Oppo Forum: https://www.otib.co.uk/forum/31-football-chat/ More of a placeholder than an actual in-depth preview. Our surge up the table continued with a the Watford Late Show again yesterday with a quite surprising double whammy of points on two visits to Lancashire. Healy on target late on just like Southampton, and Raj doing what he does best, being a poacher as we turned what looked like a defeat from a third minute goal into a welcome victory. Watford win THREE away games on the trot? Unheard of. But then again so is our current run of results. VI is doing a superb job keeping such a small squad firing and believing in his vision of where we can go this season. City are on a decent run themselves and having recently appointed Manning, he is proving a decent find to replace Watford old'boy Pearson. I expect them to come at us, as they will be full of confidence having won their previous two, and are (like us) currently not far outside the top six. I think we can continue our good run and win this, but it won't be easy. Watford 2 Brizzle 0
Was actually at their game with Hull on Friday (had been visiting an aunt to whom I'm next of kin in Newport who's in a carehome & took in match on way home). Still trying to work out Hull contrived to lose it. Boy they took from Wycombe about a year ago (Mehmeti) very dangerous down left wing & is main creative player. Defence has tendency to show forwards inside rather than let them get round back & put crosses in, but given we seem to have rediscovered the art of shooting from range this season, we might get a bit of joy there. Quietly confident of a win.
It’s going to be quite a rollercoaster this one… 1. The opening goal is gifted within 12 minutes to Bristol from a lack of communication or something. It’s a nice finish from the Bristol bloke but it’s preventable. Wes and Hamer remonstrate with each other but they both know it’s Dele Bashiru’s lack of concentration. 2. Bayo levels with a beautiful goal from an acute angle (Kone assist) after not quite reaching a simple tap in moments earlier from a lovely Ken cross. 3. In the second half we start with great intensity and then a rare Porteous goal from a perfect Ken corner. Wild celebrations and bizarre dancing from Porteous which results in a yellow card. (Porteous is asked about his dancing after the match but looks embarrassed and mutters something about having to train on Christmas Day and needing to let his hair down). 4. A different Bristol bloke scores out of nowhere to remind us they’re not bad. It’s the bloke that @Harefield Yellow warned us about. No one is blaming anyone. It’s just one of those things. People will question Hamer’s positioning, but that’s harsh. It was a good strike. Valerian looks furious though. 5. Substitutes Raj and Healey combine to score the messiest and latest winner yet. Question mark over whether it’s an own goal or did Raj get the final touch? No one cares. It’s about team spirit and finishing the game strongly. After the game Healey is emotional and says that Raj definitely got the final touch. The Bristol manager Manning gives a gracious post match interview and says that Watford have real quality and reminds journalists that they weren’t in the Premier League that long ago and it shows. He tips us for a top 6 finish and says we’re the best side his team have met yet. He’s then reminded by a journalist that he’s not been in the job that long and so his side hasn’t met that many teams. He brushes that off with a wry smile and quickly welcomes a question about the boy from Wycombe. He waxes lyrical about his talents before saying that he’s a young lad who has a lot to learn. He then adds that his team didn’t deserve to lose to such a poor goal and he’s gutted for the lads, but they’ll learn from it. Valerian says he’s pleased with the result but we’re still not starting as strongly as he wants. He scowls a little bit about this, but insists that these mistakes are being addressed. He sustains that stern demeanour when he’s asked about the transfer window, but then pauses, softens, and offers a comment about Afcon: that losing Kayembe in January might need to be addressed in recruitment. But he’s just focused on the next match and he’s not going to be worried about who might come in during the window. He doesn’t want just any old player, and January isn’t ideal for bringing players in (no scowl, just serious). He is tight lipped about Louza, and says that he personally doesn’t use social media so can’t really comment about that. Interview ends with a big smile as he says that we have picked up some welcome points lately and it’s such a busy schedule, and he’s delighted that we have another home game coming up, so they don’t have to travel. He also says that the crowd were fantastic today and jokes that he likes it at Vicarage Road even more than playing up north! It’s met with merriment and he wishes everyone a happy Christmas. …of course I could be wrong.
