Watford Fc 1-0 Nottingham Forest - 06/03/2021

For anyone who hasn't been over to the Team Bus for the latest news:

 

Forest have one of the best defences in the league. They won’t come here to attack at all. It will all be about sitting deep, keeping it tight, and hitting us on the counter through Knockaert.

Whoever plays LW is going to be up against a solid RB in Christie.

If Hungbo is up for the challenge, then this might be our best bet with Sema clearly shattered. Also wouldn’t mind Sema starting, but being subbed at HT.

Either way, we need to score first. Forest will be playing for a draw/snatch and grab from a long ball or set piece.

We need to be 2-0 up by HT, make them come out of their half as they chase the game.

If we go a goal down. It will be a long way back.

It’s a must win game if we want to get promoted automatically.

 

We're going to absolutely smash them.

0-0

 

What about Dan Phillips for a midfield spot?

 

If they're one of the best defences in the league, and they have a very solid right back, I'm not sure the answer to that is to deploy a child who has effectively played no senior football whatsoever up against him

 

Who is going to pick up the captain's armband for this one? Hughes? Cathcart?

 

Thanks. That’s why I deliberately said if he’s up for the challenge.

 

Hughes

 

Definitely.

 

Would be fun while it lasted.

 

So.. if we lose without Cleverley, Pedro, Gosling and Chalobah (plus Kabasele and Deeney) we've by definition "choked"? Really?

 

That's quite an astonishingly broad 'if', then.

 

Really?

 

Pedro is also back, and I don't know that we're aware that Gosling won't be, yet, either.

 

Murray will score you just bloody know it.

 

It’s a given. Just a question of how many. Maybe a beautiful Garner free kick goal too ?

 

Gives the ball away too easily. Can see them scoring from a breakaway after we lose possession. Have we considered asking them if they will agree to play 10 vs 10?

 

Hughes Captain. El Gaucho vice captain. The future is now.

 

I wonder what he remembers more? Diving next to Cassetti or nearly getting amputated by Britos?

 

Knockart will win a pen, which Murray will score. Garner will also score 2-0 Forest.

 

My bad, I thought Hungbo was a midfielder...

 

Real shame about Cleverley, despite the criticism he received from some at the beginning of the season, he's been solid throughout.

Midfield is looking rather weak, hopefully Gosling is fit.

 

Isn't there usually a press conference a couple days before a game that talks about injuries etc? Did I miss it?

 

Heading in a pin-point Garner corner...

 

I think Zinc deserves another start in the middle , especially as he has the skill to unpick a solid Hughton defence.

If Gosling and Cleverly unfit then Sanchez is an experienced player who could slot straight in if hes up to speed fitness wise. Other alternatives are Wilmott or Philips . Any of those options should be enough to see us through.

If Ken needs a rest , then Pedro can play on the wing. Gray deserves another chance, lets see if lightning can strike twice.

Rest of team picks itself really.

 

Spot on about Zinc. He is exactly the kind of player we've needed in many of our drab games. It looks he can pick a pass that nobody else can see. We will miss Clevs energy
Bachman (when is Foster available again)
Kiko, WTE, The Bloke from Chile, Masina
Hughes, Zinc, Gosling if fit, maybe Wilmot otherwise
Sema, Gray (can't drop a fella after scoring twice), Sarr

 

Decent, street smart championship manager, 2 ex players with a point to prove, plus a third who is a cheating little rat who always has a score to try and settle against us. This isn’t so much a banana skin, more a Fyffes banana lorry has crashed on the M1 and spilled its entire cargo onto the carriageway.

 

I’d keep Zinckernagel as the most advanced of our central midfielders and go with Gosling (fitness permitting) or Wilmot to replace Clevs. Would give Sema a rest and play Pedro on the left. Hard to drop Gray after his brace and Sema’s obvious fatigue means we can evade the selection headache up front.

 

I don’t know if anyone has mentioned it on any of the threads on the forum yet about the fact that we got rid of a bunch of midfielders and now it appears we could have done with keeping them?

Think I may have seen it once or seven thousand times.

 

Probably you’ve read it a few times because people have been saying it since the end of January. Unfortunately it didn’t occur to the plums in charge.

 

We don’t need midfielders, we’ve signed the fatter, slower Colombian Jack Rodwell.

 

2 goals didn't suddenly make Gray a better player than Pedro. He’s just as likely to sky the next chance over the bar.

 

Don't think Sanchez will be fit tomorrow from his interview, and Gosling is out. Letting all our ******* midfielders leave seems to be a bit of an issue... who'd of thought it.

I haven't got a clue what Xisco can do tomorrow and I don't envy him.

 

Worrying if true. I heard him and Murray graduated uni together in the 70s.