It goes without saying that we should play a 4-3-3, I like that team, though the Cov game (as well as our general shitness) have given us some things to think about. Cathcart and Dawson (and Kabs for that matter) are much of a muchness, but we should drop one of them for Kabs just to give us something different. Wouldn't mind seeing Foulquier, though he's more of a right-back, and we're stronger there than at left-back. Doucs and Capoue still pick themselves, torn between Quina and Pereyra for the #10 role. Pereyra played there last night and is more natural there than out wide, but then again Quina is quality and I'd like to see him play more. Attack picks itself if Welbeck is deemed match fit enough for a league game
Masina hasn't had any minutes so far though. Depending how the other fella played LB last night. Prefer Chalobah for Quina tbh. I believe he would hold the line better. Pace to burn up top. But this all depends if Newcastle get at us to leave space. Have to go long diagonals to split the back three and by pass the wingbacks.
True. Got the 90 yesterday. Depending on his recovery abilities I suppose. Good option off the bench though if Gray starts.
Gray deserves to and has to start for me. If he played 38 games a season you’d get a lot of rubbish touches and awful moments but I’m convinced you’d get 15 league goals. He’s never really let us down when called upon so I think he deserves a starting run whilst Deeney is injured. Ease Welbeck in till Christmas IMO. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Team for me has to be 4-2-3-1 Foster Janmatt Cathcart Kabasel/Dawson Holebas Capoue Doucoure Sarr Pereyra Deulofeu Gray Subs GK Femenia Kabasele/Dawson Welbeck Success Quina/Cleverley Penaranda
Along with the rest of us going we are all pygmies (i know its from 4 years ago but the article did make a few smile at the time)-now after beating the mighty Spurs we are again entering the land of the giants https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/watford-not-big-club-no-10233793
This result, formation and player performances against Cov put Javi in a strange position. Staring down the barrel of a gun that might not even be loaded. As loyal as the Light Brigade. The designer of a fantastic new system that propelled us as high as 7th and to an FA cup final before crashing and burning, cruelly exposed and now totally discredited. A footballing Epstein (4222 not Javi). Does he continue with his failed system like King Canute waiting to drown or does he use his high levels of intelligence to make the changes required? Who is Javi Gracia? Can he adapt? Spanish girls don't like going Dutch, is Javi the same with Janmaat? I don't believe in an Interventionist Cod but if I did I'd ask it to intervene on this occasion to change the system and play Janmaat.
Gray is the anti-Jurado, he is all about end product rather than technique. When he misses it makes no difference to the result if it hits the post or goes off for a throw in. The important thing is how often he scores and how important the goal is. Saturday was a good example of his determination and impact. He scored the goal and set up Hughes. It should have been enough to kick start our season. Also he's a fighter which is exactly what we need right now for the relegation dog fight ahead of us. People criticise Dre's first touch but he scores goals with his first touch too and people often overlook his movement which is world class. His movement for the goal on Saturday and also the way he found space in the box to have a clear shot against Brighton. He can score at any time in any game. If Welbeck or Sarr can match Gray's minutes per goal for Watford they'll become Watford legends. One of the things I really admire about Andre is that despite his wealth, pop star girlfriend and PL minutes per goal he combines being as hard as nails with being a level headed guy. None of it has gone to his head. He works his socks off in every game. We didn't score in our first 200 minutes of the season. Then Andre gets his first start and 17 minutes later we get a goal. He is far from perfect but if all our players had his mental strength we wouldn't be facing relegation right now.
I think describing his movement as 'world class' might be going a touch overboard, but I do agree that he has some qualities that we are in need of. I think having to play alongside Troy is something that can at times hamstring him, because if he essentially functions as the Wolverhampton Icardi, as in 'no touches with no service, but when he does get it, it's done' that's fine, as long as there isn't another player taking up a position on the pitch contributing to nothing for long stretches of tie/entire games if he doesn't feel like it. You can take your one striker doing nothing and ballooning touches for 89 minutes if he bangs a winner in the final one, but not if there's another guy having the same amount of impact in a different way. That is, of course, not always true of Troy, but it has been becoming a more familiar occurrence over the past two or three years.
