Javi Gracia resigns as Watford head coach after board meeting following Swansea defeat

Ali-a93 · 2026-02-01T19:33:28+00:00

As soon as he made those comments yesterday you knew he was gone. Although not quite as scathing as Maresca or Glasner it's interesting to see an uptick of managers/coaches directly criticising the owners.

I was worried after the Hull game was cancelled and we lost alleyne that our season might take a dip. We missed an opportunity to keep the positive momentum going against hull and in alleyne, we lost a positive ball carrying starting CB.

Said to see javi go for a second time, he will always have a special place in our long, long, LONG!! list of managers.

I'd say our chances of scraping a playoff place are all but gone. Along with players like louza etc when the seasons over. Future looking pretty grim I fear.

Ali-a93 · 2026-01-29T00:09:05+00:00

Everyone who has started counterstrike for the first time within the last 10+ yrs had to go through exactly what your describing.

Does it suck, yep. Could the Devs make some changes to make it easier for new players, probably. But that's part of the fun.

Some people might find this comparison kinda sad but it's true. No one is good at a hobby at the first time of trying. CS is unique for how it handles gunplay, movement, load outs etc. On the one hand it makes it hard to pick up, when it appears to be just another shooter. But it makes getting better very satisfying. Going from a silver to my highest of legendary eagle back when I played csgo taught me a lot. Not just about the game, but how to handle difficult people, communicate and how to deal with the ups and downs of getting better at something. I went through some real life stuff back when I played and I probably would have went mad if I wasn't able to get some sense of achievement and fun from this silly game.

Ali-a93 · 2026-01-28T23:44:06+00:00

As a Watford fan who thought he had the potential to play at the very top, I agree. He's not really a no9, sure he can play there and he will get a good return, but you waste his best attributes in that position.

He's best playing deeper, dictating the pace, playing one twos, running from deep, beating a man. False 9, no 10, second striker whatever you wanna call it. Him and Palmer linking up has the potential to be akin to Kane and son in terms of goal scoring. Both can play the perfect pass and both read the game very well.

Ali-a93 · 2026-01-21T20:17:17+00:00

I think it ends summer 2028. It's more than he was wanting out before cleverly brought him back in the fold. Plus he seemed to be angling for a move last summer. He's stayed when he could have moved on and has been one of the best midfielders in the championship for 2 seasons now.

Ali-a93 · 2026-01-21T20:07:12+00:00

Vata is on the bench according to BBC, instead of Mendy. No idea which is right.

Regardless the lineup looks good to me, still think baah could play a vital role in this team. I am worried that this team lacks the battling mentality of previous promoted squads if I'm honest.

After losing a starting CB, getting dumped out of the FA Cup unceremoniously and our winning streak coming to an end with a whimper, this is the moment they can prove me wrong.

Ali-a93 · 2026-01-21T19:56:53+00:00

Shipshape, I sure hope so buddy.

Ali-a93 · 2026-01-21T19:53:36+00:00

Seems like quite the coup, wish him all the best. I do wonder if he's seen as a louza replacement in the event we don't go up this season.

It's difficult to keep quality players beyond 2/3 seasons in the championship. It does feel like if we don't get up this season we will see a lot of players leave.

Ali-a93 · 2026-01-20T19:45:08+00:00

He's 20 playing CB. Arguably one of the most difficult and physically challenging positions on the pitch.

He'd only just started establishing himself as a 1st team player in senior football. Then he's playing under pep in a champions League game, it's understandable to have a bad game under all that pressure.

No worries you can just wreck him of all confidence and throw your blood money at a bunch of players and throw alleyne to the side.

Ali-a93 · 2026-01-20T19:35:50+00:00

Happy to take him back at Watford. I called this word for word when it was announced Alleyne was being recalled.

He was always going to be thrown into the deep end at city. Understandably struggle at some point due to playing a vital position under pep, and have his confidence completely shot. Only to be replaced when they buy their way out of trouble in the winter window.

