Watford v Boro match report

[erimus74]

Last game before another boring, boring, totally mind numbingly boring, international break

How good was that winning performance away at West Brom?

Top of the table before kickoff, unbeaten at home since April last season, no goals conceded at home for 6 months either, we went to the Hawthorns & thoroughly deserved that win, we should have been a few goals up at the interval, but when the winning goal came it was worth the wait & what a pass into the back of the net from Skys MOTM, Hayden Hackney

Sky co-commentator Don Goodman commented on our performances, missed chance, overall play saying how good we look & when the chances start going in etc, great to hear
I really don't think any West Brom fan could begrudge us our win, we 100% deserved that, 10 out of 10 for the performance & result, allowing us briefly to slip into the final playoff place, which keeps us nicely among the chasing teams

Nice start to the month with our first back-to-back wins of the season & doubling our away wins of the season, we look to continue our away form at Watford where we won last season 3-2

Watching McGree's game last night (Tuesday), when we're out of position, he keeps looking over his shoulder to let Borges know he's aware of what's going on behind him, if needed, Borges knows he has someone to help him down the left-hand side.

McGree is the one who makes us tick, the one we need to wrap up in cotton wool, this also allows Azaz in to a position he can influence the game more, as he did

Azaz drifts in & out of games but the last two games, wow, what an intelligent footballer he's proving to be, sometimes he comes across as quite slow, not strong enough, he's got good footwork, protects the ball really well & certainly has an eye for a pass, shot in him

Doak continues to shine & shows what we had when Jones first burst on to the scene, saying that, Jones for me is still an important part of our team, which he showed when replacing Doak, helping us out defensively

Edmundson has also hit the ground running, two excellent performances against both Stoke & Albion, will/should Clarke walk back in if fit.
VDB looked as if he'd not been away, so calm, so good at reading the game, like a throwback to Pallister/Maddren

Watford who lost 3-0 last night (Wednesday) are one place & one point below the Boro in 8th place with a minus one GD
Boro dropped out of the playoffs to 7th in the Championship 

If all players come through unscathed then the team picks itself

08/10/1966 - 1st fixture between both clubs, Watford 2 Boro 0 - Third division promotion season.
Willie Whigham made his debut after moving from Falkirk.
Ian Davidson & Bobby Braithwaite made their final appearance for the Boro


This fixture will be the 24th meeting between both teams in Hertfordshire with the following record

Won 8
Drew 3
Lost 12
Goals scored – 23
Goals against - 31



We've never scored a penalty or hat trick against Watford


Away debuts v Watford

08/10/1966 3rd division - Willie Whigham lost 2-0 - Signed from Falkirk
30/9/1989 2nd division - Simon Coleman lost 1-0 - Signed from Mansfield Town
6/4/2015 Championship - Fernando Amorebita lost 2-0 - 73rd loaned player - Loaned from Fulham over 2 seasons with James Husband going to Fulham - Our 51st at the Riverside
14/1/2017 PL - Rudy Gestede drew 0-0 - Signed from Aston Villa
11/9/2020 Championship - Marcus Bettinelli lost 1-0 - Our 97th loaned player - Loaned from Fulham - 64th at the Riverside - 8th GK


A number of players who played for both team

Paul Wilkinson
Willie Falconer - Swap with Trevor Putney going to Vicarage Road
Trevor Putney - As above
Diego Babbrini
Malcolm Poskett - Holds the record for the least amount of playing minutes in the 1st team for the Boro a while at Ayresome Park when he made his one & only 1st team appearance on the 13th October 1973 at home to Hull City, coming on for Malcolm Smith with 13 minutes remaining
Andrew Taylor
Mark Yates
Danny Graham
Adlène Guedioura
Brit Assombalonga
Nathaniel Chalobah - 61st loaned player - Loaned from Chelsea - 39th at the Riverside - loaned out to both clubs
Diego Fabbrine - 74th loaned player - Loaned from Watford - 52nd at the Riverside - Played 26 games, 6 goals - 2015/16
John Mark Eustace - 32nd loaned player - Loaned from Coventry,  came on for 2 minutes v Liverpool & was booked - 10th at the Riverside


Doubles over each other
Boro - 1969/70, 1971/2 & 2023/24
Watford - 1989/90

[Johnny Thunder]

1-1

[erimus74]

1-1

Watford had a few chances themselves Johnny, another night they could have won comfortably

[TerryCochranesSocks]

Top stuff again!
 

[LIDDLE_TOWERS999]

HORNETS 1 BORO LIONS 2

LATH
MCGREE

💪💪💪⚽️⚽️

[teamboro]

Great writing again Erimus have we turned the corner hopefully we have

Watford 0-2 Mighty Reds

[Redsteel (Moderator)]

1-1 good point.

[erimus74]

Great writing again Erimus have we turned the corner hopefully we have

Watford 0-2 Mighty Reds

Cheers teamboro

Whisper it quietly, we just may have turned the corner, 👍

[Nosmo-King]

Great stuff Erimus. A player to add who played for both clubs- Ray Lugg.

Think we can win this one 2-1

[Nosmo-King]

Erimus, would you like me to send over a programme from the game on Saturday. More than happy to do so, pal.

[TeessideTopgun]

Like the E-Man we are on a roll and  ELL is looking  ready to go on a scoring run ,

2-1 to Mighty Boro

UTB👍

[erimus74]

Erimus, would you like me to send over a programme from the game on Saturday. More than happy to do so, pal.

Thank you Nosmo-king, very generous offer, but I decided to stop collecting away programmes a while back, but thanks again

Enjoy the game mate

[Nosmo-King]

OK pal. No probs. I guess you're collection could take over a substantial space!! Hopefully will enjoy the game - moreso if we win!!!!

UTB

[Clem Fandango]

0-2 to the Mighty Boro.

 

[tunstall]

Agree with the Azaz assessment, he's got a great touch, can shift the ball and can pick a pass, and he'll just get better as him and his team mates blend together and learn each others games

Tough place to go, again I'd be happy with a point

Them 1 Us 1

[erimus74]

Tonight first Championship game, Mackems v Leeds, think a home win only for the fact I can see Leeds in the mix challenging us more than Sunderland, taking points off Ledds will benefit us more, IMO mind

[erimus74]

Carrick spoke well of Woodgate in his Watford press interview, that'll upset a few on other social media platforms who continually shout him out.
He's part of a good management team, as is Leadbitter too

[TerryCochranesSocks]

1-4 Boro

[Kippers]

My only concern is...... why we will not be playing in Red ?

[erimus74]

We have to play in rwd, surely

[In With the Lurpak]

away win 1 - 3 to Boro

[Kippers]

We have to play in rwd, surely

It's blue n white

[LIDDLE_TOWERS999]

I'VE HEARD THE NEW AWAY KIT WILL BE GETTING IT'S FIRST AIRING  👍💪💪💪👍

[Francks left peg]

Fucking international week next week. They are the most depressing weeks of all. Football season has just started back up and we're coming up to the second one the c**ts!

[Francks left peg]

Oh and 1-1 today