Swansea 0-0 Watford- my post match thoughts

If you're not going to score in a game than it is imperative that you don't concede, thats exactly what The Hornets did Saturday when they took a valuable point away from the Liberty Stadium.

Unfortunately I didn't get to watch the match, I was at work so this post will more be about the result than the performance. However from what I have been told it was very similar to Boro last week minus the smash and grab winner.

Personally I think its an absolutely fantastic point and one that I am sure 90% of Watford fans would've taken before the game. Bob Bradley's first home game meant that players and fans alike would be up for the game and would've seen having us at home as a decent way to get their first win since the opening day.

The fact we've kept back to back clean sheets impresses me greatly, a few weeks back I thought we looked very suspect in defence and may find ourselves struggling for points. However we look relatively solid and by all accounts the back 3 were excellent yesterday. All Mazzari needs to do now is to find an attacking balance to go with it so we can extend our unbeaten run.

I've kept this short because as stated at the top I can't really comment on something I haven't seen, but things are definitely looking up. Looking at the league table and to see our club in 9th is remarkable and we have a great chance to move higher when we play Hull City next Saturday, a side who on their last away league game shipped 6 to Bournemouth.

9th in the league, onwards and upwards

You 'Orns!!

Capoue v Pogba- both players had games to forget this weekend so it remains 5-1 to Capoue (4 goals, 1 assist)

@adzrowe on twitter 

Swansea v Watford- Pre match thoughts

We travel to Swansea  this Saturday looking for back to back away wins for the first time this season but a tough challenge awaits in South Wales for The Hornets.

The Swans:
Swansea come into the game in poor form and without a win since the opening day of the season when they beat newly promoted Burnley at Turf Moor. They have also lost 4 Premier League games on the spin, however they are under new leadership as Bob Bradley took over from Francesco Guidolin before their 3-2 defeat at The Emirates last week.

The Swans were much improved in their match against The Gunners and looked good in stages. Despite the positives they are still very defensively fragile and The Hornets will look to expose that through their attacking threat of Pereyra, Deeney and Success.

Swansea last 5 league matches:
Arsenal (A): 3-2 L
Liverpool (H): 1-2 L
Manchester City (H): 1-3 L
Southampton (A): 1-0 L
Chelsea (H)- 2-2 (L)

Swansea top goal scorers: Fer (4) Sigurdsson (3)


The Hornets:
Mazzari's men head to South Wales in the top half of the Premier League and know a win could see them move as high as 7th. Once again I believe Watford have snuck under the radar and Mazzari has made a very good start to life at Vicarage Road.

Last week the Golden Boys ground out a 1-0 away win at Middlesborough and they may have to do so again this week in what will be a hostile Liberty Stadium for Bradley's first home game. Issac Success impressed last week in the away win and he had got to start again this week as he could be the difference in a game against a bridle Swans defence.


Stat attack: Troy Deeney could score his 100th Watford goal this Saturday, he currently sits on 99.

Score Prediction:
It'll be a difficult game for Watford no question but I can see goals at both ends this week due to both defenders looking suspect. This week my prediction is a 3-1 Watford win.

Come on you 'Orns!

@adzrowe
Come back Sunday for my thoughts on the game...

Middlesbrough 0-1 Watford

Sunday afternoon... Sky game against a team looking for their first home win of the season... I thought this was going to be just like Burnley away a few weeks ago. But this Watford side are unpredictable and duly delivered a 1-0 scrappy away win. 

Boro away was never going to be an easy game and finding our rhythm to play our best football was going to be a challenge. Admittedly we never really got playing our best football, but the strongest teams in this division always find a way to win- this is exactly what Walter Mazzari's men did. 

Middlesbrough dominated proceedings in the first half but Gomes never really had to make a save and annoyingly every time we looked to try and force the issue our attacks were halted by a very scrappy Boro team desperate for points. The hosts should've been down to ten men with 35 minutes gone, Barragan who had earlier been booked for hauling down Success did so again but referee Roger East completely bottled it and warned the player instead of giving the second yellow card the foul deserved. 

In the second half we looked to take the game to hosts but again struggled to find our flow and Troy Deeney was isolated which meant chances were at a premium for The Hornets. However with our first shot on target we took the lead- Success drove into the box and was brought down but a penalty wasn't awarded. Jose Holebas picked the ball up on the edge of the area and struck it into the top corner for his second of the season. 

From then on The Hornets dug deep and won every second ball with commitment and desire. Boro attempted to pile on the pressure but the tenacious work of the defence and midfield meant that Gomes didn't really have to make one memorable stop. This is the difference this year, under Flores I am almost certain we would've crumbled but under Mazzari he insists the steely determination that was shown for the most part of todays game. Yes we didn't play well but we turned up to grind 3 points out in what ultimately was a tricky game. 

We again face another tough away match to Swansea next weekend but if we can suck up the pressure and be clinical when a chance arises there is no doubt in my mind that we can pick up another valuable 3 points. We will have to be better on the ball and show a bit more of an attacking threat next week but with the pace and power of Success and Deeney then we can cause a shaky Swans defence lots of problems. 

A great result and a determined performance. 

You 'Orns!

Man of the match: Isaac Success 

Match rating- 4/10- boring game for the neutral but 3 points boosts this from what would've been a 1/10 if we had lost. 

Pogba v Capoue- Capoue still leads the way but Pogba doesn't play until tomorrow. 

@Adzrowe on twitter