While I write this I hope that Bournemouth already one nil down at Old Trafford are yet again well beaten and put in their place. Normally my sympathies would be to side with the underdog against any of the so called elite of English football that includes the nouveau riche of Manchester City and Chelsea but given recent history and the way we were pipped to the Championship (in part thanks to some clueless numpties at the Vic) I hope they get battered. Not even the former heroics of Watford legend Luther Blissett and regarded as such by those down there can provide a point of mutual interest even less so any affection. In the drivel infested, cliche ridden, narrative driven clueless world of football writing and punditry they are hailed as all that is wonderful in the world of football. A small very provincial team that miraculously under the leader of an English Messianic coach were dragged from avoiding the fiery pits of hell that is the National League to the pearly gates of the Premier League welcomed in by Saint Jugears of the parish of Leicester. This Goebbels like narrative fails to recognize many salient pertinent points that knock this narrative into the dustbin of football claptrap. Funded by another nefarious oligarch I'm Max Denim aka Maxim Demin the best art this club has practiced over recent seasons has been diving which they have perfected to a Turner Prize level. Certainly the only time any form of 'culture' has been imparted to this waiting for God backwater. In all our recent encounters with Saint Eddie Howe (miraculously not honoured as yet with even an OBE) we have had to contend not only with underhand tactics and cheating but officials who also seem to be in love with the Bournemouth myth while we are regarded by many as being the villains of the piece. Obese waste of space Jonathan Moss will not be around to help the OAP's this time after his unbelievable sending off of Kabasele in our biggest loss and their biggest win of the season. Partly compounded by Gracia's reluctance at the time to bring on a CB immediately while fielding Capoue instead as a backup they managed to score two sneaky goals to lend the scoreline a flattering look. Doubtless it will be different on Wednesday evening as we look to take what would be sweet revenge. They currently play with a 3-5-2 so once again as in the modern game we will need plenty of width and look to get Holebas and Femenia if he is recalled to get up the pitch and take Rico and Ibe with them. I can see Holebas being recalled to the starting lineup with Doucoure after the delayed impact they made against Newcastle and we need our fullbacks to work very hard in order to give Deulofeu and Pereyra the space to work their magic. It should make for a strong midfield of Capoue (POTS for me), Doucoure and Quina with a solitary striker upfront. Bournemouth sad to say have been hit with injuries and some serious ones at that which means Simon Francis and Adam Smith are missing from the defence while Lewis Cook is also out. While Quina is a real eye catcher for them it has to be David Brooks. Perhaps someone we could have gone for in the summer although we are well stocked in midfield it never hurts to stockpile for the future. An excellent passer and carrier of the ball he times his runs into the box very well and Etienne will need to keep tabs on him. They of course have Wilson and King conmen supreme upfront so Cathcart and Mariappa in particular will need to be wary of gifting needless free kicks away. However despite the fact Super Eddie in charge aside from a win over Brighton recent results have seen Bournemouth well and truly spanked and deservedly so. Let's hope we add another dose of New Year misery then to that on Wednesday and launch our own 2019 with a bang before we roll over Woking on Saturday. The referee for the match is rather inexperienced. David Coote. Just four PL games to his name but a referee for several years in the lower tiers. A good thing Warnock is not on the sidelines. A safe journey to all Hornets fans travelling down there. Key players, Abdoulaye Doucoure returning to goalscoring form and David Brooks: Our record against the Submariners: https://www.11v11.com/teams/watford/tab/opposingTeams/opposition/AFC Bournemouth/ Oh happy afternoon:
Smudge, I'm banning you from anymore game day threads as we havent won when you create them - as good as they are. PS - I have no statistical evidence to back up my assertion.
Two very inconsistent sides being pitched together. We certainly owe them one after that red card destroyed our previous game (thanks to Jon **** Moss). Watching United tear them a new one today, but they'll be a tough nut on their own patch. We'll certainly have to improve on ourlast two performances if we are to get anything from this match. Going forward they can score against anyone, but they will give chances away at the other end. We'll have to be something we're not often, and that's clinical. It has all the potential to being a high scoring match, so I'll go for a 2-2 draw.
