Anyway, that’s your lot. Jacob Steinberg was our man at Vicarage Road, and here’s his take on a fine Chelsea attacking show. Thanks for reading the MBM!
Frank Lampard holds a post-match debrief with Sky. He’s very happy with his team, save a “sloppy” period just before half-time. He’s particularly pleased with his midfield engine room of Mateo Kovacic and Jorginho. Also the manner in which his defenders played out from the back ... though he admits they might have got “over-confident” just before conceding the penalty. But it’s been a good day for him on balance, with Arsenal drawing at home to Wolves and Manchester United going down at Bournemouth.
Wow, Chelsea made a meal of that. They could, and arguably should, have been streets ahead. But they missed a fair few chances, while Watford keeper Ben Foster pulled off a series of heroic saves. Gerard Deulofeu’s cheaply purchased late penalty gave Watford a sniff of an unlikely point, and they nearly salvaged a draw at the death. Foster hugs Kepa as the whistle blows on a tale of two keepers. What marvellous entertainment!
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FULL TIME: Watford 1-2 Chelsea
Foster comes up ... and nearly sends a diving header into the bottom right! But Kepa turns it away, the last touch of the match! Chelsea hang on for their seventh away win in a row ... and Watford remain rooted to the bottom of the table.
90 min +6: Or is it?! Doucoure drives down the left and is clipped by Mount, who is booked for then kicking the ball away. A free kick. Watford load the box!
90 min +5: Willian is replaced by James. Mariappa flings a long throw into the Chelsea mixer, but Dawson can’t get his head on it. Then Masina flashes one harmlessly wide, and that will surely be that.
90 min +4: Willian is down, so Chelsea are effectively seeing this out with ten men. And there’s a game of head tennis in their area, Doucoure unable to meet Deulofeu’s right-wing cross flush. Yet again, Chelsea clear, though they’re in a big panic now.
90 min +3: Deulofeu dances down the right, pushing Chelsea back towards their own box. But he can’t find anyone in yellow and black with his cross. Chelsea clear their lines again.
90 min +2: Deulofeu and Hughes work hard down the right wing, but can’t prise Chelsea open. The visitors hold their shape with ease.
90 min +1: ... and yet they’re now hanging on, the crowd having been energised by the announcement of five added minutes. Doucoure has a dig from distance, but his effort is blocked. How on earth have Chelsea got themselves into this position?!
90 min: Batshuayi spins Mariappa and romps clear. He should score, but hesitates and allows Masina to come across and block. It’s really not clear how Chelsea have only scored two goals this evening. They should have had a hatful.
89 min: Jorginho is booked for taking an age over a free kick out on the right. He’ll miss the upcoming game against Crystal Palace as a result.
88 min: Batshuayi comes on for Abraham.
87 min: Deulofeu and the gloriously chippy Jorginho lock horns over something or other. VAR has a quick look but it’s deemed a lot of noise over nothing, grown men and all.
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86 min: Willian drives down the right. His low cross is nearly hooked goalwards by Hudson-Odoi, but the hosts clear.
84 min: Masina attempts a shot from distance that’s at the very upper end of ambitious. And the ball nestles in the very upper end of the stand behind the goal. What a waste of good territory. Also a chance for Chelsea to take their sweet time to restart.
83 min: Pulisic is replaced by Hudson-Odoi. A rare old atmosphere at Vicarage Road now, and we have ourselves a denouement!
82 min: Dawson comes sliding in on Emerson. You’ve seen red cards given for challenges like that, his studs showing. But it’s just a yellow, and VAR’s not of a mind to overturn it. Well, well.
81 min: Watford could easily have been on the end of a Southampton-sized humiliation, were it not for Foster’s heroics. But now the game’s suddenly in the balance! Football, huh.
GOAL! Watford 1-2 Chelsea (Deulofeu 80 pen)
Deulofeu slams the penalty into the bottom left. Kepa with no chance!
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Penalty for Watford!
79 min: After an age, VAR gives a penalty to Watford! There was contact, even if Deulofeu went down in instalments. He’ll take the spot kick himself!
78 min: Now the crowd are belting out the modern classic Fuck VAR. Preach on, everyone.
77 min: Deulofeu goes down in the box after being tapped on the ankle by Jorginho. This one’s going to VAR. It’s a theatrical tumble, and a delayed reaction, though that doesn’t necessarily mean he’ll not get the decision.
75 min: Janmaat is replaced by Kiko. It’s not a popular decision, and the Watford faithful launch into a rendition of You Don’t Know What You’re Doing. Po’ Quique. His second honeymoon period at the club hasn’t lasted too long, has it.
