Latest news with #EgilSelvik
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Match report: Watford 1-2 Norwich City
A very poor first-half performance cost Watford as they were eliminated from the Carabao Cup at the hands of Norwich City. Josh Sargent took advantage after a Ryan Andrews error to open the scoring, before Egil Selvik let a Marcelino Nunez shot through his hands to leave the Hornets two down at the break. Kwadwo Baah's introduction off the bench livened things up in the second period, and the winger pulled a goal back after dribbling into the box and firing low into the corner. But Norwich held on to secure what was a deserved win - with Paulo Pezzolano left to ponder where it all went wrong during the opening 45 minutes. Nestory Irankunda was the first to go close for Watford, producing a stepover and low show that was shovelled behind by Daniel Grimshaw. On 10 minutes, however, Norwich took the lead. Max Alleyne on the ball (Image: Alan Cozzi/Watford FC) Andrews miscontrolled after a Selvik clearance and Watford summer transfer target Pape Diallo pounced, squaring to Sargent to score on his fourth straight visit to Vicarage Road. From there, it was one-way traffic as Watford's performance fell apart. The Hornets gave the ball away frequently and the visitors seized on it, initially being denied by a Hector Kyprianou interception as Sargent ran onto a through ball. They did double their lead on 24 minutes, though, when Nunez's long shot squirmed through Selvik's hands and bounced into the net. Nunez went close again when Watford gave the ball away on the edge of their own box once more five minutes later, before the lively Diallo drilled into the side netting. Paulo Pezzolano looked furious and it was not a surprise when Watford were booed off at the break. The Hornets stepped things up a little in the second half, Louza driving wide and Irankunda continuing to cause mischief, though it was Sargent who went closest again when driving wide from 20 yards. As became customary last season, though, Kwadwo Baah's introduction off the bench changed the dynamic. Just seven minutes after coming on down the left, the winger powered into the box and drilled below Grimshaw to get his side back into the game. Watford had found a rhythm, Irankunda's 20-yarder not too far away after Ngakia had won a corner. Another corner led to their next opportunity, Vivaldo Semedo heading a decent Louza delivery over the top. Pezzolano's side were unable to apply enough pressure to Norwich's goal in the end, though, and lose their second consecutive match at the start of the season. Watford: Selvik; Andrews (Ngakia, 46), Alleyne, Kyprianou, Bola; Grieves (Keben, 46), Dele-Bashiru (Louza, 46); Ince (Baah, 61), Kayembe, Irankunda, Semedo (Kjerrumgaard, 80) Unused subs: Baxter, Mullins, Sissoko, Doumbia Attendance: 9,243
BBC News
7 days ago
- Sport
- BBC News
Watford group dynamic will help youngsters
Goalkeeper Egil Selvik says Watford's young team must "grow up fast" after starting the new season with defeat at promoted Charlton Hornets were set pick up a point in Paulo Pezzolano's first league game in charge when Harvey Knibbs' added-time goal gave the home side only managed one shot on target during the game despite having the lion's share of possession at The Valley."Losing the game at the very end is always painful - but it's also an opportunity to learn," Selvik told BBC Three Counties Radio."On the goal, we need to grow up fast. At 90 minutes plus, we have to be smart and use these situations to grow up and be more cynical." Selvik has established himself as Watford's first-choice keeper since arriving at Vicarage Road during the January transfer appearance was his 17th for the club but Knibbs' sidefoot strike meant he missed out on a seventh clean sheet."I am happy to contribute (some saves), that's my job, and to help the young lads out there to perform," the 28-year-old said."It's up to all the older players to help the younger ones to learn in these phases and be able to give them leeway to step up and take charge."It's a group dynamic. We can't complain that we have some players who may be young and inexperienced, we have to bring everyone along for the ride."He added: "We deserved a point and it stings a bit more when you play a good match and fighting for the clean sheet and that gets ripped away in the dying minutes.""It's tough, but as a goalkeeper, you have to swallow those and stay positive."Watford are at home to Norwich City in the Carabao Cup on Tuesday and then take on QPR at Vicarage Road in their next Championship game on Saturday.
