Match Preview – Watford v Brighton
Watford – the club
“Managerial stability” and “Watford FC” and two phrases that go together about as well as “ISIS, Nobel Peace Prize”. Since the Pozzo Family took over in 2012, they’ve worked their way through eight managers. While for most clubs under similar foreign ownership, a constant chopping and changing of bosses seems to lead to all manner of problems, for Watford it has bought remarkable success. They won promotion to the Premier League in 2015 and since then they’ve established themselves in the top flight, enjoying their longest unbroken spell among the elite since the glory days of Graham Taylor in the 1980s.
Watford – the place
Watford is one of the poorer away days for us this season and it won’t be made any better by the absolute travel debacle that will unfold with Euston Station shut and no trains to Watford Junction from Clapham Junction. Onemassive positive Watford does have though is that it is home to Harry Potter Studios where fans of the world of Hogwarts can do things such as step into the Great Hall and enjoy a Butterbeer. Unfortunately, the attraction doesn’t let you put your wand anywhere near Hermione Granger’s Chamber of Secrets.
Watford – the people
Elton John is famously a Watford fan having become chairman of the club in 1976. Should fans of the Hornets go down the route that Leicester did last weekend and dish out some homophobic abuse you’ve got to think that is going to be laced with more than a hint of irony.
A good WeAreBrighton.com memory of Watford away
Visits to Watford have been pretty rubbish over the last decade or so. Neither team has managed to score more than once in the fixture which has made for some pretty dull days. A sign of the potential of Gus Poyet’s League One leaders came when we knocked a near full strength Watford side out of the FA Cup fourth round in 2011. Ashley Barnes with the only goal of the game. This was slightly tempered by eating some uncooked hotdog sausages at West Hampstead Station on the way home, leading to one member of the WeAreBrighton team to be horrifically sick over the platform. A 10 hour drinking session may not have helped in that regard, either.
A bad WeAreBrighton.com memory of Watford away
Consecutive league defeat number 10 was inflicted on Martin Hinshelwood’s Brighton side in October 2002. That proved to be the final straw and the rookie boss was sacked after only 14 games in charge of the club to be replaced by Steve Coppell, who had been recently cured of VD. Those lost 30 points proved to be too much for the Albion to overcome and we were relegated at the end of the season.
Played for both
Given that we have spent £50m+ on players this transfer window, it seems mad that only six summers ago we broke it twice with two signings totalling £2m. The first was Will Hoskins from Bristol Rovers for £500,000, a man who must have racked up nearly double that in medical bills during his time with the Albion. He had a spell earlier in his career with the Hornets. The other was Will Buckley, signed direct from Watford for £1.5m shortly after.
Key men
Young Brazilian striker Richarlison has had plenty spoken about him having scored his first goal for the club in the 2-0 win at Bournemouth last week. His strike partner was big money signing from Burnley Andre Gray and former Chelsea youngster Nathaniel Chalobah received his first call up to the senior England squad in the week. After two games as a Premier League regular. Strewth.
Betting
Although we haven’t looked like scoring so far in the Premier League, it was two simple errors that cost us a point at Leicester as Maty Ryan who inadvisable put butter on his gloves before the game and Shane Duffy forgot to mark. Cut them out and we can claim out first point of the season with a boring draw. The stalemate is 5/1 and under 2.5 goals 3/4 – and only once since 1991 has either side managed to score more than once when we’ve met at Vicarage Road.
WeAreBrighton.com Prediction
A 0-0 draw. Remember to take your pillows for a little nap at 60 minutes.
