Watford can take advantage as they renew rivalry with Bournemouth please log in to view this image Watford manager Quique Sanchez Flores spoke ahead of his side's trip to Bournemouth in hopes of continuing their fine start to the Premier League campaign. Watford and Bournemouth played the best football in the Championship last season, scoring lots of goals and deservedly winning promotion. But this Saturday's game at Dean Court matters more than most fixtures Watford will play this season. The context requires some explanation, and begins two years ago. Bournemouth's first away fixture in the Championship was at Watford in August 2013. They lost 6-1, with Troy Deeney scoring a hat trick. By the time the two teams faced up again in January 2014, the South Coast team had acclimatised to the second tier. And it was at this point that the bad blood started. In the second encounter, Bournemouth's Mark Pugh looked to have dived to win a penalty with the game tied at 1-1. He had gone down as he attempted to round Manuel Almunia, but replays showed there was no contact. The penalty was saved and the match finished all square, but this incident created a feeling among Watford fans that Bournemouth players like to look for penalties -- a feeling that has some sympathy among fans of other Championship sides. However, criticisms of diving should be left alone. Pretty much every club has players that dive now. Watford certainly do, so going on about another team is always going to look stupid when one of your own attempts a double-twist pike in the box. But that sense of injustice never left, and it was intensified the following season. Once again it was the match at Dean Court that provided the talking points. Gabriele Angella was wrongly dismissed after 28 seconds. The Italian centre back felled Callum Wilson, who was racing towards goal, but another defender was clearly covering. The referee decided to send Angella off and the game was ruined. Watford lost 2-0. That hurt, because Watford were finally starting to come into some form and the fans had started to believe that they were good enough to beat anyone. There was a nagging sense that Bournemouth had been let off the hook. That feeling would linger until the last day, when Watford contrived to hand Bournemouth the Championship title by conceding to Sheffield Wednesday in the very last minute. please log in to view this image Quique Sanchez Flores' Watford currently sit 13th in the Premier League table. It was a horrific way to finish a tremendous season. The sensible thing to do would be to accept it and move on. After all, Watford only have themselves to blame. But, it's not just the manner in which Watford presented their rivals with the title that hurts. The media fawned over Bournemouth's exploits as a wonderful triumph for the little man, in stark comparison to some of the attacks levelled at Watford have endured under Gino Pozzo's ownership. But Watford's owners have invested in the stadium, restored the club's financial position from the point of ruin and used players they already owned to improve the team without taking on huge risks they couldn't afford to get wrong. Looking ahead to this encounter and Bournemouth have coped remarkably well with their injuries so far, but they are barely able to run onto the pitch without a player's leg falling off. This time more than ever Watford have to show absolute ruthlessness and take advantage. No one in Hertfordshire will lament the absence of Wilson, although anyone who takes glee in his injury is an idiot. He is a fine striker and would have posed a huge threat. Glen Murray knows what he's doing but he's barely mobile in comparison. If Watford manage to concede a penalty and have a player sent off against this Bournemouth attack, they should probably forfeit all future encounters. To conclude, Bournemouth are a good side led by a talented manager, and they deserve their success. Their status as the smallest fish in this year's Premier League means they will attract plenty of support from the neutrals, but that will be of little comfort if they fail to survive. If Watford can channel their lingering sense of injustice into a constructive force on Saturday then they can take a big step to making sure they don't have to hear about "plucky old Bournemouth" for too much longer. A simple cut and paste from ESPN as no thread up as of yet. ¡¡¡¡ENJOY THE GAME _ COMMENTS WELCOME _ COYH COYH COYH!!!!
Top thread Mex - 5*'s from me. God I hope we stuff them and get a penalty to boot - it will be so good to see that smarmy grin wiped off of their manager face Will be good to finish with 11 players on the pitch though. Beer train departs bandit country at 09.00 and a few cans of Bombardier are ready with a flask of Kraken - should be "warmed up" when he land there...
Nice one Mex. we're off early to get fish and chips on the front and then off to the match. I think we're due some goals and a win.
Whilst I hope we win, and think we should, I want Bournemouth to survive this season, along with Norwich and us. We need more "small" teams in the EPL.
Nice to read such a balanced intro Mex. As one who's a bit tired of the media domination by half a dozen big PL clubs I like it when the likes of Barnsley, Blackpool and Bournemouth make it to the PL and I always hope they'll do well. That said, I'll settle for Bournemouth having an off day tomorrow.
Departing Leafy Bucks soon after 08:00 laden with bacon sarnies and latte. ETA Bournemouth is noon and into one local hostelry* or another... soon to check out the GBG before bedtime. Mrs H-F has treated me to an away shirt today though I presume we'll wear yellow tomorrow. Post match I've arranged to meet an old band mate whom I've not seen for 25 years maybe?! Looking forward to the day. *that read hostility originally, bloody predictive nonsense!
Nice one Mex. Game is on DirecTV (channel 493) here. And with temperatures still in the 90s it should make a nice preamble to a day in the garden. 0-2 (an Iggy brace) would be a great result.
Hitting the road at 9 and echoing w-y. personally I can't stand Bournemouth and hour to goodness we give them a stuffing! I'll go for a tame 1-3 though!
Great essay Mex, thanks. I wonder whether the niggling sense of injustice is felt by the team and management, given the changes that have taken place. I would really want them to go out there and win from a focussed professionalism rather than with a view to settling scores. But as for all of you travelling to the game, I hope you have a great day, roar the 'Orns on with all you've got, and let's hope by tea time all our issues with them are wiped off the slate with a big win.
I am just hoping I can find a radio station while driving that will keep me up dated. All of you getting there have a good trip.
Great thread Mex. Safe and happy travels to all of you making the pilgrimage and let's hope we can pick up all three points.
Watford - Gomes (GK); Nyom, Prödl, Cathcart, Ake; Capoue, Watson; Abdi, Deeney (c), Anya; Ighalo Bournemouth - Boruc (GK), Francis, Cook, Distin, Daniels, Ritchie, Gosling, Surman, Pugh, King, Murray
Just woken up. Seems a lively start by both sides. He is injured, apparently. No Berghuis, either; replaced by Dyer!
is working for me - http://www.usagoals.co/football/1296670/13/afc-bournemouth-vs-watford-fc-live-stream-online.html and one nil down now, was a good cross for it.
