Graham Taylor on the Coca-Cola Football League Podcast

The former Watford skipper and pal of Sir Elton is Mark Clemmit's guest on this week's podcast. Click the link above to get podcast details. A few choice tidbits from GT who is currently a non-executive Board member of the club:

"The lower Championship is Watford's natural level."

The club is in a "financial hole".

With friends like these . . .

Crystal Palace (2-0) 11-6-16 39 pts

Half the fun of beating Palace is listening to the description of Neil Warnock's head explode when a call goes against him.

Such was the case as Don Cowie flew down the right channel to stuff one in from eighteen yards out to score his first goal with the Hornets in a move that the Palace skipper thought was clearly offside. Grzegorz Resiak, in for the suspended (five yellows) Tamas Priskin was credited with the assist on the 21st minute goal.

Palace battled back in the first half but gave up the ghost (and an own goal off the foot of Jobi McAnuff) to yield three points to the Hornets.

The win gives Watford three league victories in a row and a little breathing room as they move into the last two-plus months.

The next match is Tuesday, March 3 at Plymouth. Kickoff is 1:45 pm St. Louis time.

Blackpool (2-0) 10-6-16

On the Road Again . . .

I missed another win Saturday, this time against Blackpool. Mike Williamson at 54 minutes, followed by Tamas Priskin with five minutes left in regulation added three juicy points the Hornet's League Table standings.

The win puts Watford three points clear of the relegation zone and only sixteen points away from the playoffs (now that's just crazy-talk!).

The next match is Saturday at Vicarage Road against mid-table foe Crystal Palace. Kickoff is 9:00 am St. Louis time.

Swansea City (2-0) 9-6-16 33 pts.

My apologies getting this report out a bit late on Tuesday's match. Another one of these I had to follow at work without sound.

The match was a bit of a scrap with four yellow cards and 30 fouls between the two squads - every time I looked up the word 'foul' flashed across the screen.

The ever-reliable Tamas Priskin left-footed a Tommy Smith cross from six yards out at minute 24 and Tommy managed a goal of his own on a rebound nine minutes later to provide the match's only scoring.

The three points leaves the Hornets only one point clear of the relegation zone, but Norwich City has played two more games thanks to the snowy weather a few weeks back that canceled the match with Southampton.

The next match is Saturday, February 21 at Blackpool. Kickoff is 9:00 am St. Louis time.

FA Cup: Chelsea (1-3)

Oh, for a moment there!!

Sadly, I had a rehearsal smack-dab in the middle of the last televised (in the U.S. at least) Watford match for the next ten months (at least), but I did manage to catch the last five minutes. Setting the stage for that:

Tamas Priskin (bless his soul) put the Hornets ahead at 69 minutes after a scoreless half, but Nicolas Anelka fired in two goals in rapid succession to place the Blues ahead.

Here's where I came in:

Five minutes left and Chelsea pressuring the defense, Watford manages to hold their ground to the 90th minute. With three minutes injury time added, John-Joe O'Toole suddenly races for Chelsea net, he feeds the ball into Jobi McAnuff and . . . and . . .

Nothing.

The defense collapses, Anelka gets the hat trick, and Watford goes back to dangling over the relegation precipice into League One.

To that end, the next match is Tuesday, February 17 at home against Swansea City. Kickoff is 1:45 pm St. Louis time.

Chelsea Fires Scolari Five Days Before FA Showdown with Watford

Apparently fourth place in the Premier League isn't good enough. Let's hope the Hornets can capitalize on the confusion.

Southampton Fixture Called Off

After a pitch inspection yesterday, officials opted to call off today's match against Southampton. Freezing temperatures & snow have hit England hard for the last week, resulting in many cancelled matches in the UK.

The next match is the US-televised FA Cup draw against Chelsea next Saturday, February 14. Kickoff is 11:30 St. Louis time.

Pro Soccer Comes to St. Louis!!!

Kinda.

It's the new Women's Professional Soccer League which kicks off its inaugural season March 29. St. Louis will be home to the Athletica (whose mascot appears to be Louis IX in drag).

Technically, Edwardsville - specifically the Ralph Korte Stadium at SIU-E for now, but moving into the planned Collinsville Soccer Complex, hopefully home to an MLS expansion team as well, in 2010. One match, April 25th against the LA Sol, will be held at Hermann Stadium on the SLU campus.

The team's schedule was announced today, the home opener April 4th against the Chicago Red Stars.

The squad is coached by Jorge Barcellos, head coach of the Brazilian Women's team and features U.S. National Team members Lori Chalupny, Tina Ellerston, & Hope Solo. Also on the team is MAC Hermann Trophy winner Kerri Hanks.

Window Closed

I've been a bit out of touch the last few days (if ever there was a reason to own a Blackberry, its name is jury duty) so I thought I'd miss the flurry of transfer activity as the window closed.

Nope.

We picked up another midfielder in the person of Don Cowie from Inverness CT but that's about it. The big news is no news on the John-Joe O'Toole front - J-J is still on the squad. Cool Beans.