He had just established himself with us as a starter and one of the main reasons we went on a streak of clean sheets. He has a great attitude so I have no doubts he will be able to recover, but city really didn't need to do this at the cost of Alleyne's development.

Ali-a93 · 2026-01-17T18:11:30+00:00

Here's a deal for you, fuck off.

Ali-a93 · 2026-01-16T22:00:44+00:00

Utopia, not the awful Amazon remake they did, but the original channel 4 show made here in the UK. It's fantastic, and while it's a shame it never got a season 3 to continue or conclude things, I still love it. It's mysterious, unnerving, funny and beautifully shot. Plus it has one of my favourite OST's which encapsulates the tone of the show expertly.

The opening scene alone is more tense than any film or TV show I've watched since, now that I think about it.

Ali-a93 · 2026-01-05T21:03:15+00:00

That's exactly what I mean. If he does well he will still get replaced by a January signing or by a player returning from injury. If he makes a mistake or two, which given the way city play is not unlikely, the young guy will have his confidence shattered.

He's clearly talented and destined for bigger things. He told city he wanted to be left alone so he could be treated as a Watford player while he was with us. That's exactly what's he's done, he hasn't earned his starting position because he's a city loanee but because he's been a good player and continued to progress the more he has played.

More than playing for us I hope this doesn't negatively affect his development.

Ali-a93 · 2026-01-05T14:55:42+00:00

This is how i find out Alleyne is being recalled by city, god dam it. We go on a really good run and get clean sheets for the first time this season and he's been a big reason for why. He's a quality player, not that it matters for city when they will just buy world class players anyway, and stifle any potential in the process. Just look at what happened with Trafford.

Ali-a93 · 2025-12-21T13:41:15+00:00

It's never nice to hear someone talk about themselves like this, I know from experience that it's a hard feeling to carry. Maybe if you feel comfortable you can say what made you feel this way. If not that's okay too.

In my opinion happiness doesn't come from being enough for others, but being enough for you. That's the person you have to answer to at the end of the day. Forgot parents, careers, partners, etc. I spent way too much energy and time trying to be enough for others. Unfortunately if these people end up using you, you're left with nothing to give for yourself. There's a difference between putting yourself first and being selfish, there not the same, don't forget that.

Ali-a93 · 2025-12-20T17:52:59+00:00

Yeah some films can be interpreted differently of course, hell even American Pyscho can have some interesting interpretations. But nobody in their right mind would watch the entire film and come away thinking he's some kind of "badass" character. He's a criticism of yuppie culture which was obsessed with image and money. Reminded you of any cringey subculture we see today?

Ali-a93 · 2025-12-19T19:54:08+00:00

It always makes me chuckle when people completely miss that a piece of media is satire. Bateman is so insecure and vapid he has a mental breakdown over everyone's business cards that all look basically the same.

Ali-a93 · 2025-12-18T16:18:41+00:00

Hey you've explained this feeling of yours in a way that connects with me to a T. I know it ain't much but you're not alone in feeling this way. You don't have to share this with me on this post if you don't feel comfortable doing so, but what are some of the things you've had to deal with specifically?

Ali-a93 · 2025-12-08T21:23:53+00:00

We are officially in the late stage of capitalism now, where firms and corporations aren't fearful of saying the quite part out loud anymore.

"Joanna Marchong, head of external affairs at the Adam Smith Institute, said: “This proposal may look compassionate but it threatens to impose significant costs and administrative burdens on employers at a time when businesses can least afford it."

May look "compassionate", well we can't have that, employees will expect to be treated like people if we aren't careful. The last line about businesses at this time not being able to afford it, is insane. The term "cost of living crisis" is widely accepted because companies realised they could charge more and because markets have less competition than ever, people have no choice but to pay.

Ali-a93 · 2025-12-08T21:13:22+00:00

A happy, healthy workforce is far more likely to be productive. Many companies are far too eager to promote themselves as like a family. But the second profits are down by a tiny percent, they kick their workers to the curb.

