Match Day Thread WATFORD v EVERTON

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WATFORD v EVERTON

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Vicarage Road Stadium
Saturday 9th February 2019
Kick Off 1500 GMT

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Watford have only tasted defeat twice in their past seven games but only picked up one win during this spell. Javi Gracia’s men drew 0-0 with Brighton on Saturday to remain above Everton.

The Toffees head into this one on the back of some mixed form, winning two of their past six games with four defeats. Everton lost 2-0 to Manchester City at Goodison Park on Wednesday, thus missing the chance to climb above Watford.

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Lee Probert is our referee. In the 20 games he has taken charge of this season he has issued 68 yellow cards and 6 reds.

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Our star man of late.

Watford goalkeeper Ben Foster believes he could keep playing until he is 40 years of age. The veteran keeper turns 36 in April, but has been in fine form so far this season. He said: "I can carry on for as long as I want. I feel brilliant.


WHEREVER YOU ARE IN THE WORLD - ENJOY THE GAME ​

 

Very good luck to the Golden Boys

 

A lengthy look at Everton and Marco Silva.

www.bbc.com/sport/football/47152237

 

COYH COYH COYH.

A win would not only get our push for 7th back on track but get one over the snake.

Everton were resilient against Citeeeeehhhhh mind.

Cheers OFH.

 

And still lost.

 

I hope AD is back from injury. Any news on him? I still can't access the WO so no idea but we never get much injury news as it is...

 

We have looked very light in attack for the past few games and whilst we have not capitulated ( by way of results) as we have done in previous seasons come January, probably one more win would almost guarantee us safety. I for one could not think of a sweeter way to achieve virtual safety than putting one over the "snake".
Come on you Horns!!!!!

 

Abdoulaye Doucoure is in line to make his return from injury against Everton after missing the last four matches.

The influential French midfielder, who was linked with a move away from the club during the January transfer window, has not featured since the victory at Crystal Palace last month with a knee injury but is available for this weekend’s match.

Watford head coach Javi Gracia said: “He is training with the team and I think he will be ready for the next game.

“I think he will be available. But we will decide the line-up tomorrow. I think he is in a good condition to compete.”

Defender Kiko Femenia is also back in the squad, after missing the last three games, and could also feature this weekend against Everton.

Gracia said: “We have two players, Kiko Femenia and Doucoure as well, both have been injured last week but they started training this week. Both of them have chances to play.”

Their return will be a boost ahead of an important week for the club with tomorrow’s home game against Everton followed by a trip to QPR in the FA Cup fifth round next Friday night.

The Hornets will still be without attacker Roberto Pereyra this weekend after he missed last week’s goalless draw at Brighton with a hamstring injury.

Gracia said: “He's not ready yet. Maybe next week but not for this game. Sebastian Prodl is recovering as well along with Isaac Success. He's not ready yet. Roberto, Isaac and Sebastian are out this weekend.”

 

Javi Gracia expects Watford’s fans to get behind their team on Saturday against Everton but says he will respect the opinions of all supporters with former boss Marco Silva likely to receive a backlash on his return to Vicarage Road.

Supporters brandished rubber snakes at Goodison Park aimed at Silva in December's 2-2 draw following his acrimonious departure last season.

The Portugese did little to hide his desire to join Everton during the season after their approach and he was sacked by Watford after a poor set of results last January.

Silva makes his first return to Vicarage Road this weekend under severe pressure from Everton supporters after a run of seven defeats in 10 Premier League games and an FA Cup exit at Championship side Millwall last month.

The Everton boss looks certain to receive a hostile reception from Watford fans but Gracia insists it has been business as usual for his side’s preparation as they target their first home win since beating Cardiff in the middle of December.

When asked what type of reaction he expected Silva to receive, Gracia said: “I don’t know. I think there will be different opinions and all of them are respectable. I don’t know.

“I expect the supporters to back us as they usually do. It is the best thing for us to feel the support. We feel it in all the games and I think this game will be no different.”

Gracia does not believe Silva’s return will be a distraction for his players and insists the focus has been the same as usual.

He said: “It is nothing different than other games. We are concentrated on the game with me concentrated on the game.

“When we prepare the games we are not thinking about the coaches. We are thinking about the shape, the players, how we can defend, how we can attack, not about the coaches.”

For you Mex from the Wobbly.

 

Much obliged squire!!

 

Tried to PM you Mex with info, but your settings do not allow me to.

 

https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/football/8383418/watford-everton-marco-silva-dave-kidd/

A good assessment of things, I feel.

 

Also, I'd like to add that despite all the Silva tomfoolery going on, I think this game will mean either 1. We find form again (ie. win) and we can then push up and challenge for 7th or 2. Draw or lose and then it is just a matter of getting a few more points until the end of the season, form continues to be very mixed and all we can hope for is a cup run.

In other words, I think tomorrow will define how our season ends.

 

Someone asked Deeney why do the players appear to give up come this time of the season which he didn't take too well to!

Well like you say next few games are chance to prove they are still playing.

 

the media are loving this...now dubbed 'The Silva Derby'. I wish Deeney's comments hadn't been made public (as usual he almost said the right thing, and then didn't but i excuse him this one as it was at a fan's forum and shouldn't have been made public!), but much as that might get Everton going, there's not one member of our team that won't want to get one over on Silva anyway. The atmosphere will be toxic to begin with, but if they score early that will die an early death, so we need to get in there straight from the off and get a goal before they do! I can't say i'm not excited, but i'm also slightly anxious! However, with my usual fake optimism, i'm predicting a Watford 3-1 win, and maybe a Silva sacking tomorrow morning, as any chairman who comes out and publicly backs his head coach is obviously on the verge of sacking him.

In honesty, i think we may just kick start his season as we tend to do but i'm not mentioning that!

COYH!!!!

 

Well professional footballers should really be motivated for every game regardless of what is said but there ought to be extra spice.

We need a positive reaction from the last 2 leagues games in terms of performances anyway as they were pretty lacklustre.

Troy himself needs to get the better of the centre halves this time - I just hope he doesn't over do it and see red!

 

There's different comments from Troy all over the place on this. In an interview in the Telegraph yesterday he said Marcos the best manager he worked with and bears him no malice - and their embrace at the end of the Goodison game would seem to indicate some truth in that.
I wish he wouldn't keep talking about kicking the **** out of teams though - we don't but it's easy to get that reputation and very hard to lose it.
Still - as has been said this will be lively COYH!

 

Getting the 9.45 train from Leeds.. Coyh!

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This is all a prelude to the forthcoming ' Straight talking Troy Deeney Football Show' on Sky in a couple of years.

 

The Palace fans have a long thread on their forum demanding Deeney be banned and what a while thug/animal he is...(some of it potentially libellous)

All because he said we targeted Zaha....along with others teams and players.

Must say last week I was wishing we'd get stuck in a bit more !

Trouble is he says something like that probably in jest and its the part highlighted.