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Post by Football News on Nov 27, 2016 18:50:03 GMT
Watford 0 - 1 StokeHeurelho Gomes own goal gifts Stoke win against lethargic Watford Away team scorersHeurelho Gomes 29 o.g. The frustration for Watford was less that they played badly, more that they failed to play at all, allowing Stoke City to push them around and win thanks to a moment of gamesmanship from Charlie Adam. Too many of Walter Mazzarri’s players looked less than enamoured with the idea of a midday kick-off on a cold day in Hertfordshire and there was little justification in Watford hiding behind Bobby Madley’s refereeing performance as a cover for their inert showing. They did have a legitimate grievance with Stoke’s goal given that Adam confessed to a push on Valon Behrami before his header hit a post and rebounded in off the unfortunate Heurelho Gomes. Mazzarri felt that Madley made too many questionable calls yet the Watford manager’s argument that his team played well enough to merit a point was unconvincing. There were precious few panicky moments for Stoke’s defence. The hosts were indisciplined. Nordin Amrabat picked up a booking for dissent in the first half, Miguel Britos received a late red card and what should trouble Watford is the disgruntled reaction from their supporters at the final whistle. It would have been harder for Stoke not to win for the first time since 31 October. The visitors played with greater imagination, defended stoutly and created the better openings but they also lacked a cutting edge and scored a winning goal that could have been disallowed, all of which reflects poorly on Watford. Mark Hughes smiled when he heard about Adam’s admission. Stoke’s manager preferred to focus on his team’s resolute performance. They were alert from the first whistle, pinning the hosts back and forcing them to make sloppy errors in dangerous areas. Gomes saved an early effort from Bruno Martins Indi and Giannelli Imbula threatened, bending a shot inches wide. Imbula’s unchallenged dribble was a sign for Mazzarri that his midfield was being overrun. Stoke had the measure of Watford’s 3-4-3 system and dominated possession in the first half, with Hughes responding to Glenn Whelan failing a late fitness test by moving Xherdan Shaqiri inside from the right. “They surprised us a lot in the midfield,” Mazzarri said. Troy Deeney and Roberto Pereyra were peripheral in attack for Watford and the excellent Martins Indi rose to the occasion in the absence of the injured Ryan Shawcross, Stoke’s defensive leader and captain, while Marc Muniesa delivered a quietly impressive performance. Watford’s lethargy was encapsulated by the moment when Christian Kabasele apparently forgot that there was a chance he might have to participate in a football match at some point. Younès Kaboul went down with an injury, signalled that he could not continue and Watford tried to make a quick change. Sitting on the bench, though, Kabasele was not ready and Watford were forced to continue with 10 men for a couple of minutes. Mazzarri looked bemused, a PE teacher trying and failing to understand how his pupil could have left his kit at home. A minute more and Kabasele would have been doing laps of the pitch in his underpants, but he eventually emerged to ironic cheers. Then, hoping to redeem himself, the Belgian defender chopped down Marko Arnautovic. Eight minutes after Kabasele’s inauspicious arrival, Stoke scored when Shaqiri delivered a corner from the right and Adam gave Behrami the slip. Mazzarri brought on Odion Ighalo after the break and moved him next to Deeney, who sent a late header over. Yet although Watford turned the game into a physical scrap, their hopes of an equaliser drifted away when Britos picked up a second booking for a cynical foul on Shaqiri. Guardian
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