AIDY: 'WE'LL GO FOR THEIR THROATS' WATFORD manager Aidy Boothroyd is licking his lips at the prospect of Tuesday night's meeting with Sheffield United at Vicarage Road. Aidy Boothroyd During the week, the Hornets' chief has talked of the role that fans can play in helping his team over what he describes as 'a period of huge games' kicking off against Neil Warnock's Blades. "It's a massive game because it starts a period of huge games for us from now until the new year", he explained. "We need to make sure we get some points on the board to give us a springboard into January when we'll be able to bring in some fresh faces to add to what we've already got here. "Following on from what I said at the fans' forum about making Vicarage Road a nasty place to come, I've had some great letters from supporters. This place has got to be bouncing on Tuesday night and at every game from now on. "People talk about the fans being the 12th man and that's what I want. It's crucial for us because it helps to build momentum and then sustain it. It's up to me and my staff to make sure we go straight for Sheffield United's throats on Tuesday night. "We want to impose ourselves on the opposition and play at a high tempo and make sure that we win all the 50/50 challenges. That's how we are and what we do. If we do that over a consistent period then we'll start to consistently win." Aidy Boothroyd Ben Foster and Marlon King are definite non-starters for Watford and left winger Hameur Bouazza is doubtful as he struggles to shake off the effects of the kick on the ankle sustained at Portsmouth last week, but the Watford manager is not a man to complain about injuries. "It is a big blow to lose Ben but it was also a big blow to lose Marlon and it was a blow when Gavin was out. So, if Hameur's out it'll be a blow by we'll just get on with it. "No one man is bigger than the club, it's a team game. We saw that when Richard Lee came in and did fantastically well. Darius Henderson has also done extremely well this season and probably has not got the headlines that he deserved. "The work he's done for the team is fantastic. If Hameur's not fit, someone else will come in and do a job because it's a team game, a squad game." "The players that are injured, including Clarke Carlisle, are always going to be a loss but you get injuries and suspensions and I'm not going to start rueing our luck. We'll just get on with it." Saturday's postponement of the game with Blackburn Rovers means the Hornets have now played a game less than most of the teams around them in the league but Aidy doesn't necessarily see that as an advantage. "When you've got a game in hand, it's only useful if you win it. Otherwise, there's no point in having it." Adrian Boothroyd The Vicarage Road supremo went to see United lose at West Ham on Saturday and is hoping to capitalise on any tiredness they may have. "I went to see Sheffield United's game at West Ham on Saturday and it was a tough game. They probably feel like they should have got more out of it than they did, some decisions didn't go their way and we've got to take advantage of that. "We've got to make sure that we're both physically and mentally fitter than them. Neil Warnock has brought in a few new players since we last played them, particularly at the back. "They have a lot more pace back there now than they had last year.He's also got more firepower with Rob Hulse and Colin Kazim-Richards so he's got lots of options and a deeper squad than we have. "Having said that, I think there are lots of similarities between the two teams. We're on similar points and had one or two decisions go against us and we've both had to deal with knockbacks."
