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After yet another defeat on the road for Watford, the supporters have made up their mind on Paulo Pezzolano and it’s safe to say they’re not happy.
Millwall went into the game looking to fix their own problems, and they duly delivered in a tight, cagey affair at The Den.
A sublime free-kick from Camiel Neghli in the tenth minute proved to be the difference between the two sides on Monday night.
Watford only truly began fighting for the points in the final ten, which is a damning indictment on Paulo Pezzolano and his team. And fans are not afraid to let him know that, clearly.
- READ MORE: Why Watford’s first opening Championship defeat in 20 years might be a blessing in disguise
Watford supporters want Paulo Pezzolano sacked already
Months ago, when he was first hired as Tom Cleverley’s replacement, Watford fans predicted Paulo Pezzolano would be sacked fairly swiftly this season. That could well end up becoming a self-fulfilling prophecy now.
After seeing their team lose to Millwall, one Watford fan took to Twitter/X to write: “Players seem to have no idea what the game plan is… Could be corner flag time for the manager.”
Another added: “Don’t think Paulo Pezzolano has a clue unfortunately. How is our only game plan to aimlessly hoof it in the direction of the shortest man on the pitch? This is embarrassing.”
Meanwhile, others said, “We sacked Cleverley for this style of football,” and with Pezzolano looking “out of his depth,” one simply wrote, “Pezzolano out… we have seen enough.”
Pezzolano didn’t help matters with his tactical decisions and choice of substitutions during the game. The decision to bring on defensive midfielder Edo Kayembe on the hour-mark did not go down well at all.
“My head is on Mars,” one fan wrote. “Me thinks that this manager wants the payout soon,” another added, while a third said, “At this point it feels like self sabotage.”
Sadly, the general sentiment across the board from Hornets fans was summed up with two words from one supporter, who simply said: “Utterly clueless.”
Paulo Pezzolano has good ideas but Watford lack key element
It’s not just the fans who are concerned, though. In the Sky Sports studio, Watford legend Tommy Smith outlined the issues with the Hornets’ approach at half-time.
“Watford were a little bit passive in the first half,” Smith said. “They dropped too deep, too early at times and made it easy for Millwall.”
Oxford United manager Gary Rowett agreed, saying: “They’re inviting pressure and look more than happy to be penned in by Millwall here.”
It wasn’t all bad. On the co-comms for the game, Dave Edwards insisted Watford are “playing lovely stuff at times” under Pezzolano. But, he admitted the Hornets lack the clinical edge and intensity to make something happen.
Elsewhere, speaking on BBC Three Counties Radio, ex-Watford man Derek Payne had plenty to say about his former club.
“It’s a bit frustrating watching Watford,” he said. “You can see what they’re trying to do but I feel they need to play five or 10 yards higher up the pitch and cause more of a threat in the attacking third.”
Payne added: “Watford have been OK but they’re too cautious and not putting enough pressure on. A lot of the football’s in their own half. I know they’re away from home but from a coaching point of view, we’re too deep to start with.”
Watford now sit just above the Championship drop zone with five points from six games. If things don’t improve soon, we could well see Pezzolano becoming the next victim of the sack race in the second tier.