Maybe we've been resting Andrews for this game then? Ultimately neither of our trips to Lancashire proved too taxing for TDB at RB in the end
Happy Christmas everybody! As a West Country based supporter, this is the fixture I most want to win. Not totally confident as Boxing Days can often be funny matches. I know others probably don’t agree but I think the 3pm kick-off is no bad thing, rather than an early start where often teams find it harder to get into gear. If we can win, it will be our first three in a row since November last year (Luton, Wigan, Cardiff)
3pm KO is not good as it will be the first home boxing day game I have missed for as long as I can remember. It is on Hive so I need to see if I am brave enough to suggest having it on to my family, who will all be round for dinner.
I watch Wycombe with a mate a few times a year. I reiterate Mehmeti is a dangerous player and needs to be carefully marked. He is a maverick and so didn't fit in with Pearson's regimental style. Let loose he can be a match winner but lacks discipline.
Whoops sorry. I didn’t mean to be selfish saying so, but I guess it’s swings and roundabouts..good for some, not so for others. I was just hoping it would help the team, not having the early start. I hope you have a good family dinner at least and that you can make Friday evening? Belated happy Christmas!
From the BC fans forum in a write up on todays game..actually didn’t know some of the below! Watford warblings England manager Gareth Southgate was born in Watford. Jimmy Perry teamed up with BBC comedy producer David Croft to write a sitcom about his experiences in the Watford Home Guard during World War II. The programme? Dad's Army. The chestnut staircase, which once belonged to the now-demolished Cassiobury House, is on display in New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art. Simon Le Bon, lead singer of Duran Duran, was born in Watford. Watford FC played in blue and white until 1959 when it then changed to gold/yellow shirts and black shorts. Watford Rovers, as they were originally known, were founded way back in 1881 and their first competitive match came in the 1886 FA Cup against Swindon Town (Watford Rovers lost 1-0). The club then merged with Watford St Mary’s (who were attracting booming crowds of up to 500 supporters!) and they became officially known as Watford Football Club in 1898, as it has remained so to this day. But, what about their nickname? In their early years, Watford weren’t known as the Hornets. Instead, they were referred to as the Brewers, in honour of local brewery, Benskin’s, who became a club benefactor after the First World War. Apparently, some fans weren’t happy with being associated with a brewer and so when the club introduced a new kit with blue shirts and white shorts in 1927, they became known by that rather unimaginative of nicknames: the Blues. It was all-change on the kit front in 1959, however, when the club unveiled a new gold and black kit, which made their nickname somewhat illogical. Despite delving into various archives, can’t find evidence of who came up with the idea of changing the nickname to the Hornets, but it was clearly based on the resemblance of the new kit to the largest eusocial wasps. Note that as well as being referred to as the Hornets, Watford are also sometimes known as the Golden Boys, Yellow Army or the ‘Orns. In recent years, however, these monikers have been used less frequently, with most knowing the club as the Hornets.
Thank you for this interesting post @Halfwayline and belated Happy Christmas! I think the City fans are stretching the truth at times! For example, Simon Le Bon was actually born in Bushey, the same as the Wham! boys!
They know more about Watford than me To give them a little bit back, Nelson Mandela house from Only Fools and Horses is a block of flats within sight of their stadium, Cary Grant was born in Bristol and I have a Panini sticker of Clive Whitehead from 1980.
Just read their match thread, seem a pretty level-headed bunch, although not sure there is much love for Livermore.
Nelson Mandela House was infact Harlech Tower on the South Acton Estate for most of the OFAH's series. The Bristol imposter was only used for the last 2 series. Here to Help.
However, the Kebab and Calculator pub used in “The Young Ones” is in Bristol, just up the hill from Keighley Towers.
Not the new Watford. It would be very ‘new’ Watfordy to go three down and then win 5-3 with 3 goals in injury time
You sure? Can’t find the listings - not doubting you just don’t want to be disappointed later - especially as my wife has said I can watch it!
