Barnsley v Watford Preview
Just three points separate these two sides and should results go against Barnsley, they could be dragged into the relegation zone. Barnsley’s recent run came to an end against Sheffield United on Saturday, yet supporters still maintain they are playing well and are confident about the rest of the season. As for Watford, Malky Mackay grabbed his first win as Caretaker boss in the Carling Cup on Tuesday night so he’ll be looking to build on that. However, the Hornets lie inside the relegation zone and will view this as an excellent opportunity to escape it for now.
Barnsley have been at the centre of plenty of media attention this week, after a challenge by Chris Morgan in last Saturday’s game saw star striker Iain Hume carried off with a fractured skull and internal bleeding. The club are looking into the possibility of legal action yet with Hume being their top scorer; it’s a bitter whack to their hopes. What’s more, talented midfielder Anderson de Silva was sent off for violent conduct meaning he will miss the next three games, which is a huge blow considering his presence in their midfield. However, the Tykes are still one of the in-form sides of the division and will see this fixture as the perfect game to kick-start a run again. Simon Davey was left to bemoan referee Andy D’Urso and claimed his strange decisions cost them the game on Saturday, so it seems as though the momentum is still with them and they’ll be looking to improve on their position of 18th.
As for Watford, they might just be coming into this game at the right time. Malky Mackay saw his first game go pretty badly, with the Hornets being well beaten 3-1 at Swansea. However, just a few days later and the same fixture was played again, albeit in the Carling Cup, but the London side came out on top and came away with a 1-0 victory. Before that, Watford had failed to win in five and considering the fact Swansea were unbeaten at home up until then, it was a brilliant result. With all the speculation surrounding Aidy Boothroyd’s successor, Mackay will be determined to grind out some more similar results and throw his hat into the ring.
It’s been a pretty terrible week for Barnsley and things get worse when it comes to team news as well. Iain Hume will be out up to six months following his fractured skull, while Martin Devaney and Simon Whaley are also sidelined. Brazilian Anderson de Silva is suspended following a red card against Sheffield United, although Stephen Foster will return after completing a one game ban. It’s a lot simpler for visitors Watford who have no fresh concerns. Defender Darren Ward is in contention for a recall after being cup tied for the Swansea game on Tuesday.
Following events over the last week, it’ll be interesting to see how these sides react. The Barnsley players will probably still be fuming over their unlucky derby defeat to Sheffield United, while Watford will be looking to build on their first win under Malky Mackay. With that, we think they’ll cancel each other out – 1-1.
