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Boothroyd optimism looks out of place amid the drudgery

When Reading's James Harper said in midweek that Watford's football belonged in the dark ages, he could not have been aware that only a few days later his own team would play something that looked positively medieval. Watford were equally dreadful but at least they avoided defeat.

It's a risky business when a struggling manager says one particular result could prove the turning point of a dire season. But Watford's Aidy Boothroyd had taken the gamble and said just that after Monday's 0-0 away draw with Manchester City, only to see Charlton win on Tuesday and plonk them at the bottom of the table.

Whether or not they have been irritated by criticism of their long-ball style (if that is the word), Watford began yesterday playing in a slightly more measured way. Indeed, Reading offered far more long balls, and lacking the leadership of Graeme Murty and still without Bobby Convey and Dave Kitson, they gave little initial impression of being a side so far ahead of Watford in the League. The Independent on Sunday

Boothroyd in bullish mood despite blank display

AS IF waiting for the Godot who will never come, Watford have spent much of this season waiting for an upswing: an upswing in fortune (“For once, couldn't we just get a break?” wailed the match programme); an upswing in goals scored; and, most of all, an upswing in results.

Godot certainly did not visit Vicarage Road yesterday. How fortunate he was. Watford can glean limited positives from a truly wretched game as it ensured that they extended their unbeaten run to two games during which they have neither scored nor conceded. However, even Charlton Athletic's horror show could not prevent them remaining anchored to the bottom of the Premiership.

And it takes two to combine in mediocrity. So, while Watford created barely a chance of note, Reading seemed disinclined to seize the moment and take what could have so easily been theirs, despite breezing into Hertfordshire as England's sixth-best team. The Sunday Times

Boothroyd in search for strikers

No prizes for guessing what Adrian Boothroyd would most like for Christmas: a pair of strikers to compensate for the lengthy absence of Marlon King through injury and help turn draws into wins.

Two successive goalless draws hardly constitutes a revival. After all, the Premiership's bottom club have still won only one Premiership game. But there were signs yesterday, as they more than matched Reading, that if they could somehow find themselves a couple of proven marksmen in the January transfer window, Boothroyd's unfashionable team could yet fight their way out of trouble.

Commitment, integrity and passion were the words he used to sum up the attitude of his players so far this season but history shows that you invariably need more than that to survive in the top flight.

"We'll keep fighting until we can't fight any more," Boothroyd said. "It's obvious that in January we need to add to the squad. We've drawn eight of our 16 games and that tells a story in itself. So does the fact that we've kept six clean sheets. We create chances but we're just not taking them." Sunday Telegraph

Coppell's Royals can't raise their standard

A dull 0-0 draw belied the usual difference in quality between these sides, who remain 15 points apart in the table. Reading may be hailed as the golden boys of the promoted sides - this season's Wigan, reckons Mark Lawrenson - but their away form appears to be their Achilles' heel. Steve Coppell's side have lost three of their past four away games, and a miserly draw against Watford is hardly an upturn in fortunes.

Last season's matches in the Championship produced two scoreless draws when these sides met and the deja-vu result yesterday frustrated the visitors, who really should have done better. Both teams struggled to make an impression on the game. 'We didn't even manage to string two or three passes together,' said Coppell. 'It was all about commitment, effort and desire - the ugly words - not what you want to hear when you're talking about football.'

Watford missed key personnel and they remain in dire need of additional strikers. 'At the moment the dog's got to run on to the pitch and head it in for us,' said Aidy Boothroyd, whose side have now failed to score in nine Premiership fixtures. The young manager wouldn't blame his team, but with players like Darius Henderson, who is yet to net this season and who wasted a decent chance in the first half, it is an uphill struggle. The team's overdependence on top scorer Ashley Young is taking its toll and the frustration showed.

Reading, still smarting from their midweek setback against Newcastle, were not much better.

Leroy Lita - the £1m signing who has scored just one league goal this season - came closest twice in the first half, beating stand-in keeper Richard Lee, as both efforts flew just wide of the far post. The Sunday Observer