73 min: Mount exchanges quick passes with Jorginho and has a dig from the edge of the box. He doesn’t quite catch it ... but Foster does. Chelsea look like scoring every time they go forward.
71 min: Some space for Janmaat down the right. He reaches the byline and stands one up for Hughes in the centre. Hughes is free, ten yards out, but his attempt to connect head to bouncing ball is both strange and not very good.
70 min: Nothing comes of the set piece, though Jorginho comes together with Hughes on the edge of the box, and he’s after a penalty. He’s not getting it. There is some official action soon after, though, as Janmaat is booked for a silly slide on Pulisic.
69 min: Chelsea play their way out of a tight spot at the back. Mount should spring Pulisic clear, but overhits the pass. No matter, because the visitors are soon coming back at their hosts. The increasingly influential Kovacic twists down the middle and dinks forward for Abraham, who turns on a sixpence and nearly gets a shot on target. Instead, the ball’s deflected away for a corner.
67 min: Hughes comes on for Chalobah.
66 min: Chelsea ping it around, and their fans enjoy every kick.
64 min: Willian causes more bother down the right. He cuts back for Kovacic, who shoots towards the bottom left. The ball flies wide, though Abraham isn’t far away from turning the poor effort into a successful cross, an inch or so shy of poking home from six yards. Goal kick. This isn’t going to end 0-2, surely not. More goals to come.
62 min: Willian slips Azpilicueta clear on the overlap down the right. The Chelsea captain stands one up. It’s half cleared, but drops to Kovacic on the edge of the box. The resulting shot whistles straight down Foster’s throat. Sure, Watford might not be the toughest opponents ... but even so, Chelsea are really good to watch in full flight.
60 min: That’s Foster’s fifth fine save of the evening. You couldn’t really fault him had he let all those chances past. This could have been a very embarrassing scoreline. It still might be, because Chelsea don’t look in the mood to stop piling forward.
58 min: Willian has the wind in his sail. He goes on a blistering run down the right, but can’t quite find Pulisic with a diagonal pass. Then Kovacic drives down the middle ... and he does find Pulisic, sending him into the area down the left. Pulisic’s low shot across Foster is heading into the bottom right. But the keeper sticks out a leg to divert.
57 min: That will have been a sickener for Watford, who had attacked with positivity since the restart. It’s an uphill task now, though. Another week spent rock bottom looks likely.
GOAL! Watford 0-2 Chelsea (Pulisic 55)
Willian drives forward down the centre. He slips a ball to his right for Abraham, who squares it across goal. Pulisic arrives to slam home from six yards. Easy as that. Four in two for the young American!
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53 min: In an attempt to win a 50-50 challenge in midfield, Dawson spins Abraham around in a headlock. Free kick, though he’s pretty fortunate to escape a booking.
52 min: Willian is down complaining after being legitimately whacked by a hard-tackling Chalobah. He should be OK to continue, though.
50 min: Watford deal with Pulisic’s corner easily. Foster has been immense tonight. Watford would be getting spanked without him.
49 min: A stunning pitch-long move by Chelsea, started by Pulisic near his own left-hand corner flag. Willian scampers towards the Watford box and feeds Mount to his left. Mount pearls a shot goalwards, but it’s parried well by Foster. It’s a corner.
47 min: Emerson takes a fresh-air kick and allows Deulofeu to make good towards the Chelsea box down the right. Deulofeu slips the ball across to Gray, who looks like having a free crack from the penalty spot ... but out of nowhere comes Zouma, sliding across to block at the very last second! That was Watford’s best move of the match, but what sensational defending by Zouma to deny them an equaliser.
46 min: Emerson and Pulisic combine neatly in the middle. The former bursts into a lot of space, and is cynically clipped by Kabasele, who is booked for his trouble.
Watford get the second half underway. There have been no half-time changes.
Half-time reading. Here’s how the two teams currently above Chelsea did earlier this afternoon. Plenty of late drama just a click away!
HALF TIME: Watford 0-1 Chelsea
After going behind early doors to Tammy Abraham’s fine goal, Watford have done well to stay in this game. Having said that, without Ben Foster, they’d be four goals down. As things stand, Chelsea will rise to third place this evening.
45 min: A free kick for Watford out on the right. They load the box. Deulofeu whips it in, but Mariappa can’t get a decent connection on his header. There will be one added minute.
