Watford and Burnley shared the points in an entertaining draw at Vicarage Road despite the lack of goals.
It was a poignant affair as both sets of fans paid tribute to Graham Taylor on the 2nd anniversary of the great Watford manager’s death.
Burnley will feel aggrieved not to come away with three points after Chris Wood was wrongly judged to be offside after he and put the ball in the net.
It was a game in which the goalkeepers shined as they kept their teams in the match on multiple occasions.
Burnley look to be firmly back in business
Burnley are now unbeaten in their last four league matches. After their torrid first half of the season, it appears that Sean Dyche has got his house back in order. They are a rugged unit who defend doggedly and are now starting to look like they could pose problems to most teams.
The one thing the Clarets needs to work on now is their scoring rate. They have only scored 23 goals in 23 games this season. If Dyche wants to ensure survival, then they will need to start scoring and winning.
Feliz Aniversario, Javi
Monday will mark the first anniversary of Watford appointing Javi Gracia as manager. If he is not sacked on the weekend, then he will become the first Watford manager since Gianfranco Zola to last over a year at the club.
The Pozzo family are notoriously cutthroat when it comes to managers. They dispatched of Marco Silva ruthlessly last season as soon as he showed interest in the Everton job; a decision which does not look too foolish when you look at Everton’s recent results.
Watford are currently unbeaten in eight matches and look a more than capable side. With players like Jose Holebas and Roberto Pereyra, they have undoubted quality which makes them a match for anyone.
The dilemma the Pozzos face now is whether to cash in on their star players and manager should they receive good enough offers. They have long built the club on a system of quick player and manager turnaround. Whilst it has worked up to now, ask any Southampton fan about how quickly your fortunes can change when using this system.
It feels like Watford might be able to do something with this current squad. That may just be finishing 7th or winning a cup, but that is precisely the sort of achievement they should be aiming for.
Back to keeps
This was a game in which the two standout players were those between the sticks. The respective keepers are both in their 30s, ex-Manchester United players and have both been around the block.
Tom Heaton’s return to football has been well documented, but the effect he is having on his team cannot be understated. He made a handful of excellent decisions today which kept Burnley in the game.
Foster has equally impressed since moving down to Hertfordshire. He may be 35, but it appears he still has much to offer. He has the athleticism of a much younger man and an invaluable amount of experience which he has gained throughout his career.
It is presumed that Jordan Pickford will remain Gareth Southgate’s first choice goalkeeper for England, but Heaton and Foster must surely be a part of the discussion even if it is just about making up squad numbers.
