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Watford 0-4 West Ham United

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WATFORD WERE handed a harsh lesson by Sam Allardyce’s West Ham outfit who ran out comfortable winners at Vicarage Road in a match they controlled.

Goals from James Tomkins, Joey O’Brien, Carlton Cole and Scott Parker saw the visitors claim their second win of the Championship season.

Watford named the same starting 11 that faced both Burnley and Derby whilst West Ham stuck with the same side the saw off the challenge of Doncaster Rovers on Saturday.

The Hammers were ahead after just three minutes when centre-half James Tomkins was left criminally unmarked at the far post to direct a header past Scott Loach from a corner.

Watford got back into the contest after the early setback with Marvin Sordell having the ‘Orns best chance as he collected a long ball before turning his marker and curling goalwards. Goalkeeper Rob Green was able to palm the striker’s effort wide though.

On the stroke of half-time, right-back Joey O’Brien doubled the Hammers lead when he collected a pass following Martin Taylor’s loose pass and drove forward before slotting past Loach at the second attempt.

Half-time: 0-2

Watford made an early second half change with youngster Gavin Massey replacing the ineffectual Chris Iwelumo and quickly showed more will and desire but it was to little prevail.

West Ham cranked up the pressure and carved Sean Dyche’s men open leaving left-back Herita Ilunga to pull a low cross into the six-yard box for Carlton Cole to tape in.

Parker came close when he rattled a powerful effort against the stanchion before beating Loach in injury time with a low effort into bottom right-hand corner following a driving run.

Full-time: 0-4

In the long run, it was men against boys but the goals conceded were frustratingly soft. Though you wouldn’t have expected the ‘Orns to turn over a top-notch West Ham side, Dyche’s men will face many more decent opposition this season and they will have to garner some points from them.

Derb County: Green; O’Brien, Tomkins (Faye), Reid, Ilunga; Collison (Faubert), Parker, Noble, Taylor; Nolan; Cole (Piquionne).

Player Ratings

Scott Loach – 6
No real chance with any of the goals.

Lloyd Doyley – 6
Dogged defending as ever from Lloydinho.

Martin Taylor – 5
Careless error for the game-defining second goal.

Adrian Mariappa – 6
Cool customer defensively.

Carl Dickinson – 7
Potential to be a bit of a Hornet’s legend in the making. Committed and tidy.

Mark Yeates – 7
Anything positive came through the wideman.

John Eustace (c) – 6
Over-run in midfield.

Ross Jenkins – 5
Never matched Mark Noble and Scott Parker.

Craig Forsyth – 6
Hard working, but he doesn’t really look like a natural wideman.

Marvin Sordell – 7
Outshone his striker partner Chris Iwelumo but unable to beat Rob Green.

Chris Iwelumo – 5
Immobile, lazy and ineffective. How long before he gets dropped?

Troy Deeney – 6
Didn’t have time to get into the game properly but used the ball well.

Gavin Massey – 6
Full of energy if nothing else.

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12 comments

  • oldyella says:

    It could be a long season…
    In both home games we have a been a bit unlucky given the number of shots and close range efforts that haven’t gone in – one of those could have made a big difference.
    For me though, we quickly need a “Jordan Mutch or Tom Cleverley” in midfield to CREATE chances. John Eustace is doing a fine job, but poor young Ross Jenkins looks very lightweight and out of his depth, particularly against West Ham. And Big Chris? As the report above says, ineffectual; utterley and totally.
    But Mark Yeates particularly looks a good buy, and Dickinson too. Forsyth could be better but needs to get in the game more, but he certainly isn’t afraid to get shots on target.
    Lets hope a GOOD loan signing or two will come along very soon.

