{"id":4941,"date":"2022-03-05T13:24:44","date_gmt":"2022-03-05T13:24:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/?p=4941"},"modified":"2022-03-06T18:10:45","modified_gmt":"2022-03-06T18:10:45","slug":"watford-v-arsenal","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/?p=4941","title":{"rendered":"Watford v Arsenal"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Image by GoonerKev @kevdavis736<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The Prologue<\/strong>
Some things are far more important than football. Freedom, human lives and dignity will do for a start. Those things have been under threat and in too many cases already lost in Ukraine during the last couple of weeks. We have to start by wishing everyone in Ukraine, and everyone around the world with ties of any kind to that country, our very best hopes for their safety and eventual release from the despicable events that currently affect them. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

There has been some early criticism of the Premier League for allowing this weekend\u2019s matches to be shown in Russia. However, the League is doing so with the motive that viewers in Russia will see the reaction of people here to events in Ukraine, which will hopefully enlighten them and motivate them to rise against their government. Given the litigious nature of some people, it is probably better to be no more specific than that. We all wish the ordinary people of Ukraine and Russia the very, very best in their heroic endeavours.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Football<\/strong>
If there is anything left in football to set the heart racing, the stomach churning and excitement levels through the roof, it is probably not the prospect of playing Watford at Vicarage Road. The stomach just might actually be churning as, after another ten day break since the victory over Wolves, the team returns to action and faces another \u201ccup final\u201d, with three vital points at stake in the pursuit of a Champions League place. Say it quietly, but we do seem to have found a way to win difficult, close games having just beaten Brentford and done the double over a resurgent Wolves side.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Watford is not a team I enjoy watching us play against. Under one of their recentish managers – I think probably Kicky Flores (sic<\/em>) – they tried, for a while, to at least start matches playing a bit of decent football. Once a goal down however, they would become very kicky indeed and resort to the cojones busting tackling so favoured by their now departed captain, Troy Deeney. At least we no longer have to listen to him talking us down and kicking us up in the air in his sad efforts to get one over us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So proud was he of his own cojones, that Mr Deeney reportedly walked into a sperm donor bank in London one day. \u201cI\u2019d like to donate some sperm,\u201d he said to the receptionist.\u201cCertainly Sir\u201d, the receptionist replied, \u201c have you ever donated here before ?\u201d\u201cYes I have,\u201d replied Deeney, \u201cyou should have my details on your computer.\u201d\u201cOh yes, I\u2019ve found your details,\u201d the receptionist said, \u201cbut I see you\u2019re going to need help. Shall I call your wife for you ?\u201d\u201cWhy do I need help ?\u201d Deeney asked.\u201cWell,\u201d the receptionist replied, \u201c it says on your record that you\u2019re a useless wanker \u2026\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Roy Hodgson took over as Watford manager at the end of January, their fifteenth appointment in the last 10 years. I thought they might be in close competition with Tottenham as the most unstable club currently in the Premier League, but they have absolutely battered them in even that race, the Spuds having had a mere eight managers over the same period. But as we know, Tottenham do get battered \u2026\u2026\u2026..<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I always approach games against Watford with a degree of trepidation, expecting a much tougher and closer game than maybe we should have, bearing in mind the relative statures of the two clubs. Results since 2000 have been quite mixed – we\u2019ve had some good victories but they did knock us out of the FA Cup in a 1-2 reversal at the Emirates in March 2016 – and they\u2019ve held us to two draws and beaten us once in the league since the 2016\/17 season. Overall though we have taken 38 of 45 points available in Premier League games against them, we\u2019ve scored in all 15 PL games played, and scored first in 14 of those 15. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, Roy Hodgson has had an immediate impact, and In the 6 league games they have played under him, they have kept 3 clean sheets, as many as they had in their previous 38 league matches. So it looks like we can expect to find a determined defence fighting for its Premier League survival – the reason why it\u2019s so important to observe the old managerial clich\u00e9 about taking each game one at a time and making no assumptions about which ones should be winnable, or otherwise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Our record against them in the 1980s is best forgotten as they had something of an Indian sign over us for most of that decade. Our overall head to head record against them shows that in a total of 33 matches played, we have Won 19, Lost 12 and Drawn 2.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Teams<\/strong>
I have to say these are names I know nothing about but Watford will definitely be without Oghenekaro (Peter) Etebo, a central midfielder, who has a knee injury, and left winger Kwadwo Baah, out with a fractured ankle. Ismaila Sarr is doubtful and Nicolas N\u2019Koulou is out until mid-March, both with hamstring injuries. Kiko Femenia, a defender, is also rated doubtful with a \u201cknock\u201d injury.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Watford have lost 3, won 1 and drawn 0-0 with Man Utd in their last five games. They sit 19th in the league table having Played 26, W5, D4, L17 Pts 19, GD -22.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Arsenal should have an almost full squad to choose from. Kieran Tierney suffered no lasting damage after going off early against Wolves, and Emile Smith-Rowe has recovered from Covid-19. Both have been training this week. Tomiyasu news is elusive, however, and I can find no mention of him on the club site and I couldn\u2019t spot him in any of the 25 training photos, so it\u2019s a fair bet that the much improved C\u00e9dric will continue. Mikel Arteta has now confirmed that Tomiyasu will not be available this weekend.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In light of all that, I would expect to see us line up as:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ramsdale <\/p>\n\n\n\n

