Watford v Coventry City 09/03/24
Valerian’s reign was over the moment Watford’s Georgian dynamo was poleaxed just before half time.
The challenge that did for Georgi Chakvetadze would have been at home in a ‘hardmen of the 70’s’ lowlight reel, oftentimes labelled as a ‘reducer’.
The absence of a yellow card or even the award of a free kick left one questioning if the incident took place at all.
It was a Liz Truss moment. Did it happen? Was it really that bad? It did, and it was, and the evidence was out there by the touchline. Chakvetadze, Coventry’s tormentor in chief, left in a crumpled heap.
Nobody knew then that this was the end for Ismael, and yet everybody had known for ages that it was over.
Against Huddersfield a nadir had been reached where both the team and its supporters seemed to fracture and splinter.
All the ingredients for a sacking were there that day. Poor form, a putrid display, vitriol spilling out from the stands. Players hooked before the half hour mark in a partly tactical, partly sacrificial gesture to appease an angry crowd.
As it was Valerian survived to then preside over a turgid, hapless defeat at Millwall.
There followed a spirited point secured at home after a familiarly lacklustre start against Swansea.
Bachmann was between the sticks and crowd favourite Andrews recalled to the side. They combined early on to conjur up a farcical own goal.
It was not Valerian who headed the ball back blindly towards goal, nor did he bizarrely sprint out of his six yard box.
Bachmann set off as if urgently trying to save a favourite pet he’d just spotted being swallowed up in quicksand. While the Austrian sought to save the drowning mutt, the ball dropped into an empty, unguarded net.
Valerian was not the author of this goal, yet the actors in this farce were his picks, and although both players responded well to adversity, it was clear that the managers luck was running out.
Against Coventry Watford sought to overcome their chronically slow starts by electing to play the second half first.
They dispensed with their customary caution and attacked the Rookery End. They played with intensity, were combative in midfield and strove to take the game to their playoff chasing opponents.
They were soon winning at home. The opening goal came when Ryan Porteous’s head met a long throw, the ball looping high over the stranded Coventry keeper. Watford continued to press, to harry and hustle, and then came the assault upon Chakvetadze.
With the Georgian sidelined, Watford lost a spark, and the second half against a ruthless Coventry side came to resemble so many of the opening stanza’s at home this season.
The Hornets were directionless, insipid, devoid of any attacking edge. The yellow army chants dried up. Coventry went diligently about their business, scoring twice.
In the closing minutes the sky blue away end sang “Watford get battered everywhere they go”. They don’t. Under Ismael’s cautious eye games have been tight. But they have been less nip and tuck, more morosely sterile to watch.
Empty seats in the stands have become more evident of late.
Not only have the optics been poor, the numbers also spoke ill for Valerian. Only bottom of the table Rotherham have had a worse run of form than Watford, and their places would be reversed if not for an Asprilla wonder strike at the New York Stadium.
Relegation form for a side perched uncomfortable close to the drop zone. This is Gino Pozzo’s Watford. For the beleaguered manager there was only ever going to be one outcome.
