FRANK NOT TOO GOOD
Lamps missing home delights on the road
EVERTON fans tried to turn Vicarage Road into Goodison Park – but this time they couldn’t suck the ball into the net.
Toffees boss Frank Lampard
(inset, right) has his club’s supporters to thank for inspiring crucial victories against Chelsea and Leicester.
But this proved a step too far for them without their raucous home support as they missed a chance to put daylight between them and the bottom three.
With Leeds losing at home to Chelsea, it wasn’t all bad for the Blues, but already relegated, injury-hit Watford, were there for the taking.
The Hornets had lost 11 consecutive home games in the Premier League before this. A top-flight record.
But the Merseysiders just could not find a single moment of real quality to make the difference in what was a hugely disappointing display.
Roy Hodgson was missing ten players through injury or illness – and quite a few fans too judging by the empty seats.
The outgoing Watford boss was forced to apologise this week for snubbing the Hornets’ away support when they were relegated at Crystal Palace last weekend.
It won’t be his problem for much longer. Before kick-off the home side confirmed the appointment of Rob Edwards, who has just led Forest Green Rovers to the League Two title.
But they were also forced to defend themselves from criticism by Rovers’ owner Dale Vince that talks had taken place behind his back.
Ironic then that Everton would be in town as it was the Toffees facing just accusation when they poached Marco Silva from Watford in 2018.
Desperate to stay clear of the drop zone, the visitors started strongly, roared on by an away end that sang their hearts out.
All that was missing for Everton was the final ball – but by half-time neither side had managed a shot on target.
Jordan Pickford, whose brilliant 40-yard sidewinder was a first-half highlight, then did well to race out and clear at the feet of Watford’s Ken Sema.
And Moussa Sissoko really should have done better when he glanced a header from the resulting free-kick wide.
But Ben Foster did even better at the other end to save from Richarlison, whose effort took a massive deflection.
Demarai Gray wasted another great chance by scuffing a shot wide and Michael Keane had a header saved as the visitors pressed for a breakthrough.
But the longer it stayed goalless the more frustrated Everton got and the more tension filled the air as Watford slowly started to enjoy more possession. The Hornets were under no pressure and they played with a degree of freedom.
Lampard must have sensed it too because he sent on Dominic Calvert-Lewin for Gray – but it made no difference.
And Burnley could now go back above them with a win at Tottenham this Sunday before Everton play again, later that day, at home to Brentford.
WATFORD (4-3-3): Foster 7; Ngakia 6, Kabasele 6, Samir 6, Masina 6; Sissoko 6, Kayembe 6 (Etebo 89), Gosling 6; Kalu 6 (Cathcart 86), Pedro 6, Sema 6.
EVERTON (5-4-1): Pickford 6; Iwobi 6, Coleman 6, Keane 7, Holgate 7, Mykolenko 6; Gray 5 (Calvert-Lewin 77), DELPH 8 (Allan 81), Doucoure 6, Gordon 6; Richarlison 5. REFEREE: Mike Dean 6.