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WATFORD 2 MIDDLESBROUGH 0, Premier League, Saturday 4th November 2006
Middlesbrough went into this game with the criticisms of Gareth Southgate ringing in their ears after turning in yet another abject performance on Monday on their way to a 1-0 defeat at Manchester City.
Massimo Maccarone earned a start after being the liveliest player at Eastlands. He came off the bench with twenty minutes to go and can consider himself unfortunate not to have scored, having hit the post twice in the dying embers of the game. He was to partner Yakubu up-front in a 4-4-2 formation.
Julio Arca returned to the side after injury and played in the left midfield berth with Emmanuel Pogatetz playing directly behind him. Andrew Davies continued to play in the right wing-back position through the absence of Stuart Parnaby through injury.
Boro were boosted meanwhile with the news that two of Watford's strongest players, goalkeeper Ben Foster and striker Marlon King, had to sit out of the game through injury. Richard Lee and Darius Henderson stepped in for the two.
Schwarzer, Pogatetz, Woodgate, Huth, Arca (Morrison 46), Davies, Euell (Cattermole 67), Boateng, Downing, Yakubu, Maccarone (Graham 79), Turnbull, Taylor
THE FIRST HALF
Boro started positively when a good run by Jason Euell threatened to tee up Massimo Maccarone. The move unfortunately broke down but with Emmanuel Pogatetz bombing past the halfway line to set up Euell in the first place, this was a positive sign as against Manchester City, neither of Boro's wing-backs had managed to break out of their own half.
Watford retaliated however, with Damien Francis whipping in a dangerous ball into the box. Dan Shittu headed the ball over the bar from twelve yards out. A minute later the same player took a long-range punt that was successfully deflected by Jason Euell from a throw-in.
But Watford sensed blood.
On four minutes a good ball in from the right almost set up Hameur Bouazza but Schwarzer managed to gather it at the second attempt.
A minute later however Bouazza had more luck as Boro conceded a soft, soft goal. From twenty yards out there didn't look like there was much on and the shot towards goal was more a hopeful daisy-cutter than anything more potent. But with Schwarzer taking an eternity to go to ground, the ball squirmed beyond him and into the bottom right hand corner of the goal. The ball may have been deflected off Jonathan Woodgate on its way to the net.
Watford 1 (Woodgate o.g., 5) Middlesbrough 0
The game calmed down after this, Yakubu being flagged offside the only interesting point of note apart from a miscued Watford header from around twelve yards out. The Boro meanwhile were the listless self that had conceded so meekly to Manchester City earlier in the week with only Stewart Downing providing anything positive from a Middlesbrough point of view.
On fourteen however Julio Arca darted into the penalty area with the ball at his feet but fluffed his attempt by chipping it over the keeper, and also over the bar. Perhaps he should have tried to round the keeper instead and take his chances from a more acute angle but this was more positive from the Boro.
At this point no team really looked like scoring although Watford were permanently encamped in Boro's half. They were continually playing the diagonal ball technique, often provided by an onrushing full-back. They were dangerous but lacked the killer instinct in front of goal.
On twenty Darius Henderson danced along the by-line and managed to drag the ball back and clip in a cross. It was only the excellent defending of Pogatetz that prevented a second Watford goal, deflecting the ball out for a corner.
The set-play was of high quality but was defended expertly by Jonathan Woodgate. The next corner, some sixty seconds later, involved Ashley Young powering a header towards goal, forcing Schwarzer into a punching save.
Three minutes later another corner caused trouble after it had been cleared by Huth. The ball fell to Jordan Stewart who blasted his shot over the bar from around thirty yards out.
Boro's midfield was non-existent, which was why Watford were setting up campfires and singing Kum-Bi-Yah in the middle of our own half. It was also the reason why we were conceding corner after corner and, for a little variety, the occasional free-kick.
On thirty the Boro survived another scare. A corner was whipped in from Ashley Young and a shot clattered against the post. The referee however blew for an infringement committed on Huth by Danny Shittu, so even if Watford had scored a second, it would not have counted.
On thirty-four George Boateng was caught out of position due to him having to cover for Julio Arca. This allowed Bouazza to glide past him and punt a shot towards goal that narrowly missed. This move had stemmed from some intricate Boro player in the Watford half, that broke down the further the Boro got to Richard Lee's goal.
Stewart Downing was still the only player from an attacking point of view who was playing well for the away side but his crosses were often too close to Lee, who could pick them from the air like autumnal apples off a tree. Part of the issue was the lack of pressure applied by Yakubu and Maccarone in the box, no one was willing to gamble or even jostle the Watford defence.
But on thirty-eight Boro's attack finally burst into life. First of all Maccarone nearly stole in forcing the concession of a throw-in by Watford. From the throw-in Maccarone set up Yakubu who turned and shot from around eighteen yards out. The ball was deflected out by Lloyd Doyley for a corner but nothing came of this.
On forty-three Tommy Smith threatened Boro down the wing once more, and Boro were forced into conceding their sixty-fourth corner of the game. It was once more headed out, this time by Andrew Davies, and Schwarzer comfortably gathered Watford's second attempt.
And that was that. Another poor Boro first half that again lacked desire, drive and quality. It would have to improve in the second half. But, like at Eastlands on Monday, will it all be too little to late?
