Swansea v Watford Preview

Posted on | November 7, 2008 | No Comments

The whole basis for this game was turned on its head earlier this week, with the news that Watford manager Aidy Boothroyd had left the club through mutual consent. With the Hornets sat in a disappointing 21st position, a lot of people expected developments considering the fact they were battling it out in the Premiership a couple of years ago. As for opponents Swansea, they still look a steady outfit and Roberto Martinez will be looking to capitalize on Watford’s predicament and pull them closer to the top six places.

The strange thing about this game is that it’s repeated just two days later, with Watford again traveling to the Liberty Stadium to play in the Carling Cup. Swansea will be looking to take results from both though after a defeat to Wolves and a disappointing draw to Doncaster has seen them slip down a couple of places. However, considering that this team has only just been promoted from League One and has spent the last few years in the lower leagues, it’s hard to believe their current situation. While it’s unlikely they’ll make an assault on the play offs this term, it doesn’t look like they’ll be facing the relegation battle that so many pundits predicted. Still, Martinez will know that while teams can have fantastic starts to this league, one bad month and you can be dragged right into the mix so it’s important for them to keep up this consistent form.

Now onto Watford – the club in turmoil. While Aidy Boothroyd has left Vicarage Road, all their supporters are eternally grateful for the job he did. When he took over they were a club tipped for the drop into League One, yet in his first season he masterminded the most unlikely of promotions. His football wasn’t the most respected and now it’s up to Caretaker manager Malky Mackay to reinstall confidence into his lowly squad. They’ve lost their last three games with the last one being a fatal 4-3 defeat to Blackpool, where the Seasider’s remarkably grabbed two goals in the last five minutes. Had they not gone in, perhaps the Hornets wouldn’t be looking for a new man to take over.

With injuries taking at least five members of the Swansea squad out, Roberto Martinez dipped into the loan market to bring in Stephen O’Halloran from Aston Villa earlier this week. Joe Allen, Andrea Orlandi, Tom Butler, Dorus Du Vries and Marcus Painter are all unavailable and Martinez was forced to look for some backup. As for Watford, they will welcome back Tamas Priskin after he completed a suspension although Jon Harley is now absent through a ban. Elsewhere, Caretaker Malky Mackay has something of a problem between the sticks, with Scott Loach and Mart Poom both out meaning that Richard Lee is the only available keeper.

Swansea are one of only three teams in the division to be unbeaten at home yet they’ll definitely be wary of this fixture. All teams who lose a manager miraculously start a good run and because of that, we can see Watford getting something from this game – 2-2 prediction.

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5. Cardiff v Swansea Preview

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