Watford Fc 1-0 Nottingham Forest - 06/03/2021

Preview – Watford vs Nottingham Forest

When: Saturday 6th March 2021

Where: Vicarage Road, Watford


The last preview I wrote for the reverse fixture was one of the first few games for manager Chris Hughton, who has now started to embed his system on to the Forest team.

During the January transfer window he has added two ex-Watford loanees, James Garner and Glenn Murray


Glenn Murray (above)


James Garner turning out for Forest Vs Luton

Garner in particular getting plenty of plaudits from the Forest faithful with quotes such as ‘Better than Busquets’ and ‘James Garner is a baller’ whatever the hell that means. We of course didn’t really get the chance to see the same James Garner, where he struggled to really impose himself on an already decent midfield of Cleverley, Chalobah and Hughes and those corners *shudder*.

Aside from those two, Forest also brought in Filip Krovinovi* from Benfica on loan. He had spent the first half of the season on loan at West Bromwich Albion before being recalled and shipped off to Nottingham.


Krovinovi* (above)

In their last match, Forest contrived to lose at home to the scum, employing a 4-2-3-1 formation with Glenn Murray as the main striker, he missed a couple of decent chances with a score-line which flattered the scum somewhat. The other two new signings also played, with Krovinovi* playing as an attacking midfielder. Hughton did switch to a 4-4-2 during the match to try and find a goal but without much success.

Forests form is W2 D2 L2 and they sit 14th in the Championship form table.

Their last win was a 1-0 home win against Blackburn in which a Forest supporting friend of mine dubbed it a “S***housing a way to a win”

Injury news and Forest could welcome back Lewis Grabban, Scott McKenna and Harry Arter, all three are returning to training during the week ahead of Saturday.

Obviously Forest sport two notorious villains in their line-up with diving flake Knockeart and Harry ‘loudmouth’ Arter who brings all Bournemouth’s lovely qualities to the City Ground with him.

On paper at least this should be a home win, especially seeing that we are in decent form having won 4 of the last 5 matches.

I reckon Murray will grab a consolation after a deflection off his zimmerframe.

Prediction: Watford 2-1 Forest

This is a live Sky Sports game

 

Love the Krovinovi pic.

 

I can't keep up!
Have we played Wycombe?
Did we win?
Someone attempted to scam me today.
I kept them talking for long enough to get as much detail as I could.
Reported them to Action Fraud.
07551 285905 was the number. Look out.
I was apparently about to be arrested as a drugs baron and money launderer!

 

In fairness, Knockaert is probably driven to his villainy by the frustration of no one ever bothering to spell his name correctly, ever.

 

Bachmann
Kiko Cathcart Serrialta Massina
Cleverley(if fit) Hughes Gosling (if fit)
Sarr Pedro Zinckernagel

If Gosling and Clevs are out, Zinc will need to play the Clevs roll and Wilmot will have to step into Gosling's shoes. Which would mean Sema will have to play through his fatigue for now. The only other thing that might possibly work is playing Ngakia in his normal position and trying Kiko alongside Hughes and Wilmot in MF so Zinc could play out wide and give Sema a break.

 

I'm glad we don't have a match next midweek

 

Agree. A 7 day break before we play Cardiff will do us good. Get everyone back fit for that game. Followed by Rotherham and Birmingham.

 

Possibly so.
I did enjoy stringing them alone and the fact that 'Justin' was able to pop out and talk to the Attorney General like most people pop into the kitchen to make a cup of tea! They also had the head of HMRC on both their lanyards!
Garner has looked quite good for Florist and AK seems rejuvenated.
Fingers crossed for TC.

 

Trapped within Andre Gray's soul is the 23 goal striker who got Burnley promoted in 2016. It's trapped in a maximum security, military grade prison, with hundreds of armed guards dedicated to its incarceration.

It will never escape.

But last night Andre was at least able to smuggle a message in and open up a line of communication with the 23 goal striker. At this point, this is more than we could have ever hoped for. Having an expensive and hitherto useless striker on our books has been the biggest issue dogging the campaign, if he is to now gain some confidence and chip in with goals it goes a long way to addressing it.

It means promotion is all but assured now.

