Watford vs West Bromwich Albion. Premier League.
Vicarage RoadAttendance20,011.
Saturday 15 August 2015 21:30, UK
Watford dominated as Premier League football returned to Vicarage Road after an eight-year absence but were left frustrated as they were held to a 0-0 draw by West Bromwich Albion.
Quique Sanchez Flores’ team created numerous chances against Tony Pulis’ men, particularly in the first half of an entertaining game.
But Troy Deeney and Odion Ighalo were both among the culprits as they wasted those opportunities and had to settle for a point instead.
The hosts – who last hosted a top-flight fixture against Newcastle in May 2007 – were looking to build on their spirited 2-2 draw at Everton last week.
They began brightly and overran their opponents in the opening 20 minutes but Boaz Myhill held Ighalo’s 25-yard drive and wasn’t really tested otherwise.
Deeney put one header wide, had another blocked and looked on as Jose Jurado’s attempt at a scissor kick on the turn went wrong and spun well over the crossbar.
West Brom were hemmed in and the pressure continued as Myhill and Gareth McAuley had to combine to deny Ighalo on the volley and Allan Nyom shot straight at the keeper.
Jurado then curled a terrific free kick inches wide from 25 yards and Ighalo spurned his best opening as he shot just too high on the brink of half-time.
Pulis will have wanted a better performance after the restart but it took time for him to get it as Watford kept pouring upfield.
Jurado wasted a good chance after great footwork, Deeney had a downward header scrambled away and Ighalo was charged down as he took aim from outside the area.
The visitors didn’t do much coming forward themselves and on one of the rare occasions they did get into the home half, Saido Berahino dived in the box trying, and failing, to win a penalty.
Pulis needed to find a way to lift his team and his introduction of record signing Salomon Rondon did that to an extent.
The forward had a chance within a minute of his introduction but put it over the bar and while he failed to test Huerelho Gomes, his arrival did coincide with overdue improvement from the visitors.
Berahino had their best opening 10 minutes from the end as he put a header wide from three yards out at the back post and he’ll wonder how he missed.
Watford ran out of ideas in the closing stages and it was the Hawthorns team who could have snatched all three points as Chris Brunt bent a free kick a yard too high from 25 yards out.
Instead, they had to settle for a draw as they got off the mark after Monday’s 3-0 loss to Manchester City.
Watford will feel they should have come out on top and they should have but it was an encouraging performance from them which they will believe they can build on.
Soccer Saturday verdict - Charlie Nicholas
Watford controlled most of the game. There were slight periods when West Brom had a little bit more about them when they went forward, predominantly it was all Watford.
Jurado is the one that stood out for me today. The strikers work hard but he’s got a little bit of craft in the wider left position, likes to come in on his right – his stronger side.
The best chance of the match fell to Berahino, an absolute sitter from three yards out. West Brom were poor going forward. Rickie Lambert never got a kick but it wasn’t his fault. Rondon came on, got one little attempt so it was about Tony Pulis getting something from the game so job done in that way.
Player ratings
Watford: Gomes (6), Nyom (7), Cathcart (6), Prödl (6), Anya (7), Behrami (7), Capoue (6), Ighalo (8), Jurado (7), Layun (6), Deeney (6)
Used subs: Abdi (5), Berghuis (4)
West Brom: Myhill (7), Dawson (6), McAuley (6), Olsson (6), Brunt (6), Gardner (6), Fletcher (6), Yacob (6), Morrison (5), Berahino (5), Lambert (5).
Used subs: Rondon (5), McClean (3), McManaman (2)
Man of the match: Odion Ighalo (Watford)