FIRST HALF FAN REACTION
"We have HUGE problems"
Boro1876
"Booooooooooooooooooooooooooo"
Peppery John
THE SECOND HALF
The Boro made one change at halftime, with James Morrison replacing Julio Arca in the left midfield position. And it seemed to pay dividends early on with Stewart Downing whipping an extremely dangerous ball into the box that forced Richard Lee into a punching save.
A minute later Massimo Maccarone launched a tame shot at Richard Lee from distance that trickled to the keeper easily. But this showed Boro's new impetus.
This was underlined another minute on when Watford conceded two corners in swift succession. Suddenly Downing, who had threatened to explode into life in the first half, had been given a whole new lease of life in a more balanced formation and he was whipping in as many dangerous crosses as Watford had done in the first half.
But it was not all one way traffic as Watford charged into the Boro half on fourty-eight. Another corner was conceded by the Boro but nothing came of this, with Pogatetz comfortably clearing.
It wasn't just Downing who had been vitalised, Maccarone was also playing well. On fifty-two he shimmied into the box and only let himself down by going to ground too easily. But Boro now had a drive that was so sadly lacking in the first half. They were now finally at the races.
The game had exploded into life and now the Boro were finally testing the Watford backline, they were exposing their frailties. But Watford were also testing the Boro, with Tommy Smith drifting effortlessly passed Pogatetz and scooping a ball into the back stick. The ball was dinked back across goal and Ashley Young missed a sitter from around twelve yards out, blasting the ball over the bar. The Boro were lucky not to be two behind.
Two minutes later Watford launched another attack, offering an overhead kick that was comfortably saved by Schwarzer. The Boro may have been playing better in the second half but Watford were still causing us problems and Tommy Smith in particular was causing much concern when he was dashing forward.
Just when the Boro were getting into the game, a mistake by George Boateng gifted Watford all three points. In trying to head the ball back to Schwarzer, all he did was to head the ball into the path of Ashley Young who accepted the gift with gratitude from about eighteen yards out. Young dinked the ball off his right knee and buried the shot beyond the helpless Mark Schwarzer.
Watford 2 (Young, 59) Middlesbrough 0
On sixty-two a strong run by Yakubu saw him dink the ball over the Watford defence into the path of James Morrison. The Boro youngster was surprised to receive the ball, expecting the Watford defender to clear it, so he could not make the best of it and it went harmlessly to the Watford goalkeeper.
The game was quite balanced again with either side putting in a few good crosses before Southgate decided to swap Euell for Lee Cattermole on sixty-seven.
On seventy George Boateng was again caught out of position and the Hornets swarmed forward, particularly down the left where their pace was hurting us. It took a covering challenge from Huth to save the day as he conceded a corner in the process. Nothing resulted from this set play.
Different game, same story as the Boro had failed to test the Watford keeper after seventy minutes. In fact, Richard Lee's first save came on seventy-seven when a good turn and shot from Yakubu from twenty yards gave Lee a simple catch.
On seventy-nine Southgate made his final play, introducing rookie Danny Graham for the ineffective Maccarone.
This did little to change the course of play although Lee Cattermole did have a half-chance that he blasted well over the bar on eighty-one from around the penalty spot.
A minute later Watford were on the break, with Bouazza leading the break. He left Davies for dead, skipped by Cattermole but could not defeat Woodgate who conceded a corner.
The Boro were ragged from the corner, forcing Andrew Davies ultimately to concede another one. This was cleared but Watford came at the Boro once more, to the mocking chanting of "Pigbag" by the home fans.
INTO THE RED ZONE
On eighty-five it should have been 3-0 to Watford after another poor back-pass, this time from Woodgate, let Henderson in. Schwarzer pulled off a strong save with his feet to deny the onrushing Watford striker, saving the central defender's blushes.
Into stoppage time and little was happening as Watford were happy to let the clock down to herald their first win in the Premier League, at the eleventh attempt. And whilst the whistle was greeted to the cheers of the home faithful, the away fans had nothing to look forward to but a bleak bleak winter ahead of them.
The Boro were poor again. There appears to be no leadership anywhere at the football club, from the players through to the manager. George Boateng has been a poor captain whereas when Jonathan Woodgate had the armband, we managed to grind out a few good results. As for Southgate, time will tell as to whether he will make a good manager but to consistently play players out of position suggests a lack of a clear mind and strong will that is so necessary in Premier League management.
Without one decent shot on target they never looked like winning this game. Partly apathy, partly a lack of quality, the Boro simply were not good enough. Again. The first half was a lacklustre affair whilst our midfield was once again embarrassed by teams who are inferior to us. It happened against Everton, Newcastle, Manchester City and now Watford. It is quite clearly not of Premier League standard. And if this continues much longer, we simply won't be.
FULL TIME REACTION
"We need a right sided midfielder and a few centrals badly."
Mikelinho7
"The Championship awaits. If we don't get our arses into gear and buy some players in January, we will go down"
Marktheborofan
"NOT ENOUGH EFFORT, NOT ENOUGH QUALITY, A LONG SEASON AWAITS"
Monty
"Have faith"
Boro1876
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