Yahoo
03-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
New keeper makes Bachmann departure even more likely
The arrival of Nathan Baxter will almost certainly see the departure of fellow goalkeeper Dan Bachmann. Despite some confusion among fans, first-choice keeper Egil Selvik is going nowhere this summer: the Norwegian international signed a three-and-a-half year contract in January when he moved from Udinese. Advertisement That takes him through to the end of the 2027/28 season, and the club have the option to extend that by a further year. 'During the winter my contract ran out with my former club, so I was going to move,' he explained in an interview with The Watford Observer in March. 'I talked with a lot of clubs, both here in the Championship and in other places in Europe. 'Udinese came to me quite late actually, but we had good talks and they told me about the situation they have where they co-operate with Watford. 'They said there might be a possibility for me at Watford as well, it just came a bit earlier than I expected. Advertisement 'When Gian Luca Nani called me to ask about it I could have said no, but it was my decision. 'I felt good about Watford and it felt like a nice move.' Selvik's arrival in January certainly made the Hornets stronger at the back - the 27-year-old kept six clean sheets in 16 games during the second half of the season, and has firmly established himself as the man in possession of the shirt. While much attention, and indeed angst, was focussed on the club not giving Tom Cleverley an extra striker or another midfielder in the winter transfer window, they certainly provided him with a very good keeper. Advertisement And now Baxter's arrival yesterday means Watford have three senior stoppers on their books, and so the departure of Bachmann seems the anticipated solution to having one of that trio watching each game from the stands. The Hornets also have Alfie Marriott, who sat on the bench 10 times last season, and Myles Roberts – he had an impressive 21-game loan spell with Partick Thistle before spending the second half of the season at Bristol Rovers without making an appearance. Then there are the likes of Jonathan Macaulay, Gabriel Ortelli and Roraigh Browne who shared Under-21 duties last season. Bachmann, who will turn 31 next month, made 22 appearances last season but had clearly lost the trust of a lot of fans. Advertisement He signed a new five-year contract in July 2023 and was named as captain by the then head coach Valerien Ismael. His most recent appearance for the Hornets was on January 4 in the 2-1 home defeat to Sheffield United, and that could well turn out to be his last as the Austrian will understandably want to play first-team football.
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Goalkeeper seems set to be second signing of the summer
Goalkeeper Nathan Baxter looks set to follow Hector Kyprianou through the door at London Colney as Watford continue to do early summer business. The 26-year-old's contract with the League One side ends on June 30, and manager Steven Schumacher has chosen to release him. Should the deal be completed, it will almost certainly mean some goalkeeping exits from Vicarage Road. January signing Egil Selvik established himself as first choice during the second half of the season, and if Baxter arrives then it seems likely Dan Bachmann will be looking for a move. The Austrian international signed a five-year contract two years ago, but at 30 he will want first-team football. In the final few games of last season Alfie Marriott, 21, sat on the bench for the first team when Bachmann was injured, and the Hornets also have 23-year-old Myles Roberts who had a highly-successful loan spell with Partick Thistle last season before being recalled and sent out to Bristol Rovers in January, where he didn't play a single minute. There are also three keepers in the current Under-21 squad: England Under-18 international Jonathan Macaulay, Gabriel Ortelli – who made his debut for Cyprus Under-21s this season – and Roraigh Browne. Likely new man Baxter has been at the Trotters since the summer of 2023, departing Chelsea after 17 long years, and arrived at the Toughsheet Community Stadium to be Ian Evatt's first-choice goalkeeper. He was ever-present in League One when fit in his debut year at Wanderers as they lost out in the play-off final to Oxford United, but it has been more of a mixed campaign in 2024-25, having been dropped by Evatt towards the end of his time in charge of the club, and under Steven Schumacher he only got back into the starting 11 in March. Born in central London, Baxter playing football with non-league side Cray Wanderers but, by the age of eight, he had joined Chelsea and progressed through their Academy ranks. An FA Youth Cup and UEFA Youth League winner in 2015/16, Baxter began to gain senior playing experience through a series of loan moves. Spells with Metropolitan Police and Solihull Moors preceded a season with Woking where he made 48 appearances. He spent the 2018/19 campaign with Yeovil Town, where during his 38 appearances he set a new club record by keeping six consecutive clean sheets – Baxter didn't concede a goal for more than 10 hours. At the end of his time with Yeovil he won five club awards, including Player of the Season and Young Player of the Season. Loans at Ross County and Accrington Stanley followed, before Baxter spent two seasons on loan with Hull City, chalking up 30 senior appearances. In June 2023, Chelsea announced Baxter would be leaving when his contract expired, and he signed for Bolton, with reports at the time suggesting he turned down a move to Maccabi Haifa.
Yahoo
11-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Watford sell keeper Bond to Houston Dynamo
Watford goalkeeper Jonathan Bond has joined Major League Soccer side Houston Dynamo for an undisclosed fee. The 31-year-old joined the Hornets for a second spell from LA Galaxy last summer and made 13 appearances this season, keeping three clean sheets. Advertisement His final appearance came in a 1-0 home defeat by Norwich City on 1 February, since when transfer-window signing Egil Selvik has been their first-choice. Bond began his career at Vicarage Road, playing 33 games before moving on to Reading and West Bromwich Albion and then heading to Los Angeles in January 2021. The deal with Houston has been agreed before the MLS primary transfer window closes on 23 April. "Jonathan is an experienced goalkeeper who is comfortable playing out of the back, commands his penalty area and wins games with his shot stopping ability," said the club's president of soccer Pat Onstad. "With over 200 games in his career, including three seasons in Major League Soccer, he gives us another valuable option at the goalkeeper position."
