[PL] Watford (A): Build Up

[BigChief]

Mignolet out Injured.

Milner and Mignolet. Karma is getting its lazy fat arse off the sofa and doing some work at last!

[Hemingway]

We need to win this game. If we don't, then I think we'll really struggle to finish in the top 4. Leicester are flying and I can't see us, at this stage, catching them before the end of the season. We're 14 points behind ffs.

I haven't been taking Leicester very seriously but there's no way to ignore them now. Still though, don't think things are quite that dire - if we win tomorrow that's 11 behind, with them still to play twice. And they'll come back to earth. There's no indication that this is their true level, not when they're scoring on on 40+% of their shots with chance qualities not measurably better than anyone else in the league. They're going to regress. The question is whether they regress enough for us to catch them.

But for that to even be a question, we need to start winning.

(Also worth pointing out that finally United are getting the results they deserve and look outsiders now too. Crazy race.)

[frank the tank]

I haven't been taking Leicester very seriously but there's no way to ignore them now. Still though, don't think things are quite that dire - if we win tomorrow that's 11 behind, with them still to play twice. And they'll come back to earth. There's no indication that this is their true level, not when they're scoring on on 40+% of their shots with chance qualities not measurably better than anyone else in the league. They're going to regress. The question is whether they regress enough for us to catch them.

But for that to even be a question, we need to start winning.

(Also worth pointing out that finally United are getting the results they deserve and look outsiders now too. Crazy race.)

I think you are probably right about Leicester.

However, if you look at the 2015 calender year, then they have accumulated 68 points. When they got promoted, they took about 8 months to get used to the Premier League. But since then they have basically ran the **** out of their opponents and just powered through teams.

So people like you and me think that they will fall away but on the pitch they are cooking on gas. I think one reason they have done so well is that opponents don't respect them. So in recent weeks, teams like Swansea, Newcastle and Watford haven't adjusted the way they set up against Leicester...... because it's only Leicester. Yet when they play someone like Liverpool, United or Arsenal then it's 10 men behind the ball.

As I say though, I do think that they will fall away. Not because of their shot conversion percentage being unsustainable but simply because their squad is too thin.

I'd love to see Leicester get 4th though - as long as we are above them!

[Exiled_red]

I think you are probably right about Leicester.

However, if you look at the 2015 calender year, then they have accumulated 68 points. When they got promoted, they took about 8 months to get used to the Premier League. But since then they have basically ran the **** out of their opponents and just powered through teams.

So people like you and me think that they will fall away but on the pitch they are cooking on gas. I think one reason they have done so well is that opponents don't respect them. So in recent weeks, teams like Swansea, Newcastle and Watford haven't adjusted the way they set up against Leicester...... because it's only Leicester. Yet when they play someone like Liverpool, United or Arsenal then it's 10 men behind the ball.

As I say though, I do think that they will fall away. Not because of their shot conversion percentage being unsustainable but simply because their squad is too thin.

I'd love to see Leicester get 4th though - as long as we are above them!

Leicester are in a very good position as you say they have the advantage of people underestimating them and setting up differently than they would against the big clubs. While they have a small squad they don't have to worry about Europe. Also while the region of the table we are in is quite congested they are currently 9 points ahead of Spurs in 4th so I think that they have to be considered contenders. Most sides that in this type of position fall away because they have a bad run and lose momentum and really struggle for form after it. Leicester have some difficult games in the next few weeks so that could give us a good idea as to what they might do when things get a little tougher.

Back to us though, we really need a win today as we need to start breaking away from the likes of Watford, West Ham, Everton and Palace and get in and around the battle for 4th, we seem to have been in 6th-10th all season

[Assassin]

Our next 3 PL games will define where we finish. In my opinion we need to beat, Watford, Leicester and Sunderland. Then we can push on.......

[Exiled_red]

Our next 3 PL games will define where we finish. In my opinion we need to beat, Watford, Leicester and Sunderland. Then we can push on.......

I would say the next month or so Watford, Sunderland, West Ham and Norwich are the types of sides we need to beat, but too often struggle against, Leicester would normally be added to that catagory but this season are an exception. The Arsenal and Man Utd games in the middle of January could massive as if we pick up decent results up until then and get ourselves in contention the right results in those could give us a huge boost, whereas poor results could push us back.

But we need to take things one game at a time, get the right result in this one and go from there.

[Exiled_red]

Any team news yet? I see rumours floating around that Mignolet could be injured and I know we were hoping to have Sakho back just wondered if anyone has seen anything?

[Fosterbloke]

Only 2 hours to kick off, I'm sure team news will come through soon.

[cream]

Any team news yet? I see rumours floating around that Mignolet could be injured and I know we were hoping to have Sakho back just wondered if anyone has seen anything?

Mig defo out.

[Fosterbloke]

Bogdan in!

[Chris]

Very nervous, this is a massive chance. Feels like if we **** this one up we might just spend the season doing the old "when so and so loses there and we win v them we are only x behind" and it never works out!

[DannyMan2006]

Looks like Firmino as striker ahead of Couts & Lallana. My preferred 3 tbh.

[DannyMan2006]

Very nervous, this is a massive chance. Feels like if we **** this one up we might just spend the season doing the old "when so and so loses there and we win v them we are only x behind" and it never works out!

Think we are already doing that with regards title chances. Think if we slip up over Xmas we will be almost out the race for top 4 as well. Thinks look great again if we roll out 3 wins from 3

[Fierce]

They've surely got to have Digger on for this

[DannyMan2006]

They've surely got to have Digger on for this

Said legend for both clubs - can only be one man