chance of the game came on 10 minutes when Troost-Ekong lost out to Dallas, who advanced and shot from the edge of the box, Foster got down to block and then cleared with his legs, while still on the ground, to prevent James from picking up the loose ball.  At this point the Leeds fans started singing about being European Champions.  On the way out, I looked at the honours that were displayed around the ground and could only see runners-up, but Wikipedia tells me that they won the Fairs Cup (precursor to the UEFA Cup) in 68 and 71!  The home side threatened again, Sarr went down complaining after Firpo dispossessed him, the home side broke upfield but Dallas shot well over the bar.  Leeds took the lead in the 19^th minute.  The Watford defence were in disarray at a corner and Kucka headed the ball back for Llorente to fire past Foster.  The home side were appealing for a penalty soon after, when James went down in the box after a challenge from Troost-Ekong.  The referee waved play on prompting the Leeds fans to sing “Where the f*ck is VAR?”  Leeds created another chance when Dallas went on a run and played Klich in, he tried a shot from the edge of the area, but it flew straight into the arms of Foster.  A dangerous cross from James to Rodrigo was cut out by a great block from Sierralta, which prevented the Leeds man having a tap-in.  The Leeds keeper, Meslier, was finally called into action on 25 minutes when Tufan played the ball out to Sarr, but the shot was straight at the Leeds stopper.  Raphinha should have increased the lead for the hosts when he broke into the box and rounded Foster, but the Watford keeper had narrowed the angle so he could only find the side netting.  At the other end, Tufan picked up a loose ball in a dangerous position, but his shot was well over the bar.  The hosts should have increased their lead just before half time when the ball fell to Klich on the corner of the box, his effort flew just over the target.  Xisco was forced into a substitution at the end of the first half when King limped off and was replaced by Sema.  Watford had a half chance to draw level before half-time when Dennis found Sarr, who dribbled into the box, but his shot was terrible, flying high and wide of the target.  The half time whistle went to boos from the travelling Hornets.  I don’t boo, but I could totally understand why others did.  It had been a dreadful half of football.

Sissoko and Kucka

At the start of the second half, the home side created an early chance but a shot from Dallas was blocked by Troost-Ekong.  Klich won a free kick just outside the box, after a foul by Tufan, Raphinha stepped up, but his delivery flew over the bar.  James was the next to threaten for the home side after he went on a run, beating Femenía and Kucka, but Foster was down to gather his cross.  Then Klich found Dallas on the edge of the box, his shot was over the bar.  A break by James was stopped by a foul from Femenía, who was booked for his trouble.  Just before the hour mark, Xisco made his second substitution bringing João Pedro on for Tufan.  The home side had a great chance to increase their lead as Raphina curled a corner that looked to be heading under the bar before Foster got a hand to it.  Sarr was the next to be booked after a foul on James.  Shamefully, an invitation from the Leeds fans “Watford give us a song” was greeted with “We’re f*cking shit.”  I know we were appalling, but what happened to supporting your team?  I despair.  Poor communication between Foster and Sierralta led to the Chilean having to stretch to clear a ball and injuring himself.  After some treatment, he was replaced by Kabasele.  The Hornets created a rare chance as a ball into the box from Femenía was flicked on by Troost-Ekong to Dennis who was one-on -one with Meslier but the Leeds keeper blocked the shot, while taking a kick for his pains.  Rose went to take a corner in front of the Leeds fans, he engaged in conversation with the crowd and had a plastic bottle thrown at him.  The Hornets thought they had equalised from the corner which was dropped by Meslier and the ball bounced into the net, but the goal was disallowed as Kabasele had fouled one of the defenders.  To be fair, an equaliser would have been a travesty.  With 12 minutes remaining, Bielsa made his first substitution bringing Roberts on for Dallas.  Roberts was immediately in action when he broke forward and put in a cross that was blocked by Troost-Ekong.  The home side should have increased their lead when Foster dropped a free kick, Roberts picked up the ball, his shot was cleared off the line by Kucka and his follow-up rebounded back off the bar.  A real let-off for the Hornets.  In time added on, Sissoko found João Pedro whose shot from distance was blocked, so the Hornets fell to a 1-0 defeat, a scoreline that really flattered them.

Rose lining up a corner with ‘encouragement’ from the home fans

The Watford players came over to applaud the travelling Hornets.  I have to say that my applause back was perfunctory.  The Leeds players and fans were celebrating as if they had won the European Cup (again).  But those points were precious to them.  As we left the stand, we were serenaded with “It’s a long way back to London when you’re sh*t.”  They were not wrong.

We headed back to the shuttle buses and then back to the pub.  There was a music festival going on in the bar, so it was way too loud for my old ears, but the Happy Valleys had reclaimed our pre-match table, so at least we were comfortable for our post-match analysis.  We had been terrible.  Leeds are a poor side, but we had not tested them and were very lucky to have only lost by the single goal.  The midfield was appalling, both Sissoko and Kucka had dreadful games.  Sarr and Femenía, who make such a difference when they are on form, were lack lustre.  The only player who impressed at all, was Danny Rose.  When I received my ticket, I was annoyed that it was marked as a restricted view.  What that actually meant was that there was a pillar in my sightline but, sadly, I saw the whole game.  It wasn’t pretty.

Gathering for a corner

When I arrived to catch the train home, I spotted Miles Jacobson and Stuart Timperley, so I asked if they minded me joining them.  They kindly said that they didn’t, so I had delightful company on the way home and was able to thank Stuart, yet again, for saving our club on more than one occasion.

On arrival home, I reflected that, as bad as the game had been, I had had a cracking day out.  It has been so good to reconnect with friends that I haven’t seen for so long.  The company really makes the day and, despite the performance and the result, were all smiling at the end of the day.

It was no surprise to get the news on Sunday morning that Xisco had been sacked.  It is such a great shame, as he had brought smiles to our faces during lockdown, won us a promotion and was clearly a really lovely man.  But, apart from the first hour against Villa and some of the Norwich game, we have been dreadful this season and, with the tough run of games coming up, it was clear that a change was needed.  I wish Xisco much luck and happiness in the future.  It appears that his replacement will be Claudio Ranieri.  A very interesting appointment, I have a very soft spot for the Tinkerman.  But, given that Liverpool are our next opponents, I am quite glad to have a week off to regain my strength.  I will certainly need it over the next few weeks.