BLACKPOOL v WATFORD Bloomfield Road Saturday 8th October 2022 Kick Off : 1500 BST please log in to view this image When Slaven Bilic witnessed his Watford side make light work of Stoke City last weekend, the Croatian would have been optimistic about his players being equally ruthless against Swansea City three days later. However, the visitors overturned a half-time deficit to record a surprise 2-1 win at Vicarage Road, reducing Watford to two wins from their last 10 matches in all competitions. Although Bilic will argue that his team deserved at least a point, he is already too aware that results mean more than performances at the club that he chose to join late last month. On a positive note, Watford's defeat came on the same matchday that top-two sides Sheffield United and Norwich City also dropped points, leaving the Hertfordshire-based outfit just seven points adrift of first place. With Ismaila Sarr back in the team and scoring in two successive matches, Bilic will feel confident about returning to winning ways against their next opponents. please log in to view this image Blackpool had initially taken to life under Michael Appleton, recording eight points from their opening six matches this season. However, just four have come from the next batch of half-a-dozen fixtures, including four defeats, and it took a goalless draw at Sunderland earlier this week to stop the rot. While Appleton will be more than satisfied with a share of the spoils at the Stadium of Light, the Seasiders head into games with Watford and Sheffield United facing a battle to avoid dropping into the relegation zone. Blackpool have also scored just twice in six outings, while they have not posted a victory at their home ground since the opening day of the campaign. Team News William Troost-Ekong returns to the Watford squad for tomorrow’s game at Blackpool and there will be a late decision on Francisco Sierralta as the defensive injury list continues to cause head coach Slaven Bilic headaches. However Craig Cathcart and Mario Gaspar miss the trip to the north west, as do Joao Pedro, Kortney Hause, Tom Cleverley, Jeremy Ngakia and Tom Dele-Bashiru. On the plus side, Tom Dele-Bashiru has been training with the first team and may be involved tomorrow. Our Officials ROBERT MADLEY please log in to view this image Jonathan Hunt and George Byrne Fourth Official: Darren Bond
Bit light at the back then ? Kamara moving to right back and Morris on the left . Hopefully we can win then all those *fickle fans we have will go back to saying how great the players are and club will have videos of them celebrating. *I know it wasn’t a great performance and result on Wednesday night and sure the players know that but not sure it means they don’t care or show any passion. I mean only 4 days earlier we’d won 4-0. For me the issue is lack of consistency in performance and team selection due to injuries with players who probably aren’t as good as me think making errors during games when they lose confidence. Rather than just not being that bothered or turning up when they fancy .
That combination wasn't overly successful against Swansea - but when needs must. With so few options in defence I can see us playing three at the back - WTE, Kabasele and Sierralta with Pollock & Morris on the bench as cover - and flooding the midfield. Lord help us if we get any more injuries.
That will be our downfall . A manager can only do so much with a squad weakened by injuries. Hopefully fans and the powers that be see that . See Hause is out for a bit with a knee injury - the same one he had an operation on during the summer ?
Could Gosling fill in as a right back? I think he may have dropped back there when someone had to go off.
Arrived at my Blackpool hotel. My friend drove (An Arsenal fan, Brian and I think Paul Gunner met him before an Arsenal game a few years ago), doing a sterling job! We came off the M6 early and went through Wigan, past Chorley, via Preston and into Blackpool. Five hours from my part of Leafy Bucks, though we arrived a while ago. Off to find an ale. Or three.
How is the Tower and will you go to the Theme Park? Hopefully the weather is ok - least the away end is covered now!
The way some of our fans have been acting and talking since Wednesday they might try and harm themselves on the wire if we don’t perform. Some very depressing and defeatist attitudes. Mind you reading a Blackpool forum they are much the same ! Hopefully Bilic can get the team going again and the players ought to know they need play better . Remind then of the Stoke game .
Forked out my £10 for an international subscription to Hive, so hope it is worthwhile. Will see what walking injured team will be put out shortly.
Gosling at right back ? Harsh on Davis to be dropped I feel unless he has a knock . Louza back is good
Bachmann Gosling Troost-Ekong Kabasele Kamara Choudhury Kayemba Sarr Louza Sema Bayo I did suggest in a post earlier that Gosling might be able to play as a right back.
Good spot - least you know he used to. Seems many on Twitter didn’t! Have we got have fit players on the bench in Sierralta and Davis?
