This Friday, Gianfranco Zola's Watford FC travel up the M6 to take on Dean Saunders Wolverhampton Wanderers in this crucial NPower Championship league fixture live on Sky Sports. I think it may be safe to say that the Hornet's have had a good week which has seen them pick up nine points out of nine available. Wolves on the other hand have struggled under new boss Dean Saunders. Whereas Watford find themselves in the top two of the division recently relegated Wolverhampton Wanderers find themselves battling in the bottom three two points from safety. On paper this looks a routine win for the Hornet's but as we all know nothing is easy at it seems. It's been a despairing season for Wolves after being relegated from the Premier League and despite looking favourites to go back up it hasn't clicked at all and they now find themselves battling in the relegation zone. The Wolves board sacked Stale Solbakken after he failed to stamp his authority on the Wolves squad, since then the board hired Dean Saunders and have yet to register a win since his appointment. Wolves haven't won a game since the 21st of December and have only registered four points out of a possible 33 available. To put it in perspective Watford have earned 28 points in the same period. The reverse fixture was a 2-1 win to Watford at Vicarage Road which saw Nathaniel Chalobah open his account for the Hornets before a winner from Troy Deeney in the second half after a Bakary Sako equaliser. More team news to follow. Opposition Fans Forum: http://www.wolvesforum.co.uk/ Gianfranco Zola's Watford will have a tough task on their hands away at Molineux with Wolves looking for their first win under manager Dean Saunders. The Hornet's come into the game on the back of three wins in a week scoring eight goals and only conceding once. It looks as though Zola will be without Manuel Almunia who injured his hamstring in the win over Derby after being tackled by Jamie Ward. It looks as though academy youngster Jonathon Bond will deputise for him. Apart from that Zola has no new injury concerns. Predicted Line Ups: Watford Bond Cassetti Doyley Nosworthy Ekstrand Anya Chalobah Battochio Abdi Deeney Vydra Subs: Bonham, Hogg, Yeates, Geijo, Forestieri, Murray, Forsyth. Wolves: Ikeme Robinson Gorkss Batth Foley Edwards Henry Sako O'Hara Ebanks-Blake Siggurdarson Subs: De Vries, Ward, Johnson, Hammill, David, Doyle, Cassidy. Officials: TBA Score Prediction: As usual this will be a tough game however we should have enough quality to prevail. I'm plumping for a 3-1 win to the Hornets. To all those travelling have a safe journey. Come On You 'Orns!
Another 0-4 to us. Comfortable classy game with Sky jizzing their pants and declaring us by far the best championship in the land. Holloway calls Talk5hit afterwards to complain its not fair.
i went 2 wolfs away last seeson n a woman was feed in her baby wiv her fat boob at v bus stop sp v driver wooden stop n i miss v start :rant:
Wolves have to win a game eventually. I'd rest Abdi for this one, to keep him fresh for Wednesday on Tuesday, he is the one player Zola has never rested though. Bond, Ekstrand, Nosworthy, Doyley, Anya, Battochio, Hogg, Chalobah, Casetti, Deeney, Vydra Subs: Bonham, Pudil, Abdi, Fessi, Geijo, Murray, Hall / Hoban, Bia
I was very disappointed that Wolves lost today...and they should have equalised in the final minute, but Ebanks-Blake blasted over when it was easier to score. Still if we are on our game we should not lose this one. We need to have a strong and experienced defence for this one with Bond in goal. He will appreciate that support. I would play our strongest XI from now on as there are only 12 matches remaining and we cannot afford another unnecessary defeat. I liked the way Zola rotated recently and how he used the squad over the past week. That was very sensible and paid off. Maybe he can drop Abdi for Eustace or Hogg as long as he does not drop Battocchio and Chalobah. I believe our midfield is vital to our hopes. Deeney and Vydra should lead the line, but I wouldn't be too upset if FF gets a run out. I think Pudil may come back for this one, although Anya is very handy away from home with his pace on the counter attack. I think we will have too much for Wolves.....hopefully.....and would go for 3-1 to Watford.
We've still got three spells of three games in at most 8 days so Zola is definitely going to need to be on his game rotation-wise. That run of fixtures is going to make it very difficult to start the strongest XI every game.
