Full-time: Watford 1-1 Crystal Palace
Palace will take that point on the balance of play. But it could have been a different story had Benteke scored that penalty to put Palace 2-0 up in the first half.
Apparently Watford’s mascot, Harry the Hornet, simulated a dive in front of Zaha after the final whistle, as the Palace man went over to applaud the travelling fans. Pathetic and hilarious in equal measure.
Clattenberg isn’t the most popular man at Vicarage Road, but he had a fantastic game. Got all the big decisions right.
Current mood:
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90+3 min: Mutch goes down under the challenge of Kaboul. Again Clattenberg waves the play on. Big Sam smiles wryly. It will be interesting to hear his take on the referees’ performance in his post-match interview.
90+1 min: Britos is booked for a foul of Benteke, he will now miss Watford’s next match against Tottenham on New Year’s Day through suspension.
90 min: Guedioura hits a effor the volley, but Hennessey is down low to save to his right. Four minutes added on for injury-time.
87 min: Palace break in numbers, Zaha this time on the right, running at Britos. Just as he is entering Watford’s penalty area, Zaha hits the deck but Clattenburg awards a free kick to Watford, and a yellow card to Zaha for diving. Replays show it is another excellent decision by Clattenberg. Needless to say, Allardyce isn’t best pleased, clearly mouthing two words that begin with an F and a W.
Bit of trivia for you: if you’ve ever wondered why Clattenberg wears a long-sleeved shirt, it is because the Premier League force him to, on account of his tattoos. He also has a Porsche and a BMW, one of which has the license plate “C19TTS”. True story.
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86 min: The Best League In The World™.
Total football. Cruyff would have been proud of this. This is what makes Premier League best league in the world. pic.twitter.com/pY2BUN0RbE
— BlueCityZen (@BlueCitizen007) December 26, 2016
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84 min: Watford make their final change: Zuniga off (who himself came off the bench in the third minute), Sinclair on. Watford look like they are playing three up top now: Deeney, Ighalo and Sinclair.
@michaelbutler18 It's J. Cholevas. Which he is also called. Not clear why he's switched English rendering...
— pierre hyde (@craftybison) December 26, 2016
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82 min: Deeney gets a blow in the back of the head from Mutch, requiring treatment. That’s a welcome break for Palace, who have been struggling to keep pace with Watford’s tempo. And breathe.
Palace sub - Flamini off, Campbell on.
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80 min: The ball is in the air for appoximately 93% of all play. This is an ugly game, that is going to be won and lost by a header.
Never has this quote from Palace’s co-chairman Steve Parish (made after sacking Pardew and before Allardyce’s appointment) felt more appropriate:
We all bought into the decision to play a more expansive style of football. We all believed in it. That hasn’t worked. It’s no-one’s fault. But now we’re going to wind the dial back the other way.
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78 min: Palace win a free-kick, and lump it into the box, Gomes clattering into his own man, Prodl, as he catches the ball.
76 min: There’s only one winner here at present: the home side. Delaney gets two conflicting calls from his team-mates under a high ball, and heads the ball out for a corner, needlessly. But it’s well defended by Benteke again at that near post. He’s known for his goals scored, but I wonder how many goals he prevents defensively.
74 min: Watford’s fans have had a huge effect on their team. Every tackle is being cheered, and Palace’s defenders look extremely shaky in clearing the ball, with Deeney and Ighalo breathing down their necks and Vicarage Road screaming in their ears.
Palace make a change: Townsend off, Mutch on, his first appearance for Palace since August.
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GOAL! Watford 1-1 Crystal Palace (Deeney pen 72)
Watford’s captain smashes it down the middle. His 100th goal for Watford, his first since early October.
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Penalty to Watford! Delaney is penalised for dragging back Prodl!
He’s taken his fair share of stick this game, but that is a magnificent decision from Clattenburg. Spotted a clear foul in a crowd of players, as the corner was whipped in.
