Crystal Palace 1 Watford 0: Eagles relegate former boss Roy Hodgson as Zaha seals win from the spot
THIS WAS Roy Hodgson’s second Palace visit in just four days.
But in contrast to Wednesday’s trip to Buckingham Palace to collect his CBE for services to football, this time there was no fanfare, Royal red carpet or smiles for the cameras.
Just the horrible confirmation that a 46-year globe-trotting career – one that has encompassed 17 clubs in six countries and included the privilege of managing England – will end with the ignominy of Premier League relegation.
For a man who loves reading the finest works of literature, this was one brutal twist plot in the closing chapter.
Yes, the retiring Hodgson had a brilliant reception upon his return to Crystal Palace since leaving them 12 months ago.
A chance for Palace fans to say a proper farewell and thanks for keeping them up over four seasons – this ground had a reduced capacity for his final match in charge last year due to Covid restrictions
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But that will have been no consolation for this proud son of Croydon as defeat condemned Watford to a second Prem demotion in three seasons.
The decision in January to come out of retirement and take on one last job at the chaotic Hornets has backfired spectacularly.
Once Wilfried Zaha scored a first-half penalty, Watford’s fate was inevitable and the captain went down with his sinking ship this Saturday afternoon.
The 74-year-old might say he has no regrets taking on the Vicarage Road role but having presided over 11 losses in 15 matches, this will go down as his worst managerial destination.
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As he walked out into the South London spring sunshine for the last occasion, Hodgson received a tremendous welcome from the Selhurst Park faithful.
The sunglasses – which he recently wore following a nasty bout of shingles – were gone and he was able to say goodbye to his boyhood club.
While some may have not always liked his style of football, the bond is strong and genuine in these parts and he was signing autographs with home fans an hour before kick-off.
Watford have only kept three clean sheets in 19 matches in 2022 and therein lies the problem.
They always seem to have a potential error in them and so it proved on the half an hour mark.
A back-post header from Michael Olise struck the outstretched left hand of the leaping Hassane Kamara, who had his back turned, and a penalty was immediately awarded.
As much as the Watford defender animatedly protested and complained about being pushed – an argument he prolonged with the ref at half-time – VAR was having none of it.
Zaha, who is out of contract next summer, is in buoyant mood these days and he comfortably dispatched the penalty for his 14th goal of a brilliant season.
For Palace, who are thriving under boss Patrick Vieira, the rare sight of Zaha, Eberechi Eze and Olise on the pitch together will whet the appetite for next term.
That is an attacking unit that would rival many front three in the Premier League and provided they all stay, the Holmesdale Fanatics must be excited about future plans.
Watford goalkeeper Ben Foster went the wrong way for that spot-kick but redeemed himself somewhat with two brilliant one-handed saves in the first half.
First he denied a Marc Guehi header and then he tipped over a thunderbolt shot from close range from Olise – both times Foster demonstrated reflexes that belie his 39 years of age.
It was going to require a Herculean effort in the second half or the most inspirational of Hodgson team talks to get underperforming Watford back in this match in the second half.
Nothing but a win was good enough under the dire circumstances and that never materialised.
The dismissal of Kamara for a second caution – rightly so when he clumsily brought down Zaha on the touchline on 69 minutes – did not help the cause.
Frankly, Watford showed no urgency, no tempo, no real get-at-their-throats endeavour – they went down with a whimper not a bang.
In fact, Palace should have won this by more but Odsonne Edouard could not quite believe his shot went through the legs of Foster and then bounced off the inside of the post before being cleared to safety.
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And substitute Jean-Philippe Mateta thought he had scored late on but Foster produced yet another age-defying save.
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Three more matches remain now for Watford but sadly for Hodgson – who has overseen more than 1,200 matches from the dugout – his well-travelled career is finishing with this failure.
See how the match unfolded in our live blog...