Wigan Athletic Paper View (a)

Bouazza saves Watford from loss but not sense of injustice 

If the most dreaded phrase in the English language is "rail-replacement bus service", for Watford fans it must be almost equalled by "deserved more from the game" and "struck the woodwork". Yesterday, all three came together, and while Watford at least won their first away point of the season, they would be haunted once again on the return from the North-west by the thought that it could have been so much better. Sunday Independent 

Watford earn just reward  

ACCEPTING A BUNG FROM AN unscrupulous agent may be more of a crime than playing the long-ball game, but accuse a Premiership manager of either offence and you are likely to get the same response — denial, irritation and a slow boiling of the blood.  

Ten days ago, Watford were a plucky team of nobodies and journeymen whose reward for rolling up their sleeves and giving it their best shot was no home wins, no away wins and no chance of staying in the Barclays Premiership.  

A week, two draws and two cameo performances on Match of the Day later and the pundits have changed their tune. Watford play the percentage game, they hit and hope, they launch it and if their brand of no-frills football catches on again the game will be going to hell in a handcart.  

The pundits may have decided to stick the boot in when Adrian Boothroyd's team are down, but the Watford manager is entitled to feel quietly satisfied with his team's start to the season. True, three points from six matches is a modest return and Watford are searching for their first win in the Premiership since May 14, 2000, but Boothroyd's team have yet to lose a match by more than a goal and none of his players appears to have been fazed by swapping the Coca-Cola Championship for the top flight. Sunday Times 

Camara clicks but Bouazza keeps Watford in the picture 

There is an old saying in the pop music business that an artist should not be judged until they have released a second album. It is a bit like that in the Premiership, where teams who come up from the Championship are often swept along by the momentum during their first season only to struggle in the second. 

Ipswich act as the best example in recent times, a side who qualified for Europe immediately after getting promoted only to be relegated the next, from which they have never recovered. Wigan surpassed all expectations last season, but they have struggled this term, culminating with their defeat at Crewe in the League Cup, a competition they reached the final of last season. 

With the clocks still to go back, it may be a bit early to start ringing alarm bells, but manager Paul Jewell will be growing concerned that his side is in danger of slipping into a relegation struggle, especially after failing to beat a limited Watford side that is high on effort but short on skill. Having said that, they probably deserved a point for a second-half resurgence that mirrored the previous week's match against Aston Villa. The Observer 

Camara lets Watford off the hook 

It may all prove academic come next May, but the Premiership is unlikely to have a more committed contributor to this season than Watford. 

They are still without a win to show for their unrelenting endeavour because they lack the poise and ruthless instinct in front of goal that is the difference between achievers and mere aspirants. 

Wigan can also catalogue the squandered chances. Henri Camara should have completed a hat-trick before half-time. He put his side ahead as a linesman's offside decision was overruled by the referee and twice missed the chance to smother Watford's resilience, giving them encouragement they scarcely required. They overwhelmed Wigan for spells of the second half and Hameur Bouazza's equaliser from a free kick was the least they deserved. Sunday Telegraph