I might be being a bit hyperbolic here but this feels like one of the most important games in our recent history to me. The line up, formation and player's attitude will tell us so much. Was Saturday a blip? Has Xisco learnt from that game? Will the Deeney/Gray play and, if they do, will it prevent us from playing the way we did on Saturday? My heart says we will perform tonight but my old, experienced, cynical and long Watford supporting brain is preparing me for disappointment.
I think we might be the only fanbase in the world that are forced to doubt whether we'll keep a system that resulted in a 6-0 win in the last game because of the way the club is run. Amazing really.
If we win 2 out 3 against Norwich Brentford and Swansea we wouldnt need the 2 we beat to collapse to catch them.
Don’t think I’ve ever been so nervous about a team selection . If we see a change in formation and/or Deeney or Gray starting then I think we can say goodbye to autos. I’ll accept Perica coming in for JP as he mobility and technique to play that middle role and still keep same style of play as Bristol game . Possibly Gosling in for Chalobah would be ok , but I think it’s best to start with winning team and make subs at 60 mins to rest players . Would be quite pleased if Massina given a rest .
Whilst if it were up to a lot of us, we would play Pedro (including me), we won 6-0 and he had no goals and assists to show for it. If you look at it from Deeney and Gray's shoes they will be knocking on Xisco's door wanting to start and pointing this out (one would hope in a positive and professional way). If Pedro had scored a couple or a hat-trick that wouldn't have been given Deeney and Gray much room for manoeuvre in their argument. The starting lineup announcement tonight will be interesting, I hope it doesn't happen but I wont be surprised to see a bit of 'forum rageitis' following Pedro's omission.
I see your point, however the fact that he was there to provide options meant that it made it more difficult for the defence. Had Deeney played, he'd not kept up with the pace of the wingers, the backs may have been punting it to him instead of using the channels, etc. I suppose it's like comparing apples with a 20" pizza.
At the beginning of 1963 there was a big freeze, and no matches were played for weeks. When it was possible to restart, it was two games a week, as now. I saw Norwich City beat Stoke 6-0 on the Saturday: Stoke, Stanley Matthews and all, were leading the old Division 2 and ended up as champions. Norwich had an injury crisis, with three reserves in their forward line, one of whom, Jim Oliver, scored a hat-trick. Four days later it was Newcastle at home, and the regulars came back. Oliver was dropped, and the booing didn't stop from the time of the announcement of the team until one of the returnees, Terry Allcock, scored I think 14 seconds into the game. Norwich went on to win 5-0, with Allcock scoring four. An omen?
Really? I would've thought that even Deeney and Gray would steer well clear of any argument based on goals and assists, given the paucity of their contributions in that field.
Time to prove that Saturday wasn’t a fluke, and that we’ve learnt our lessons from our previous poor run of form: Bachman Navarro Sierralta Cathcart New bloke Sarr Clevs Chabs Hughes Deeney Gray
Tremendous quote from Alex Neil on teams that come down keeping some of their Premier League standard players: 'In the Premier League it’s probably more of a technical, tactical match. In the Championship you have got some little guy who is desperate to play at that level hanging off your ankle, kicking you every time the ball comes towards you'
Loved the GT videos on their forum - never tire of them. Deeney not travelled. Keep the same formation and with the same positive attitude and energy from the players (rejuvenated captain Cleverley, not having a moaning Deeney), and the turnaround continues. 1-2 Sweet Caroline. COYH
Why as a footballer would they not want or ask to start? Why, if you were them, would you not want to play whilst trying to convince that you can contribute to the game? That is all that I was saying.
Yes but there literally couldn't be a worse way of making that argument! "Boss, just pointing out that João didn't score on Saturday" "Andre, you've scored once in 32 appearances, you really want to go there?" Also, I very much doubt that every footballer that is left out of a team then knocks on the door the following week begging to be picked.
Deeney hasn't travelled with the squad. He's arriving independently by plane and will parachute onto the pitch at 6.59pm in his Watford kit while Ride of the valkyries is blasted over the PA.
Indeed, look at Sema's goal. JP pulled defenders to the near post leaving a big hole in the centre of the area for Ken.
After the glimmer of hope that Troy didn’t travel, it’s going to be soul destroying to watch him waddle out at the start of the game and set up camp in the middle of the field.
There's no need to worry: Troy literally can't have travelled because it's pancake day, and so he will have claimed religious exemption from duty.
Some idiot on the latest Sky EFL podcast has just claimed that Watford fans were disappointed and concerned with Deeney being dropped on Saturday. Maybe the worst neutral take of all time. I'm convinced that it's outsiders, idiot pundits like Jamie Redknapp, and people who lap up social media who have created this Troy Deeney Watford's main man b*llshit narrative. Would have been sold like Ighalo was without all of this hype and nonsense.
