I can’t fully understand two things at the moment. Firstly, the crowds. Why are they falling? There have been suggestions of high prices, unusual kick off times, lack of away support. I suppose three home matches in ten days means that people who don’t have season tickets would have found it quite expensive recently. The stadium announcer reminded us it would cost a fiver anywhere in the ground at our next home match against Grimsby, and urged us to get our tickets by Wednesday 22 November. Excluding the 150-200 Watford fans, I guess he must have been reminding 1,100 people. The gate was 13,162 (the lowest of the season) and we’ve sold 11,800 season tickets.
Secondly, I struggle to understand the library-like atmosphere at Turf Moor these
days. Glen Little scored in the third minute, a fine goal excellently worked by West,
Weller and Little on the right side, and finished in style. After that, for the next
fifteen or twenty minutes, Burnley played the best possession football I’ve seen us
play for so long I wonder if we ever have before. There used to be a time when there
was no one in a Claret and Blue shirt who you felt could pass to another Claret and Blue
shirt, or beat a man, or shoot, or cross, or do anything. Now I feel confident whoever
has the ball that something could happen.
The point I’m laboriously trying to make is that with Watford unable to get out
of their own half and Burnley putting on constant pressure, you could hear a pin drop inside Turf Moor. It would be nice to think we were sat in awe, mesmerised by it all, but I don’t think so. After half an hour or so, with the score still 1-0, Watford finally got going. Slight panic from a corner resulted in Helguson firing over from three yards. There were a couple of misplaced passes and tackles not won. So Turf Moor found a voice: the mumblings of discontent. ‘Come on Burnley, what are you playing at?’ Not the voice of encouragement.
I thought if we’d had a second or even a third, there was no way back for the Hornets. With better finishing and a slice of luck we would have. Taylor headed over quarter of an hour, after Cox flicked on a corner. A direct run by Gnohere and a one two with Taylor putting Moore in would have been goal of the season but for Chamberlain. But with half time approaching and only one goal in it, you do wonder if it’s enough.
Watford are a poor team. They don’t have any bite, or cutting edge. I can’t honestly recall Nico being tested, although he handled expertly all night.
Once again Little showed his premiership class. I suppose if we don’t get promoted this season, and he remains fit, we will have a job on our hands to keep him this summer.
Five minutes into the second half he beat two men (as he usually does) on the right, crossed, and as Ian Moore waited to pounce, the ball was taken off his head.
I don’t think I need to say anything about Mooreo. His career will be littered with eleven game spells without scoring. He certainly deserved a goal, and for me played better than in the previous two home games. He turned on at least two occasions, leaving Vega and another unrecognisable Watford defender for dead, but the goal wouldn’t come. At least we know at Watford on Saturday he’ll be trying. But would it be worth resting him? We know there’s a man sat on the bench waiting for a chance. I think so, but I think the man who is always right doesn’t, so expect Mooreo to start at Highfield Road.
The elusive second goal wouldn’t come. Chamberlain saves well from Moore, who shot from the edge of the box. We had two penalty appeals turned down, both rightly in my view. Grant showed why he has only scored three goals in his career, by trying to chip, or cross, or backpass, which he did in the dying minutes, and after great work by Little the ball bounced invitingly to Weller inside the box. His shot was blocked for a corner.
Who played well? Everybody. Who had an off day? Nobody. This was a comprehensive victory, despite the unflattering scoreline. It’s nice to see only one goal conceded in three games – without Davis. It’s great to see the prompting and the probing in the midfield, in the form of Grant and Weller. It’s fantastic to see Little scoring goals – the only thing that has previously prevented him being a genuine premiership candidate. But the real star is Arthur Gnohere. Now playing in the centre of defence, he is the main reason we are keeping clean sheets. A free transfer signing who will be worth £2m this time next year.
Paul Cook and Weller took knocks and were taken off. The replacements, Johnrose and Ball, added more bite to midfield in the last twenty minutes when we need to keep it tight, when the second goal wasn’t coming.
Paul Cook is a real unsung hero, I think playing better than he ever has for us. Some fans, as I’ve previously said, can’t warm to him, but Stan made him captain in Davis’ absence. What does that say? When he was substituted he stood on the touchline, collected the ball when it went out, and encouraged the team. I think he takes it seriously!
So, up to second. We’ll probably fall down the table and rise again before April, but at least it’s taken the pressure off getting anything at Coventry. Okay, the two away matches after that look daunting (Crystal Palace and Preston), but who knows?
And isn’t that the reason we keep going?
Tonite It Shows