Mariappa will be utterly bewilderedby their pace and movement up front if we are forced once again to play him. So would Britos. We will lose this 3-1 I think as the negligent, complacent summer recruitment comes home to roost.
Bit like Kabasele and Cathcart were in the home game? Not in great form and we never seem to do quite as well against teams like that - whereas we go and win at West Ham/Wolves who were on long unbeaten runs. Usually get something down there though so hoping for a draw.
Still haven't mentally reconciled the long journey south that was cut short after Angela's 30 second sending off. Its a no from me Harry. Enjoy the game.
I was in the home end for that and I went semi-beserk trying to stifle my rage! They always seem to get the rub of the green with decisions against us. I really hope we turn them over!
We are going to smash them. They will be bamboozled by Pereyra and Deulofeu. It is an easy three points and I am already celebrating the victory. They should feel honoured to even have our players put their feet on their pitch, let alone being in the same league as us. The only way they win this is because of their usual cheating, diving antics, just like they tried multiple times against United today. They should have received numerous yellows for simulation. However the righteous hornets will defeat the unrighteous fruit. Watford 6-2 Fruit
Infuriating when Ritchie pulled the same stunt on Saturday. Even more infuriating when he didn’t repeat it. My narrative was the serial diving Muff guy, which he threw back in my face. Maybe he was genuinely tripped.
Natty Ake looks like he might've done his hamstring in which case we'll be up against the human lampshade Tyrone Mings
Is that supposed be "not sure about " that ? Playing a kid the club feel is a midfielder in central defence against a tough striker like Wilson might be a baptism of fire ? Anyway are we sure Kabasele won't be fit .. As I say he and Cathcart coped so well in the home game we should be fine ..
The Kabesele who got sent off against Wilson? I’m assuming he’s still injured based on the stretcher and oxygen mask. @zztop may disagree! If he is fit I’d play him. I feel that he and Cathcart work well together. I’d just like to see a youngster given some meaningful game time. He’s been on the bench, give him some experience. He’s not going to make a CM here unless we have a Mazzari-period injury crisis. He’s played centre back before and he might just be good at it. I am resigned to losing this one anyway though!
I was joking about the last bit - sorry. Was making the point as you have that Kabasele and Cathcart hardly had a great time against them and I accept nor would Mariappa given the height difference between him and Wilson (pace wise it might be closer) Agreed if fit Kabasele and Cathcart would be ideal. Also Wilmott does need to be tested at some point and we need more cover at centre half than in midfield but if he cannot get on the bench ahead of Britos maybe Gracia just doesn't see him as ready for that role.
I'm too lazy to check....can someone tell me if this is on the telly please Not sure I want to fck about with a river Maybe will just listen to 3CR Hope we beat the cheaty divers amid a multitude of contentious circumstances which even up all the wrongdoing we have suffered since the six-one...
Looks like Sky have opted for New Castle vs Munster as their 8PMer 3CR are always upbeat about our performance. Derek excels at forin prounouncin And they love Deeney.
If he’s not above Britos in the pecking order he might be due for a loan out. I’m always up for trying out the youngsters. I’d have started last season with Brandon Mason as back up for LB and I’d rather have Sinclair than Okaka! A youngster can always be given some slack.
I'm saying this as much to convince myself as I'm going to this, as well as it's normally the case that a team that plays poorly one game will normally perform better the next. From snippets we get from the players, Gracia won't allow the team an excuse with a sub par performance like that and I suspect we'll see a better showing against a more attack minded opposition where Pereyra and Deulofeu will get more space behind to shine.
It is odd that Wilmot is apparently being groomed as a midfielder when our lack of CBs has been clear for a while. Does Pozzo now only do midfielders? Is Foster’s penchant for long passes a stepping stone for him to become the new Hoddle?
Best returns to be made from midfielders? Sky is grooming Deeney to replace Hoddle. What has happened to that Arkansas guy and Bachman?
