Heh, I find my self laughing masochistically at the thought of this game.
Per the headline, it should be shouldn’t it? They haven’t won a game since they beat Man Utd in late November, after all.
We all know that means nothing though and there’s no better club to face than the Villa if you need a bad run bringing to an end.
So while Watford are seriously struggling and looking like very likely relegation fodder, we should of course not forget that they beat us quite easily in our first game of the season.
I read an article earlier that said that our undoing that day was caused by our fullbacks pushing up too far and getting caught on the counter. Matt Targett was at fault for two of their three goals, but at least we won’t have to worry about him during this game.
But then, Digne is even more attacking and you can bet the old tactician Roy Hodgson will have watced our previous meeting back and may well try the same tactic again.
The interesting stat for me is that although Watford are struggling, they actually average more shooting chances than the Villa. That’s possibly not a surprise to many of us, but it is a rare thing for such a struggling club to do that and probably explains why we haven’t done so well lately.
Squad news and nothing has changed.
Konsa is suspended and Traore is still out with a hamstring issue.
Along with everyone else, I see changes for this game.Stevie G praised Chambers against Newcastle, but I found myself wondering what the manager was talking about, as I thought he was poor. I’m going to assume he keeps his place, but again I’d rather see Hause there.
McGinn and Luiz are both likely candidates to be dropped, but I struggle to see that Gerrard will drop both. Luiz is not really a defensive mid, but he has been poor for weeks now and even though there’s not really any alternative to him in that position, I think he has to be rested. There’s a lot of speculation that he wants out and I wonder if that’s because he’s being asked to play out of position?
Whatever, I struggle to see who replaces him, to be honest, except erm, John McGinn. We’ll no doubt see.
Actually, while I think about it, I wonder if the scot is happy about having to play more of a covering role when we all know he seems better pushing forward?
And then the next probable change is Ollie Watkins, who has been miles off form lately. Asley Preece, of the mail thinks there’s something not right with him and speculates that he might be unhappy with the way he’s being asked to play.
Anyone seeing a possible pattern here?
Remember a few weeks back, where I said I’d seen it suggested that players weren’t happy with the changes that had been introduced when Gerrard and his coaches came in?
I digress.
Are we really going to drop Watkins for Danny Ings who to my mind has been even worse over the last few months?
I stand by what I said last week. It’s okay Ings being the better goaltaker, but you have to get involved and actually get on the ball to be able to take chances. For my money Ings doesn’t do either in our system, so bringing him in seems pointless to me. That said, maybe reintroducing him against a struggling side is a good idea.
As for Watford, they need to assess the fitness of two of their players, but Woy, the canny old goat, won’t say who they are. Very wise, I think. Why give the opposition any clue at all?
Ismaila Sarr, the bain of our last meeting might be back for his first game in three months and Peter Etebo is back in training. I’d guess they’re probably the two that need to be assessed, but who cares really, Watford fans apart?
It’s guessing time then and I’m laughing again.
This should be easy. Watford don’t do draws and we don’t either really. So that’s out.
Stevie G has asked for a reaction after the poor showing last week, so I can’t even consider a loss.
Hence it has to be a win and I’m going for a 2-0 victory.
The nagging doubt though is what if we do lose this game?
I suspect major questions will begin to be asked of the manager.
But let’s push those thoughts to the back of our minds.
A nice 2-0 it is then.
UTV!
Comments
59 responses to “Villa – Watford; This should be easy. Yes, right!”
I see our passing in the final third hasn’t improved!
Make that – our passing hasn’t improved
Gerard is a load of wind, said changes will be made he makes just one. We’re going backwards with him. Just shows what I’ve said change manager and staff back to square one makes no progress at all rubbish.
Beginning to think purslow and Lange are just not up to the job or purslow is a Liverpool man in to make sure villa don’t succeed.
Ooh, Coutinho close. That’s class
OK. Will someone please tell me why we’re falling apart???? This is madness!!!!
Archer just scored at Preston.
Your right badger we did loose .
You are effing kidding!!!!!
That’s absolutely pathetic.
Watford 1-0.
Gerrard at fault for this one. Played same team as last week and expected different results. Should never have started Luiz and JJ been absent all game.
What a load of f***ing crap.
Well we all wrote the script and Villa have obliged yet again.
Don’t want to over react but we can’t keep a clean sheet; we can’t score and we’ve forgotten how to win. I see a more likely relegation scrap than top half.
Just have to hope there are three worse teams than us!
Wouldn’t surprise me if they get another
We are not playing football !! It’s tip tap and not football , for fu#k sake change our style and not trying to please a manager in 1-2 pass. We are shit.
We could play for two weeks and not score
And but for Martinez!
I recommend you
wait forread my next post.Guess what it’s going to say?
Sack Gerrard.
Support someone else?
How can a team as crap as Watford make us look even worse?
Why do I ruin every weekend by watching the Villa – it’s the worst form of masochism
Follow Cheltenham Wycombe?
5-5.
OK I was wrong 😑
Having looked at our fixtures I’m not sure where we are going to pick up points
Did we win?..
What a joke. The script was written before kick off. Why Young for Cash? SG’s honeymoon period is well and truly over now.
Forget this season it’s a total write off. Today and the previous couple of weeks showed we are not good enough to be around the top 7. We need to scrape a couple of wins and a couple of draws from the next 14 and we will be safe. Then we need serious planning for next season and Gerrard needs backing again, let’s get the players he wants and then if it goes to shit next season it’s his fault. It’s not his fault this season at all. We’re lucky to be where we are In all honesty. The players aren’t too bad but it’s not a ‘team’. Bailey needs to go what a waste of £30m! Traore too. Ings needs to go also. Our CB need changing. Lots of changes and decisions to be made over the summer, just get safe this season ffs.
Preston lose to Reading (one of the worst teams in the EFL) but Archer scores again. FFS get him back to Villa Park now – he can’t be worse than that comedy duo Watkins & Ings.
You’re right Hitch. Archer should be playing for us instead of Ings and Watkins. We can easily get sucked into a relegation battle with the way things are going. We had an upturn in form with the new manager scenario. What we are seeing now however are players who think they can rest on their laurels again. Not enough battlers in the squad. I lost count of the amount of times I shouted “put your f*****g foot in”
SG is no better than DS. There, I’ve said it. The only thing he is capable of is attracting bigger names which means a higher wage bill but still getting the same results. Didn’t Norwich beat Watford 3-0?
I’m well brassed off after that debacle.
Leave Cam Archer where he is……it will only ruin him if he came back as he would never see the ball in the area all match.