Charity starts at home - Help for Hornets

Watford have spent the last week banging the really worthwhile HELP FOR HEROES drum rather hard on their official website. But, surely, as the ol` saying goes, 'charity starts at home` and, for many fans, our wonderful spin machine of a homepage should be drumming up support for our own curently plight.

In fact, put the importance of 'Help for Heroes` aside for a minute as surely 'Help for Hornets` is more fitting as Malky`s men are clearly in dire need for some swift decisive action of their own to get them out of the dire dogfight they find themselves in.

VitalWatford certainly feel that Malky Mackay`s call to arms to "battle and scrap for everything" has fallen on deaf ears and - after Posh marksmen Chris Dickinson shot down Watford on Saturday - Dr Watford has had a look at where the 'Help for Hornets` campaign really could do with a bit of revision:

1 > What`s happened to the aerial attack?
With H and [not so] Golden Graham both pretty handy in the air, the option to go Route One is taken too late in recent games and when we do go long, its usually a ball from Eustace right down the throat of a massive defender… Easy money! We aren`t gonna get out of this problem playing pretty footie so why the boos when we hit it long?

2 > No ammunition from the wingmen?
No pace, no direction, no strength from down the flanks is so clearly evident but with Don 'The Cow` right off his game, new boy Buckley laid up on the treatment table and Harley`s aging legs struggling to offer anything more than a canter, it`s questioned why Gibson or Bryan haven`t been given a run?

3 > A pitch dubbed as resembling "no-mans land at the Somme"
We`re trying to play the pretty passing football on a pitch unsuited to the beautiful game and a surface that Kevin Nolan thinks is costing us points. One touch passing has become 4 touch footie (2 to gain control and manage the uneven bounce) and 2 to avoid the diverts and yet Plan B doesn`t seem to be forthcoming. Malky even had a pop at Newcastle for "going long"…but they won Malky!!!

4 > A rearguard action that continues to be breached
Even the introduction of Tiny Taylor has failed to prove the early dividends. Demerit seems to reserve his best form for the international scene and Mariappa needs a rest. We can`t see what the lad Hodson did to be dropped in the first place and what of Bennett…he was pretty darn solid during our good run earlier in the season!

5 > Lack of firepower.
No Cleverley… No goals - Its simple. [Not so] Golden Graham couldn`t hit a donkeys ass from 4 yards, H has lost his edge and Liam Henderson simply isn`t er, Hendo (he`s not even suited to League Two footie - ed) . Malky says his side "can`t buy a goal" at the moment… he`s at least got that right.

6 > The absence of decent back-up troops
Many think Hoskins is the answer. Hoskins IS NOT the answer. A couple of goals for the stiffs does not a world beater make. Take a look at our bench and the lack of strength in depth is alarming. We have to make do with what we can but those that send the catcalls to Malky for late substitutions, well what`s the point - what comes on is no better than what goes off (wee Stevie McGinn being the potential notable exception).

Do you agree? Has Dr Watford covered off all the main problem areas? Can you see a survival plan amidst the fear of relegation?

Give us your thoughts here at VitalWatford…

Click here to join in the debate on the club forum.