A CUT AND PASTE JOB FOR THE MATCH THREAD: TEAM NEWS Watford midfielder Almen Abdi (shoulder) may return to the side and defender Lloyd Doyley (calf) has an outside chance of making his comeback. Midfielders Ikechi Anya (hamstring) and John Eustace (back) are still doubtful. Hull manager Steve Bruce will give a late fitness test to winger Sone Aluko (knee) before naming his squad. Otherwise Bruce has no new injury or suspension problems, but long-term casualties Jack Hobbs and Tom Cairney (both knee) are still sidelined. MATCH FACTS Head-to-head ⢠Watford have a 25% win record in competitive matches against Hull, having prevailed in 10 of the 40. The Tigers have a better return, having won 15. ⢠Hull are looking to take their unbeaten run against the Hornets to eight, having won five and drawn two Championship and Championship play-off matches. ⢠The Hertfordshire club last beat their East Yorkshire opponents at Vicarage Road in October 2007 at second league level, when Marlon King scored the only goal of the game. Watford ⢠In under three months, Gianfranco Zola's Watford have risen from bottom five to top six, and are joint-top of the Championship form table and unbeaten in seven (W5, D2). ⢠They have picked up 13 points out of 15 at Vicarage Road since Middlesbrough's victorious visit on 6 October, but have scored nine fewer league goals at home than on their travels. ⢠Of 37 Championship goals scored, an unrivalled 10 have been netted in the last 10 minutes. Hull City ⢠Hull find themselves one place and two points better off than Watford, with one more victory (11), and seeking a third successive maximum on the road. ⢠Steve Bruce's fifth-placed side are yet to drop a single point from matches in which they have opened the scoring; won all seven. ⢠Robert Koren is standing by to make his 100th start in a Tigers shirt.
Sorry mate, my bad. A vowel away from hell, was my main concern when putting the thead up. Should be a good game tomorrow, weather permitting. What do you reckon?
Thanks Mex, hope to have a clear afternoon tomorrow. Although I have gone for a narrow Watford win in my predictions, I am not that confident. It is one of those matches that could go either way.
Cheers Mex, another good one and well worth 5*'s. I hope we give them a good stuffing - I've never liked them after that play-off semi-final away leg. I'm going for my usual 3-1
Not really a great reason to not like us! I'm surprised to see our recent record against you is that good. It's very difficult to decide, perhaps a 1-1.
I have also gone for a close Watford win but if we lose 3-0 it would not amaze me - before long teams are going to shut up shop against us and look for breakaways
Hull at home was the first game I ever went to in the early sixties and sat in the now condemned stand. I can't remember if we won 2-1 or lost 1-2. So tomorrow I think 3-1 to the golden boys. I was going to go to this game but my boiler is causing problems and can't get an engineer untill Tuesday, and if I go am sure it will stop again and Mrs CM will be left all day and half the night with no heating or hot water. Have a feeling he won't be able to fix it and then have to have a new boiler. Next game I can go to will be Charlton on new year's day. It's a game that we should win if we are going to be play-off or title contenders.
First match of the season, 64/65 - we beat them 2-1. A great Xmas that year - two wins over L*t*n in three days.
I used to love the Christmas Day morning matches, then home for dinner. Probably the only one here to remember them.
Amendment to the OP required, both the mentioned 'long term sidelined absentees' are on the bench tomorrow.
This is not a dig, I am genuinely curious. Where did the AFC come from? Why did the egg chasers get FC?
Because rugby used to be called football and rugby has been around longer, so in 1865 we had Hull FC, then when Association Football started and Hull City joined league football in 1904, they became Hull City AFC.
Nice one Mex, thank you . I am not able to wear my lucky shirt for this one, being as i've been invited to sit in the President's lounge and have to be posh...gutted to be honest, i might sneak into the Rookery when noone is looking! Still, we're obviously going to win it, lucky shirt or no...and i foresee a 3-1 victory .
