Third time lucky ? Watford take on the blue half of Merseyside next Saturday with nothing less than a win vital for our survival prospects. Recent results have meant despite the run of form that a gap has opened up to Everton who lie on thirty points. Bramley Moore Dock: Watford have already travelled twice to Goodison Park which will soon pass into the annals of football history with plans for the 52000 seat USM Stadium announced at Bramley Moore Dock. In the second week of the PL an early Barnard deflected goal was enough to take all three points at a time when hope was still high for a decent season for those concerned with the Golden Boys. A second defeat in the League Cup was more routine with second hand manager Quique 'Fraud' Flores fielding a weakened team. Since then both sides have changed managers. Despised snake charmer Marco Silva was deposed after a dreadful run at the theatre of delusions and saw the return of Carlo Ancelotti to these shores while we installed Nigel Pearson. As a result both teams fortunes have picked up although dropping five points in our last two matches has not helped we still ride high in the form table. Everton have adapted to a new formation under Don Carlo shedding their 4-2-3-1 for the simpler 4-4-2. Veterans like Baines and Coleman have been cast aside along with error prone Keane, while Sigurdsson is out of favour and perhaps on his way out. They will be missing former Hornette Richie Richarlison with a knee injury and Andrew Gomes perhaps fortuitously out long term has probably helped. A powder puff defensive/central midfielder who once lined up with fellow dross Jean Phillipe Gbamin in the sweltering heat of August. Delph and Schneiderlin now run the centre of midfield and are arguably far better. Upfront Dominic Calvert Lewin will need watching having scored ten already in the PL and no doubt catching the attention of Gareth Southgate along with Mason Holgate who partners Mina. Digne is also another threat with his crosses and set pieces. The Toffees have been poor travellers with their sole away wins at Newcastle and Southampton. Despite dropping points at home to Newcastle last time out they DOMINATED that match. But I am sure their approach next week as whenever they leave the confines of Liverpool will be more cautious but with pretty much the same players they fielded then. As for us losing Sarr is a big blow but he needs to be one hundred percent before returning. I would play Pussetto as a natural like for like replacement and carry on with the Doucoure press and Chalobah/Capoue in front of the defence. Hughes and Welbeck may feature on the bench which is welcome. Fingers crossed Danny is over his injury curse and Gray has left the club. Over the recent run Chalobah and Masina have been extremely impressive. Masina was a class act at Bologna. Assured on the ball and very strong physically he can also deliver a good cross when needed. Like him Chalobah has benefitted from a run of matches and his mental block which may have been holding him back seems to be overcome. He is looking very much the player he was when he initially arrived on a permanent signing from Chelsea. Technically adept and physical when needed. Kabasele for Dawson would be my only change with Mariappa remaining an Achilles heel so Nacho will need to work hard to cover him. Key players for each side Chalobah and Calvert-Lewin: It goes without saying every fixture from now in is vital. A cup final. Every player needs to be up for the battle and work like a demon to achieve the aim of staying up. The reaction from the horror of losing at Atkinson Villa will tell the supporters a lot about the players desire and fibre and the coaching staff Pearson included. Opposition forum: https://www.grandoldteam.com/ Head to head: https://www.11v11.com/teams/watford/tab/opposingTeams/opposition/Everton/
Well we all know the consequences if we don't win this one. The noose will tighten that little bit more. Personally, with United and Liverpool matches on the horizon, we need to pick up at least 4 points from the next two or else we could be cut adrift. We need wins and Everton at home shouldn't fill us with fear. With Everton's toffee connection they are going to be sponsored by Cadbury's next season, as they're good for their Flake brand. We're on the wrong side of the line, and if I'm honest, I think the Villa result has killed us. But, I hope I'm wrong and the players still believe they can get out of trouble. It's possible, but they can't afford anymore slip ups, and that's not what Watford do. There's always a banana skin just around the corner with us. But, you never know, they may pull off a top quality signing between now and Saturday which will give everyone a Cadbury Boost.
Im cautiously nervous about this one. They are a good side playing much better than under slither. They can hurt us, and it will be interesting how we react after Vanilla. We should of beaten spuds and got at least a draw last time out. But we are where we are. If and buts don't count now and we are slowly runing out of games. A draw would be a poor result. We need to win to get back into the pack. MUuff's mauling of Brighton didnt help but Spam havent improved. We cannot aford to drop many more points against sides we have a chance against. I think the rest will of done us good Having said that, Everton are decent and more than capable of getting through if we are not up to it. I hope I am wrong, but the poor SH at Villa may look to continue. 0-1
No Sarr so we will be back to Delefeou running down blind alleys, Deeney plodding about and Pereyra looking utterly disinterested. 0-2.
