LC Round 2: Watford 2-0 AFC Bournemouth

Well, it wasn't 6-1 this time, but Watford has pitted the Cherries for the second time this month. An embarrassing own goal by Elliott Ward as he attempted to chest the ball back to keeper Ryan Allsop and failed gave the Hornets the lead fifteen minutes in. Cristian Battocchio sealed the deal at the 66th minute chipping one over Allsop that nicked the bottom of the bar and rebounded in.

Watford next hosts Premier League side Norwich City in the third round the week of September 23rd. The next league match is Saturday, August 31 at Blackpool. Kickoff is 9:00 am St. Louis time.

Watford 1-1 Nottingham Forest 2-2-0 8 pts

Who schedules a match at 7:15 in the morning?! What? It's not 7:15 in Watford? Never mind.

I listened to this clash of the table leaders in bed (I'll let that image sink in). Ah . . . technology.

Despite former Forest (Forester? Lumberjack? Forestierri?) Lewis McGugan scoring the equalizer on a loopy free-kick, my Man of the Match has to be keeper/captain/all-around good egg Manuel Almunia for the six saves to salvage the point. An assist goes to Marco Cassetti, without whose poor defending, Almunia's feats would not have been possible.

The next match is Wednesday, August 28 in the second round of League Cup action when Bournemouth travels to Vicarage Road. Kickoff 1:45 pm St. Louis time.

Reading 3-3 Watford 2-1-0 7 pts.

Should not have let relegated Reading go two up by the half. Certainly shouldn't have eked out a point by scoring three in the second half, but did. Diego Fabbrini was my man of the match, coming on in substitution down a goal to draw a foul for Troy Deeny, then stuck in the equalizer in the 89th minute. The result drops Watford to second in the table.

The next match is Sunday, August 25th against Nottingham Forest at Vicarage Road. An early start, it kicks of at 7:15 am St. Louis time.

Vydra to West Brom

Striker Matej Vydra departs for West Bromwich Albion after 20 goals for Watford last season. Such are the riches which plague the Hornets. Good luck Matej.

Watford 6-1 AFC Bournemouth 2-0-0 6 pts.

It took a penalty shot, but Troy Deeney scored Watford's first hat trick in ten years as the Hornets buried Bournemouth 6-1 to jump to the top of the Championship standings.

Although Gabriele Angella put Watford ahead in the 13th minute, there were no hints of dominance in the first half over the newly promoted Cherries. The Hornets relaxed and Lewis Grabban equalized at the half hour mark sending the squads to the locker room at the half even up at 1-1.

Angella nabbed his second on a set piece eight minutes into the second half and then Katie bar the door. Deeney's first goal three minutes later proved too powerful and slipped in despite a deflection. Lewis McGugan scored his first as a Hornet ten minutes later.

Deeney chested a pass and beat two to score his second with two minutes left in regulation, then after Diego Fabbrini was tripped in the penalty area, he sent keeper Ryan Alsop the wrong way for the hat trick.

Precision passing was out and the squad looked more like the Hornets of old today with lots of long bomb passes over the midfield. Whatever the tactic, Watford looked dominant.

Bournemouth will return to Vicarage Road Wednesday, August 28 for Round 2 of the League Cup. The next match, however, is next Saturday, August 17 at Reading. Kickoff is 9:00 am St. Louis time.

LC Round 1: Bristol Rovers 1-3 Watford

Yes, I know, it was at Memorial Stadium, not Vicarage Road.

There's probabaly no surer sign that we're now big time than using the second string against lower level opponents in cup play and expecting to win. The Hornets were so confident, Troy Deeney ended up in the BBC Three Counties broadcast both and the Hornets fielded nine changes from the season opener.

Thanks to a little thing called 'work', I managed to miss all the goal calls even as I watched them roll up on the smartphone. Gabriele Angella played the meat to a Sean Murray sandwich and Watford's three halftime goals stood up for the rest of the match.

Second Round draws will be Thursday and the Hornets play their home opener Saturday, August 10 against Bournemouth. Kickoff will be 9:00 am St. Louis time.

Birmingham City 0-1 Watford 1-0-0 3 pts.

And so it begins; what may very well be Watford's promotion season. That's the expectation going in and it's up to the Hornets to prove it wrong.

No one was surprised to see a win over the Blues and I'd put the effort at a B+ grade. Zola's side was quick to recognize weakness in the Birmingham City midfield and jump on it (over it really). The new boys seemed to fit in well with the Watford style of play though it remained hard to sustain for 90 minutes in the first match of the season.

Troy Deeney found himself at the business end of a series of passes to slot an early goal that stood as the scoring for the day. With the benefit of an off-season that was, shall we say, more focused on football this year and following a terrific 2012-2013 season, Deeney was be a force if he remains healthy.

The Hornets next throw their hats into the FA Cup ring with a match at Vicarage Road against the Bristol Rovers on Tuesday, August 6. Kickoff is 1:45 pm St. Louis time.