One week is a long time in football and so it proved, as pre-season fears turned to green shoots of optimism, after the Hornets kicked off the new season in perfect fashion with three wins from three.
I have to say had someone told me at 8am last Saturday, as I headed to the station for the opening day trip to Millwall, that we'd be joint top of the league, had progressed in the cup and scored 11 goals in the process, I'd have told them to get their head examined!!
Starting with the season opener, Tom Cleverley's side continued the 'Orns incredible opening-day winning streak in dramatic fashion as a late Rajovic winner secured a 3-2 victory over Millwall. The Hornets looked like they heading for an easy lunchtime opener after leading 2-0 with twenty minutes left on the clock, but were pegged back to 2-2 before the great Dane's 91st-minute header sent the away end into raptures.
Two incredible set-piece goals (a rarity for Watford at the best of times) from Edo Kayembe and Giorgi Chakvetadze got the boys rolling at The Den, before the Lions roared back through a Duncan Watmore double. But the character on show to go and get that late winner was the perfect tonic for the 3000 in the away end in South London, it was the start of an incredible opening seven days.
The performance wasn't the best and reflecting on it we were pretty lucky to take all three points, but we've had a wretched record at The Den in recent years so I'll certainly take it! I headed back to London Bridge for a few (too many!) pints, nothing beats the feeling of a win on opening day.
Speaking of wretched records, the Hornets record in the opening round of the league cup is nothing short of hideous, with the club being eliminated before the third round 10 times in the past 14 seasons. This has featured some miserable losses to lower-league opposition along the way, honorable mentions to Bristol Rovers, Doncaster, Gillingham and Bradford! So when the draw pulled out MK Dons at home, a side who had knocked us out at the same stage just two seasons prior, it felt written in stone that this would be another night to add to the embarrassing league cup collection...
However, despite six changes from the Millwall win, the Hornets broke the League Cup curse and struck five goals in an absolutely dominant win against the League Two side. A Tom Ince hat-trick wasn't on my Watford bingo card this season but his treble plus goals from Baah and Pollock capped a comfortable night at The Vic. It's Wayne Rooney's Plymouth to come in round two in a week or so. Given Argyle's slow start, it's a cracking chance to make it to round three (I have probably just jinxed it).
So with two wins and eight goals, there was a confident stride in the steps of the Watford faithful as we headed down Vicarage Road for our first home league match of the campaign. Stoke City were the visitors, they themselves headed to Hertfordshire with a league and cup win to kickstart their season. An equal first half saw the sides head in level on a warm summer afternoon in WD18, little did I know as I went for my half-time pint that I'd return to my seat having missed two goals!!
Slow service meant my pint was in my hand as Kayembe poked home the opening goal on 47 minutes, then I was taking one last speedy gulp as Ryan Andrews slammed home a quickfire second. Bloody typical! To the joy of those who sit around me, I returned to my seat delighted to be winning albeit with a sinking feeling I'd missed the goals and celebrations... perhaps a lesson learned to hold my eagerness for overpriced pints.
Thankfully, that wasn't the end of the scoring as Kayembe added gloss to a dominant second-half display and belted home a third goal into the Rookery End net. It was a great performance and result, it leaves the Hornets joint top of the Championship with maximum points, just one of three clubs to boast a 100% record at this stage.
Now it's early days, but you have to take the wins, particularly when you support Watford because they can bring you back to earth very quickly. It's an outstanding start to the season and the performance yesterday gives me plenty of enthusiasm that we all might just be proven wrong this season. There's pace and power in midfield, the defence has looked largely solid and Tom Cleverley has instilled a clear style of play, long may it continue! There's absolutely no doubt another centre-back and a new striker must be signed before the transfer window closes, but this opening week surely has to be a sign to the board that if they back Cleverley he might just bring a positive season to Vicarage Road. A club legend, learning his trade and who gets the ethos of what it means to represent Watford Football Club, if ever Pozzo had an opportunity to back someone it has to be him! Let's hope those two recruits come as a minimum, if they do the cause for optimism may extend past this opening seven days.
Newly promoted Derby County up next at Vicarage Road, a cracking chance to continue the strong start to the season and build some momentum heading into the international break. I for one cannot wait for the game next week, not a phrase many Hornets fans could use for large parts of the previous two seasons. Nothing has been achieved by any stretch but this season has started better than I certainly could have imagined.
Come on you 'Orns!
Millwall 2-3 Watford
Moment of the match: Chakvetadze's stunning free-kick
Pint Price: £6.90 - 'We're in London aren't we'
Time in transit: One hour
Watford 5-0 MK
Moment of the match: The introduction of Baah and Doumbia - it was great to see two young players take their opportunity.
Away fan rating: 3/10 - Decent numbers and noise until the 'Orns rattled in the goals
Warford 3-0 Stoke
Moment of the match: The look on my face as I missed two goals...
Away fan rating: 6/10 - Understandably quiet in the second half, but Stoke always travels well and make decent noise.
