Match Day Thread Watford FC v Sunderland AFC – Saturday 27th April 2024 - KO 15:00

Sunderland visit Watford in the Championship.
Last time out Sunderland lost to Millwall and Watford drew with Hull.
The Black Cats stay in 13th place with 56 points after another poor home performance against an equally poor Millwall side. Corry Evans could start after coming on as a sub against Millwall. Dan Neil will miss the next 2 games with and ankle injury. Embleton, Rusyn, Seelt and Huggins are all unavailable.
Watford were held 0-0 by Hull City and are 3 points below Sunderland in 15th place.
Tom Cleverly has made the step up from interim to permanent head coach. Since taking the role on an interim basis last month, the 34-year-old has guided the team through a run of seven Sky Bet Championship fixtures – five of which against teams in the league’s top seven.
The Hornets have lost just once during that period, keeping four clean sheets on the way to five draws and one win.
Mike Dodds:
“It is really frustrating – I can’t sit here and say that it’s not. I’ve tweaked and tinkered, and tried to find solutions for that area of the pitch. It’s obvious that it’s an area of the pitch where, this summer, the club need to do some work around. That being said though, I’m a coach and I take great pride in the work that I do. We’ll keep working with the group and what we’ve got to try to find those solutions, but I think today probably highlighted more than ever that the top end of the pitch is so vital for us. I think we look really solid, and for an hour or so, until we changed our shape, we limited them to little or no chances. If we were just a little bit better, and maybe a bit more fearless, in the top end of the pitch, then the result might have been different. But we weren’t.
Tom Cleverley:
"I thought it was spirited, we looked motivated. (But) I thought we were flat for an hour and we need to make it happen rather than wait for it to happen.
"I thought the introduction of the substitutes gave us a little bit of freshness and a real purpose in some of our good play.
"In the end I thought a draw was probably a fair result. They had less chances but probably bigger ones."


Match Appointments:
Referee: OLIVER LANGFORD
Assistant Referees: Hristo Karaivanov and Matthew Jones
Fourth Official: Sam Purkiss

Team Lineups:
Sunderland AFC: (3-4-3) Patterson, Alese, Ballard, O’Nien, Hume, Ekwah, Styles, Rigg, Clarke, Pembele, Jobe.

Subs: Bishop, Ba, Hjelde, Evans, Hemir, Aouchiche, Roberts, Mundle, Watson.
Injured: Huggins, Cirkin, Embleton, Seelt, Rusyn, Neil, Matete.

Watford (3-4-3) Bachmann, Porteous, Sierralta, Hoedt, Andrews, Kone, Lewis, Bayo, Asprilla, Dennis.
Subs: Ngakia, Ince, Livermore, Rajovic, Sema, Pollock, Hamer, Martins, Morris
Injured: Baah


Betting Odds:
Sunderland 2/1 Watford 13/10 Draw 12/5

Prutton Predicts: meh

My two pence:
Another poor home display against an equally drab Millwall but it really showed how much we miss Dan Neil.
Watford have drawn 5 of their last 6 games, hopefully we can win this one
– just for me, smug and the other travelling fans

I’m going for a 1-0 away win

Live Stream:
Available to overseas fans
https://safc.com/news/team-news/live-video

Ha’way the Lads

 

Sorry to be negative but don’t think we score, 0-0 at best, then again neither side has out to play for, hopefully we play with the shackles off and atleast entertain those travelling down

 

Watford have won 1 of their last 14 games at home

Surely we go here looking to win?!

 

0-0. They've had 3 0-0's under Cleverley and we are on the beach. Hope Dodds actually does something interesting with the lineup to get me even remotely interested.

Patto
Pembele O'Nien Ballard Bainbridge
Ekwah Styles
Mundle Adil Watson
Hemir

Lose 4-0, who cares? Win and some good individual performances, well done you go into pre season with some form and a chance at being a part of next season. No doubt it will be a similar lineup to recent games though with fringe players getting zero minutes.

 

Thanks again for a fantastic match thread RTB. I like your team choice and would hope that MD sees it and goes with the same lineup ;-)

This is a nailed on draw, 1-1 for me.

 

Gone for a draw. Would love to see Rigg inside in the 10 role for the last 2 games as per your team. Watson better be on the bench and get some game time imo. Leave Bishop out and put Kelly on the bench as well. If the **** hits the fan Onien will probably go in goal and play like Walter Zenga.

 

I agree with this bit from Dodds:

"I think we look really solid, and for an hour or so, until we changed our shape, we limited them to little or no chances. If we were just a little bit better, and maybe a bit more fearless, in the top end of the pitch, then the result might have been different. But we weren’t."

I didn't see the game but I think we conceded shortly after going to 4 at the back, after a good run of clean sheets with 3 at the back. We look good with 3 CBs but we need the quality up top to make it work. Keep it tight at the back, score first and then get more expansive.

That's what I'd like us to focus on long term.

 

Going for a draw given the way we both set up. Bore draw or 4:4… who knows, eh. Hope it’s the latter for a bit more entertainment

 

0-2 i feel

 

Like the look of that team RTB.

I agree with most on here that a draw is the most likely result. Watford have drawn 5 of Cleverleys matches in charge and we've got a fair few 0-0's under our belt of late.

As long as we avoid defeat, don't get any more injuries and give Watson and Kelly some game time, I'll be happy.

 

I am going for a 1-1 I think all the lads are behind Dodds I just think tactically he is too defensive in set up( something I think started about 8 to 10 games into the season) and has been apparent the more Dodds has been involved in first team affairs.
Not having a dig at Dodds but most of our season we have set up defensively and changing coaches has not changed the defensive mind set.

 

Problem is we lose a goal and it's an uphill struggle to get back into it.
So keep a clean sheet and sneak a goal like we did at West Brom and we all go home happy ......simple game really is football. Thanks RTB, HTL.

 

I remember a highly entertaining end of season match at Watford, 2-2 wasn't it, so hoping for something similar on Saturday ...
... I'll see you in the pre-match pub mate

Estcourt Tavern
25 Estcourt Road
Watford
WD17 2PY
https://g.co/kgs/9Td44mD

 

I was at that one,Pickford played, we should have won

 

Hope everybody travelling for this one has a great day no matter the result. I see this season as a levelling off season before we push on again, I have mentioned a lot about how we have had to build from the bottom up and I am excited for the new season to start.
I have managed to watch almost every game even though the kick off times here are not great especially with work, but I go to bed early and get up at 3 or 4 in the morning for the mid week games then go to work, a defeat is sometimes hard to take. Though I wish I was going to the game that is not possible but a try and keep myself involved on here and by reading news clips etc.
I do think that KS has a big summer ahead of him and it could be career defining for him as I would imagine he has suitors from higher up the pyramid watching closely and sniffing around even if some of our fans don't believe it.
Have a great day mate and thanks for the hook up for tickets earlier in the season it meant a great deal to me as I am sure you can appreciate.

 

Cheers mate, sounds like you're putting in quite some effort ...

... we'll give you a wave so look out for us

 

Was really looking forward to being there for this one, and meeting up with Smug, RTB and others, unfortunately I'm crocked so had to cancel, will have to 'pop over to Belgium' and make do with Frankie & Danny.
I hope the lads put the effort in and everyone enjoys the last away game of the season. HTL

 

Away end was rocking that day. We should’ve won too

 

What time will you be getting in to the Estcourt mate?