70 min: Zuniga tricks his way past Kelly, and wins a corner. I’ll shut up.
@michaelbutler18 Zuniga is best known for kneeing Neymar in the back and knocking him our of the 2014 World Cup. I would say no.
— Jeff Ives (@jeffreydives) December 26, 2016
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68 min: Is Zuniga actually any good? Can’t say I’ve seen a lot of him, but as he skies a shot a good 20 yards over the bar, I’d been inclined to say: no.
64 min: “Where is Mike Dean on that illustrious list of the world’s top referees?” asks Sean Revill. “Surely some mistake...”
62 min: This is very quickly descending into an ugly, scrappy game, which is just how Big Sam likes it.
60 min: Palace are struggling with the physicality of Deeney and Ighalo, under the high ball. Deeney forces Dann to concede a corner, from which Benteke misses his clearance at the near post, with the ball fizzing across Palace’s six-yard box. It could have gone anywhere, but luckily for Palace, it falls to Zuniga who is unable to turn the ball back into the danger zone.
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58 min: Watford go route one, and it nearly works! Gomes launches a huge kick upfield, Dann misjudges the bounce, and just for a moment it looks as though Ighalo sneaks in to fire past Hennessey, but the Nigerian is forced wide and in the end his shot is off target.
55 min: A lull in play. Did anybody get any nice football-related presents? I asked for some boots, but got a 2017 diary instead. It does have a ‘Graph’ section at the back, should I want to accurately sketch an X-Y axis, so swings and roundabouts.
53 min: Holebas is given a yellow card for a late challenge on Puncheon. Deserves. I’ve just noticed that the Greek defender has ‘J.C HOLEBAS’ on the back of his shirt today. Does anybody know why? Perhaps a tribute to Jesus Christ?
michael.butler@theguardian.com or @michaelbutler18, if you’ve any answers.
51 min: Palace embark on another counter-attack, and Zaha finds himself in acres of space, with just Kaboul to beat. Zaha feints and dances, but just when you think he’s going to pull the trigger, he delays once more, passes square to Townsend and the momentum is taken out of the move. Zaha’s decision making is perhaps the reason why he is yet to be regarded as a top-level player. Zaha is at his best when he doesn’t have time to think, and makes instinctive decisions.
49 min: Guedioura does well down Watford’s left, wriggling clear of Dann and is brought down on the byline. The ball is hung right under Palace’s crossbar, but Hennessey does extremely well to claim the ball under pressure from Prodl.
48 min: “Clattenberg scores well with football organizations because he favours the big clubs over the small clubs every time,” emails Ray Ward. “He is their thumb on the scale, ensuring the big names succeed.”
Which one is the big/small club here? I genuinely can’t say which of Palace or Watford is the bigger club.
46 min: Good start from Watford. Nothing more than a few hopeful crosses and long-throws into the box, but Palace are struggling to clear their lines. You would back Deeney or Ighalo to make one of those centres count as the half goes on.
Peeeeeeeeep! And we’re underway again.
Something to warm the hearts of Palace fans: Mark Clattenburg has just won the World’s Best Referee Award for 2016 (by some distance), as voted for by The International Federation of Football History & Statistics. He took charge of the FA Cup final, the Champions League final and the Euro 2016 final this year.
