Agreed. And that’s not just a reflection of quality but of team style too. Bournemouth, while on a poor run of form, have some excellent technically gifted players and will seek to play as much as possible with the ball in our half. We’ll need the pace/threat of Sarr both to get up the pitch and to force them to be more conservative. Wycombe will play more conservatively and there’ll be less space for Sarr to run into. I’d bring PZ in for him for Wycombe as (at least in theory) he’ll be able to create in tight spaces.
Definitely an aggressive press is the way forward tomorrow QPR did it to them last weekend and they caused them all sorts of problems they even passed the ball away on the edge of their box which Rangers scored from.
Some good, sensible and well argued cases for Sarr tomorrow and Zinc Wednesday. I also feel Zinc will look a lot better on the right especially if he’s lucky enough to have Kiko behind him. Their combined technical ability could be just what he needs. Pretty sure the Bold / Glimt (sorry I’ve probably got the team name messed up there) said that Zinc had a good attacking full back behind him who he linked up well with. Masina isn’t that type of player.
Yes high press was effective last season too, but will the players have enough in their legs to play an aggressive press after so many recent games ?
Very true, but la Liga, a UEFA cup and a promotion probably ranks slightly higher than a GNVQ. I dont know what happened with Xisco, maybe he really is a genius who bided his time until the right moment came to switch to 433 but my favorite possible narrative is that he was a smiley yes man, parachuted into the club by Gino to appease Troy and was forced to play dire Deeneyball, the talented players in the squad revolted, Deeney was dethroned and Xisco suddenly found himself managing one of the best sides Watford have ever had and with the best ever win % of any Watford manager. It then became apparant he is the best man for the job, combining positive energy with steel and focus on the task in hand. I'd love to know the truth, I guess there will be many versions of it!
But you can spend £9.99 to watch it on NowTV, you will get all SkySports channels for 24 hours after activating.
I know it’s totally illogical, but this is what worries me. We’re on a great run; Bournemouth are having a mare. I should be feeling confident but instead I have this quiet feeling of dread. I feel more nervous about this match than I have done for a long time. When we were looking awful I just didn’t care as much. It’s the hope that kills you...
We’re owed a very questionable red card for a Muff player in the 2nd minute. Unless that happens I will be forced to live with the nagging sense of injustice forever more.
We cant underestimate them. Just because they have looked poor recently, means nothing. They have decent players, that if they get their act together, would cause us real problems. They will be up for it. You only have to look at the last game where they should have had 2 red cards. They will do the same. Their players clearly get more up for this game, and form goes out the window. They will want to win no matter how. Fully expect a nasty game, where they will kick lumps out of Sarr again. They will come flying out the blocks and try to get an early goal. We have to match their intensity. Joe Jordan will be in the 4th officials ear all game, we need someone on our coaching staff doing the same. Ekong MUST be dropped for this game. Has been woeful at the back recently. They will target him and press him. They will know he’s uncomfortable with playing out from the back and doesn’t do well under pressure. His passing is atrocious so they will look to capitalize on that. He must not start. It will be a nightmare if he does. Will be interesting to see how Bmuff line up. Against Cardiff the played 532, but at HT switched to 442. Tindall mainly had them playing 433/343, which is what their fans want. With Joe Jordan assisting now, I wouldn’t be surprised if they switch back to that. They are a different team playing 433. We can make it 5 out of 5, we just need to have the right mindset and don’t underestimate them just because they have looked poor recently.
I know exactly what you mean but I try and flip it on it’s head. Like last season when we had games against Burnley, Southampton, West Ham, even Arsenal on the final day. With all those games I thought we have to win them, surely we will win them because we’ve got to? But obviously we didn’t. So then I think of things from a Bournemouth’s point of view and they must be dreading the game and thinking they’ll lose, but probably secretly thinking and hoping they can get a result against us, but when you’re down you’re down and whenever you think things can’t get any worse, they always can!.
Same comments were made before the Bristol City, Preston and Blackburn games. Hopefully we can keep getting the job done. Agree on the nerves, can feel the end of season anxiety building already...
The lack of self awareness from some fans on here when they talk about resting players against Wycombe is both hilarious and astonishing. As a fellow small club, they deserve respect.
I guarantee you they come flying out the blocks because its us. They won’t play anything like they did against QPR or Cardiff. In this type of game, form goes out the window. Whether people like it or not, this game always has a sense of rivalry to it. The players have shown that on the pitch in many of our games. The famous press conference of Deeney and Fraser is just one example of when the players have had a snip at the other club. The Chalobah incident of shouting “leave it” etc. The list goes on, They will want to beat us tomorrow. I seriously hope our players don’t have your mindset, that’s the mindset that causes teams to lose. Underestimating an opponent, thinking just because they’ve been crap the last two games, they will be again. We can’t take them lightly. They are a decent side when it clicks and it can click at any moment. Just like our season finally clicked. I promise you Joe Jordan would have been yelling at them the past couple of days to motivate them.
This is a very important point - in pretty much every game he's played, he's committed at least one distribution error under no pressure at all that has been so egregious it's handed an opposition player the ball directly in our defensive third of the pitch - against Blackburn, it was that insane lofted chip that didn't even go in the direction of any Watford player, instead flashing across the front of our box and straight to one of their attackers. Against one of the other 'top teams' we are theoretically rivalling for promotion (and Muff still count as that as it stands) it's the kind of mistake that can decide a game that will be a lot tighter than most we play in this division. I'd probably bring Cathcart in alongside Sierralta for this kind of game given his experience and nous and blah blah etc.
Watching the highlights back, even from the kick off he had a poor touch and was instantly closed down by Armstrong. I seem to remember him getting outmuscled by Armstrong in the second half as well, look at the size of the two of them!
I just don't get it. Why are so many on here wanting us to rest players for this game or the next. While they are fit we have to always play our best team. We have 14 games left in the season and if I understand it correctly, each game offers us the chance to get another 3 points. Lets say we rest Sarr on Saturday, that doesn't mean he won't pick up an injury in the first five minutes against Wycombe. In past promotions we didn't rest key players such as Young, King, Abdi or Deeney so why do it now?
I agree, 3 points from the next game is worth the same as 3 points from any future game. We have an international break soon which may actually come too soon for the team (that hopefully is still on a roll), and players can have a break then.
Armstrong had the run of him all game but tbf Armstrong is an excellent player and definitely one to keep an eye on. As for resting the likes of Sarr for any game imo is insane he looks the fittest of any player we have and is a constant threat going forward and also getting back and helping out the defence. Only tinkering for me with Nate back in for Gosling even though he will be so up for this match and Cathcart for WTE. As been mentioned he looks like the weakest link atm defence wise. The game is there for the taking if we want it, even Birmingham scored twice against Muff. Pressure their backline like we've been doing and it's only ours to lose.
Only if Foster rides onto the pitch on his bike and pleads them for a shirt in exchange. He can then add it to the many he no doubt has lining his walls at home.
After next week there is a midweek off, where Swansea will be playing one of their games in hand. Then as you say an international break. Play your strongest side.
I really like Armstrong. Not the most clinical of strikers but always creating something for himself. Out of contract in 2022 so would be a decent pickup (maybe £10-15m) should we go up this summer. He’s not the biggest but appears to be able to play up front by himself.
