IntroductionAfter a week of International football, the Football League resumes normal service this weekend and Saturday sees Charlton face a tricky away trip to Gianfranco Zola’s Watford who just missed out on a Premier League place last year after losing to Crystal Palarse in the play-off final.
Since that painful defeat, Watford have made many of their loanee’s from last season into permanent deals but will miss Matěj Vydra who won last year’s Championship player of the year award and has since joined West Brom.
Chris Powell’s Addicks will be hopeful that the victory against Leicester just before the International break will kick-start their season. If Charlton do get a good result against Watford, then it will give them some momentum heading into their next two key battles in the following week.
The OppositionWatford were criticised a lot last season for their squad mainly consisting of loanees but the Hornets have managed to make a lot of those loanees into permanent deals. The likes of Almen Abdi, Joel Ekstrand and Marco Cassetti have all had their deals made permanent as well as Fernando Forestieri who was sent-off at the Valley last season for two yellow cards including one for diving.
In their last fixture, Watford lost 1-0 away to Paul Ince’s Blackpool which was the Hornet’s first defeat of the season so far but Zola’s side still are in a decent position of 7th in the Championship and only two points off third.
Zola usually lines up his side in a 3-5-2 formation with Anya and Faraoni occupying the wing-back roles and Troy Deeney up-front alongside summer signing Diego Fabbrini although Fabbrini’s selection will be contested by the pantomime villain Forestieri.
Player to WatchThe player to watch this weekend is Watford striker Troy Deeney. The ex-Walsall striker has already got five goals in five games this season and was even linked with Premier League side Spurs during the summer. Deeney has great strength and certainly knows where the goal is meaning Morro, Dervite and Cort will all have to keep their eye on Deeney this weekend.
The Line –Up After the success of the 3-5-2 formation against Leicester in the last fixture, it is more than likely that Powell will select it again against Watford who themselves usually select that formation.
It might also be the same side that beat Leicester that plays against Watford this weekend. However, if Chris Solly recovers in time for the game against Watford, then he will most certainly replace Wilson on the right-wing-back role despite Lawrie’s impressive display against Leicester.
The likes of Callum Harriott, Mark Gower, Marvin Sordell and recent loan-signing Cameron Stewart will all be pushing for starting spots against Watford although all four are likely to be on the bench.
The Prediction1-1 draw.
Comments
Played very well at times but sometimes not so!
lightening wont strike twice, revenge for watford and a 4-3 win to them
As Horns says, think there will be goals in this one. Sadly i think it will be more for them than us !
Hope we put in a decent performance but can't really see beyond a defeat.
We beat an arguably stronger Hornets line up last year. There is no reason why our arguably stronger side can't do well again this year ..
Watford 2 v CAFC 2
fancy a stirring Addicks away day performance and a 2-2
1-3
Church and Kermit
2-1 Watford im afraid.
Come on you reds.
We're gonna get spanked!!
We have been playing our usual 3-5-2 - think Forestieri might come in having scored in a mid-week friendly.
Got quite a few options at the back - Angella will start but the other 2 positions could be one of 3/4.
Some Watford fans comments here are very very bitter. Not sure how they can defend Forestieri:
We'll lose and they'll enjoy being able to "stick it right up their xenophobic jumpers". 2-0.
Cannot disagree with that.
Particularly Neuton who barley played afterwards...
cheat on the pitch.
cheat off the pitch.
still can't get promoted.
worst ground in the championship.
quietest fans in the championship.
hope we give the cheating scum another slap as we were the worst new year's day hangover they had down that shit hole for a while. 2-0 to Charlton.