The Match Thread ESPNs match thread is here And here is the BBCs WATFORD 4 v 1 DONCASTER ROVERS Herold Goulon - caution 31 mÃn. Marvin Sordell - goal 44 mÃn. 1:0 Billy Sharp - goal 47 mÃn. 1:1 Habib Beye - caution 59 mÃn. Herold Goulon - sent off 64 mÃn. El-Hadji Diouf - caution 66 mÃn. Marvin Sordell - goal 68 mÃn. 2:1 John Eustace - goal 84 mÃn. 3:1 Michael Kightley - goal 90+3 mÃn. 4:1 Michael Kightley - caution 90+3 mÃn. Attendance 11.654 including 551 visiting Doncaster supporters. saturday kl13:00 The Hornets are hosts to the visiting Rovers for the last match of 2011 and the first return encounter of this season. View attachment 8948 Watford • The Manager – Sean Dyche View attachment 8950 “We are now in a position which is a real positive for us because we are disappointed not to take all three points against Leeds and Cardiff. These are big sides in our division so it shows the growth we have had as a team from the beginning of the season and it is an important message to the players to keep believing and keep responding.” “We feel we have been slightly unfortunate over the last few weeks to not have more points on the board considering our performance levels. But we believe performance levels over a season pay you back.” • The Hornets Scott Loach Lee Hodson, Nyron Nosworthy, Adrian Mariappa, Carl Dickinson Mark Yeates, Michael Kightly - goal 90+3 mÃn. - caution 90+3 mÃn., John Eustace - goal 84 mÃn. for Prince Buaben - 83 mÃn., Jonathan Hogg Chris Iwelumo for Troy Deeney - 87 mÃn., Joe Garner for Marvin Sordell - goals 44 mÃn. and 68 mÃn. - 87 mÃn. Substitutes: Jonathan Bond, John Eustace, Lloyd Doyley, Chris Iwelumo, Joe Garner Update on the Hornet's latest statistics Doncaster Rovers • The Manager – Dean Saunders View attachment 8951 “We can beat anyone, and if the players think like that, we'll be alright. If you're not prepared to do the dirty stuff and 'put your head in' and fight then you can have a bad run.” “The players are in good shape for Watford, they're looking fitter than ever and we're battling as much as we ever have been because the players have realised they have to do the 'ugly' side of things to win.” • Rovers Garry Woods Habib Beye - caution 59 mÃn., James O'Connor for Pascal Chimbonda - 25 mÃn., Herita Nkongolo Ilunga, Sam Hird James Coppinger, Kyle Bennett for Simon Gillett - 83 mÃn., Giles Barnes, Herold Goulon - caution 31 mÃn., sent off 64 mÃn. James Hayter for El-Hadji Diouf - caution 66 mÃn. - 87 mÃn., Billy Sharp - goal 47 mÃn. Substitutes : Jonathan Maxted, James O'Connor, George Friend, James Hayter, Kyle Bennett Update on Rovers’ statistics Who will win? Current form Doncaster Rovers move between the good and bad. Happily the good is at home and the bad is when they travel. Recent wins against Southampton and LeicesterCity were countered by Burnley Birminghan and Millwall taking three points. They have six goals marked and nine against. Watford in their last five matches have won only one game but have drawn the other four with only one defeat in the last ten matches. Akureyri's Prediction: 2:1 The Rovers’ travel sickness will continue. They will put up a strong fight but the Hornets will extend their run of not losing, but this time with a win. skál/skÃ¥l/cheers/salut Don't forget Drop in for some match chat at the The Hornets' Nest II. may want some information about Watford.
I do not understand why the Doncaster Rovers badge is so difficult to match the Watford badge for height.