1 – Mark Clattenburg (England) 141 points
2 – Nicola Rizzoli (Italy) 65 points
3 – Viktor Kassaï (Hungary) 55 points
4 – Jonas Eriksson (Sweden) 43 points
5 = Cuneyt Cakir (Turkey) 28 points
5 = Björn Kuipers (Netherlands) 28 points
7 – Felix Brych (Germany) 26 points
8 – Martin Atkinson (England) 20 points
9 – Damir Skomina (Slovenia) 19 points
10 – Nestor Pitana (Argentina) 14 points
11 – Sandro Ricci (Brasil) 12 points
12 – Carlos Vellasco Carballo (Spain) 8 points
13 – Grisha Gheas (Egypt) 7 points
14 = Malang Diedhiou (Senegal) 5 points
14 = Cesar Ramos (Mexico) 5 points
16 – Ovidiu Hategan (Romania) 3 points
17 = Sergei Karasev (Russia) 2 points
17 = Clement Turpin (France) 2 points
17 = Simon Marciniak (Poland) 2 points
17 = William Collum (Scotland) 2 points
21 = Ryuji Sato (Japan) 1 point
21 = Milorad Mazic (Serbia) 1 point
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Half-time reading:
Half-time quizzin’
Half-time: Watford 0-1 Crystal Palace
Current mood:
45+4 min: Deeney holds the ball up well with his back to goal, and slips in Ighalo round the corner, but Ward just gets a toe to the ball before the Nigerian. Free-kick to Palace inside their own six-yard box. This time, Watford’s fans tell Clattenburg where to go.
45+2 min: Zaha stretches his legs for the first time in forever, tempting Kaboul with an ill-timed challenge. Puncheon has an opportunity to whip the ball into Watford’s box, with Dann and Delaney both up from the back … straight into the hands of Gomes.
45 min: Five minutes added on here, owing to the injuries sustained by Behrami and Janmaat at the beginning of this half.
44 min: Benteke is given a yellow card for wrestling Holebas to the ground. Two minutes earlier he had been warned on his conduct after straight-arming Prodl under a high ball. Clattenburg is quick to issue a card this time around. Palace’s fans start up their Clattenburg chant once more.
41 min: Palace’s full back, Martin Kelly and Joel Ward, have not been in Watford’s half since the first 10 minutes. They are defending deep and narrow, covering Dann and Delaney well. Not the modern-full back we are used to in the Premier League these days, but its working. Palace haven’t conceded in 41 minutes away from home, which is good going considering their record.
39 min: That penalty save has lifted Watford. You wouldn’t put it past them getting an equaliser before half-time.
Penalty saved! Gomes dives to his left to deny Benteke!
It was a poor penalty. Benteke tried to give Gomes to eyes, and roll the ball camly into the corner, but Watford’s goalkeeper guessed right, palmed the ball out of danger and had time to get up and collect it.
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Penalty to Palace!
Prodl lays a terrible back-pass to Gomes, but the Brazilian doesn’t get there, and Benteke nips in to toe the ball past the keeper, before being brought to the turf. No brainer. Sloppy play, and Palace have the chance to go 2-0 up!
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34 min: Ighalo goes down on the edge of the area, Clattenburg plays advantage, when the ball breaks to Amrabat. The Moroccan’s shot is weak. Surely Watford would have preferred a free-kick on the edge of the box?
30 min: Watford really look like they are missing Pereyra. The Argentinian is a big reason why Watford have, despite their striking problems, had a good start to the season, but his injury sustained earlier this month against Manchester City has put the brakes on their season somewhat. The creative responsibility lies largely with Amrabat now, and Joel Ward is going a good job of keeping the Moroccan quiet, with the help of Zaha.
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27 min: Apologies to our readers around the globe. Still backing a Watford win now?
@michaelbutler18 Oh, why can't I eat cheese? It's 8.30pm here, time for a post-prandial platter to perfect the day. Watford to win, just.
— Andrew Benton (@thangnangman) December 26, 2016
GOAL! Watford 0-1 Crystal Palace (Cabaye 25)
Cabaye does get his goal! Townsend is the latest to run at Watford’s defence, and a lovely reverse pass leaves Cabaye completely clear and one-on-one with Gomes. The Frenchman smashes a low cross into the far corner: he looked offside but replays show that Kaboul was playing Cabaye on. Palace 1-0 up, they deserve that.
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24 min: And here they go: Benteke spearheading a counter-attack, flanked by Townsend and Zaha. The big Belgian goes alone, feints to shoot to put Prodl on his arse, but sees his resulting shot blocked. Cabaye follows up but screws his shot two yards wide from the edge of the box. Close.
