A win, derby glory and Watford put Luton deeper in the mire
Oh how sweet that felt.
Yes it’s only three points and one more win, and there’s no column on the league table for particularly special victories.
But yesterday was far, far more. It was Luton, it was the derby and it was a game which, by winning, Watford climbed to ninth in the table while leaving the arch enemy peering through the Championship trap-door at a return to League One – which was their home only six short seasons ago.
And it was easy.
While not forgetting or ignoring the manner in which the Hornets were swept aside at Kenilworth Road in October, the 2-0 win yesterday was so comprehensive, so comfortable and so much more emphatic than the scoreline suggests that it more than balances the books.
Incredible, the TV Box Everyone Is Talking About: Access All Channels?
Incredible, the TV Box Everyone Is Talking About: Access All Channels?
Smart TV | Sponsored
Three consecutive home wins over Luton, seven goals scored and none conceded.
It’s 30 years since the Hatters left Vicarage Road with three league points, and given their current league position, they may have to wait a while to have another go.
For all the away fans sang about the fact they have won a trophy (the League Cup in 1988, for those under 40 who probably don’t remember), they will know they now face a battle to even stay in the same division as Watford, never mind beat them.
That song about having won a cup could sound good at Lincoln, Mansfield and Exeter next season.
“I want to be involved in more days like this”
Unlimited story access and less ads for 25p a week
Watford just didn’t give Luton a sniff from the first whistle.
Goalkeeper Egil Selvik and his young but accomplished defence found few problems in dealing with the direct and physical style that is Luton’s greatest threat and once they had nullified that . . . well, that was it, really.
Selvik’s first proper save came in the fourth minute of stoppage time, by which point the away fans’ corner had already started to thin out.
It was no contest in midfield. Imran Louza and Tom Dele-Bashiru gave their Luton opposite numbers a proper schooling.
When that pair are on song, as they were yesterday, then Watford can boss games.
Louza made 61 successful passes, with a success rate of 97%. He had 86 touches of the ball, nearly 20 more than any other player.
Not far behind was Dele-Bashiru, with 42 passes at a 93% success rate.
The midfield duo completed a third of all of Watford’s passes on their own, and their combined total of 103 was 40% of what Luton managed as a team.
They were everywhere, exuding confidence and calm in even the tightest of situations.
It was perhaps fitting, then, that Dele-Bashiru was to score the opening goal, though the penalty from which he netted was all about the hard work and persistence of Mamadou Doumbia.
The 19-year-old had played little more than hour of Championship football before stepping in to lead the line in the absence of suspended Vakoun Bayo.
That he kept his place even though Bayo was available yesterday was testament to how well he has done, and his part in the opening goal was exactly what you ask of a striker.
When Yasser Larouci played the ball through, Doumbia was a yard or two behind Mads Andersen, and the Dane clearly though he could simply usher the ball back to his keeper.
But Doumbia chased and, as Thomas Kaminski slid out to try and gather the ball, the striker got a toe to it and was then swept over by the skidding Luton stopper.
Referee Andrew Kitchen was in no doubt, and TV replays showed he was right.
Dele-Bashiru looks the calmest man in the stadium whenever he steps up to take a penalty and this was no different, the ball sent precisely inside the left-hand upright despite Kaminski going the right way.
