Match Thread Watford v Leicester

[Jeff]

 

[Jeff]

Subs: Schmeichel, Amartey, Söyüncü, Thomas, Albrighton, Pérez, Lookman, Daka, Iheanacho.

 

[Micky]

End of an era.

 

[Orifice]

How many consecutive premier games has Kasper played?

 

[tedfoxxx]

Ward’s first league appearance for five years.

If Kasper is fit, which presumably he is if he’s on the bench, it’s an absolute joke to end that run at the expense of playing a complete joke of a goalkeeper.

No kids involved either.

Anyway, their team is horrific, should murder these.

 

[Miles Away]

Bit of a shock that, probably to Kasper as well.

 

[londonfox]

There’ll be lots of criticism I’m sure about dropping Schmeichel, especially if Ward has a poor game. But it is really that bizarre? Yes, this is the Schmeichel who won the Premier League with us. Yes, this is the Schmeichel who made that Dave and won the FA Cup with us. But it’s also the Schmeichel who many on here and across the fan base have been criticizing this season..

We call for changes and some experimentation in the final games. And then when he does this we criticize. I’m no BR apologist. But it’s like when some/many criticized him for playing Lookman on the right when he’s clearly better on the left. And then he was criticized for playing him on the left when he’s clearly better on the right.

 

[londonfox]

Bit of a shock that, probably to Kasper as well.

That’s not such a bad thing, is it? No player should be guaranteed their place in the team.

 

[Jeff]

I think it's a good idea to give Ward some games. It must be difficult for a goalkeeper not to have any competitive football for months, and then be expected to perform to his best immediately when he gets a game. Give him the last three games of the season and see how he does. He might turn out to be better than a lot of people think.

 

[popillius]

There’ll be lots of criticism I’m sure about dropping Schmeichel, especially if Ward has a poor game. But it is really that bizarre? Yes, this is the Schmeichel who won the Premier League with us. Yes, this is the Schmeichel who made that Dave and won the FA Cup with us. But it’s also the Schmeichel who many on here and across the fan base have been criticizing this season..

We call for changes and some experimentation in the final games. And then when he does this we criticize. I’m no BR apologist. But it’s like when some/many criticized him for playing Lookman on the right when he’s clearly better on the left. And then he was criticized for playing him on the left when he’s clearly better on the right.

But that's only true if you believe he's been poor. I certainly don't. He has kept us in far, far more games than he's cost us. He's still an exceptional keeper and this is a ****ing bonkers decision .

 

[popillius]

I think it's a good idea to give Ward some games. It must be difficult for a goalkeeper not to have any competitive football for months, and then be expected to perform to his best immediately when he gets a game. Give him the last three games of the season and see how he does. He might turn out to be better than a lot of people think.

I already think he's better than some people think.

That is one clumsy sentence.

 

[City Fan]

Go home Brendan, you’re drunk.

No seriously, **** off mate

 

[Brown Nose]

I wrote something typically long and rambling about Schmeichel on here somewhere the other day. In it, I said that there was about a 50/50 chance of Schmeichel being here next season but that there wasn't any real speculation that suggested the club and player were actively preparing for a change.

Today is that evidence. Someone doesn't play 149 consecutive PL matches and is then happy to be benched for a useless waste of a contract (Ward).

BR has dropped him because he knows Schmeichel is going. Schmeichel would go absolutely apeshit at losing this run for any other reason. It also says that Schmeichel is moving abroad.

I'm now 90% sure that Sunday will be Schmeichel's farewell appearance. It may even be announced beforehand.

 

[City Fan]

Three wingers on the bench (clearly won’t all be needed) and not a single youth player.

It’s beyond a joke now.

 

[fitz]

Not sure what benefit giving Ward time is. Put off potential buyers maybe?

 

[parafox]

No one should be guaranteed their place in the squad but when the alternative is clearly inferior, will a player like Schmeichel think "Christ, if this joker is getting in ahead of me I'll need to put more of a shift in", or will he think "Christ, look how shite this joker is, the manager was stupid for ever dropping me"?

 

[popillius]

At least let him get to 150! Brendan's trolling him to **** here.

 

[Brown Nose]

Not sure what benefit giving Ward time is. Put off potential buyers maybe?

We were open to selling Ward last summer but nobody came in for him. The only positive of giving him a game or two now is to generate interest in him. My most recent memory of Ward is him letting the ball go under his foot to concede an embarrassing goal for Wales. If he has a couple of decent performances now, we might tempt some idiot to sign him.

 

[parafox]

My most recent memory of Ward is him letting the ball go under his foot to concede an embarrassing goal for Wales.

Don't forget his shocking performance against the trees. A wax sculpture of Conrad Logan would have fared better

 

[Brown Nose]

Subs: Schmeichel, Amartey, Söyüncü, Thomas, Albrighton, Pérez, Lookman, Daka, Iheanacho.

I question playing three central midfielders and having none on the bench. If one gets injured you are forced to change systems.

Even if BR has given up on Choudhury and Soumare - to be fair he's every right to - then what about Braybooke?

Just seems dumb.