Preview: Millwall vs Watford — Can the Hornets recreate 2006 all over again?
A young manager, a depleted squad, destined for relegation. It’s all been heard before, and Watford can kick-start a campaign that can recreate the Boothroyd’s Babes campaign of 2006 but this time under Tom Cleverley.
The return to league action is finally here and the official start of club football for the Hornets is on the horizon. The post-Euros blues of this summer have settled and now excitement builds to see what Tom Cleverley can do this season around.
Are the majority of fans looking forward to this however? No. Not really.
A somewhat substandard pre-season; the sale of several key players who go off abroad to further progress their career in Europe, lack of reinvestment to replace the big gaps left by the outgoings, the list goes on. Many fans are thinking that there is a serious possibility of the club going down, and a deeper dive into the management of the Hornets would show you a rather shocking scene compared to what a casual football fan will look at.
I’d dread to think what the fallout would look like post-match to what seems like an inevitable defeat come about half-past 1 on Saturday afternoon, however there is still a credible chance the Hornets could gain a result in South London.
A change of fortunes at The Den this time around?
The Hornets have struggled to mount somewhat of a challenge whenever travelling over to the Isle of Dogs in South East London.
Since their return to the Championship, they’ve lost three of the last four against Millwall, two of which coming at The Den, conceding four goals in the process.
Who remembers that awful Wednesday night where we found ourselves 3–0 down inside 25 minutes? A Tom Bradshaw hat-trick on Sky Sports showed the millions watching in the UK & around the world that was our season slowly beginning to crumble away. Sure, we stuck around the play-offs somehow until January but that Mattie Pollock error and that crucial Imran Louza injury proved that we were in for a long ride following Rob Edwards’ departure.
However, with another new coach at the helm for what seems like the 15th season in a row we could be in for better luck this time around.
Hornets in History: Millwall 0–2 Watford
A Matej Vyrda half volley & a potent touch from Adlene Guediora put Watford a step closer to the Premier League on Easter Sunday as the Hornets ran out 2–0 winners away at Millwall.
Although that was nearly ten years ago, it really is the definition of “the good old days” near enough as that squad that showed heart and character to grind out a result, despite not having much of the ball. Javier Pereira, the assistant manager that day under Slavisa Jokanovic, rejoined the Hornets this week, could that be a sign?
This time around however, regardless of who’s in the dugout, it will be a true test to see if the Hornets can fight like they have done in previous years to grab a result they so desperately need early on in the season.
Is there room for positivity?
With a lack of investment back into the club after major sales to European clubs, fans of Watford have every right to be angry about the current state of the current squad coming into Saturday.
The current state of affairs aren’t exactly promising on paper either, a lack of quality in most areas alongside a lack of depth in midfield and somewhat at the back, you can see why pundits and journalists are predicting us to be around the foot of the table.
Watford Observer journalist Andrew French came out post-Brentford to say that Cleverley already feels light at the back and in midfield & is desperate to add quality up front.
With no real rumours of any transfers looking to be made from the Watford camp, it seems business looks all but concluded with our opening fixture just days away.
However, there were many positives coming out of the friendly on Saturday, which this analysis thread by myself covered on Monday.
Although the majority of the fanbase don’t seem enticed into the boards way of running things at the current moment in time, there is every right to be somewhat excited with what could happen on the pitch.
Cleverley’s style of play caught many by surprise last season, and with a bit more luck, Watford could have been much better off come the end of the season. There is a quality coaching team at the disposal of the Hornets, however you can’t exactly do well if you have a squad which some could say isn’t ready to compete just yet.
Georgi Chakvetadze is someone everyone will be able to get behind next season, showing his glimpses of the form he had during the Euros. He will be the key man next year for Watford, similar to how Joao Pedro & Asprilla were of years past. Relying on one man for results is already hard enough, but the full weight of Watford’s hope this season lies on the Georgian midfielder’s shoulder.
In summary, yes, there is room left for positivity, but there can only be a limit on how much patience some fans are carrying on from last season. It’s do or die for Tom Cleverley.
In memory of Matija Sarkic
Saturday will also be an important game not just for Watford fans but more than ever the Millwall faithful as they celebrate the life of late goalkeeper, Matija Sarkic.
It will be the first time a competitive fixture is played at The Den since his sudden and tragic death in June, making this occasion mean that much more for both the Sarkic family alongside Millwall supporters and staff.
“He was a great goalkeeper who we have lost too young and someone I played against multiple times” said current club captain Daniel Bachmann, speaking to watfordfc.com this week to describe his thoughts on the occasion:
“The first game of the season will be very emotional, that’s for sure.
“Certainly, it will be emotional for them, but it will also be a strange situation for us because it’s very sad.
“When the time comes we will have to deal with that.”
Predictions
It seems emotion will be a key factor in this clash, however with some additions that Neil Harris’ side have completed over these last few months, don’t count them out of somewhat of a force in the mid-table.
I really like Harris, despite his somewhat long ball approach to football. He’s brought teams from near collapse situations into the light, with his runs at Gillingham & his first stint at this weekend’s opponents. He is one of those managers who if given the right tools can guide any team out of trouble. Annoyingly, he also manages teams that are always incredibly hard to beat.
I think Watford will combat well with a new system which deploys a defensive line of three, which allows us to go man for man with what I would presume is the lone striker and onrushing wingers. We have some characters who are aerially solid, so expect Pollock and Porteous to be key in gaining a result on Saturday.
However I feel there isn’t going to be a winner in the game. It seems as if both sides will set up defensively sound and will rely on a sole man to win the game. Emotion will run high on Saturday but I’d expect a stalemate with a touch of magic from both sides.
Score prediction: 1–1
Written by: Henry Bennett
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