That's a fair point, especially if u include Del Boy's erratic contributions and lack of defensive work. I do think though that Andre's off the ball running has a big impact on the shape of the opposition and tires out their defenders even if he often isnt actually touching the ball.
As crazy as it sounds, Gray is almost the first name I’d put on the team sheet. Has been one of the better performers (from a very shallow pool admittedly!) so far and to drop him after he played and scored seems entirely counter-productive to me. Give him a run of games I say. I find it hard to say that we should leave Deulofeu out - but he’s hardly covered himself in glory in the games so far. Yes he’s thought of as our biggest threat but he looked uninterested on Saturday. Showing him that his place isn’t guaranteed wouldn’t be the worst thing IMO. Now we have a stronger squad, players shouldn’t feel like they ‘deserve’ to start on reputation alone now and that every spot is rightfully up for grabs. Doucoure, Cathcart, Femenia and Deulofeu should all be on the bench on Saturday.
Must win game Predictions We won’t keep a clean sheet (ever again) We might score Newcastle between 1 and 3 Watford between 0 and 5 Would like to think we would win, but then again I would have like to have thought after 20 years I would have won the lottery jackpot - some things just don’t pan out
Steve Bruce vs Javi Gracia. Two of the finest minds in the elite game. Who will win? Who will choke and importantly, who will keep their underwear dry? Tune in Saturday at 5pm to find out.
Didn't look uninterested at all. Was interacting with Foster before the penalty, telling him where to go. Only one clapping and rallying boys up as they walked back to centre circle. Got in the faces of West Ham, yes he should've scored a few times but he was demanding the ball and running everywhere. Not sure if it was Brighton or West Ham but at one point he ran all the way back after losing the ball and made an important block in our box.
It was Brighton, he did it cos he was the one who lost the ball. The fact we both remember 'the time Deulofeu ran all the way back' says an awful lot about him.
If Gracia is learning to adapt and not play his mates/out of form players then I am hopeful of a draw/win from Newcastle. Personally I'd like to see Sarr come in for Hughes, Chalobah for Doucs and Kabasele for either Cathcart/Dawson. Janmaat for Femenia. Keep Gray up top.
I think Gracia would see dropping Hughes and Doucs as weakening the team too much defensively esp given Chalo can't be relied upon at present and played a full game midweek. I would like to see an attacking unit with the pace of Sarr/Gray/GD away from home though. Far more effective than at home I would have thought where there is greater need to break a team down and have a focal point.
Rebranding is expensive. What would I do with all those I Love Happy Bunny baseball caps and T-shirts?
Javi says in his press conference that apart from Troy (who's going to be out for 2 months), everyone else is available for selection. Be interesting to see if any of the midweek performers make on the bench or even starting 11. I don't believe Femenia deserves amount of blame thrown his way recently, but I would be surprised if Janmaat doesn't start Saturday. Something like this for me ----------------Foster--------------- Janmaat-Dawson-Kabs-Holebas --------Doucs-----Capoue--------- Sarr----------Hughes------Pereyra ----------------Gray----------------- Sub: Gomes, Femenia, Cathcart, Cleverly, Quina, Peñaranda, Welbeck Thats leaving out Mapps, Chalobah & Success! Have a feeling he may start Cathcart though.
And Deulofeu, who will almost certainly start, but certainly make the bench. I think Hughes sits Pereyra slides inside and Deulofeu on the left - with he and Pereyra interchanging. Personally, given Newcastle's somewhat anemic attack, I'd prefer a 4-1-3-2 with Deulofeu up top with Gray and Doucoure pushed forward. I like Pereyra's creativity inside, but I'm afraid he lacks the physicality for it against a lot of clubs.
You missed out Deulofeu. I'd be hoping for similar, but: ----------------Foster--------------- Janmaat-Dawson-Kabs-Holebas --------Doucs-----Capoue--------- Sarr----------Deulofeu------Pereyra ----------------Gray-----------------
