Watford nil-nil QPR 7-9-7 30 pts

Half-way through the season and at the top of (the second half of) the league table.

Today's match was a typical Championship defensive bout, but a point seems refreshing after this fall's slump.

Watford put together one serious attack with Diego Fabbrini on the end of a Troy Deeney pass, but one shot does not three points make.

2014 kicks off at Yeovil Town New Year's Day at 11:30 St. Louis time.

New coach, New Year, New Results . . . Go You 'Orns!!

Watford 4-0 Millwall 7-8-7 29 pts.

The streak ends and oh! what a bit of confidence can do.

I overslept the 7 am St. Louis time (or, in my case, Columbia, MO time) start, but Watford jumped to the lead ten minutes in when a foul by former Hornet Danny Shittu lead to Shittu's sending off and a Troy Deeney penalty kick slotting in.

Fernando Forestieri doubled the lead 23 minutes off an Ikechi Anya cross giving Watford two more goals than their four previous home matches combined.

Anya again lead the fun in the second half with a goal a scant three minutes after play resumed. Katy bar the door at that point as every Watford scorer wanted to join in the fun. At least two shots came off the underside of the crossbar and one was pulled back for offsides. Watford's final goal came on a penalty kick from a Steve Morison handball. Deeney stepped back and let Lewis McGugan make up for his shot that went off the wood.

Giuseppe Sannino is now four points in two matches and five days. The next test is Sunday, December 29 at Vicarage Road as the Hornets welcome QPR. Kickoff is a far more decent 9:00 am St. Louis time.

Ipswich Town 1-1 Watford 6-8-7 26 pts

Not bad for Giuseppe Sannino's first match as Watford gaffer.

Sannino's flexible 5-3-2 formation delivered a scoreless half with few chances for Ipswich. At 73 minutes, Gabriele Angella took a ball off his thigh that referee Graham Scott decided subsequently went off his arm. Ipswich's top scorer David McGoldrick sent Manuel Almunia the wrong way to take the lead.

Resignation settled in to the away fans, justifiable in light of recent form, but Troy Deeney found a Cristian Battocchio cross to equalize with nine minutes left and Watford salvaged a point.

The Hornets get their next test of form on Boxing Day, Thursday, December 26 when Vicarage Road hosts Millwall. Kickoff is 7:00 am St. Louis time.

Sannino Named

Well-traveled manager Giuseppe Sannino has been signed through season end with an option for the 2014-15 season.

Zola Out!

To the surprise of no one and the disappointment of many, Gianfranco Zola tendered his resignation yesterday in the aftermath of Watford's 1-0 loss to Sheffield Wednesday Saturday.

(see his open letter to the fans here)

Zola led Watford to the Championship playoffs last season and racked up a respectable 29-15-22 record as manager of the Hornets, but having gone winless since October 5, he recognized his current ineffectiveness as gaffer.

Odds-on favorite to replace Zola is 56-year old Italian manager Giuseppe Sannino, released from Serie A side A.C. Chievo Verona in November.

Good luck and thanks for some exciting football, Franco!

Watford 0-1 Sheffield Wednesday 6-7-7 25 pts

The countdown has begun for Gianfranco Zola's ouster after a 1-0 loss to Sheffield Wednesday today.

Play improved this match and a disallowed goal might have - might have - been a true equalizer, but the loss to a squad that still sits in relegation territory even with the benefit of today's three points and headed by a caretaker manager is testing the patience of many fans.

A free-kick by Connor Wickham 24 minutes in proved the only goal. The Hornets are winless in eight matches.

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

Leeds United 3-3 Watford 6-7-6 25 pts.

Hats off to Brian McDermott's side, coming as they did from a 0-2 deficit at the half to lead 3-2 into the last few minutes of regulation.

It was a tale of two halves with Watford securing an early lead from a ten-yard goal by Troy Deeney twelve minutes in. The Hornets doubled that lead at the end of the first half when Hector Bellerin lead a counter-attack from a Peacocks' free kick and fed the ball to Cristian Battocchio to finish.

But, as so often has happened in recent matches, the defense slipped up, letting Danny Pugh breath hope into the match for Leeds five minutes into the second half. Sensing weakness, Leeds pummeled the Hornets defense, requiring Jonathan Bond to make save after save. But the opportunities came faster for Leeds than the heroics did for Bond and Watford found themselves victims of a three goal comeback with five minutes left.

From this vantage, Troy Deeney rescued a point in the table with a rebound of a George Thorne shot in the 86th minute.

Watford continues with the third leg of their four-match 'road trip' next Saturday, December 14 at Sheffield Wednesday. Kickoff is 9:00 am St. Louis time.

Burnley nil-nil Watford 6-6-6 24 pts

We'll not speak of Yeovil Town ever again



Despite Tuesday's match resulting in seven straight without a win for the Hornets, the universal take on this scoreless draw against Sean Dyche's side seems to be that this is the turning point, the realization of Gianfranco Zola's 'cunning plan'.

True, there were no defensive gaffs costing us points, no momentary lapses of concentration, and, all-in-all, Watford played a solid 90 minutes of Championship draw football. But let's not schedule our days off in May for the playoffs just yet.

The confidence of an athlete is a fragile thing, especially in a side as young as Watford's, and the level of confidence is contagious - good or bad. The true test comes in building off this base. The next fixture for is Saturday, November 23 at Leeds United. Kickoff is 9:00 am St. Louis time.