However, from the moment Tom Ince scored the opener Blues never really looked like they could penetrate a deep-lying Watford team who were happy to counter attack at tremendous pace. Incidentally Mr. Ince scored a hat-trick a few weeks ahead of entering his 35th year on this planet and a tally that he last exceeded in a match even Old Father Time would have a job to remember.

The Blues back four aren’t the quickest and they just couldn’t cope with Watford’s fleet-footed players, not that the defence were protected in any way by their midfield. Substitutions were generally ineffective although Blues were that bad that the introduction of Lewis Koumas marginally improved them, although the same can’t be said for the ponderous duo of Lyndon Dykes and Marvin Ducksch. If anybody came out with a semblance of self-respect it was Patrick Roberts who, whilst not having one of his better games, never stopped trying to make things happen.

James Beadle was also generally competent and Tomoki Iwata put in a fairly decent shift but that is probably clutching at straws. Watford have spent no more on transfers than Blues but there was a world of difference in both pace and energy. As usual, we had more possession but you wouldn’t think that from the shots ratio.

As widely reported, signings are done by committee and this has obviously proved to be a flawed system. It is a mystery that given the money we have spent that we generally lack a physical presence with only two players over six foot and a lack of genuine pace, hence our painful attempts to work the ball forward in degrees.