WATFORD V SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY VICARAGE ROAD 5 MARCH 2013 7:45PM TEAM NEWS Goalkeeper Manuel Almunia is a doubt for Watford with a hamstring strain sustained in February's 2-1 win over Derby. Jonathan Bond has deputised since then and looks set to start again. Sheffield Wednesday defender Reda Johnson, who last played 26 January, remains out with an ankle injury. Manager Dave Jones will give late assessments to several players suffering minor injury problems ahead of the trip. Top scorers: Vydra 20 Deeney 14 Abdi 10 Antonio 8 O'Grady 6 R Johnson 5 MATCH FACTS Head-to-head Watford • Watford conceded a late goal against Wolves last time out, only the 10th point they've dropped from a last possible 39. • The Hornets are two points behind second-placed Hull and are unbeaten in six (14 points out of 18), having netted 69 goals in 35 Championship outings. • Hornets have bagged the most points in this division this year (23). Sheffield Wednesday • Sheffield Wednesday suffered their first loss in eight games with a 1-0 reverse against Nottingham Forest at Hillsborough at the weekend, to leave them two places and four points above the danger line. • But Dave Jones' side remain unbeaten on the road in 2013 and are looking to take their undefeated away sequence to seven games, since the 1-0 loss at Cardiff on 2 December. • The Owls did not find the net at the weekend nor in their last away trip (0-0 at Birmingham) and have now failed to score in an unrivalled 13 Championship matches this season. We need a win in the battle for promotion. Can we do this against the Owls? COMMENTS WELCOME > > ENJOY THE GAME !!
Think we ought to win this but have that nagging feeling its the sort of mid-week in March game we've lost before then everyone gets into panic mode.
Sheffield have played three of the top six in 2013 - AND WON ALL THREE !!!!! We drew at home last year. This is not going to be an easy match
Birmingham v Blackpool Bristol City v Brighton Burnley v Barnsley Cardiff v Derby Huddersfield v Middlesbrough Leicester v Leeds United Millwall v Wolves Nottm Forest v Ipswich Peterborough v Charlton Watford v Sheff Wed Bolton v Blackburn Crystal Palace v Hull are the other fixtures on Tuesday...
Good observation! However, no other team in the division plays quite like us. I watched the Wolves match with a WBA supporter (he just came to see the game). He reckoned we had 13 players on the pitch at times, and would do quite well in the prem. I reckon we are in a better place than any of our rivals (save Cardiff who do have a cushion, and have new impetus with Campbell). So we should be less fearful of 'lower' teams than the others around us who rely on more predictable methods. Also, we only have Peterboro to play who are 'desperate'. See below. Millwall, Blackpool, Burnley Blackburn (by then) will have lost interest. Possibly Leicester also, safe in play-offs but cannot reach 2nd when we play them. And Leeds - total waste space. (However,I wonder what positive spin I can manage if we lose tomorrow! ?) I actually think Barnsley will be the hardest of our next 4. It's always difficult (and usually cold) there! Anyone remember Barnsley's Eric Winstanley. Huge C-H in late 60's. We were 2-0 up at oakwell, evening match, he went up front, and scored a hattrick. He was magnificent! Could head the ball further than most players could kick it. (all from memory - haven't looked it up). Anyway, if we could get 9/10 points from next 4, I'll be delighted, we'll be 2nd and Cardiff will be anxious. After that, well I think we'll lose at Hull. All the other games are winnable except Peterboro which is a complete unknown. They must be the weirdest team in the div. COYH !!
Was at that match & remember him well. To be fair to us though, we had already clinched promotion and had probably lost interest. We lost the next two matches as well - both to opposition currently 'playing' in the Blue Square Premier, one of whom shall remain nameless.
I am begining to get slightly worried that other teams are finding ways to play against out greatest threat Vydra. Last match their defence refused to come out and give him any space to run behind them. So many players when faced with him look frightened about his speed, yet when he doesn't get the space he tends to look less effective. I think it will depend on if he starts tomorrow, and how Wednesday set their defence up. Will they come for a point with a chance of a lucky win, or will they try from the start to improve their league position?
Nice one Mex, 5 *'s from me. Going with a home win as I think GFZ will make a couple of key changes that will click. I am going for a 3-0 win. COYH
Really hope Fessi starts. He was on another level at their place, my Wednesday mate still says he's one of the best (and most hated) players that have played at Hillsborough this year. Think we'll lose 2-1, they've been good recently and most our team are looking jaded. UTH
Its also Palace v Hull today, what result would people prefer? Personally I would like to see a Hull win, which coupled with a win for us this would see Palace fall further behind and hopefully start to turn things into a two horse race for 2nd, even if it means we are still in 3rd on Wednesday morning.
A draw would be good - gives out only two not three points to rivals and would put us second if we win
I agree. Wolves certainly set out to nullify Vydra and it worked. Interestingly, they didn't change after going behind. We have come to expect teams 'to come out and leave gaps' when we take the lead. Not on friday. But hey, on most other days we'd have had 3 and not be having these discussions! Anyway, looking at the likely outcomes (why oh why do I do this before a game ?)... One of our more depressve members thinks we might be lucky to make the play-offs, based on the results against Palarse & Wolves. I have tried to suggest we are more likely to come 2nd or 3rd. I expect, based on trend over last 10 games to get 84...88 points. To put this into context, over the last 10 years, the final outcomes for 2nd/3rd and 6th/7th have been 2nd Average 86.6. Min 79. 3rd Average 80.9 Max 86. (Min 75, but prob. irrelevant) 6th Average 73.4 Min 70 7th Average 70.7 Max 74 In fact, 6th is amazingly stable - max spread is 6 points. 70...75 & 7th almost the same (67...74) 2nd and 3rd are more variable, hence harder to estimate. Spread 79...92 & 75...86. (Although the 79 & 75 were same year). If we can't get 74 points from where we are now, (i.e. 1 per game, when we are averaging 2.3) we shall have really fallen off a cliff - though I have to concede that 'boro are actually trying to do that. 7 points from last 10 games! In passing, starting with losing at home to Hull, one good feature of GFZ's mamangement is we pick ourselves up quickly after a disappointment. After Hull, we drew at Burnley, then went on a winning spree, after Charlton we did well, and after Brizzle we did well. The players were really upset at end of wolves game - a hopeful sign. In fact we should have enough for play-offs by end march. If we keep up our current levels, I reckon we shall get 84...88 points. This is the average for 2nd, although 86 only got 3rd last year, and 79 was enough for 2nd in 08. ( not this year somehow!) If it was all this easy, we wouldn't bother watching. I didn't expect to be where we are, AND I certainly didn't expect (even with GFZ's pedigree) to be watching such attractive football. So, enjoy the moment!
