The game at Vicarage Rd yesterday afternoon summed up just how bad we have become. I'll get the slight positives out of the way first, we didn't lose and we didn't concede. That's it. We didn't conceded because we were playing a team as bad as we were. It was more by luck that judgement that we didn't end up on the back of a 2 or 3 goal beating.
City edged a dire first half. Watford were truly appalling and deserved to be booed off by the home fans. They did though create the three best chances of the half with shots that all missed the target. City had the most of the possession but only threatened Paul Jones from crosses that we were unable to capitalise on. Peter Thorne may as well have not been there for his presence was so poor.
City's best two efforts came from an Inamoto free kick (which took out someone in row X) and a deflected shot that went just over in first half injury time.
Inamoto started the game and showed some neat touches but he also fell over quite easily and for long periods tha game passed him by. City were gulity of failing to turn possession into goalmouth chances.
Lennie's half time team talk must have went something like
"Right then lads, we got the chance of a nil nil here, stay deep, forget about scoring and just keep the buggers out",
How else can you explain the lack of attacking threat we carried in the second period. Watford will rue several missed oportunities, most came from crosses that saw their attackers out jump Robert Page in the box most times (Page was on for James Collins who went of injured in the first half). Tony Warner tipped over a Hornets free kick but apart from taking some crosses he was hardly tested, most the home teams efforts went high and wide.
The two best chances in the second half fell to Danny Gabbidon. He twice took free kicks from outside the box, the first was a shocker, high over the bar, the second was better, it beat Paul Jones but sadly also the post.
A quick mention for Paul Jones, as he ran towards the Ctiy fans to start the second half he was warmly applauded and he responded with a big waves, a smile and an little Ayatollah (Wolves fans crucified him for responding to City fans at Molineux).
The away support started to turn on the City set up when Lennie took off the only pace we had up front, Cameron Jerome. Peter Thorne was anonymous all game, no pace to attack on the break and then we took off the one quick player and replaced him with Thorne Mk II, Alan Lee.
The chants for Lennie Out, and What a load of rubbish, rang out. The players started to get some stick for their continual hoofing out of defence to wide open spaces and Watford defenders.
Lennie stated last summer that anything less than and advance on our 13th placed finish last season would be failure. We are in 21st place, level on points with the drop zone. Lennie said judge me after 12 games. Well after 26 we are quite dreadful and still in 21st place. How the man has the neck not to resign I don't know.
Still he comes up with false positives. We have not won away since Wolves in September, and that's our only away win this season. He still talks a good game but I for one am fed up of listening to it.
I don't buy the thought that Sam won't sack Lawrence because he can't afford to. We can't afford to be relegated but that's where we are heading. Sam says a new manager will want funds. Rubbish.
Offer the job to an ambitious manager who can motivate and get players to produce performaces that are worth paying for. I'm sure there are some up and coming managers who can motivate and inspire the players we have to put in a performance to entertain the fans.
I guess it's no surprise if I tell you the two worse teams on current form (over the last 8 games) are Watford and Cardiff. They've not won and home for months and we've not won away for months. It had 0 - 0 written all over it.
2004 is nearly over, thank f*%k for that, roll on 2005.
(ps, it's Derby next on Saturday, despite my moans and groans I'll still be there hoping we can get a win. Sam has a blindspot with Lennie and it looks as if nothing will shift him. We need points though so here's hoping).