22 min: This type of game might suit Palace, sitting back and hitting Watford on the break with their lightning quick attackers.
19 min: Watford are enjoying the majority of possession now. They look a team transformed from the first 10 minutes, when Palace travelling support were singing “He’s just too good for you” about Zaha.
Now, they’re losing 50-50 battles and not getting the run of the green. Cue the song: “It’s all about you, it’s all about yooou, F Off Clattenburg, it’s all about you.”
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17 min: Rob Edwards has emailed regarding the injuries to Janmaat and Behrami …
“I guess going for a quick jog before the game is a little too much to ask for elite footballers? Wonder if these two will face further penalty from the club?”
Nope. Just the normal salary and appearance bonus. And maybe now they can go to that NYE party.
15 min: Already Watford looking a better team for the presence of Deeney, who flicks a delightful first touch into the path of Ighalo, who thus far, hasn’t had a kick. Watford win a corner – no side has conceded more set-piece goals than Palace this season – but it’s well defended at the near post by the considerable forehead of Benteke.
13 min: Behrami is the latest player to collapse on the ground, clutching his hamstring. Nobody touched him. Another player who hasn’t warmed up properly. Deeney comes on, and Watford change to two up front. But now they have 76 minutes to play with just one substitution remaining. Walter Mazzarri must be furious with his fitness/conditioning coach. You had one job.
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11 min: There’s only one team in this at the moment. Zaha has done six stepovers so far, and Zuniga looks as though he wishes he was still on that bench. Townsend comes in from the right flank and fires one from range, but it comes to nothing.
9 min: “What is going on with the Big Man’s shave?” emails Harry Carl Pocock. “His face is cut to ribbons. He may need the services of a professional, or at least to remember to turn the light on.”
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7 min: Zaha is having a field day. Zuniga simply can’t live with him, although in fairness the subsitute isn’t getting much help from his team-mates, which is badly needed. Zaha breezes past Zuniga with ease, gets to the byline and crosses well to the six-yard box, where Benteke is nowhere to be seen. Zaha holds his hands up in frustration. The boy is on fire at the moment.
5 min: Palace have one strategy right now, give the ball to Zaha. It’s working: he turns Zuniga inside out on the left, darting inside, and the covering Guedioura brings Zaha down, approximately 0.4cm outside of the penalty box. It’s the right decision. Cabaye whips the ball in, but Capoue heads clear.
3 min: Janmaat has gone down in a heap on the floor, as a result of that challenge on Zaha. Looks like he’s done his groin. “It doesn’t look like it’s that serious,” muses Sky Sports’ Alan Smith, as Janmaat is stretchered from the field …
Personally I have no sympathy for Janmaat. His injury is almost certainly a result of not doing his warm-up properly. Zuniga is on in his place.
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1 min: Zaha takes Janmaat to task straight away down the left flank, and forces the Dutchman to concede a corner after 20 seconds. It’s floated, not whipped in by Cabaye, and well collected by Gomes.
#watfordfc's @hdgomes makes his league century for the Hornets this afternoon 💯 pic.twitter.com/rXJ1njefcd
— Watford FC (@WatfordFC) December 26, 2016
Peeep! And we’re off. Stop eating cheese. It’s barely past midday.
The teams are out. It’s a glorious sunny Boxing Day in Watford.
Do get in touch today with any thoughts or questions. Email michael.butler@theguardian.com or tweet me @michaelbutler18.
Mark Clattenburg is our referee today, which is not great news for Palace. Since their promotion back to the Premier League in 2013, Palace have failed to win – and lost seven – any of the 10 Premier League matches he has overseen.
Many Palace fans still feel aggrieved at Clattenburg’s performance in the FA Cup final earlier this year, which Palace lost 2-1 in extra time to Manchester United. On three separate occasions, Clattenburg failed to play a clear advantage.
