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Into the Hornets Nest: Watford Preview
Lee Clark will be looking to build on Saturday’s win over Charlton as Blues take on Watford at Vicarage Road tonight with the Hornets still smarting over Danny Drinkwater’s last-minute equaliser which denied them all three points on Saturday.
Watford
The Hornets’ win over Brighton on February 2 remains the only league win Guiseppe Sannino’s men have achieved this year, with Watford having drawn six of their last ten league games. That form has seen them slump to 14th in the table, four places and only two points ahead of Blues although they have played a game less.
Arsenal loanee Park Chu-young should return to the squad after injury but Samba Diakitie probably will miss out with a calf problem.
Blues
Lee Clark told the media that he could make changes for this fixture, feeling that the boggy nature of the Valley pitch may have sapped legs at the weekend. Mitch Hancox has returned to training but is unlikely to start; whether he will displace Tyler Blackett on the bench remains to be seen. Blues could look to bring back into the team Brian Howard, Albert Rusnak or Reece Brown to bring some more guile to the lineup with Olly Lee potentially missing out.
Despite the relative league positions I think that this one could be a tough game for Blues – a point would probably be a good result and could potentially extend the gap to 19th placed Bolton Wanderers.
Tags: Albert Rusnak, Brian Howard, Mitchell Hancox, Reece Brown, Watford
21 Responses to “Into the Hornets Nest: Watford Preview”
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Got a good feeling about this one, think the newbies are gonna shine tonight along with Adeyemi.
Hope this weather brightens up before I leave.
Crazy right now
Pretty mood weather indeed. My money is on a 1-1 draw.
moody.
We have the players to do a job on Watford that’s for sure. I think it’s all going to be down to tactics tonight. Although teams have become wiser to Watford’s 3-5-2, we always seem to have problems against it. Should Lee Clark match them up and go 3-5-2, or pack the midfield to stop them playing?
Either way, if Caddis and Robbo are our full backs, we have to give them plenty of cover. Neither could beat a snail in a race over 10 metres. For me, if it’s our usual 4-2-3-1, it would have to be Burke and Ferguson on the flanks, or even Hancox in front of Robbo. If it’s 3-5-2, Packwood, Martin and Robbo would do ok at the back I think.
It’s all down to Mr Clark and how he calls it. Like I said, we certainly have the players now. I’m tilting towards a 2-2 draw.
Come on you Blue Boys, a nice 3-1 win will do, KRO.
3 points will be great but ive a feeling a draw might be the job tonight, 0-0, 1-1, 2-2. KRO.
If we can concentrate on defending as well as Mr Pannu defends himself there will be no troubles at all. And as long as our forwards are not as abscent as Mr Pannu we can’t fail to score either. And LC’s rallying call to his troops can’t fail to be more inspirational than Mr Pannu’s either. Come on you Blues. I hope for the fans travelling tonight that the game doesn’t become a victim of the weather.
I’m 20 miles away and it’s sheeting down at the moment. Don’t hold your breath.
In the last 4 home games, Watford have scored 2, 0, 0 and 4 goals.
In our last 4 away games, we have scored 2, 0, 3 and 0 goals.
So, er, looks like anything could happen.
I go 1-1.
Should be ok Pete – just wet!
Might make for a decent passing game or a chance of mistakes..
We’re pretty average at home TBH but had a good win against Brighton.
As you’ve probably noticed we start to panic when 2 up.
I’d go for a draw.
Nice position to be in with some talent sitting on the bench, the lads performed brilliantly and LC got the selection perfect given the state of Charltons’ pitch.
I think changes should be kept minimalistic now and made for “footballing” reasons or injuries, we are going to get some heavier pitches so some rotation with a young squad will be inevitable.
Personally I would start with Saturdays line up and maybe change things second half if they become tired, especially in the engine room with Lee, Huws and Adeyemi and we have plenty of alternatives in Rusnak, Brown or Shinnie.
As to a result a draw is easily attainable, but with the work ethics from Saturday a win could be snatched again, Watford are vulnerable as a game goes on so keep it tight and hit them on the break, but we do need to defend higher up the field and not let them run at us.
A good test and they are low on confidence 1-3 to Blues.
KRO+DNM
ps, no racists chants tonight please, lets make the protests heard and be seen for all the right reasons.
You got to be happy if we scap a draw tonight
Agreed, our last three outings against Watford have seen us outclassed, failing to score on each occasion, althugh we at least gave them a fight on the opening day at St Andrews. Want to be positive about this one – but can’t. 3-1 Watford I fear.
If blues show no fear get stuck in to them from the off 2-0 blues sailing down the motorway kro
i,m going 2 2
Just getting in the car now, as long as we get 100%+ then a win is on the cards, still stick with 1-3 to Blues
KRO+DNM
Would love that but be happy with draw
drive safe kro
Thanks, the drive was good both ways.
I got the Watford goal correct, we huffed and puffed but I’m afraid LC got things wrong tonight.
For me too many changes, the midfield was to congested and Macheda was asked to do to much as a lone striker.
Going three up front was a bold move but Watford defenders were everywhere and seemed to win everything. we lacked creativity and cohesion tonight, again far to may passes were either wasted, played into trouble or went astray
I said at the start that we needed to defend higher up and we didn’t, we let Watford run with the ball, bit of a fluke goal but at the end they all count, this one against us.
Not sure Rusnak has the desire, or maybe lacking confidence, tonight he seemed elsewhere.
Still looking hopeful, they will learn and come back stronger, just hope it is aginst Huddersfield as we really need to get results at home.
KRO+DNM
Huws was absolute class. Spraying the ball around and looking so comfortable in possession. The kid is going to go far in the game. A nod to Packwood too. Again he excellent.
I don’t like to single out poor play but Robbo had a really poor night, especially in the first half repeatedly giving the ball away needlessly.
I felt we had a strong first and last 15 minutes otherwise we didn’t play well and for all our endeavours in the second half we only had the late header and Shabba’s chance. I can’t help but wonder if Shabba’s chance had fallen to Kiko that he would have murdered it…
I thought you merited a point on the 2nd half performance but neither team created much.
We just have a habit of taking a lead and sitting back (and time wasting…)
mark we certainly did merit a point and more imo if caddis 30 yarder had gone in the 2-0 i predicted would have come to fruition……. we will be playing each other next season anyhow…….kro