Hornets round off miserable pre-season

WATFORD WENT down 1-0 at the Weston Homes Community Stadium this afternoon to League One Colchester United, a result which wraps up a miserable pre-season for Sean Dyche.

Results have not been great for the new gaffer and by all accounts some of the performances have been pretty drab too.

Admittedly the one game I took in, versus Wealdstone, we looked below-par in parts and ultimately fitness told in a 3-1 win – our only friendly victory this term.

In 2008, departed boss Aidy Boothroyd described his side’s pre-season performances as ‘crap’. Boothroyd was sacked in November. Dyche will be hoping this isn’t an omen.

Most fans will be unconcerned, I’m unconcerned by our results too, pre-season is afterall about fitness and gelling in the new boys. But, if the squad is struggling to integrate to all the changes as a whole, then we have a problem.

There are now just SEVEN days until the new campaign begins in earnest at Burnley. One can only assume that Dychey and co. will be putting in the hard yards down at London Colney between now and then.

Watford 2011/12 Pre-season round-up:

July 9: Boreham Wood 2-2 WATFORD: (First-half) Bond; Doyley, Mariappa, Mirfin, Tumwa; Bryan, Murray, Eustace, Forsyth; Massey, Sordell.

(Second half) Gilmartin; Thompson, Hoban, Oshodi, Bennett; Isaac, Jenkins, Walker, Mingoia; Assombalonga, Deeney.

July 19: Wealdstone 1-3 WATFORD: Loach; Hodson (Thompson 66), Mariappa (Mirfin 66), Taylor (Bennett 66), Doyley (Sordell 45); Yeates (Assombalonga 66), Eustace (Isaac 66), Jenkins (Walker 66), Forsyth (Oshodi 66); Iwelumo, Deeney (Mingoia 66), (Massey 66).

July 23: Wimbledon 2-1 WATFORD: Watford: Gilmartin; Hodson (Forsyth 64), Mariappa, Taylor, Doyley; Eustace; Deeney, Buaben (Jenkins 56), Yeates (Whichelow 68); Iwelumo (Massey 27), Sordell

July 26: Brentford 0-0 WATFORD: Loach; Bennett, Mirfin, Taylor (Mariappa 45), James (trialist) (Thompson 57); Yeates (Mingoia 71), Bauben (Jenkins 71), Walker (Mahon 57), Forsyth; Whichelow (Deeney 57), Sordell.

July 30: Colchester United 1-0 WATFORD: Loach; Doyley, Mariappa, Taylor, Dickinson; Eustace; Yeates (Whichelow 71), Buaben (Jenkins 46), Forsyth (Mingoia 85); Deeney, Sordell. Not used: Hodson, Walker, Mirfin, Bennett and Thompson.