BBC Sport Watford fan writer Christian Fuller on an underwhelming start in the dugout for Javi Gracia as he begins his second spell in charge.
There is nothing my beloved football club loves more than getting the band back together.
And while Watford supporters are more than used to the managerial merry-go-round, there was finally a sense of optimism with the return of our most successful manager of recent times.
For fans too young to have experienced the joys of the 1980s, Javi Gracia's first spell at Vicarage Road was as good as it gets, as the Spaniard was at the helm for one of the greatest ever Watford moments – the famous FA Cup semi-final comeback against Wolves.
An 11th-place finish in the Premier League, an FA Cup final – the less said about the result of that, the better – but an all-round positive feel at the club.
Javi Gracia. Back in the dugout. Against a side yet to win at home. What could possibly go wrong?
Well, any feelings of excitement or optimism have already been brought right back down to reality.
There was hope that a new manager would mean a new lease of life for the likes of Kwadwo Baah and the hope that we may finally unlock the raw ability we know is there.
But as soon as the line-up against Sheffield United was announced, it felt like one step forward and two steps back.
Gracia's rigid formation and his use of four central midfielders meant there was no place for the likes of Baah and Rocco Vata – to the dismay of many supporters.
To most, it feels obvious that our star quality comes from the wide areas. So to look at the players at your disposal and still land on Edo Kayembe and Moussa Sissoko felt like a missed opportunity.
But that perhaps should not come as a surprise having appointed a manager with a clear, long-standing style of play.
It is still early doors in the season, and under the new regime, but it is hard not to feel like it was an opportunity missed against a struggling Blades side.
Nothing like a new manager bounce...
Category: General Sports
