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Back to life, back to reality – Watford preview
It’s back to life, back to reality today as Blues travel to Vicarage Road to face Watford in the Championship. With being a couple of games behind, Blues have slipped to 21st in the division and Blues need to target points against a Watford side who haven’t scored in the league since the opening day of the season.
Watford FC
Watford are in a truly dreadful run of form at the moment; they’ve taken two points from their first four Championship games; haven’t scored at home this season and from reading some of the news articles about them, haven’t looked like scoring. In an effort to boost their squad, they’ve taken two players from our brethren across the expressway; Jonathan Hogg has moved for an undisclosed fee on a permanent deal whilst Austrian striker Andreas Weimann has moved on loan until the new year. Both go into the squad for today’s game.
Morgaro Gomis’ oppo from Dundee United, Prince Buaben now plays for Watford, but he is still struggling for fitness, and former Blues player Martin Taylor is hoping he can shake off a knock to face his old team.
Birmingham City
After beating Nacional 3-0 at home in midweek, Chris Hughton has to decide whether to stick with a team who are probably high on confidence but are low on energy, or whether to shake it up a bit with a few players returning from knocks. Apparently Scott Dann has shaken off his niggling injury which kept him out of contention for the European game; Ridgewell is close to fitness and Jerome has trained with the squad for most of the week. Hopefully paperwork will have been done to allow Senegalese midfielder Guirane N’Daw the chance to make the squad.
I think as good as the side was in midweek, Hughton has to change things around a bit and use some fresher legs; I also think that this a game we can win and as such we have to try and pursue that. I think the team will line up thusly:
As good as Nathan Redmond was in midweek, I think he will be rested and put on the bench if only to prevent the young lad burning himself out. I could see Fahey being replaced with Wood (who’s loan finishes after this game) if Blues wanted to go to a flat 4-4-2.
I’m cautiously optimistic about this one. I think the team has started to gel now, and I think this is a game we can win. At Middlesbrough we did well first half, but then fell away – and this is something that we need to guard against. If we can keep up the intensity like we did against Nacional, we’ll rip them a new one. 2-0 win for me.
Tags: Chris Hughton, Chris Wood, Guirane N'Daw, Keith Fahey, Liam Ridgewell, Nathan Redmond, Scott Dann, Watford FC
8 Responses to “Back to life, back to reality – Watford preview”
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I think we need to keep the momentum going. If Stevie Carr can do it at his age, I am sure Nathan Redmond can!
Totally agree Sol and i would stick with 4-4-2 and bring in Jerome to partner Wood but no Fahey i think he disapears far to much. KRO
They can all have a rest after todays game 2 week international break surely that’ll do them KRO
There is a difference between youth and experience. If Carr tires he can be substituted without offence, if Redmond tired and was replaced it may have a psychological effect if he thinks he is doing ok.The bench would be the best place for him with a possibility of coming on in the second half if it would be to the teams advantage.
We can on form win this battle in the season long war, and, we must do so. Short term feelings must take second place to the overall campaign.
I wouldn’t want to criticise CH because I am liking what I have seen so far. I think he has tended to hold too long before bringing on substitutes. Against Derby an injection of Redmond (twenty minutes to go) would have lifted the Blues when we started to tire. Same at Nacional.
I would give Redmond some more runs out at home and use him as a sub away from home to avoid burnout. Agree that need to make one or two changes to freshen things up. Roll on end of the transfer window so the Jerome/ Dann and Ridgewell speculation can come to an end one way or the other.
Hoefully Gomis and King will be fit after the international break for the Millwall game.
Rod you are absolutely correct with regard to running Redmond out at home and not so much regarding away games – he is a much need morale booster for not only the fans but the team around him. On another point I am not so worried about him burning out, my main concern is injury. He is the type of quality and gifted player that will attract attention from, how can I put it. . .the more physical opposition players especially in during the second part of the season as sides get to know his game a little better.
Regarding Jerome, Dann and Ridgewell. If they are on the bench today and not played or conversely not on the bench then they will not be at Blues after the 31st. A damn shame if that happens, however I still believe we have great opportunities ahead of us.
2 Nil to birmingam – No chane! Come on you Orns!
Unlucky