Expect honours to be even when Watford host Doncaster Watford have drawn 5 of their last 6, making odds for their game against Doncaster to end without a winner worth a look. Latest odds Watford to draw with Doncaster 23/10 Draw specialists Watford host struggling Doncaster on Saturday, with the spoils surely set to be shared again. Since these clubs played out a 0-0 draw a little over a month ago, visitors Doncaster have notched up impressive home victories against big spending Leicester City and league leaders Southampton. However, their three away matches in that time have ended in defeat. In fact, only Coventry City have a worse away record than Rovers, which is perhaps unsurprising considering their lowly position. With the teams immediately above them in the table facing tough away games, Dean Saunders will be well aware that a victory at Vicarage Road could see Doncaster climb out of the bottom three for the first time in over two months. If the games finished after 45 minutes, the Hornets would be in the play-off positions, but their failure to hold on to a lead will be a worry for manager Sean Dyche. You can get odds of 18/5 for Doncaster to win the game, with Watford priced at 39/50. However, it is the draw at 23/10 that looks most favourable. Along with Cardiff, the home side are the league’s draw specialists. Like the Bluebirds, they have gained a single point in nine games this season, with this total being the highest in the division. Five of those draws have come in their last six games, starting with that goalless draw at the Keepmoat Stadium. A one-nil defeat to promotion chasing Middlesbrough on Bonfire Night was their only defeat in ten, but it has been their inability to turn those many draws into victories that has seen them remain only four places above the relegation zone. Their record in the first half rivals the best in the division. If the games finished after 45 minutes, the Hornets would be in the play-off positions, but their failure to hold on to a lead will be a worry for manager Sean Dyche. With this in mind, the offer of 14/1 for Watford to be leading at half time with the game finishing all square looks a steal. Punters who use their free £25 bet will see a return of £375 if they follow that tip and it proves successful. But for the more cautious among you, look no further than the draw at 23/10.
A defeat would be a disaster, because it's Doncaster. That might sound like one of the disrespectful, ignorant comments that uneducated neanderthals from the other 22 clubs aim in Watford's direction. Far from it. If Donny get to within 5 points of us, the realisation that we could yet end up in the bottom three would start to hit home. I don't fear Donny as far as the relegation race is concerned at the moment because of the points gap from them to us, coupled with the fact that we're playing reasonably well. Defeat combined with the departures of Kightly and Nosworthy would change that very quickly.
Another great thread Ak, thank you! ...this game worries me a little, i have to be honest. i believe we will win it, but it's going to be very tough. We never play well against teams around us, and we have been shaky at best, at times. They have a group of good players who don't seem to play as a team, this can work in our favour as that is something we've started to do well over the last few weeks. Still, my prediction is, as it always is...3-1...and one day i might be right! lol
I am very nervous about this one. I'm so nervous I gave it a Donny victory in the prediction league to make sure we get at least one point. For some reason I feel much more confident about the Portsmouth game.
H, we are the optimists 3-1 for me as well We have turn these draws into 3 points soon! COYH! Cheers for the thread Ak
with NZ ,rather wary of an improving Donny , who will be strengthened further in the new year , so a good time to play them! At present I think a 3-2 more likely than 3-1 ,however maybe a 2-1 home win ,but it will be a hard struggle!
Another A1 article AK. I go 3-1 to us then start worrying about what's going to happen in the next month..
Great stuff as usual AK..and worth an extra festive ...I am reverting to my usual 3-1 to Watford with Donny scoring first...
Jersey - Don't forget to look me up...right by the service door on the RHS of the V Bar in The Rookery. I will be with my mates, no Little Miss W_Y as she is going to Bournemouth for New Year...
Most seem to be cautious about this one so far, but I think we may be due a good win. I'm going for a convincing 3-0 - I may be way off the mark, but have just got a feeling after the run we're on and the near misses against Leeds and Cardiff.
We always draw at your place so I think there will be another. 1-1 I can't see a lot between the 2 teams with a couple of our players coming back from injury. Our defence of Chimbonda, Beye, Hird and Ilunga is solid, Sharp and Diouf up front are always dangerous, mid-field of Coppinger, Goulon, Barnes and Bennett have the ability create the chances with speed on the wings. They give us a team that should be able to beat most in this division but we know this is football we are talking about. I hope it's a good entertaining game and may the best team win. A happy and prosperous new year to all you Hornets from Donny.
Yes looking at their team i dont think donny need worry about the drop- id actualy put more money on them for the play offs!
There's no denying that on paper Doncaster have quite a good team (not sure about the play-offs though roo!) However, many of their players have only recently arrived and as we know from the start of the season it takes time for a team to gel when half of the squad has been changed. I think it will be tough, but Donny's away form is pretty drab and we'll knick it 2-1. Both teams to survive though.
#WatfordFC line-up: Loach; Hodson, Nosworthy, Mariappa, Dickinson; Yeates, Hogg, Buaben, Kightly; Deeney, Sordell. Unchanged.
