The Match Thread The game tonight is cancelled. Bristol Rovers v Watford View attachment 6321 The Hornets are travelling again for their first cup match of the season against the Pirates. Strangely this is the first time Bristol Rovers have hosted a cup tie against Watford Bristol Rovers • The Manager – Paul Buckle "It was a tough place (Wimbledon) to come on the opening day, but I thought our supporters were first class and we showed our gratitude to them at the end of the game.” “I think 2-0 is always a precarious scoreline, and I also feel that Wimbledon deserve credit as they never gave in and kept pushing on. While we did let them back into the game, but at the same time we could have been out of sight before they came back into it.” • The Pirates Ollie Clarke has a cruciate ligament injury that he got in the last match of last season and will not play for a period of at least six months. Gary Sawyer has a groin injury and Ellis Harrison has a broken bone is his right foot. Update on the Bristol Rovers’ statistics WATFORD • The Manager – Sean Dyche “Overall I was pleased, the only disappointment was to give away two soft goals, but the reality is Burnley is a tough place to come. They have a very experienced squad and very talented players and they are another team who will be fancied to be up there this season.” “I thought the back four were excellent and the keeper – they calmed things down for us, Big Chris played but he is not as fit as he would like to be because he missed a bit of pre-season but he gave a good account of himself, Yeates nicked a goal, Craig Forsyth nicked a goal - so it was very positive from our point of view.” • The Hornets Stephen McGinn is on injury list, where he will remain for a long time. Lloyd Doyley leads the way to the naughty corner with one caution. Update on the Hornet's latest statistics Who will win? Current form For a cup match form will go to the wind. The only comparison is that both Bristol Rovers and Watford have played away from home against AFC Wimbledon, the Hornets lost and the Pirates won. In the one game each team has played Rovers won 2:3 and Watford let a two goal lead slip away to draw 2:2 Akureyri's Prediction: 0:2 Bristol Rovers will put up a strong show as the locals but the visitors will return to Watford with a win. There is a history The last time the two clubs met was a cup match in 2008 when Watford won by 1:0, a goal scored by. Before that the clubs had not met for nearly twenty years. For the matches in Bristol the locals have the advantage in 18 wins to 17 with 7 draws, in goal scoring they lead by 58 goals to 56. Bristols best win against Watford was a 4:2 success in 1923, Watford won the return match seven days later by 4:0. Watford’s biggest win visiting Rovers was a 1:5 thumping in 1930. skál/skÃ¥l/cheers/salut Don't forget The Hornet’s Nest Drop in for some match chat. Travellers may want some information about Bristol.
I said I would make the thread tomorrow, but I go to see my mother and that will be an all evening thing so better early than never.
It'll be very interesting to see the team that Dyche puts out for this one. A case can be made for putting out the strongest eleven, or for wholesale changes to ensure that youngsters and the likes of James, Mirfin and Gilmartin get a run out.
agreed NNW although I think I would come down on the side of 1st eleven to help the 4 of saturdays debutants to continue to gel with the team ! Then hope for a marked improvement against Derby ! I think its important to beat Bristol for confidence reasons and then give others a run out in the next round!
a nice cup run will be good for us as its been a while since we had one! but after getting relegated last season, my main concern is bouncing back up and getting promoted. i have a big squad now. as soon as we got our 15th signing, the football league decided to announce a change of rules going back to 5 subs instead of 7. our manager will want to keep our players happy so i expect a good amount of changes to keep certain players fresh for saturdays game. i like to see a cup upset and go for a home win but i wouldnt begrudge a watford win just so we can concentrate on the task of going back up a league. what ever the result, i just want to see a good performance and some fight.
I think we could really do with a cup run ourselves. Not bothered whether we play anyone big, I just feel that we have a lot more than eleven players who should expect to be starting games this season.
Hello Jack and welcome to Ak's Match thread ! thanks for your input ! If I was our gaffer I wouldnt underestimate you guys (especially after weekend results)I would field our first team!
obviously the above comment of mine is just my opinion. the confidence our manager has installed in our squad and winning mentality, no doubt he will send out a stong side going for a win. we dominated burnley in pre season at home start to finish and won 2 nil but was camped in their half for the whole game. that was before they lost eagles to bolton. also we dominated reading for the 1st half in pre season. 2nd half was more open and we lost 2-1. we will give you a game i am sure of it and will want to win. this will be the managers and several players home debut and will want to impress the fans. i am quietly confident of a win but as i said above, i wouldnt be that fussed if we lost just as long as we perform well which would be a positive into the weekends game. thanks for will hoskins last season. he was quality for us and nearly kept us up on his own.
Thanks for taking him off of our hands (I wasn't a fan!). Fair play to him for taking his opportunity though. I always felt that he was class, but think he realised too late that a first team opportunity was a priviledge for good players to earn, rather than a right that good players were given. I think a season in League One will have done him the world of good, and am in no doubt that he'll step up to this level.
he is too good for league 1. he came to us with the rep of being a bit arrogant but he stated he wants to start fresh and rebuild his career. he did a very good job of that and nearly kept us up. i dont fault him at all. i just fault 8 or 9 others who played all the time. if thay shown half the effort hoskins did, we would of ended up mid table! i think your manager my get a bit of abuse at the game being a ex city player. you should fo stuck with gashead aidy boothroyd
Ouch It's a pity you never had a good defence you seem to have a decent team now whilst you got rid of the rubbish, it's a shame we don't have a defence and can't get rid of our rubbish
Had the easy option of going to baadiff with Manky , but elected to tough it out and stay ! Much respect imo!
yes there is. he use to play for city. i will however forgive him for that if he takes 6 points from them please
Hopefully Sean will rise to the challenge. Assuming of course that City are capable of providing one.
just dont get dragged down to their level if they are struggling at the foot of the table like i predict. at 3-0, dont give up. i want 6-0 please