Sounds like he’s not had much more than a watching brief in training, then. Still, he’s picked a bold side. You get the sneaking suspicion that Andros Townsend is set for a revival under Allardyce. He’s just the kind of direct wide player that he loves.
Meanwhile, it is just a second Palace start for Flamini. He’s probably the only player in Palace’s midfield whose first thoughts will be to defend. Benteke and Zaha are widely seen as Palace’s most influential players, but the importance of an anchor in front of their shaky back four is vital, and since the departure of Mile Jedinak in the summer, nobody has made that position their own.
Big Sam has been talking to the cameras.
“I’ve hardly had time to breathe. Just to get amongst the lads, overseen by Keith [Millen], and just watched and learned. I’ve just tried to build the confidence, really.
“Keith and the lads have prepared the players. I’ve been sitting and watching. Now, it’s about players walking over the white line. the It’s really about making too many mistakes. First thing for me is to come away without getting beat.”
Louise Taylor has written this on what Palace fans might expect from their new manager.
Troy Deeney is on the bench! Take that, Watford’s captain, who hasn’t scored in 10 matches, since 1 October. He’s still in the hunt for his 100th Watford goal. The club’s other strikers, Isaac Success and Stefano Okaka, are not fit enough for the bench, so Watford look like they’re lining up in a 4-5-1 formation, which should give the impressive Nordin Amrabat license to roam. Martin Kelly, you’re in for an interesting afternoon.
Simon Burnton has written this piece on Watford’s strike force, do give it a read.
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Today’s teams
Watford: Gomes, Kaboul, Prodl, Britos, Janmaat, Behrami, Guedioura, Holebas, Amrabat, Capoue, Ighalo.
Subs: Deeney, Cathcart, Doucoure, Zuniga, Sinclair, Kabasele, Pantilimon.
Remember that bit in the preamble about where I said Sam Allardyce might address the defensive issues that have been bothering Palace of late? Yeah, you can forget about that.
Crystal Palace: Hennessey, Kelly, Dann, Delaney, Ward, Flamini, Cabaye, Zaha, Puncheon, Townsend, Christian Benteke.
Subs: Speroni, Campbell, Lee, Fryers, Mutch, Husin, Wan Bissaka.
Referee: Mark Clattenburg (Tyne & Wear)
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Preamble
Ten years ago, on Christmas Eve 2006, Alan Pardew took over from Ian Dowie at Charlton Athletic, second bottom and already eight points adrift of safety. Three days later, he came within a injury-time minute of an impressive 2-1 win over Fulham, but a last-gasp Franck Queudrue volley saw the points shared. Still, after a run of four straight defeats, Charlton looked like a new side. Three days later they would beat Aston Villa. Charlton were relegated that year, but that brief honeymoon period after Pardew joined gave their fans belief.
Appointed late on Friday evening to replace Pardew at Crystal Palace, it will be interesting to see if Big Sam can have the same effect and if he has managed to get any of his ideas across in the one full training session he has had to prepare for today’s match against Watford. Hopefully some pointers on defending: the south London club have conceded 14 goals in their last four away games.
Fans of narrative will be eager to attach blame or praise on Allardyce following today’s match at Vicarage Road, the reality is that this is still Pardew’s side, and that Allardyce has probably not attempted to make a raft of changes in the 65-ish hours he’s been in charge. Perhaps there will be a desire by previously unmotivated players to run a little harder, but Allardyce shouldn’t be judged too fervently on today’s performance.
Rather, let’s just sit back and enjoy it. To complement their defensive woes, Palace have scored more away goals this season than league leaders Chelsea, Manchester United and Tottenham, so the likelihood is that this will be fun.
After a few days of going without it (unless you’re in Scotland), football is back to save you from yourself and smalltalk with family members that you choose not to see during the rest of the year. Watford v Palace is just the beginning with at least one Premier League game on 26th, 27th, 28th, 30th, 31st December as well as on the first four days of 2017.
It’s something to do, at least.
Kick-off: 12.30pm GMT
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