WATFORD v PRESTON NORTH END Vicarage Road Stadium Saturday 4th March 2023 Kick Off: 1500GMT please log in to view this image Watford play host to Preston North End on Saturday afternoon, looking for the win which is required to stay in proximity to the Championship play-offs. At a time when the Hornets sit four points adrift of the top six, Preston are 12th in the standings, just four points behind their hosts. While there has been no speculation regarding his job, Watford boss Slaven Bilic will appreciate that he is walking on thin ice after a poor run of results. Just one win and seven points have come from their last seven matches in the Championship, seeing Watford slip down to eighth position in the table. Watford's away record is largely to blame with no victories coming from their last four fixtures on the road, although the Hertfordshire-based outfit has hardly been convincing at Vicarage Road. Despite a four-match unbeaten run in front of their own supporters, Watford only avoided a third draw in succession when defying two West Bromwich Albion equalizers on February 20. On a more positive note, Bilic's team have lost just twice in nine league fixtures, those defeats coming at Middlesbrough and Sheffield United who occupy third and second spot respectively. please log in to view this image Although inconsistency has blighted Preston during 2022-23, Ryan Lowe's side are currently on their longest unbeaten streak since August. Six points have been collected from their most recent four games, three of those fixtures ending in draws, while a 2-1 win was posted against Wigan Athletic. Lowe would have wanted more from Tuesday's fixture with Coventry City, but a goalless draw versus one of the form teams in the division should be regarded as a respectable result. Preston sit eight points adrift of the play-offs, helped by Luton Town and Millwall playing out a draw in midweek, yet victory at the weekend will catapult them back into contention for the top six. Team News Not Available Our Officials please log in to view this image The referee who took charge of Watford’s victory over Blackpool in January is due to return to Vicarage Road on Saturday, when the Hornets will be aiming to beat another Lancashire club to boost their play-off prospects. Gavin Ward has been one of the busier referees this season, having taken charge of 30 games so far, in which he has produced a total of 105 yellow cards and two reds. He is due to have Robert Merchant and Robert Hyde on the touchlines, with Alan Young on fourth official duties.
As this is a 3.00 pm Saturday kick off, only audio commentary will be available on Hive for UK based fans. If you are overseas, it will have video coverage as well, as no foreign TV companies are taking the stream.
There's my thread, will be there I'll wave https://www.not606.com/threads/watford-vicarage-road-4-3-2023.405606/
I was thinking that if Bilic doesn't win this game he's gone. Not that I agree with it. But, the owners will see a new manager bounce as a way to try to get into the play offs. Think about it and our owners, you can see it happening unfortunately!
I’ve put a 1-0 in the predictions, which always makes me nervous. On paper we should win. But I think that every game.
You can, but it really wouldn’t be the smart move, imho. Bilić has us playing more as a team, which was lacking chronically for the first third of the season. That new balance must not be disturbed. And I don’t think it would suddenly make us score more goals.
Which is definitely a problem for us. I think this report points the finger at why - our main striker, if he can be called that, is simply misfiring. https://www.astonvillanews.co.uk/20...has-confirmed-the-worst-fears-of-aston-villa/
Does have a suggestion of the Ellington about him. When the stakes are high, individual losses can be too. In the same data, João comes out very well across the board, including his defensive qualities.
Tbh he has never been a goal scorer throughout his career . But definitely hasn’t had the impact hoped. Shame as certainly had a good reputation.
Makes you wonder if they ever considered the possibility that we get promoted and Davis doesn't score much then we have to waste another £15 million on a striker who can't even score in the championship let alone the premiership.
On the other hand, our last home fixture against them was a 4-1 victory. History often repeats itself...
Never fear. His contract would be terminated by mutual consent before promotion was achieved - and he'd be signed for free by Udinese as an out of contract player a week of so later. Or something like that...
