Stevenage Borough 1(4)-1(3) Watford Fc - League Cup First Round

So, I make it the first time we've played in this round of the League Cup since 2014, when we also played against our Hertfordshire 'neighbours' Stevenage (we won 1-0 through Lloyd Dyer, but I'll forgive you if you forgot considering everything else that happened during that season!). Expecting an 'experimental' side, although considering there were a fair few players who could be considered 'first teamers' who didn't feature from the start yesterday, it may end up being fairly strong, should be a good workout against a team who began League 1 with a win after a fantastic season last season

 

Ideally no one who started vs QPR should start this game.

We have enough players that it should be possible, with the exception of CB. We should be trying to keep all our players as fresh as possible for the much more important league, so I'd still try and avoid playing Hoedt or Porteous, even if it means playing one of the reserves. Not sure who'd be the most likely candidate for that? Heck, I'd even consider just plinking Livermore there and have Kayembe as the DM to avoid nackering our limited CB options.

Lewis will hopefully be ready for the following weekend, so Morris should be fine to play.

So a line-up like the following would make sense:

Hamer
Andrews Pollock ??? Morris
Livermore
Kayembe Kone
Asprilla Chakvetadze
Healey

Maybe even one of Kalu or Forde for Chakvetadze to also not wear him out needlessly.

 

I'm on preview duty - will be up this evening!

 

I'd expect one of the kids to play centre-back, maybe not for the whole game, but for 45 minutes perhaps, think that would be more worthwhile than placing a career-long midfielder in defence. Would expect to see some of Lewis, though hopefully just a taste before being unleashed at the weekend. **** knows where Kalu is, he wasn't on the bench yesterday, is he even fit? Needless to say I'd love to see Asprilla, would just give me a bit of peace of mind that he's not about to leave!

 

Will this be streamed anywhere? Will Hive Live at least have commentary?

 

If I remember correctly, Hive Live only had commentary last season, I don't think they were allowed to stream it

 

You do NOT risk a Rolls Royce like Chak against these northern cloggers.

 

Stevenage vs Watford
Tuesday 8th August, 19:45
Broadhall Way (The Lamex)

So, it's that time of year again - our yearly match-up against lower league opposition that we will almost certainly lose. The team looking to cause an upset? Our Hertfordshire rivals, Stevenage, whose ground is just 30km from The Vic (as Bayo flies).

The Competition
The EFL (League) Cup, currently known as the Carabao Cup, has been held since 1960. Due to the weak teams often fielded in the competition, fans commonly refer to it as the Mickey Mouse cup. Liverpool are the most successful team in the competition, lifting the trophy 9 times, while Manchester United are the current holders. Watford's best performance in the competition came in 2004/5, succumbing to Liverpool in the semi-finals. Last time out Watford joined in the second round, and put in a feeble against another local rival, Franchise FC (MK Dons), losing 2-0.



The Opposition
Steve Evans has been in charge of Boro since March 2022, and has done an admiral job, with a 55.9% win-rate, and he guided them to promotion to League One last season. Stevenage started the new campaign with a win away at Northampton Town, lining up in a 3-4-1-2 formation, with centre-half Piergianni scoring the winning goal. Stevenage made it to the third round of the competition last season, beating Reading and Peterborough in the first two rounds, before eventually losing to Charlton Athletic on penalties.

The Town
Stevenage is known to some as the UK's Space City due to the large number of aerospace employers in and around the town. It was also the first town in the UK with dedicated cycleways. Notable people born in Stevenage include Sir Lewis Hamilton, Keinan Davis, Ben Wilmot, and Ashley Young.



Head-to-head
The only game listed on watford.fcdb.info (a great website if anyone is interested) was the 2014 fixture, ending 1-0 courtesy of a Lloyd Dyer goal in the 52nd minute. Watford then lost 2-1 to Doncaster Rovers in the following round. The team that started that day was Bond, Pudil, Doyley, Tamas, Andrews, Munari, Dyer, Fabbrini, Forestieri, and Ighalo, with Ekstrand, Murray, and Vydra appearing from the bench.

Team News
Hopefully Ismael will have the same set of players to choose from as he did against QPR, with new signings Ince, Healey, and Lewis all waiting to make their debuts. Of those, Rhys Healey appears the most likely to play. Overall, expect wholesale changes, with Ismael changing the full starting XI when he was at West Brom.



COYH!

 

Keep the momentum going. Same team as Saturday, humiliate them.

 

This, but wouldn't risk Chak being a flash-harry and taken out by one of Evan's thugs. Would be good to win but I don't really care if we lose.

 

Get minutes in Healey

 

Am I correct in thinking Healey is a totally different type of player to Bayo and other strikers we’ve been linked with? If so, going to be difficult for him to get any starts in this system

 

No I don't think so - aside from him not being that strong in the air (but neither is Morelos). He's a pretty typical number 9. I think it's more that he's not recovered well yet from his injury. He's not looked sharp from the glimpses of him in pre-season.

 

It's almost as if he was signed by someone at the club without them even considering how the head coach would use him. I wonder who it was, probably someone who tried to sign him before this summer and can't resist finally getting his man on a free transfer.

 

I've already budgeted for £10 to see us lose dismally at home to lower league opposition in the second round, so can't be giving that up for a marginally tasty derby away from The Vic.

 

Personally looking forward to this as it's a Hertfordshire derby. Hopefully give some minutes to Healy, Chakvadatze, Lewis and a few others that didn't play or only played a few minutes on Saturday. I spoke t Tom Ince on Saturday and asked when he would be available and he said next weekend, so not expecting him to play. I would also like to see some of the young players play also. I think it would be good for momentum to win this one.

I really wanted to attend this one, but I can't due to work, I should make it home in time for kick off, Does anyone know will this game be available to view on Hornets Player?

 

It won't be streamed officially but they'll be doing the audio feed. EFL rules.

 

Will there be a highlights show anyone know?

 

Came to hear to ask about this, cheers.

 

I’m hoping Sky might do that thing where they show the goals as they go in tonight with reporters around the ground, better than nothing.

 

Just had a look on their forum (shyte, don't bother) and noticed this: "as for the Watford snob fans"

Snob fans? Any ideas?

 

Should have the full game available tomorrow in the usual place!

 

Third round ? You're dreaming.

 

The highlights show is on ITV4 at 11.00pm tomorrow night.

 

Any parking recommendations for the game tonight (aside from the free car park at the opposite end of the ground to where we're sitting)?

 

I see sky are jumping on the Wrexham bandwagon tonight.

Shame the hive can't show it for a fiver or something.

Might try water divining or just watch the hundred instead.

 

Look forward to 10 seconds of our game in amongst an hour of interviews about Wrexham

 

Maybe referring to Clive and his fleet of Rolls Royces that he usually keeps quiet about.

 

There's a retail park very close to the ground as I recall from the 2014 game.