Golden Gomes is Silva’s saviour
IF THIS transpires to be the occasion when Watford’s season finally got going again, then let it be credited to the nimble old man in their goal rather than the heralded young manager in their technical area.
This comeback, and with it a first win in seven games, owed far less to Marco Silva’s masterplan than it did to Heurelho Gomes and a body that shouldn’t be capable of such reflexes at 36.
It was about his wonderful save at 0-0 in the first half, when he tipped over a header from Shinji Okazaki, and two more acts of flight in defence of a 2-1 lead, when he kept out Wes Morgan and Leonardo Ulloa in the space of two frantic minutes. Stunning saves.
And vitally important, too. Watford had taken only one point in their previous six games, and for all the world that appeared certain to get worse in the opening 40 minutes here when they were utterly awful.
Indeed, when Leicester went ahead through Riyad Mahrez, the only question was how many would follow.
But just like that, Leicester crumbled, undone by their complacency and a chronic inability to defend free-kicks and corners, with both Molla Wague’s 45th-minute equaliser and Kasper Schmeichel’s own goal originating from set-pieces.
It is damning that of the 30 goals Leicester have conceded this season, 13 have come that way — the worst record in the division.
Claude Puel is unhappy about that fact, but also acknowledged this result came down to ‘fantastic saves’ from Gomes, who just three days earlier was blamed by some for the loss at Brighton.
It was a fine redemption for the Brazilian and one that also saves face for Silva, because it had become an inconvenient truth that Watford’s form collapsed soon after their manager had his head turned by Everton.
‘The form was not the best but the way we reacted showed personality,’ said Silva. ‘When we started well this season, everyone was talking about Europa League (qualification). But I always said I knew the reality of the club.’
On Gomes, Silva added: ‘He is important. Some put fault on him at Brighton. But when we win and lose, we win and lose together.’
And yet for a large chunk of this match, the remainder of the Watford side, excluding Andre Carrillo, did not pull their weight. True, they had seven players out injured and Troy Deeney suspended, but they were cut apart at will by Leicester early on. Okazaki O had an excellent chance ch saved by Gomes and shortly sh after Jamie Vardy made a hash of a one-on-one.
The breakthrough came after 37 3 minutes when Marc Albrighton A crossed for Mahrez, who w had run untracked to the far fa post. A good header for the goal, g yes, but it didn’t need to be b much more because of the marking. Leicester looked set to canter clear at that point having h gone unbeaten in their previous pr seven away games. Instead, they imploded.
A Tom Cleverley corner made the leveller, with former Leicester loanee Wague launching a shot over the line at the back post on his first start for Watford. Seconds later, Richarlison was blocked by Schmeichel.
That save showcased the good in Schmeichel; the one he conceded in the 65th minute showed the bad, with the keeper nudging in a shot from the tightest of angles by Abdoulaye Doucoure after his defence made a mess of Cleverley’s free-kick.
‘We need to correct things on set-pieces,’ Puel said.
True. But even with those deficiencies, Leicester had chances to draw or win this game. Thankfully for Silva, Watford had Gomes.