I went to university in Bournemouth, so not only have i met fans, i went to lots of games over my time. Including being in the watford end when Phillips got trunchoned. So if we want to pretend theyre rivals, we can use that moment.
For me beating Muff is far more important than Luton or QPR . Luton are irrelevant and QPR we don’t even have any shared history apart from a bit of minor aggro in the Boothroyd/Lewingtok era .
A good point, that competitively and in terms of anything we are aiming to achieve as we currently are, playing and beating Muff is vastly higher in importance than any game against Luton, and they will very likely be far more relevant to our season, as you say.
Might make some of the long upfield hoofs from Foster and the defence find their target rather than just sailing straight out/over their heads.
An early season COG/CON 6 pointer. Im going for a draw leaving both sides frustrated but naturally the COGs slightly happier.
You have no soul, and that’s absolutely not true about QPR. Here’s something I posted back in August: We’ve played QPR loads of times over the years, going back to the 3rd Division South days and even the Southern League pre-1920. But I know, although before my time, that a particular animosity surfaced in the mid 1960s. Both teams were pushing for promotion to the Second Division and Watford’s style under Ken Furphy at the time was based on a strong defence and physical tactics. Rangers, meanwhile were seen as a flamboyant attacking team scoring lots of goals with Rodney Marsh their star player. At the start of the 66/67 season Watford beat them 1-0 at Vicarage Road and QPR felt they had been unfairly bullied out of the game. They actually published a photo in their programme of one of their players with a severely torn shirt by way of proof. They ended up Champions that year and it took Watford two further years to follow. The animosity lasted for many years afterwards and was certainly still around in the early 1980s when the clubs’ two styles clashed again: this time Venables’ offside trap against GT’s supposed ‘long-ball’ game.
I think all the while fans aren’t in the stadiums Derbies are virtually meaningless. Teams aren’t made up of local lads anymore, so the vast majority of our/Lutons/Qprs players won’t give a flying toss about any games between us, anymore then they would against any other team. When fans come back then absolutely yes, but until then, the games against our actual competitive rivals are far more important.
To me, this game has far more rivalry than Luton. Luton is a dead rivalry that means very little. If we go up this season, and play the away match behind closed doors, we'll not see them again for quite a while, so the rivalry will remain deceased. Today's game is against a rival (rival in terms of competitor for this season and recent history) that have followed us around for the past 8 years or so. Promoted with us, relegated with us, and the crowing over pipping us to the title in the last minute is still something they gloat over. It would be great to win this one, to lay down that marker.
Not the worst thing in the world to have muff following us around for the past eight years. Going up and down with us and making pleasurable noises when they come on top of us. I can live with that.
Bournemouth players will be kitted out in base jumping human kite suits to take advantage of the blustery conditions so they can dive 30 metres out and land in the penalty area. Sensors on the suits will register the slightest touch and send 10000 volts to the player's knees ensuring he both crumples and launches himself into the air.
I see that the forecast is for strong wind and possible heavy rain. This will suit Bournemouth more than us. They like to play it along the ground. Our generally 'direct' (long ball) will be difficult to achieve today. It will be an interesting clash of styles. I can't see how Bournemouth will fail to score against us. 2-0 to Bournemouth, with an outside bet on 4-0 to them. Enjoy the game.
Its quite the outlandish claim, up there with moon landings, 5g causing corona virus and Scotts claim he’s giving open regular comms. I fear i’ve been rumbled. Though not really relevant, i just want to point out Mr Stevie Palmer of course was a cambridge blue.
I swear Nath is the new Moog and you’re one of Nath’s more negative alter egos. Of course Nath is probably Moog anyway, as indeed we all are.
I care about this more than I did the Luton game. Would take a draw, just don’t lose to those smug w******.
Vladimir makes three changes from Wednesday's victory over Blackburn Rovers... ⬅️ Wilmot, Femenía & João Pedro ➡️ Troost-Ekong, Ngakia & Perica