City 1 Watford 2
Report by Eddie Blount
A season which promised so much at the end of January effectively came to an inglorious end last night at the King Power stadium as City were comprehensively outclassed by surely the most cosmopolitan outfit we have ever played! I defy anyone, including their manager, to write down the names of the Watford team without a single spelling mistake – in every name that is!
So it's all over for another season. The bad news is that we are still a long, long way from being Premiership contenders; the good news is that we have avoided relegation – our form for the last 3 months, with 2 wins out of the last 16, would have seen us down by Christmas had we maintained that standard all season.
The atmosphere at the KP before the start of the game was vibrant to the point of being frenetic. We should have known better! For most of the first half the game was ostensibly even as both sides attacked in turn in an open game which both sides needed to win.
However there was a clear difference in the quality and threat of the respective attacks. We went down the flanks and although we made it to the byline on several occasions the cross rarely beat the first line of defence so Watford were relatively untroubled. In fact their ex- Arsenal keeper, Almunia, did not have a shot to save, one weak punch being his sole employment.
As the half wore on we made less progress down the wings and resorted to hopeful long shots which failed to hit the target. It was so different for Watford. Their attacks, made through the middle where the creative movement of their superior midfielders was always evident, invariably threatened danger and Schmeichel had to be at his best to keep them out. he made one great block in particular when having lost a low cross he recovered to bravely deny the attacker following in.
The game was decided in the last 5 minutes of the first half when Watford scored twice and missed a simple chance to make it three! The first goal is always crucial for this City side – they rarely recover from going a goal down. It came in the 40th minute and showed one of the main reasons why we are where we are – a shocking inability to deal with set pieces.
A corner, never more than head high, was allowed to bounce in front of goal and track beyond the far post. We never have anyone at the far post either when attacking or defending, so the ball was headed back across the goal and thumped in by Deeney who couldn't miss. It was an absolute gift. Any other team in the division would have headed the ball away at the near post but we are pathetically weak in the air and the opposition know it.
I cannot understand how a former rugged defender like Pearson could have allowed this situation to happen. This factor plus a one-paced backward tracking / passing midfield explains why we have failed to stay the course. In Grand National terms we fell at Beecher's!
So one nil down and in the twinkling of an eye, two! They pressed forward strongly, buoyed up by their lead, and Chalobah let fly from 25 yards, hitting one of the best strikes you are ever likely to see. The ball was in our net, via the crossbar, before Schmeichel could move!
At this point we capitulated and Watford were all over us like a boxer pressing for the knockout. They marched through our now shell-shocked defence and took it in turns to fail to score, de Laet eventually clearing off the line from Hogg (amazing that I have now mentioned both of the only spellable Watford names). Mercifully the bell sounded for the end of the round and City trudged back to their corner for some much-needed respite.
Credit where it's due the City display in the second half was a demonstration of character over ability. We could easily have been swept away 0-4 or more but we had the better of the second half without ever looking as though we would get anything from the game.
Nugent replaced Schlupp at halftime and was clearly anxious to stamp his mark on the game, swivelling on the edge of the area and sending a volley just wide of Almunia's right post in the early minutes of the half. Had this gone in things might have been different. As it was we huffed and puffed without creating any real chances so it came as a surprise when we scored in the 61st minute.
A cross by Konchesky was firmly headed home by substitute Kane. He looked well off-side but the replays showed that it was an excellent decision by the linesman and excellent movement by Kane, timing his movement between the central defenders to perfection.
We continued to have the greater possession but Watford continued to have the greater threat and even 5 minutes of added time failed to provide the further breakthroughs we needed. So the home season ended in defeat, the team trudged a lap of honour and a section of the Kop commendably roared their defiance with a spirited rendition of 'Leicester till I die.' At my age I opted out of that.
City: Schmeichel, de Laet, Morgan, Keane, Konchesky, James, King, Knockaert (Marshall 65), Dyer (Kane 59), Schlupp (Nugent 46), Wood
Watford: Almunia, Dyer, Ekstrand, Casetti, Anya (Briggs 71), Abdi (Battochio 83), Chalobah (Yeates 79), Hogg, Pudil, Deeney, Vydra
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