Opposition View - WATFORD

A Quick pop over to Vital Watford to speak with site editor Tom Bodell on tomorrows game bore some fruitful answers, sounds like Norwood could have a field day from set-pieces!

Hopes, fears & expectations for the season?

With everything that has gone on at Watford I could write you a fully-blown dissertation to answer that question frankly!

The previous owner was running the club I'm a way that supporters would not have agreed with, but it wasn't until he left that the truth began to be outed.

The Pozzo family have arrived with experience of turning small clubs into successful clubs in both Udinese and Granada and that has brought a fair degree of hope & expectation to Vicarage Road.

Personally I hope we improve on last seasons 11th place finish as it will justify sacking the hugely popular Sean Dyche. If we could do so by continuing to play the nice football that Zola has preached since day one, with a few names we all recognize in the side then I would be as happy as the proverbial pig in muck!

The fear is that the Pozzo family's plan doesn't bear fruit, Zola is sacked after not being given much of a chance & we end up scrapping for survival/succumbing to relegation.

Expectations?

Safety. A nice boring season where we don't go bankrupt/lose the manager/best player/fight relegation all season!

Who will be the key man Saturday?

It's very hard to say as I think almost everyone except Zola is unsure who will play.

We have 42 professionals on the books, thanks largely to 16 summer additions, 14 of which are loanees.

I would say that if the recently freed Troy Deeney plays any part , he will be crucial. He provides the goals that Chris Iwelumo doesn't bring, without losing the physicality.

And, if nothing else, after two and a half months inside, he needs to win over doubters such as myself.

If you could sign one Huddersfield player - who?

Not technically a Huddersfield player, but Adam Hammill.

I desperately wanted us to go after him when Wolves made him available but I don't have Mr Zola's ear sadly!

Classy Championship performer & someone who would bring a bit of pace & directness to the side.

One player I would drive to his next club?

Joe Garner. (T24 - I think we can agree with you here!)

As I'm sure you good folks know, he is hardly prolific! Well, he's doing his thing, whatever that ,any be, for us now, and nobody is impressed.

Thankfully we've loaned him to the only club he can score for - Carlisle.

How will we we line-up?

Zola loves his 4-3-3 and we will very much start like that. He isn't opposed to changing things up and as a result we played 3-5-2 for part of Saturday's draw against Bristol City.

I would guess at: Almunia (c); Cassetti, Nosworthy, Neuton, Pudil; Yeates, Chalobah, Abdi; Murray, Deeney & Vydra.

Match prediction?

A highly exciting end to end 2-2 in which we concede at least one set piece!


Our thanks to Tom, lets hope he goes home pointless!!

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