Opposition Fourm: https://www.uptheclarets.com/messageboard/viewforum.php?f=2 After a deserved victory over WBA on Sunday, Watford are back on the road with a trip to title challenging Burnley at Turd sorry, Turf Moor. Despite not scoring many goals, Burnley are having a decent season since relegation from the Premiership, and as many predicted are right up already around the Christmas programme. They, alongside Leeds and Sheff United look the three sides who will battle it out for the top two automatic promotion places come May. "I Really Enjoyed Myself" Personally, I have only ever been to Turf Moor once. It so happened to be the Michael Chopra show, as we won 7-4 at their pit. Incredible game in itself, but one of our best ever away wins as a club. Scott Parker used to be somewhat of a running joke in football circles, especially during his awful time at Muff. However, he has become a bit of a promotion specialist over the last few seasons and has certainly molded the Clarets into his own image of a decent side. I have made no secret how much I cannot stand Norwich City, so Burnley beating them last Sunday was a result I enjoyed. Sitting in third place on 41pts is probably just the norm for their fanbase, they expected their side to do well so it's no real surprise on the face of they kept the majority of the side that almost stayed up last season. Having a stigma of "too good for the Championship" but "not good enough for the Premiership" could be a tagline they might want to remove. Not to suggest they are a 'yo-yo club' but these things can quickly catch on. Title Contenders: the clarets are sat in a healthy 3rd place just four points off the top As for Watford, we have taken quite a chunk of points from our previous six games, three wins and three draws is a decent return for any club in this division. Even though two of those draws were against Hull and Plymouth who are both struggling the fact both were away from home was still better than a defeat after all. I still personally think we haven't levelled out yet as a side and the results are better than we have performed over the season so far. Still, ask any Watford fan if they would take joint sixth going into the final game before Christmas with an unbeaten home record, most would of taken it. Have we actually turned a corner away from home? Still tough to say as we were rancid at Hull but played some great stuff at Plymouth. Cleverley must of been impressed with Vata and Baah on Sunday, as well as Chak who continues to run teams around in cirlces with his skill. Bayo. our own Marmite player is one of the most difficult players to predict, one of the most furstraiting to watch but one of the hardest working players in the side. No doubt he will start, and I hope TC goes for the same sort of shape we opted for against WBA as we were attacking and pressed much better. Ngakia had a great game and I have no quarms about him retaining his place in the back four. Pollock continues to be our early PotS and in my view should be given the captain's armband over Bachmann - who has been more solid recently after his dodgy spell of games. So, how do I see this one? It's never easy going away to Burnley no matter what point of the season it is. This season they are in great form and are very good at scoring late goals to win games (whereas we are pretty good at conceding late goals). Would I take a point here? Almost certainly. Burnley will know about our form away and will pin this fixture as winnable, so it's up to Clevs to make sure we put in a good performance and make sure we are hard to break down. Skyla Predicts: Burnley 2 Watford 2
Bank of Dave is a heartwarming film set in Burnley, with a fleeting appearance from Sean Dyche. Worth a watch over Christmas time, with mulled wine, if we win.
Why do you hate Norwich City so much, Skyla? They're Norfolk 'n' good, and nobody can deny the accuracy of their chant at The Vic, "There's only one team in yellow"
Rajovic is back and training with us as Danish season is on a winter-break. But the club have stated the plan is for him to go back there after. So the fact they have verbalised that, I think can put paid to us recalling him.
When I was younger I went to Carrow Road with an old friend. It was the Rumbelows Cup 1st round second leg in 1990. I was ten years old and she was 11. We went with our parents obviously as well (lost 2-0), but on the way home on the way back to the train station we got ambushed by a load of Norwich fans who were waiting for Watford fans' heading their way going home. No truth of a lie here, but they demanded money from my parents and threatened to hurt my friend and me if they didn't comply. My father was (and still is) built like a gladiator so he managed to scare them all off before we called the police. Thankfully nobody was hurt but ever since that happened, even though it was 34 years ago, I've always had a great hatred for the club for that reason. Nothing against the people of Norwich in general and I am sure there are some loevely people, but it's a grudge I've never let go.
I used to work at UEA. A colleague once set an exam question involving the (fictional) law firm of Norfolk and Chance (think about it).
That's appalling, Skyla. It's certainly not typical of Canary fans, but if I'd had that experience I'd be anti-Canary too. And you've taken a load off my mind - I was thinking that perhaps you were nursing the shameful secret of being an Ipswich fan!
Or, indeed, take a quick look up and down the league tables of just about every fantasy football competition ever partaken in.
I've had a bit of a dislike for them since the ticket I bought off a scout outside Wembley for the '84 Cup Final, had Norwich City FC stamped on the back. £70 for a ticket face value £5. I know it could have been anyone at any club offloading unwanted tickets, but I've always felt Norwich owe me £65.
Coca Cola, and full sugar at that. As for the game, I've been to Turf Moor at least once as I remember being there when we won 3-1. Hopefully we do it again...
A lot of scaremongering this morning about the number of people travelling on the roads today ahead of Christmas - “Frantic Friday” etc. Mrs Willis and I left at 10.15 heading for Lancashire for the game tomorrow. There was just one slowish bit on the M6 around Manchester, but we got here at 2.30, with an hour’s stop halfway. So that’s just 3hrs 15 mins driving time. No problem. (Very wet weather in the north, however.)
Getting off-topic a bit, I'm concerned that after almost everything clicked into place against West Brom we might think that the rest of the season will go like that. I hope it does but doubt it will.
I disagree that a win would be a 'shock'. Burnley are favourites but we look pretty good and seem to play better against the better teams. I know our away form is poor but as someone who's only live away game attendance this season saw us win 6-2 I am optimistic. Prediction Burnley 0-4 Watford (The Crow 23, 45+2, 63, 87)
We're going by train so hopefully the wet weather doesn't leave a leaf on the track otherwise the line will be down.
Huge game, win this and it pretty much confirms our playoff spot. Burnley 0-4 Watford Rajovic x3 Ngakia x 1 Tough afternoon for the shoutbox/bettnässer
Been to Burnley a few times including the 3-1 win away in the prem. However the standouts have to be both times when it was freezing cold just before Xmas, 1-0 defeat when Zeegelaar got sent off (it snowed) & the 1-1 draw under Zola when Chalobah scored. Don't think I've ever been as cold in my life as those two games.
