After a disappointing last fortnight for both teams, Watford travel to Villa Park in a game both teams must win in order to regain form.
Ahead of the big kick-off, I had a chat with Tom Wicks, Editor of the Watford ‘Golden Pages Fanzine’ about their season so far, life under Roy Hodgson, and the importance of their key players Emmanuel Dennis and Ismaila Sarr.
UTV PODCAST X THE GOLDEN FANZINE
Watford currently sit 19th in the table, six points off safety with Burnley possessing two games in hand, what has gone wrong so far this season for Watford, and are you hopeful that Hodgson can turn it around?
Where to start?! There are deep, concerning problems. Summer recruitment was poor, for a start.
There is little cohesion and the constant churn of head coaches makes it difficult for the mish mash of players to adapt to a constantly changing playing style. There is a lack of playing identity and an ageing squad which is a far cry from the side featuring Deeney, Capoue, Doucoure, Deulofeu etc.
Hodgson has been brought in to stop the bleeding at the back, which has happened to a certain extent. But this has been at the cost of any attacking potency.
Tom Wicks
Watford have yet to score under Hodgson having only picked up a point under his tenure, despite this, have you seen any signs of improvement under the new manager?
We kept a clean sheet for the first time this season in Hodgson’s first game and we’ve been more defensively stubborn. However, we offer little going forward, as a result. The players look devoid of confidence and we look a deeply fractured side at present.
We are cut adrift and I can’t see too many points being won from now on in.
Tom Wicks
Emmanuel Dennis is your top goal scorer (8) and top of the assist chart (5) so far in the league; however, will the return of Ismaila Sarr take some of the pressure off Dennis’s shoulders?
Dennis has provided moments of individual quality, particularly when Sarr was injured and at AFCON. We’ve got some talented forwards but there is little attacking threat as a team. We’re easy to defend against, although Sarr’s return will provide a glimmer of hope, particularly with his pace. He gave Targett a torrid time in the last fixture between the sides.
Tom Wicks
Finally, what are your score predictions for the game?
It could be a real bloodbath if Villa are patient and take their chances. I hate to be so negative but I’m going for a 3-0 home win.
Tom Wicks
A LOOK AT THE OPPOSITION
As it stands, the table doesn’t look too good for Watford fans but what I want to know is where is it going wrong for the Hornets. Well if you look a little bit deeper into the table you will see Watford have only scored 23 goals so far in the league which is the fourth-lowest in the league. When you add the fact that Emmanuel Dennis has made involved in thirteen of those goals it shows that Watford just hasn’t been creative enough.
The thing is though this isn’t a simple fix as Watford has relied on Dennis all season. However, the return of Ismailia Sarr from the African Cup Of nations may be a massive boost for Watford as he is an incredible young player which could help stop Watford from suffering a second successive relegation from the Premier League.
However, away from the pitch, there is a massive problem that most people in the world of football know of. The fact of the matter is Watford have had five managers since Nigel Pearson who was in charge the last time these two teams met at Villa Park.
The lack of patience from the Watford owners means there is a lack of a long term plan. Players are getting signed under one manager and frozen out under other managers and it means there is no consistency which I believe is costing Watford. As well as this, the Watford owners reputation of axing managers may put future managers off of the job as they know that as soon as results stop going their way they won’t be afforded many chances to correct things. I believe this is exactly why Watford ended up appointing Roy Hodgson this time round.
Although I hope that I am proven wrong as I think Watford are a great club, I don’t believe a 74-year-old manager is the right man for the job and the employment of Hodgson will only plummet Watford further down the table. When the next opportunity comes along, the Watford owners need to find a creative young manager and stick with him for longer than just three or four months.
WATFORD TEAM NEWS
Watford will still be without their centre midfielder Peter Etebo who joined Watford on loan from Stoke at the start of the season, while young left winger Kwadwo Baah will also be missing with his fractured ankle, an injury that has kept him out of action since November.
FORM GUIDE
PREMIER LEAGUE HEAD-TO-HEAD
The head to head shows a fairly even contest which benefits Aston Villa as the home side having picked up the three points in 66% of the nine times these two teams have met in the top flight.
THE LAST THREE
LAST TIME OUT
On the 21st January 2020, Watford travelled to B6 for this relegation six-pointer. If Watford picked up the win they would climb out of the relegation zone into 15th place, if Villa won, they would find themselves 16th.
The game started in a fairly even fashion with small chances falling to either side with arguably the most notable chance coming courtesy of a Jack Grealish through ball to Anwar El Ghazi’s who’s effort failed to test Ben Foster in goal.
Now it was Watford’s turn to test the Aston Villa defence as Gerard Deulofeu’s one-two with Abdoulaye Doucoure saw the former receive the ball in area. His lofted cross beat Kourtney Hause and Ezri Konsa and fell perfectly onto the head of infamous Bluenose Troy Deeney who effortlessly headed the ball into the net whilst taunting the Holte End.
After a series of half chances from Villa to kick off the second half, the first proper chance fell too Watford and as Deulofeu saw his shot fell to Reina who made an impressive reflex save, the ball fell straight to Deeney who should have done better with his shot which was directly at Reina. Pepe Reina then completed his fantastic triple save by preventing the ball going over the line in a last ditch effort before Matt Targett eventually managed to make the clearance.
Villa ere really up against it as it took a brilliant tackle from Frederic Guilbert to stop Pereyra from going clean through, despite the Argentinians accusations, the referee decided Guilbert reached the ball before the man and no penalty was awarded.
Frederic Guilbert was involved once again but this time in a more attacking sense as his cross met his opposite fullbacks head but Targett’s header failed to panic Foster.
Jack Grealish shown a moment of magic as he dribbled past several Watford defenders before laying the ball off to Targett. Target’s shot was awkward for Foster meaning the ball only made it into the path of the oncoming Douglas Luiz who smashed the ball into the roof of the net to level the scores and ran straight into the euphoric Holte End.
Not for the first time in the game, Villa was rescued by a piece of magic from Grealish who dribbled past half of the Watford team before going down in the middle of the box. The referee quickly dismissed any Villa appeals and play was allowed to go ahead. In the 95th minute of the game a long free kick hoofed into the box from Reina fell to Mings and then to Konsa. The centre back leant back and released an absolute screamer of a shot which took a slight deselection off Tyrone Mings and went straight into the back of the net and sent Villa Park into a frenzy.
Despite Troy Deeney doing his best to rattle the Holte End, it was the Villa fans who had the last laugh as Villa moved out of the relegation zone.
PREDICTION
I’m expecting a very hard fought scrappy game that will leave Villa fans far from satisfied but I believe the attacking quality that this Villa side has will see Villa win. I’m predicting a 1-0 win with Coutinho dragging the Villa to the victory.
Enjoy the game Villans and get behind the boys so we can get out of this sticky patch of form! Up The Villa!
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