Got a good vibe about this one. Marco will have read the riot act after Tuesday's debacle. 5-0 'Orns. Swat the pesky Seagulls.
After a beer or three on Tuesday, I thought I had put us on a -2 handicap against Bristol City, turns out I've in fact done it on Brighton @ 9/1.
Should win but it will be so Watford if we don't. Brighton have looked awful so far so I wouldn't be surprised if we make them look like Barcelona. Silva was ticked off big time about the mentality of the players playing "weaker teams" so hopefully the players don't rock up with the same attitude on Saturday thinking that Brighton will just roll over. They will want to get at least a point on the board before the international break so I expect this to be a difficult game. Teams on paper would suggest that we should win this, the reality is though they will fight for every thing on Saturday. We will have to match their fight, their intensity and their willingness to get stuck in. Do that and we win. Don't do that and we lose. I also think the first goal will be key in this game. If we score first, they will have to open up which will suit us perfectly. If they score first, they will defend for their lives and frustrate us. Watford win 3-1 if we score first Watford lose 1-0 if they score first.
The thig with us is we make a decent go of matches we shouldn't really win and fall to pieces against opposition we should really beat. On paper this is one game we should win. 2-2 for me.
As stated we always a make a meal of games people think we ought to win or do well in.. Plus we've had 2 very good league results.. Mind you maybe Tuesday was the blip!
This is on paper our easiest game of the season. It is absolutely inevitable we will lose. If the odds on brighton are over 4-1 to win I'm lashing my life savings on it. I suggest you all do the same.
As others have said in true Watford style on paper this is our easiest game. Home against the weakest team. Trouble is they defend and hit on that. This will show how the manager is influencing the players. Mazarri would see us lose this. If we play like last season, arrogant and expecting an easy ride we will be hit on the break exactly like with Bristol after some reasonable early play and possession. 1-0 down Brighton will properly park the bus. I'm especially worried if Deeney plays and Ambrabat as well and he drops some of our better midfielders. It will then either continue as 0-1 or get worse as we get frustrated leading to lots of yellows and potential for reds (given the ref) Knockhart will dive and they may even get a penalty. I can see it being 0-3 If Silva has managed to influence the team and get them out of the QSF Mazarri mould and we play as we did Liverpool and Muff it will go different. Ill hold off making a prediction until I see the team sheet I think Deeney and Ambrabat equals a loss.
Jesus their forum is dull. Match thread is lists of who they think will play on the day. No write up, just list after list of players no one has ever heard of.
Where has this attitude that we lose important games that we should win come from? Last season we weren't great, but mostly stepped up when it mattered and won crucial games that we needed to win in order to secure safety. The 3 wins in 4 against Sunderland, Swansea and West Brom in April, which all but secured survival and were preceded and followed by a load of s**t displays and defeats for example.
Yep, well put. If we win this comfortably 2-0 or so then I'll start believing that silva is the real deal. Remember when we played southampton away in our first season and got absolutely schooled by them? It was only 2-0 but it was men against boys. That's how I'd like to see us dispatch brighton.
I do indeed. Sat in the front row as a disabled carer getting pissed on by the foul weather then the M3 was closed on the way back. Great night out ...
I am fully expecting a hard game and they will be difficult to play against as they will sit back be compact and try and attack when they have turned the ball over down the wings, we will have to be wary of them counter attacks, but if we leave Doucoure or Chalobah deep when attacking it will protect us nicely.
The thing with playing ultra-defensive teams is to get that very difficult first goal. Then they have to do something about it and leave themselves vulnerable at the back. Just like, for instance, against Bristol Ci...... ah....... oh.
I have a lot of respect for how well Brighton have done and in a sense reminds me of how we came from nowhere to almost an established PL club now. Going to be a tough game for the boys and definitely not the one to enter with the wrong mind set. I hope Tuesdays cup exit was a wake up call that we are not world beaters yet, and show passion and take the game to Brighton. As much as I admire them, let's hope we don't become their first victim. I'll go for a steady 2_0 win and keep up our great start.
If Carrillo, Richarlison and Gray all play we will absolutely destroy them with pace. Those three are going to do some serious damage to the "lesser" teams in the league.
As someone said, pace is great when counterattacking but if they park the bus it's not so effective - so much will depend on the first goal. I predict a frustrating game and we nick it 1-0 in the last 15 with a super sub Deeney goal. And I hope we don't resort to stupid "I can see you holding hands" homophobic chants. We, of all clubs, should not be open to criticism on that front, and I think after the way Brighton fans congratulated us after our promotion I think they deserve better. They must be sick of the same old every week from oppo fans. (Sorry for mini rant).
