So here we are then..... In the blue corner the "happy clappers": Those that think we have overachieved this season. They believe in Tom as he has been a player, Captain and now manager at Watford. They see potential in the young players we have: Vata, Andrews, Pollock, Baah, Dwomah and Doumbia. They will clap the team off regardless as the loyalty to the club is unbreakable. Then in the red corner there are the "naysayers": They see everything the club does linked to the dodginess of Mogi Bayat. They see a club captain incapable of being a reliable goalkeeper in Bachmann. They think Tom has favorites that get game time regardless of form (or injury). They do not trust Gino, or 4/5 year contracts for players like Ngakia and Bachmann. For the first time in a long time I would say both corners have some very valid points about how this season is going. Yes we have some exciting youth. This is somewhat suffocated by playing Tom's dad's army in midfield where any creativity is non existent without Louza. Yes 8th place is a pleasant surprise. But some of the defeats have been bafflingly poor. Yes Tom "gets" the Club. But he's now started calling out players after defeats which is never a good sign of what's going on behind the scenes. For my part I generally feel I'm one of the more positive ones on here, however two poor performances against QPR, added to the Cardiff and Scummer loses infuriates me (along with Tom seemingly). We get bullied by direct teams, and dark arts players easily knock our players out of their stride every week. We need a proper Captain to get Kayembe to actually want the ball, or Andrews/Laruci to stop farting about with the cut backs into danger. Or for Bayo to run after the back pass to their goalie once in a while. All this is basic football. No one seems to be willing to do this on the pitch at the moment and it's maddening to watch. So as for Saturday........ I'd drop Bachmann, Laruci, Porteous (based on last 2 games) , Sissoko, Kayembe, Bayo completely on Saturday. I'd start Bond, Ogbonna, Ebosele, Dwomoh Doumbia I'd stack the bench with youth. No Jebbison as there's no point in him being here, at all. Let's be honest if this was a spot the ball competition no way anyone would predict the ball ending up here: I'd get Sissoko in the club shop pregame to interact with us. Maybe a bit of humility will give him a reality check. He might be able to flog one of these hardly sweated in game worn shirts of his (£295 a pop): One thing is clear. Tom has done wonders with the squad we have. What he now needs to do is actually be as brave with his squad selections as he says he wants his players to be on the pitch with their play. If he starts Sissoko and Kayembe/Ince again on Saturday and we lose playing poorly we learn nothing from this. Tom then likely goes off the pitch looking ever more broken.... If he starts the younger players and we lose - well we learn something about their potential. If they start and we get a result, well this could kick-start something. What he also needs to do is be decisive. Cut the deadwood in that cumbersome midfield, demand a striker out of Gino and trust the younger players to run their legs off. Let's hope either way we get some smiles back come 4.45 on Saturday! Also... Awkward!
Extremely obvious watching this match that pace in behind is the way to hurt Sheffield. So that's Sema, Bayo and Ince up top?
Hopefully he won't be going anywhere on a club coach then if we cant send him back. Stick him in the u23s until May.
Perhaps, and hear me out here, if we need pace up top - Jebbison might be the way to go? He managed to make a good chance against a high line against Portsmouth (?). Yes he probably wouldn't finish it, but if he makes enough maybe one will go in by random chance? Or else, ditch the whole number 9 nonsense. Vata, Baah, and Giorgi, as a dynamic front 3 who can run, and use the space in behind more effectively than they can break down a low block. Bond Andrews Gonna Pollock Sierralta Ngakia Louza (fingers crossed) Dwomoh Vata Giorgi Baah
I am certainly in the "naysayers" camp right now. I don't agree with everything the club has done in the years I have been a fan. Certainly do not agree with Gino and how he treats the fanbase and the club like his second hand project. I cannot stand the sight of Bayat next to him in the director's box. Duxbury also has a punch-able face . I think the training wheels have well and truly come off now for Clevs. We rode or luck at home all season before finally being well beaten by Cardiff and followed that up by a dire display against our near neighbours QPR where Bayo showed how inept he is as a striker and our defence went AWOL for most of the game. I would certainly be happy with @Hornets81 line up above. Problem is, and another reason why I sit in the Naysayers camp is I believe and always have done, that TC does play favourites. Massive clue was when he ditched a very able Bond for Bachmann with a strapped leg - at Elland Road of all places. Anyway, as for the game I cannot see anything other than a loss, Sheff Utd are good, much better than we are in all areas of the pitch and they will have field day against our backline if we play anything close to today for example. We do need to make changes, we cannot start Sissoko, give Dwomoh a game I would also start Bond. Will it happen? More chance of Gino giving Clevs a £35M war chest for the new Window. Great preview btw @tonycotonstache, thank you for doing it.
I suspect Cleverley will bring Morris back in. Change the full backs although it seems TC does have a preferred duo now and bring Louza back in if it fit and maybe give Jebbison another go. Cannot see wholesale changes with different fresh faces so to speak coming in.
This will be easy we are an unbeatable totally dominant silverback at home in all of 2025, the complete opposite of away where we haven't won all year.
Watford Football club supporters group decided on formation they want on Saturday, now to decided on the forwards. Who gets more votes Jebbison or Moralee?
Jamie Moralee is 52 now. Well, if you are good enough you are old enough, and probably better than Jebbison. Whoever voted for Bayo needs kicking out of that online group. Btw, no Doumbia votes?
Oh great Sunderland beat them tonight. Even more or reason for them to come at us to get those three points back. Not that it would of mattered really.
Honestly, I would just skip the center forward altogether and play 5-3-2 with Chak and Baah up front. Tell the team to focus on one thing: Do not concede in the first 15 bloody minutes! Let them have the ball and once we win it kick it in the direction of the two guys up front immediately to avoid breaks in dangerous areas.
I'm not saying they won't but they've only scored 3 in the league once this season. They're a very efficient side but under Wilder not exactly ripping opponents apart.
Will be interesting to see who TC thinks is fit enough and fresh enough to play after such a busy run of games. Will we see a few surprises, a few fresh faces, or the same faces lumbering slowly around the pitch…??
Hamer and O'Hare will run rings around Sissoko as he walks his children and Kayembe in his bath chair around the pitch. I'd like TC not to play his little favourites but I'm not hopeful. Wretched.
Can I be a happy nayer? I predicted 18th this year so can't be displeased with 7th. But the big long term problems are still there. 0-2.
Love the fact people want Bond instead of Bachmann! Bachmann has his faults which are well documented but let's not pretend that Bond is the answer unless the question is "which film star role is most suited to Knight GT"
The way we are currently defending, no ‘ripping apart’ will be required for competent attackers to score at least 3. Cardiff’s bloke scored twice on his own FFS.
Jebbison will play. I imagine Cleverley’s thinking of if there’s a game that he can get his season kickstarted, it’s against Sheffield United Also I agree with Knight. Bachmann certainly has his faults but as a starting Championship goalkeeper, he’s better than Bond.
Didn't Jebbison play away at Sheffield United and get a load of stick off the Sheff Utd fans, which seemed to make him look like he didn't want to be there? Oh hang on, that's just him generally.
What does Bachmann have to do to get dropped from the starting XI? I've never seen such a shambles in all my life. He must be a dream to play against, imagine how up for it the opposition fans and players must get when they see him panic.
Great to remember him obviously but we always play rubbish on such an occasion so even more likely to be crap. https://x.com/WatfordFC/status/1874786786402345344/photo/1
Oh I get it totally. I should be added that I think he's injured and hiding it. There's no point him playing at 80% or less.