C\u00e9dric, White, Gabriel, Tierney<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Partey, Xhaka<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Saka, \u00d8degaard, Smith-Rowe <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lacazette  
<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Martinelli, P\u00e9p\u00e9 and Nketiah are our obvious attacking options off the bench. It\u2019s possible that Martinelli will start and Smith-Rowe will continue his super-sub role, but the latter is such a driving force for our attack that I think he will start if his fitness issues have been fully resolved.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

We have 14 \u201ccup finals\u201d to go. Fourth place is in our hands. Third place could be in our hands depending on how distracted or tired Chelsea become with their continuing Champions League and FA Cup involvements – and we still have to play them too. The main danger to us this weekend is that we take a while to get going after another ten day break as we seemed to do against Wolves. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Holic Pound<\/strong>
Bet365 have us odds on to win at 4\/7, so if it\u2019s excitement you\u2019re looking for, a score cast might be more fun – they\u2019re offering 16\/1 against a 3-0 Arsenal win, Bukayo Saka is 9\/1 to be first goal scorer, while Emile Smith-Rowe is 18\/1 to score any time during the match.Paddy Power will also only give you 4\/7 on an Arsenal win but have a 3-1 victory at 12\/1. Or you can keep your hard earned for the gas bill which will be arriving soon \u2026\u2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Men In Black<\/strong>
This week\u2019s 12th man playing against the Arsenal is \u2026\u2026. wait for it \u2026\u2026 who would you want in charge against a team that usually likes to knock you around a bit ? \u2026.. it\u2019s Craaaiiiig Paaaaaawsonnnn (in the voice of that fella who introduces boxers to the ring). Fourth official is Simon Hooper – Whooooper ?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The man appointed to decide the outcome of the game, with a carefully selected number of camera angles on a screen about 200 miles away is Darren England. He has an assistant to ensure he gets every contentious issue completely wrong, and he will be Eddie Smart. Let\u2019s hope he is.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The game is on Sunday March 6th, kicks off at 14.00 UK time, and will be shown on Sky Sports. Whether you\u2019re going to Vicarage Road, watching in the pub or hiding behind the sofa, enjoy the game, \u2018holics !<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The PrologueSome things are far more important than football. Freedom, human lives and dignity will do for a start. Those things have been under threat and in too many cases already lost in Ukraine during the last couple of weeks. We have to start by wishing everyone in Ukraine, and everyone around the world with […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[5],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4941"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/15"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=4941"}],"version-history":[{"count":13,"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4941\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4969,"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4941\/revisions\/4969"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=4941"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=4941"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=4941"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}