Prediction

Watford 16-1 Forest
Gray (12, 24, 26, 29, 32, 38, 42, 45+1, 52, 56, 61, 67, 78, 82, 89, 90+2); Murray (90+3)

Best 365 odds: 11/2

 

A midfield of Sanchez, Wilmot and Zinckernagel after Hughes picks up a knock in training.

 

Yes "Mr White" and "Mr Cooper" tried those too. I got them to the point of not being able to access my online account as Ford had sat on the laptop again,whilst musing on their accents and that it didn't fit their profiles. I then branched into Russian and neighbouring countries using 'ova' as daughter of and prattled endlessly about Martina `Navratilova and her brother being Navratil and how fascinating language and genus were. I then moved to "son" meaning 'son of' in Icelandic and referenced Heidar but went on to say "though of course this doesn't apply to Heung Min Son at Brown Lumpy Things,as its..."
At that point he hung up.
I can't imagine why?!
Not nervous yet,although looking at the thread title I notice it's an early kick off which I hadn't realised.
Apparently TC has posted on his Instagram that his knee doesn't feel too bad".
Fingers crossed.

 

What have we done to deserve that?

 

Surely that was Janet Jackson not Culture Club?
Or The Pet Shop Boys?

 

This is exactly the type of game we need to be winning for autos:

Watford 0-2 Forest (Murray 90+2 bicycle kick, Garner 90+6 free kick)

 

PSB with Dusty Stringbean.

 

Must win game.
WFC 0 (Deeney missed pen) NF 3 (Murray, Garner, Knockaert)

 

Knockaert to cry to the family stand as his celebration

 

No such thing as a hungry cat in this house!
Arthur has just evicted me from the translation chair too,so I'm forced to watch Tsitsi from the floor.
Far too early for the sofa.

 

That was Moog, no question.

 

The hours must fly by when you chat to IBB!

 

Both Mr Cooper and Mr White?!
I wish I'd recited some of Plato in that case,may have got rid of them sooner!

It's not for nothing I'm known as "a long streak of misery!"

 

Cleverley clearly won't be risked saturday. From what I've seen I just can't see Wilmot in a midfield 3. Maybe one day but he's best when looking forward and attacking the ball, not facing his own goal. I would have him as cover in a 4141 formation but can't see it happening.
I would play Hungbo with Hughes and Zinc in midfield, I've been impressed with Hungbo when he's been on the field, he looks strong and dependable..

 

Qué?

 

To be fair we may not have an option but to play Wilmot, probably too soon for Sanchez, Dan Gosling only had a minor knock apparently in an idea World he may be best rested but with our current circumstances we may be best to play him if it is just a minor knock, surely we can jsut dose him up with a few painkillers.

 

Hungbo plays left wing, would be madness to play him central, unless you are getting him mixed up with Daniel Phillips in which case I agree as in my opinion he has looked comfortable in his rare appearances and no doubt trains with the first team and knows the tactics, formation and the players.

 

Gosling is a hamstring isn't it? Can't see them risking him with that type of injury.

 

So Watford have a chance to go second, could that mean choke time? Three key midfielders out, two harshly treated players out for revenge in the opposition lineup. So a few negative permutations.

But we've got a new midfielder who might be out to impress on his debut. Gray looks like a man who has a point to prove. WTE much improved against Wycombe. Superb home form. So a few positives to throw into the melting pot also.

It's a shame fans can't attend. What a great watch this season would have been for the home faithful. With a record of 13-2-2, very few games have ended without victory, although ironically when fans were allowed back in we only saw 1 win in 3 games. From memory the only other time I remember a great home record like this was way back in 1981-82 where (from memory) our record was 16-2-3.

But we don't have the luxury of slipping up. We have to win. Even thought we've won 5 of the last 6, we still haven't managed to claim second spot. We're only 8 clear of 7th place. So it's still all very tight. The entire top 8 seem to be on a fantastic run of form.

Tough game, considering the issues in midfield, but one we have to win. No margin for error anymore.

 

Maybe us fans were the problem all along?

 

I don't think it will happen, but I'd be tempted to play Hungbo from the start, Sema needs a rest, Zinck will be played more centrally (on paper anyway, he'll famously drift to either side), and JP is best as a central striker. I suspect it'll be Sema out wide and JP/Gray up front, or JP out wide and Gray up front though

 

I thought I seen on Twitter that it was a minor knock although it may have said minor strain.