Watford v City pre-match thread (team news pg 23)

[KnaresboroughBlue]

I think he's done a decent job there - their owners are defo hire em an fire em merchants though.
Think some of their players know they'll now be following him out the door as well.
If this is a motivational thing or not will be revealed on Sunday. I doubt it.
I'm feeling a spirited 20 mins followed by a good humping by us for 40 mins and a final half an hour of keep ball and scrappy midfield shite as has been the case for the last 2 games tbh. 1 - 3 City.

Reading reports in the media, it seems it was the players that wanted rid of him, so it will probably give them a lift if they know he's going.

 

[Kinkys Left Foot]

Unfortunately I believe nothing written in tomorrows arse paper

 

[Father Paul]

Anything approaching a competent professional display will be enough to secure the points barring a DISASTER!!
They are an average side in poor form, with little to play for and our away record this season is excellent against non top six sides.
Can't see anything other than a win for City and a comfortable one at that if we get an early goal. If they score first it could get a bit hairy
and we just might be in for the dreaded SB Time.

 

[Chi-town blues]

Well one is big Dave Watson so you can probably switch superstitious to miserable..

Hahaha

 

[york away to this!]

We have enough talent, skill and guile to blow these away. 1-0 watford then...

 

[Gray]

It's bloody typical. We always play teams just after they have canned their manager and want to prove a point.

Might end up like the game at Boro when Sven knew he was for the chop?

 

[KnaresboroughBlue]

Might end up like the game at Boro when Sven knew he was for the chop?

It would be nice but I think in that case it was more that the players wanted Sven but Thaksin didn't. It seems in Watford's case that the players don't want him so they aren't likely to be in revolt that he's going.

 

[SebastianBlue]

Might end up like the game at Boro when Sven knew he was for the chop?

I've always thought City supporters misread the reason for that result.

We were on the brink of qualifying for the Europa League that season via the Fair Play League as long as we did not pick up a few yellows or a reds (or many fouls) during that last match against Boro. This would have been the first real participation in a European competition for quite some time and would help attract better calibre layers in the summer, especially as we had some purchasing power for once (I'm not counting the farcical appearance in 2003 where we went out to Grodzisk in the second round).

My reading—especially having watched the entire match and noting how sheepish we were in the tackle the entire time, with Dunne's red—was that the players were instructed, in no uncertain terms, to be "good little lads" and thus gave Boro the run of the land. The fact that Sven and the players knew he was off was relatively inconsequential to the 8-1 outcome. Sven was already gone and the focus was getting European football so it could have been a a cricket score and would not have changed anything. Now, had the players not followed instructions and picked up several bookings there would have been repercussions beyond Sven's sacking, especially if you believe some reports that Shinawatra had wanted to use European football as a sweetener while shopping the club around.

 

[Italian Manc]

I've always thought City supporters misread the reason for that result.

We were on the brink of qualifying for the Europa League that season via the Fair Play League as long as we did not pick up a few yellows or a red during that last match against Boro. This would have been the first real participation in a European competition for quite some time and would help attract better calibre layers in the summer, especially as we had some purchasing power for once (I'm not counting the farcical appearance in 2003 where we went out to Grodzisk in the second round).

My reading—especially having watched the entire match and noting how sheepish we were in the tackle the entire time—was that the players were instructed, in no uncertain terms, to be "good little lads" and thus gave Boro the run of the land. The fact that Sven and the players knew he was off was relatively inconsequential to the 8-1 outcome. Sven was already gone and the focus was getting European football so it could have been a a cricket score and would not have changed anything. Now, had the players not followed instructions and picked up several bookings there would have been repercussions beyond Sven's sacking, especially if you believe some reports that Shinawatra had been shopping the club around and wanted to use European football as a sweetener.

Dunne got sent off after 15 mins in that game.

 

[Gabriel]

I'd play Sagna for this one, yes really, and stiffen the midfield.
Maybe with their manager off they won't be quite as exertive as they could be, but a bit of extra muscle won't go amiss.