It would be nice if Del could manage to have of his occasional effective games against his old club. Without Sarr's pace we badly need someone to come up with the unexpected, otherwise I can see Everton's defence having a reasonably comfortable afternoon. We've got to get 6 points off these ****s and Brighton or the picture probably won't be very pretty by the end of February.
Are spelling mistakes or grammatical errors automatically sent to your phone? You seem to spot every single one anyone ever makes. Still, the feeling of superiority is worth it.
Anyone else maybe......but GOBE does it to everyone all the time. He is Chief Superintendent of the Grammar Police, New Watford Yard.
I don't hate Everton anymore and am happy for them to regain their devine right to 7th place. After they play us of course. 4-0 Watford.
Thing is though, GOBE’s post was not a spelling mistake or a grammatical correction (or is it it neither .. nor)? - it’s a joke.. Now using loose instead of lose That is NOT. AN. EFFING. JOKE. See how sensitive some of us are HB1
I'm heading up for this one, nothing but a brutal Watford victory is on the cards, according to my bother-in-law. Watford 5-0 Splashthecash
2-1, Welbeck gets the winner on 92 minutes in front of the rookery, everyone goes mental, he trips over during his celebration, pulls a muscle and is out for the rest of the year.
Oh bugger off you silly little man. It was a joke. It was an incorrect correction. I've waded through pages of your 'HB1 must have the last word' drivel in various threads dragging each one down into a miasma of semantics and sophistry. So do me a favour and kiss my fat hairy arse.
Typical response from someone who has been called out. From the anger in your reply, I’ve clearly touched a nerve. You’ve done this sort of thing for the past 10 years, pulling people up on spelling mistakes and the like. Some joke. But then maybe I was also joking Chief Super?
Actually the 'nerve' you touched was because I've been biting my tongue at your pathetic dissembling drivel for a couple of weeks. I thought "no, won't get involved, other people are calling him out, and he used to think I (amongst many on here) had some kind of vendetta against him". But in fact you are just a bit of a d I ck. People have a go at you because you are a d I ck. Just saying.
Not everyone on this forum is as stupid as you think. When all your replies are just insults, then it’s very clear who has nothing to say. Just saying.
With their basic 4-4-2, their starting eleven will probably be; Pickford Sidibe, holegate, Mina, Digne Walcott, Delph, Schneiderlin, Bernard Kean, Calvert-Lewin Obviously Sigurdsson might start. However looking at their team the last couple games, he hasn’t started. Everton are very beatable and we have nothing to fear. According to transfermarkt, Richarlison, Iwobi and Gomes are out. With our 3 in midfield we should dominate the middle. It won’t be an easy game, but it is a game we should be winning. Watford 3-1 Everton
I don't think this is a must win game. To get to 40 points from our last 14 games we would need 5 wins and 2 draws, or the next most likely combination 4 wins and 5 draws Obviously a win would be great, but a draw would keep things ticking over. Looking at the games left I would lump teams into the following three groups... Most likely to win Brighton & Hove Albion Crystal Palace Newcastle United West Ham United Norwich City Burnley Possible win Everton Manchester United Chelsea Arsenal Southampton Unlikely to win Leicester City Liverpool Manchester City
I agree it's not one of the most likely to win but I wouldn't want us to need to win 5 of those listed 6 games. We won't, so we will need to win one or two of the others. Also after the AV defeat, it will be really important psychologically to win this one.
I disagree slightly on your take on things. Getting 40 points is possible, but not probable. I'd also say 40 points to stay up is possible but not probable also. Personally, I think the Villa result has done us completely. But if we win the next two I'll be looking at things a little differently. For my money, to have any chance, we have to win the next two. I'll accept the argument 4 points maybe enough in the end, but anything under that and things will look very beak indeed. Most likely to win Newcastle United (h ) Norwich City (h ) Southampton (h ) Possible win Crystal Palace (a ) West Ham United (a ) Brighton & Hove Albion (a ) Everton (h ) Burnley (a ) Unlikely to win Leicester City (h ) Liverpool (h ) Manchester City (h ) Manchester United (a ) Chelsea (a ) Arsenal (a )