43 min: Mount dribbles sensationally around a couple of challenges on the left, real ball-glued-to-boot stuff in a tight spot. He then launches an equally wonderful shot towards the top right from 25 yards. Foster gets a fingernail to it, and diverts it from the corner onto the underside of the bar and out! That was top-drawer football all round. What a save (pt.III in a continuing series)! But what a talent Mount is.
41 min: Watford are beginning to create proper chances now. Deulofeu’s cute flick down the right allows Doucoure to make his way towards the Chelsea box. His shot isn’t all that, and easily deflected away from danger. This is a brave effort by Watford after their dreadfully slow start.
39 min: Deulofeu wins a corner down the right. Chelsea half clear the set piece, but Deulofeu is able to come straight back at Chelsea, dribbling at pace down the same flank, cutting inside, and lashing a low diagonal shot inches wide of the left-hand post. A decent effort, although he’ll be annoyed not to have hit the target at the very least.
38 min: Pulisic attempts to release Abraham down the middle with a basic hoof, and nearly succeeds, but Dawson battles hard and Foster is able to deal with the situation.
36 min: Pereyra feeds Doucoure down the right. Doucoure’s low cross, intended for Gray in the middle, is blocked by Emerson. Watford are at least finding some good areas now, even if they’re yet to seriously work Kepa.
35 min: ... nothing happens. They faff about with a short corner, and suddenly the ball’s shuttled all the way back to Kepa! What total nonsense.
34 min: Pulisic slides a pass down the inside left for Mount, who reaches the byline and cuts back, hoping to find Willian. Watford bundle the ball out for a corner on the left. From which ...
32 min: Watford are working their way into this now. Pereyra nearly releases Deulofeu with a long rake down the right, but his team-mate can’t bring the ball down. Then Gray is sent scampering along the left. He doesn’t back himself against Zouma and turns tail. But the crowd are a little happier now, as Watford spend a bit of quality time in the Chelsea half at last.
30 min: Willian dribbles down the right and cuts inside. He’s afforded a preposterous amount of time to shoot, but his attempt to curl a shot into the bottom corner is weak and easily gathered by Foster.
28 min: Chalobah has a crack from the best part of 30 yards. The ball is blocked the second it leaves his boot. Watford have suddenly stepped it up, harassing Chelsea into a couple of loose passes. Small acorns, and all that.
26 min: Zouma dawdles and allows Pereyra to strip him of the ball. But as Pereyra advances towards the box, he’s quickly swarmed and Chelsea clear their lines. This is all too easy for the visitors at the minute.
25 min: Doucoure tries to inject some zest into Watford’s game, barging through the middle of the park. But he doesn’t have any options. Possession’s given up soon enough.
23 min: Willian sends Azpilicueta into space down the right. The Chelsea captain whistles a low diagonal ball through the box. Watford are forced to concede a corner, and deal with the subsequent set piece easily enough. But Chelsea look like scoring every time they pile forward.
21 min: Masina makes his way down the right and crosses into the Chelsea box. Doucoure competes but can’t connect. A little better from the hosts.
20 min: Cathcart can’t continue. He makes way for Mariappa.
19 min: And from the set piece, another stunning save by Foster! Willian’s corner from the right is met by Pulisic at the near post. He sends a looping header across goal, towards the top left. It’s dropping in, but Foster heroically back-pedals and claws it out! He’s just kept Watford in this game ... though for how long is moot, given the way the rest of the team are playing right now.
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18 min: Mount tears towards the Watford box. His shot is deflected left, into the path of Abraham, who is clear in the area! His shot is parried brilliantly by Foster. Corner.
17 min: ... though on the whole, Watford are struggling to get a foothold in this game. Chelsea have enjoyed nearly 70 percent possession so far.
15 min: This is better from Watford. Deulofeu causes some bother down the right. The ball ends up clanking around in the Chelsea area. Chalobah imposes a little control, cushioning a pass back to tee up the in-rushing Pereyra, who sidefoots harmlessly into the arms of Kepa. A tame finish, but perhaps that little passage of play will help build some much-needed confidence.
14 min: Space for Willian down the right. He launches a 100mph ball across the face of goal. A toenail to that, and it was flying into the net. But nobody in blue can get there fast enough.
13 min: Cathcart is down, frowning. The medical staff come on and give him the once over. It looks as though he’ll be good to continue, whatever’s up with him.
12 min: Willian tries to lob Foster from the halfway line, pretty much. It’s always floating wide. But there’s confidence for you. It’s coursing through the veins of the Chelsea collective.
11 min: Deulofeu tries to get something going for Watford down the left, but there’s nobody around to help him in his quest. Chelsea are looking very comfortable, Watford already slightly panicky and desperate.