  • Mrs Merton says:

    Well done Oldyella,my thoughts exactly. I know supporters love to have a fall guy to barrack but in Big Chris we seem to have found an obvious replacement for Troy Boy,without even trying. I was at the AFC friendly back in July and even then[before he went off injured] it was clear he wasn’t going to be a useful aquisition..his heart just isn’t in it. Yeats is the complete opposite ,a real little terrier with all the passion we need. Anji

  • wfc123 says:

    Agree with both of you I must say. Eustace and Jenkins are both far too similar and that puts all the creative responsibility on Yeates’ shoulders. He’s good but he ain’t a one man chance-creater. We need someone with a bit of spark to play with Eustace in CM. I think we already have that player at the club – Matty Whichelow, who has not benefitted from the seven -> five sub rule. He’s obviously not in the class of Cleverley, Lansbury or Mutch who have all shone as creator in chief in recent seasons. I hope Mr Dyche and Mr Wilson are active in the market!

  • watford1881 says:

    Nothing to be happy about.. We have no strikers. No flare. No pace of play. No quickness of thought & no heart for the fight… This season is going to be very hard.. Where are Prince & Whichelow?? Both match winners…. Flipping joke SD.. I think our home form will be worse than our away this term… Away for us may prove better..

  • wfc123 says:

    Buaben was on the bench and I think he is more in the Eustace/Jenkins mould. Would rather have MW or Piero Mingoia on the bench. Josh Walker may as well leave. He has no future here.

  • ANDY710 says:

    Didn’t think Buaben was on the bench last night, we are not gonna be playing teams like west ham every week, 2 of their midfield earn more in a week than the whole of our team. They didn’t make mistakes. I’m sure after a few games Iwelumo will be looking a lot sharper, agree with Jenkins & Eustace being to similar, more of a creator is needed. Still don’t see the point in having every one back for corners, no one on the posts and we still concede!

  • chriswfc says:

    Firstly i don’t thonk we should be too hard on Iwelumo. At 33 he is hardly likely to hit thr ground running at the start of the season and after the revelation that he isn’t 100% fit yet either i don’t think it is fair to judge him.

    I would actually like to pick up on a point Mrs Merton made. While i too like the passion that Yeates shows i think he is a player who lets our team down slightly. Very often in matches he constantly wonders in off the right wing and that causes no end of problems. Firstly he congests the middle of the pitch for players like Eustace and Sordell. There is the knock-on effect of a lack of width which means there is little options for people like Eustace and Doyley when they get on the ball because the middle is congested and there is no one on the wing. And finally it causes Doyley problems because when we lose the ball, which is more likely with Yeates in the middle congesting the pitch, Doyley is exposed in a 2 v 1 situation with their left back and left winger against him with Yeates struggling to get back.

    I like his passion but i think either he or Dyche need to work out how he can best help the team!

  • ANDY710 says:

    Valid point Chris ref Yeates, mate and me were talking about that last night, you can see why he has fallen out with managers in the past, I’m sure Dyche knew this to be a problem, some players will be self disciplined, some how, unless Dyche covers this free spirit, I don’t think he will be under control.

  • wfc123 says:

    Do agree with the point now you’ve raised it lads. Today’s revelation that Iwelumo is not 100% fit has taken some of the heat off him for me. Question the decision of Dyche to start him when he knows this – surely he should be breaking him in gently with cameos? He will never do himself justice at 33 and unfit. Take him out the firing line and put Deeney in. I still believe he’ll get double figures but he need to be managed properly. You were right Andy, no Buaben on the bench. V.odd, with five subs I wouldn’t even bother with a ‘keeper (personal preference) but you only need one defender – yet we had Mirfin and Bennett. If Bauben not fit then surely Mingoia, Murray, Smith, Isaac or Whichelow were available.

  • ANDY710 says:

    Some players can only get fit by playing, I wouldn’t think you would risk a player if there is a chance that he could be out longer, having 2 subs on the bench I hope suggests that it was cover for players carrying knocks, certainly Tiny looks like he is.

  • oldyella says:

    Good point lads ref subs last night; we had 2 Central defenders, 2 Centre Forwards (Massey & Deeney) + 1 GK.
    Not a wide variety to choose from when you need to shake it up.
    Matty W and Sean Murray looked very promising at the end of last season, but they haven’t made an appearance on the bench yet.

  • wfc123 says:

    I really don’t rate the five subs rule. As a result we desperately need to loan some of these players out with 24 hour re-call clauses.

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