Boro vs Watford (A)

[Huntsboro]

Date: 6th October 2012
Venue: Vicarage Road
Kick-off: 3:00pm

TEAM NEWS
Boro will be looking to learn from the mistakes that meant they had to settle for a draw in a tightly-contested midweek home encounter with Derby. Biggest squad news at the moment is the imminent return of Scott McDonald, who made it through the full 90 minutes of an U21 match against Sunderland, weighing in with a goal. Yet again, Tony Mowbray will face some tough selection choices, with a number of key players out injured, including Zemmama, Emnes, Woodgate, Carayol and R Williams. Whoever their replacements and whatever lineup the manager chooses, they will have to up their game from Wednesday, to get anything from a Watford side unbeaten in their last 3 games, most recently winning away at Charlton.

MATCH PREVIEW
This match is a mid-table clash with 11th placed Boro taking on 12th placed Watford. Both teams have identical points tallies and goal differences. A possible saving grace for Boro is that Watford's away form has been markedly better than their home form, so far this season. On the flip side, Boro have lost 3 of their 4 away games this season, so this tie promises to be anything but straightforward. Needless to say, a win is vital as both sides struggle to establish some sort of early-season form.


MATCH FACTS
On both teams' current form, any result is possible, though current stats just favour Gianfranco Zola's side, in that they have scored as many as they've conceded at home, while Boro's defence is somewhat leakier away from the Riverside.

Head to Head
Boro and Watford have faced each other a total of 30 times, with Watford on home soil for 14 of those matches. The stats are balanced enough to give Boro fans some hope with Watford winning 7, Boro winning 5 and 2 games ending in draws. Stats as usual courtesy of http://www.middlesbrough-mad.co.uk.


Boro
- Have won just once away from home this season, a 2-1 victory at former league leaders Blackburn.
- Have kept a clean sheet just once in the league so far, in their 2-0 home win against Ipswich.
-

Watford
- Have won just once at home this season, a 2-0 win against Birmingham.
- Have failed to score in just 2 league games this season.
-

Ones to Watch
Watford's Czech striker Matej Vydra, with 4 goals to his name already and Swiss midfielder Almen Abdi, who has found the net 3 times, not to mention the ever-dangerous Chris Iwelumo.

[Downsouth]

Cardiff HB?

Anyway seeing as how I am going to the match just hope that things improve from last season and recent results.

Been a long time since we beat Watford away so perhaps a point would not be a bad result

[2plus2]

4-4-3 please. Probably wouldn't risk Emnes, Reach nor Miller if they're touch and go for fitness...

--------------------- Steele ---------------------
------- Hoyte --- Hines --- Bikey --- Friend -------
-------------------- Thomson --------------------
-------------- Bailey --- McEachran --------------
------- Williams ------------------ Ledesma ------
------------------- Jutkiewicz --------------------

Bench: Leutwiler, Parnaby, McManus, Leadbitter, Haroun, Park, McDonald.

That said, I'm certain I won't get my wish. I'm sure we'll see 4 CMs start again. And I'm fearful of another lackluster defeat.

Watford 2-1 Boro [Jutkiewicz 11', Deeney 51' (pen), Hines og 63'].

[CurtisFleming]

(04-10-2012 06:41 PM)2plus2 Wrote:  4-4-3 please. Probably wouldn't risk Miller ever

--------------------- Steele ---------------------
------- Hoyte --- Hines --- Bikey --- Friend -------
-------------------- Thomson --------------------
-------------- Bailey --- McEachran --------------
------- Williams ------------------ Ledesma ------
------------------- Jutkiewicz --------------------

Bench: Leutwiler, Parnaby, McManus, Leadbitter, Haroun, Park, McDonald.

That said, I'm certain I won't get my wish. I'm sure we'll see 4 CMs start again. And I'm fearful of another lackluster defeat.

Watford 2-1 Boro [Jutkiewicz 11', Deeney 51' (pen), Hines og 63'].

Fixed your post.

[2plus2]

Post amendment accepted.

[CurtisFleming]

I like your style

[neverbefore]

And yet you didn't amend the 4-4-3 bit

[Tanksie]

Is it possible to lose to Watford? Is it actually a thing? The doomsdayers are going over the top. Boro 3 Watford 0. They got hit for 5 by Derby and all the decent teams have done OK.

[2plus2]

(04-10-2012 10:47 PM)neverbefore Wrote:  And yet you didn't amend the 4-4-3 bit

LOL. I didn't even notice this. I think I'm on to something here. Get Mogga on the phone...

[CurtisFleming]

(04-10-2012 10:47 PM)neverbefore Wrote:  And yet you didn't amend the 4-4-3 bit

Because I like that formation

---

(05-10-2012 01:35 AM)Tanksie Wrote:  Is it possible to lose to Watford?

You must be new around here.