OPINION - Five thoughts after Watford's 4-1 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur
Watford were given a footballing lesson by Tottenham Hotspur on New Year's Day at Vicarage Road as the North London side thrashed the Hornets 4-1.
A double from Harry Kane and a strike from Dele Alli, following a mistake from Younes Kaboul, had put Spurs 3-0 up at half-time and it was soon to be four shortly after the break, as Alli got his second and Spurs' fourth just 58 seconds after the restart.
Maurico Pochettino's men were utterly dominant and could have scored more, in a game where Watford were well below par.
The Hornets did manage to add a late consolation, as the ball was knocked over the line by Kaboul following a goalmouth scramble, but it was too little too late for the Golden Boys who had been below par all afternoon.
After attending Sunday's game at Vicarage Road, here are five of my main thoughts:
1 - Hornets woeful
I've seen plenty of poor performances during my time as a fan over the past 20 years, but Sunday's game against Spurs was certainly up there with the worst that I've witnessed. Now we all know that Tottenham are one of the best sides in the division, with one of the best managers at the helm, so I don't think any Watford fan expected us to get anything from the game on New Year's Day. Given the amount of injuries we had and other factors, it was always going to be a tough task. If we had lost two or three nil but showed some fight and spirit, I think most inside Vicarage Road would have been able to accept that. Likewise, if we had turned up and played our football but got beaten by the better side, I think most would have been able to accept that as well.
But the fact of the matter is the Hornets didn't turn up whatsoever and that has, rightly, angered many supporters. There was no fight, no desire, no inspiration and no creativity whatsoever from this Watford side. The least you expect from your team as a supporter is some fight and desire but during Sunday's game, too many players didn't look like they were bothered. Some of our players just strutted around the pitch without a care for the world and that is something which is unacceptable from a supporter's perspective. Yes, as Mazzarri said, injuries have hit us badly but that shouldn't be an excuse for poor performances. While we are missing key players, that shouldn't be an excuse to simply throw in the towel. We aren't in a position where we can do that, but sadly, it has become a recurring theme over the past month. If you look at the performances during the games we've lost over the past month, many of them simply haven't been good enough and we've deserved exactly what we've got; nothing.
As well as the above, Watford looked devoid of ideas and at times they struggled to even string two passes together. Our attacking play over the course of the game largely consisted of us lumping it up to Troy Deeney and Odion Ighalo, a tactic which, quite frankly, hasn't worked for the best part of a year now. You'd think our players would have realised after the first half-an-hour that simply pumping the ball up to Deeney and Ighalo and hoping they would create something wasn't going to work. But they didn't and we kept playing the same long aimless balls up field all game which were so easy for Spurs to defend against. Tottenham's back five won't have too many easier games this season.
But the main gripe I have is that Spurs didn't even have to work hard for their victory. They were in second gear for the whole game and could have scored more. And don't get me started on our defending during the game, especially for Spurs' first and third goal. I mean what better way for Younes Kaboul to show he was unfairly treated by the club, then to simply pass the ball to Dele Alli for Spurs' third goal? I think the Frenchman will soon
realise why he wasn't given a chance by Pochettino at White Hart Lane. Way to go, Younes.
Sunday's performance was simply unacceptable and a huge improvement is needed if Watford want to take anything from tonight's game against Stoke.
2 - Mason the only positive to take
The only positive I can take from Sunday's game was the performance of young Brandon Mason. I've known of Mason and the likes of Carl Stewart and Michael Folivi, all of whom featured on the bench for the Hornets on Sunday, for some time as I went to school with them at the Harefield Academy. I was in the same classes as Stewart, while Mason and Folivi were a year or two younger then me when I went to the school, but I used to see them around quite a lot and it was evident that they would all go on to have successful careers in the game. It must have been a daunting prospect for Mason to come on for his Premier League debut against a rampant Tottenham Hotspur side who were 4-0 up, but the defender didn't look phased at all once he entered the pitch. He looked calm and composed on the ball and was solid at wing-back. He was tidy in possession and did well both offensively and defensively after his introduction. The young full-back certainly looks a promising prospect and I'd certainly give him a start against Burton Albion on Saturday at the very least.
3 - What's happened to Capoue?
Just what has happened to Etienne Capoue? He was superb during the opening months of the season and was dominating games at the heart of the midfield. However, over the course of the last month or so, Capoue has looked a shadow of the player he was at the start of the season and he was poor once again on Sunday against Spurs. He didn't do anything to suggest that Spurs were wrong to let him go for £6m in July 2015 and he struggled to get close to any of the North London club's midfielders as well. He was poor in possession and didn't look confident whatsoever on Sunday. At times he didn't look bothered either as he strolled around the pitch and that was something which was a huge disappointment to me. Last week's game against Crystal Palace was another example of a poor performance from Capoue. Games against the likes of Crystal Palace are the ones he needs to be bossing but he failed to do that then as well. It's a shame, because Capoue has so much quality and ability, but he fails to consistently show it on a regular basis. That's why he can be so incredibly frustrating to watch at times. I'd consider signing another midfielder to put the Frenchman under a bit
of pressure, because every player should have to work hard for their spot in the side.
4 - Guedioura's a lovely guy but not good enough to be starting regularly
I don't want to keep digging Adlene Guedioura out, because he's a lovely guy and has been a superb player for us during his time at Vicarage Road. The role he played during the promotion season shouldn't be forgotten and he really is a likeable guy. But against Spurs on Sunday, he put in another poor display and I for one am unsure whether he's good enough to be starting regularly in the top-flight. He gets caught on the ball far too much and gives away possession far too cheaply. You can never fault his work rate but it's as if he's trying too hard and trying to do too much during the game. Don't get me wrong, he's a good player to have in the squad and he has a fantastic attitude. If only more players had his attitude in the squad and the Algerian is the ideal man to bring on with ten or 15 minutes to play if we need some fresh legs. But is he good enough to be starting against the big teams in the division? Is he good enough to be starting week in, week out in the Premier League? Not
for me. He's a lovely guy and a great player to have in the squad, but he's one of those that are just not quite good enough to be starting on a regular basis in the Premier League.
5 - Serious investment is needed this month
If we really want to improve on last season's 13th place finish, then we simply must invest in the squad this month. The first team squad is stretched to the limit at the moment and given the amount of injuries we've had this season, we really need to add some more quality to this squad, otherwise we are risking getting pulled into the relegation battle. I've seen some publications claiming that we intend to sign just two midfielders this month. Well if that's the case than we are kidding ourselves really. I think as well as two midfielders, we need to look at bringing in another defender and striker as well. Our defence, aside from Sebastian Prodl, has been largely poor all season and we cannot persist with playing Younes Kaboul as part of the back three. He's always prone to a mistake and is an accident waiting to happen at times. Another striker certainly wouldn't go a miss with Deeney and Ighalo out of form at the minute and Isaac Success and Stefano Okaka so injury prone. We need another
player to be pushing one of Deeney or Ighalo for a place in the side and we certainly need some more goals and creativity in this team. Anything which will make us more unpredictable really. Whatever way you look at it though, we are in desperate need of some more players and we really need to add some quality this month.