9 min: Mount wastes the good position by ballooning his delivery miles over the bar. A shot that redefined ambition.
8 min: More of the Chelsea passing. Chalobah gets fed up with it and bundles Mount over. A free kick in a dangerous position out on the left. Chelsea load the box.
6 min: Watford look stunned. The crowd, falling quiet, certainly sound it. Willian threatens to break dangerously down the right, but can’t quite stay in control. The Premier League’s bottom side need to get their act together, and quick.
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GOAL! Watford 0-1 Chelsea (Abraham 5)
Well this didn’t take long. Kovacic passes infield from the right, on the halfway line. Jorginho plays a delightful long curling pass down the inside-right channel, releasing Abraham, who beats Foster to the ball and sidefoots over the keeper from the edge of the box. What a lovely finish ... and some pass, too.
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4 min: See 2 min, though Watford might be getting a little sick of it now.
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2 min: It’s all Chelsea possession early doors. Ping, pass, ping, pass. All in the midfield, and Watford don’t seem to mind too much.
And we’re off! Chelsea get the ball rolling. If they win tonight, it’ll be their seventh consecutive away win, and it’d equal a club record set back in the days when they were managed by Bobby Campbell and played in the old Second Division.
The teams are out! Watford are in their trademark yellow and black, arranged in Victorian-era halves, while Chelsea wear 1980s distressed blue. It’s still a miserable evening. We’ll be off soon, after a minute’s quiet reflection ahead of Remembrance Day.
And now it’s a quick word with Quique Sánchez Flores. “We are improving, getting more solid. We will try to take the next step and win. We need more possession in the last third, and we need to relax more making our decisions.”
Frank Lampard talks to Sky. “I’m aware of how the Premier League works, and it’s easy and casual to say what’s expected today because of the league positions. That doesn’t come into my thinking at all. I see a team that were strong last year, have pretty much similar personnel, and have a reason to get a result and get up the table. They’re a more dangerous animal where they are than possibly anywhere else in the league! So we have to be on our game. We’ve been good away from home and we want to continue that.”
Big stakes tonight at Vicarage Road, now all the 3pm matches are done and dusted. Chelsea will move into third place, above Leicester City, should they avoid defeat. Watford can only move off the bottom if they win, though if they manage to pick up their first three-point haul of the season, they’ll leapfrog Norwich City and Southampton into 18th place.
Avant-garde weather report.
Watford make one change to the XI that started the goalless draw with Bournemouth. Tom Cleverley is replaced by Andre Gray.
Chelsea also make one change to the team named for the win against Burnley. Marcos Alonso drops to the bench, to be replaced by Emerson.
The teams
Watford: Foster, Dawson, Cathcart, Kabasele, Janmaat, Doucoure, Chalobah, Masina, Deulofeu, Pereyra, Gray.
Subs: Gomes, Mariappa, Hughes, Femenia, Success, Holebas, Foulquier.
Chelsea: Arrizabalaga, Azpilicueta, Zouma, Tomori, Emerson Palmieri, Jorginho, Kovacic, Willian, Mount, Pulisic, Abraham.
Subs: Alonso, Caballero, Giroud, Hudson-Odoi, Batshuayi, James, Gilmour.
Referee: Anthony Taylor (Cheshire).
Preamble
This is asking for trouble, of course it is. But there could be plenty of goals here this evening. Entertainment a-go-go!
You see, bottom-of-the-league Watford are a shambles right now. They’ve yet to win in the Premier League this season. They’ve already shipped three goals twice at Vicarage Road, against Brighton on the opening day and against West Ham not long after that. They were also absolutely battered by the last top and in-form team they played, shipping eight at Manchester City. Solidity is very much a pipe dream at present.
So they’ll doubtless be less than thrilled to see Chelsea heaving into view. Frank Lampard’s young side have already scored 16 goals on their travels in this campaign. Then again, that defence isn’t the finished article quite yet, and they’ve also let 11 in. The Hornets can also take succour from their recent form under returning manager Quique Sánchez Flores. Three draws in a row might not represent sparkling form, though they were four minutes and one VAR decision away from a win at Spurs, and in any case you’ve got to start the rebuild slowly.
Chelsea are favourites for this, then, not least because they’ve won five of their last six matches against Watford. The hosts will take a little heart from the one other match in that sequence - a 4-1 skelping of the Blues in February 2018 - and from the fact that a first league win of the season has to come at some point. Doesn’t it? It’s on!
Kick off: 5.30pm GMT.
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