Watford 1 City 0
Do you remember those Autumn Days three managers ago when we beat Watford 4 – 1 at The Walkers? Our best performance and win for a long time. It seemed to herald better times…so what has gone wrong with yet another season?
At the time The Hornets did not look like a table topping team and we didn’t look like possible relegation candidates. Tonight’s game confirmed both of these as City lost 0 – 1 to a side reduced to 10 men for the last 50 minutes on a clear, cold evening in February at the bottom of the M1.
Before the game, travelling more in hope than anticipation, there were several questions: would The Foxes collection of new faces gel at last? Could we get goals as opposed to stopping them? Is the side assembled via the January transfer window going to do justice to the Manager’s claims that balance was the problem? Could they start to get enough results to enable Ian Holloway time to continue re-building (yet again!) without pressure? How much of the manager’s rotation would we see tonight?
The latter was immediately clear: Hume and Hales to the bench; Campbell to start up front; Stearman restored to right back; Chambers to left back and Clapham pushed to left midfield meaning Bori swopped to the right. An orthodox 4 – 4 – 2.
Go to Watford nowadays and expect a physical route one examination from a muscular side, physically testing down the spine of the team, and fed by skilful and adept wingers. So it proved and Leicester withstood a barrage for half an hour. Both centre backs acquitted themselves well, and the goalie Alnwick was both agile and secure on crosses. There were scares and The Foxes’ midfield gave the ball away too easily on occasion but slowly they worked the visitors back into the game…….
On 40 minutes Campbell broke quickly against a thin home defence, he passed left to the supporting Clemence down the inside left channel. The visitors’ skipper was pulled back by a desperate O’Toole and Referee Penni, with considerable help from his Assistant, eventually showed a red card. The resulting free kick came to nothing.
Half time approaching and what looked to be a questionable Watford free kick wide left mid Leicester half produced a first error from Alnwick who missed his punch. The ball was returned into the six yard box and steered home by the impressive Henderson, to give Watford an unexpected lead at the break.
After the break the game changed dramatically. Watford substituted defender for forward (playing a lone target player) and Leicester had much of the ball and territory. A really depressing period followed for away fans. Despite three forward substitutions (Laczko, Hume and Hayles) and an eventual 3 – 4 – 3 formation the visitors lacked the guile to make any impact on a packed Hornets defence. City have not had as much possession for a long time and their lack of confidence and movement was evident as attack after attack broke down without a clean strike on goal.
To this supporter we did not work the channels well enough to feet, get the ball forward quickly enough via the wide players and inevitable space against 10 men, nor do two holding midfielders make runs through and beyond front players. The second half was frustrating, the Leicester goalkeeper a virtual spectator, but no really clear cut chances. In conclusion we ran out of attacking ideas too quickly. Howard worked hard in a limited way and his knock downs were not productive.
Watford eventually secured a win far more comfortable than it ought to have been with 10 men for over half the game. The Vicarage Road team stay top of the table. For City, they contemplate an in-form Norwich on Saturday at The Walkers, with a third successive defeat against yellow shirted opponents likely to plunge them into the bottom three.
Leicester: Alnwick, James Chambers (Laczko 46), Stearman, McAuley (Hayles 81), Kisnorbo, Clapham, Oakley, Clemence, Campbell, Bori (Hume 67), Howard. Subs Not Used: Wesolowski, N'Gotty.
Watford: Lee, Mariappa, Shittu, Bromby, Sadler, Eustace, Ainsworth (Bangura 45), O'Toole, McAnuff (Kabba 90), Henderson, Ellington (Stewart 61). Subs Not Used: Doyley, Williamson.
Sent Off: O'Toole (40). Goals: Henderson 45.
Att: 15,944. Ref: Andy Penn (W Midlands).
The views expressed in this report are the opinions of the Trust member nominated to file the report only and do not represent the views of the Foxes Trust organisation