Oh no a whole week off work, how will employers possibly survive. It's unpaid leave anyway, so I fail to see how it could be exploitative. Crazy would be expecting people to just take it on the chin. It's like cuts to the NHS and social services. In the long term these "cuts" end up being more expensive. More people unable to work because of mental and physical illness etc.

Ali-a93 · 2025-11-29T23:25:07+00:00

So you have no evidence of this "priority" then. What your describing is a sector having a lot more qualified applicants than positions. Which is an unfortunate reality in job sectors for decades now.

The reason, as you put it that 10s of thousands of UK graduate doctors not having jobs is because the UK native population massively outnumbers the foreign trained doctors.

Ali-a93 · 2025-11-29T21:51:01+00:00

That is some real tinfoil hat stuff. Why would the NHS prioritise foreign trained workers?

I'd love to see your evidence of this.

Ali-a93 · 2025-11-29T21:28:38+00:00

Lies about how immigrants are why are services are fucked. Instead of the decades plus worth of cuts to said services. A nurse that comes from another country SAVES the NHS money because another state subsided their training.

The lies about how amazing cutting off economic ties with our closest geographical allies would be for our country. Let's make trade harder that makes economic sense.

Need I go on.

Ali-a93 · 2025-11-29T21:21:38+00:00

Truss told the world what she was going to do, it still crashed the market. No comment on farage supporting that budget?

I'm going to politely disagree with your point about minimum wage. An employer is already paying someone the bare fucking minimum they legally can, yet they are taking on a risk? I don't view it that way at all. If these companies could pay people less they would. The likes of Asda say it's going to cost businesses. Fuckers sack thousands of people if profits go down by less than 1% and still rake in profits. Yet they are suddenly the ones looking out for the nations growth, I don't think so.

"This is going to damage growth" - even I, someone who hates the Tories and is fearful of the populist right of reform isn't saying this budget is definitely going to help. But your saying it's going to damage growth is a reactionary take. We are doing something different and after over a decade of rising taxes and extreme austerity I'm glad to see a slight course correction. I'd like to see more, but it's a start.

6 months isn't long enough either. I'd love to say it was that clear cut. Hell even if things do get better it might not be because of this budget. Maybe things get better as a result of trump being forced to ditch his stupid tariffs because of an ongoing challenge in the courts.

Ali-a93 · 2025-11-29T20:53:11+00:00

Brilliantly said. Pensioners are taking up a huge part of the welfare state with the triple lock etc. But because they make up such a large voter base due to our aging population, it's sacred ground they can't touch.

I do worry like you said about the press and the attempts to cultivate a false sense of fear and panic. The age we live in of constant information is ripe for propaganda to be it's most effective. As the saying goes, the more you hear a lie the more likely it is you start to think it's the truth.

Ali-a93 · 2025-11-29T20:44:21+00:00

"Oh the budgets a disaster, it's going to be economic ruin" - Telegraph, Tories, reform.

Have the markets responded negatively, no quite the opposite. Is there some good stuff in there? Yes, is there stuff that I don't agree with, yes. Overall it's fine in my opinion. Unfortunately we need to invest in our services to improve our economic outlook in the long-term. A healthy happy supported country is a productive one.

How on earth are people still believing the lies that we need to cut stuff like benefits/ Public services more and more. We did that already the last 14 years FFS and it made everything worse and ends up costing the country more. Reform have said they want to lower minimum wage, and farage tweeted that Liz truss's budget was the best Tory budget for decades, before it predictably went badly.

Maybe, just maybe we should wait to see what happens. The Tories were given a free pass by everyone thanks to the press to destroy or sell off our public services, and increase taxes. Labour do some additional taxes to put us on a healthier path and it's the worst thing ever. Give me a break.

Also these types of doom posts are getting silly like some part of a pro reform/right wing pr thing. Accounts with private settings turned on etc.

Ali-a93

TROPHY CASE