Has to be our strongest team for the Wolves game. We need to apply pressure to Hull by winning before they play Saturday. If we win Friday night, which I think we will providing we don't underestimate them, we'll be three points clear with a far better goal difference. Huge pressure then on Hull to win their next game, if they slip up and drop points we'll be potentially 4 points ahead of them if you take our goal difference into account (which at this stage of the season is worth a point). Secure the win Friday night, let Hull, Leicester and Palarse sweat it out at the weekend and then perhaps rest a couple of players for the Sheff Wednesday game. March is such a huge month for us. Five VERY winnable games if we're on our game, can't see Hull, Leicester or Palarse winning their next five, so we could have a very comfortable lead in the top two going into, what is a massive month in April. 8 wins and a draw from our remaining 12 will be enough, IMO, that has us on 87 points, which I don't think anyone else will match. That's allowing for three defeats in there too. 5 wins in March and we've got one foot in the Premier League.
Vulverhampton can score goals out of nowhere with players like Sako. But we are the form team, they are the team with the worst form. Watford have a pretty good history of losing to the poor teams....... but I don't see it. Away from home and Wolves are desperate for a win.... they won't sit back, they need to win. With that.... counter attack comes into play.
FF should rotate with Abdi - he's a playmaker rather than a goal scorer, and he was the core of goal #4, so he's clearly good at it.
I don't agree that we should play our best XI in every game for the rest of the season. I thought it had been almost unanimously agreed that our main advantage over the other four was that we have a much bigger squad and are therefore less likely to suffer from fatigue. Not rotating the squad renders that large squad completely useless, unless we get injuries. Not rotating (to a small scale, like against Ipswich) would be shooting ourselves in the foot.
Oh, and I'm pretty sure I'm going to go to this. The only other two I've been able to go to this season have been Watford 3-4 Charlton and Bristol City 2-0 Watford, so don't put any big money on this one.
That's true. I wonder if he'll swap Deeney for Vydra upfront with Geijo and bring Hogg in for Battochio for this one. I'd like to think Almunia will be fit as tbh we don't need to be worrying about a rookie keeper at this stage of the season.
Vydra on the bench ? on probably the biggest pitch in the division where we almost certainly be relying on the counter attack? i would hope not , same for battachio , when we get the chance we need to break quickly and he moves the ball FAR better than Hogg
Have to go with the same side as Saturday. More likely to rest a few vs Sheff Wed at home, but to go into the weekend possibly 3 points clear of Hull would be simply brilliant! Do not underestimate Wolves though.
I'd play the same side as against Derby for the Wolves game and perhaps bring in Pudil and Hogg for the Sheff Weds game.
The whole squad has a big part to play in the run in so expect changes for every game. As much as I would love Vydra to play every game he clearly won't but I would definitely play him at Wolves. Away games suit him as counter attacking is major part of away games and would like to see Geijo again but suspect it will be Deeney. Forestieri and Geijo for the game the following Tuesday. If Abdi is fit and not tired I would never drop him. We could rotate Hogg, Chalobah and Battochio. Don't think Eustace will play much of a part anymore. anybody know How Almunia is? Are Hall or Hoban anywhere near fit Biggest game of the year so far and a win before anyone else plays would be very useful. Bond Doyley Ekstrand Nos Casetti Anya possibly Pudil Abdi Chalobah Hogg Vydra Deeney 2-1 to the Golden Boys
Can not see us losing this one,Almunia is a worry,but sure Bond will be ok if called upon..I would have battachio starting instead of hog,the guy is class IMO.Vydra and Deeney up front is a No brainer for me.
Code: Bond Doyley Nosworthy Ekstrand Cassetti Anya Hogg Abdi Chalobah Deeney Vydra Bench of Bonham, Forestieri, Geijo, Battochio, Yeates, Pudil and Murray It really is anyone's guess though. Forestieri, Geijo, Battochio and Pudil could easily start for us though, and I'd feel just as confident with them in as the players I put above. The only player I worry about is Hogg, I much prefer Battochio, but he can still do a good job. I've got a strangely good feeling about this - I think we'll win by two goals. 3-1.
3 points here is an absolute must. Anything less and it's cheerio Gianfranco I'm afraid. The Pozzos won't stand for that.
Agreed, FF looks like a midfielder to me. I'm surprised Zola hasn't tried him there. Shame not to use use a skillful player.
Hogg give the midfield more bite & he protects the back 3. Batty is more creative & supports the attack. I'd go for Hogg away from home.
I was talking about the potential for FF to play as an attacking midfielder over the weekend, good to see a couple more fans thinking along the same lines. I think he could be potentially excellent just behind the front two and great cover for Abdi. Not convinced he's natural striker but is young and I'm more than happy to be proved wrong. Also good to see GFZ switching to 'sane' rotation mode rather than the 5 and 6 changes vs Charlton & Bristol City so with that in mind I think he may start Deeney in place of Geijo and Hogg in place of Battochio. First post here so be gentle ....
Sako is their only quality player really. Doyle and Ebanks-Blake are dangerous but one is past it and the other well off form. Put Doyley on Sako and job done i reckon.
