Watford Fc 3-0 Birmingham City - 20/03/2021

Not the Four Tops' finest hour!
Hot out there,27 even at 11pm last night.
No danger of that today.
Not expecting to see Freddie.

 

Currently bricking it waiting for Sarr updates...I know it might not matter in this game, and that him staying behind over the break might do him good, but still!

 

Trying to grind out results without Sarr would be a massive test for XM.

 

The club website list 11 players called up for international duty, Sarr is not listed, I don't know if I'm reading between the lines but that may suggest he's out for today...

https://www.watfordfc.com/news/internationals-eleven-hornets-called-up

 

I think it will matter in this game. Brum players get a team sheet without Sarr on it and it is a big boost.

 

http://www.fsfoot.sn/liste-des-26-j...ales-congo-vs-senegal-et-senegal-vs-eswatini/
According to the Senegal FA website, they did call him up, not sure if we've refused to release him because of his injury mind you. Saw on here that Zinckernagel is a doubt, anyone got a sauce for that?

 

I think it would matter in every game, and Brum aren’t necessarily as bad as their league placing suggests with a new manager.

 

For reference: Sarr has barely missed a minute since the last time we played them at St Andrew's when we scored a late winner in what was one of the worst games known to man. Think apart from that he's only missed Derby and Wednesday away, and Boro at home...none of them particularly good performances, albeit we look better able to cope without Sarr now I reckon

 

Concern in both India and China about how their national power grids will cope with the surge in demand as our army of Indian and Chinese fans recruited on the back of our heroic FA cup final appearance tune in to the big game v Brum this afternoon.

 

One of the lads that I work with has a season ticket at Birmingham and he said that they look alright defensively unless they play a team that have players that will run at them and then they are all over the place in defence. He says they often just boot it aimlessly up front if anyone presses them. Hopefully Sema, Zinck and Pedro will run at them.

 

We have to have players up top that will press high and run in behind. If it were me, I'd leave Sema and Pedro as they are and bring in a replacement for Sarr - either Hungbo or Success. I suspect it will be Gray through. But pulling our best striker out of the middle to accommodate a crap one would be foolish.

I guess in summary - Xisco, please do ANYTHING other than start Gray at CF in a 4-3-3.

 

If Zinck is out I would want to see us go with a Femenia in front of Ngakia pairing to cover the burden on that wing, but I’m nervously anticipating JP out wide and he who shall not be named being drafted in upfront.

 

Gray needs to be kept in cotton wool so he can star for Jamaica

 

Isaac Success is not an adequate replacement...

 

Sarr and Zinc both out is pretty terrible news.

 

Not good.

 

Can't see how we're going to create chances. Points dropped I think.

 

Should still be enough to beat the likes of Birmingham at home, to be fair.

 

Would someone please put a Prozzy and a Baileys on hold for Isaac in case he gets a hat-trick.

 

This is going to be a dire match, isn't it?

 

All ok apart from success, hopefully he will show more skill than Gray

 

Hmmm, so is he playing our lord and saviour in his best position upfront, or is he out wide and JP through the middle? Tempted to imagine it's fluid, but that's quite an ask, especially without Zinck's guile to help out.

 

I like my £5 on 0-0

 

As opposed to Gray, he's a brilliant replacement. But, as you say likely not adequate.

 

At least Gray doesn't start, but Perica is interested in playing football which Isaac isn't.

 

Perhaps, but with 2 wingers out, we were short on options. Possibly we could have brought on N'Gakia and pushed Femenia forward, but there were no good options. Hungbo is there for later in the game if this isn't working.