[themaclad]

Watford v Preston North End
Vicarage Road 6/4/24 15.00 hrs

GENTRY DAY

https://www.watfordfc.com/

https://wfcforums.com/index.php

https://wfcforums.com/index.php?forums/t...-chat.128/

https://www.not606.com/forums/watford.57/

MANAGER (At the moment)

Tom Cleverley

Following the dismissal by Watford of manager, Valérien Ismaël on 9 March 2024, Cleverley was named as interim head coach.

LAST TIME OUT





FORM GUIDE

WATFORD 9 PNE 9

Their form improving ours now on a downward spiral

DANGER MEN



Cultural stuff

St Albans Cathedral, officially the Cathedral and Abbey Church of St Alban[5] but often referred to locally as "the Abbey", is a Church of England cathedral in St Albans, England.

Much of its architecture dates from Norman times. It ceased to be an abbey following its dissolution in the 16th century and became a cathedral in 1877. Although legally a cathedral church, it differs in certain particulars from most other cathedrals in England, being also used as a parish church, of which the dean is rector with the same powers, responsibilities and duties as that of any other parish.[6] At 85 metres long, it has the longest nave of any cathedral in England.[2]

Probably founded in the 8th century, the present building is Norman or Romanesque architecture of the 11th century, with Gothic and 19th-century additions.

[themaclad]

Who’s Available?

Skipper Alan Browne will be assessed ahead of Saturday, having missed the Birmingham City clash through illness, and manager Ryan Lowe said the midfielder has also been suffering with tight calves.

Liam Millar has a slight groin issue so he may also be touch and go for the trip to Vicarage Road, while Ryan Ledson will definitely be unavailable. It’s hoped he’ll be back for next weekend’s game against Norwich City.

Ched Evans is back on the grass but this game will come too soon, while Ben Whiteman and Brad Potts remain sidelined.

Opposition Focus


Following a run of form which led to the departure of Valérien Ismaël, former Watford midfielder Tom Cleverley has taken the interim reins at Vicarage Road and has picked up an impressive run of results.

Since winning 1-0 away to Birmingham City in mid-March, the Hornets have drawn 2-2 against promotion-pushing Leeds United and West Brom.

They’ll be hoping their turn of form continues for the remainder of the season, before a decision is made on the next permanent boss.

Match Officials

Referee: James Bell
Assistant Referees: Ian Cooper and Matthew Smith
Fourth Official: David Rock

James Bell will referee North End for only the second time in his career on Saturday, having previously taken charge of a 1-0 home defeat to Birmingham City in September 2022.

In the 23 games he’s refereed so far this campaign, Bell has shown 99 yellow cards and five reds.

MACS VIEW

Well the end of season push ply offs heads off to Watford who won the return fixture 5-1, as per with the Hornets managerial issues struck again although under Cleverley they seem to be on a slightly upward path. Recent Gentry Days have been great off the pitch although we do seem to get battered on the pitch.
Virtual sell out away end suspect that this will be a home win as injuries are starting to kick in which does leave the lack of a signing i January a bit weird. Never mind onwards and downwards to slightly paraphrase what Westley used to say

[theo_luddite]

Like that idea themaclad. Hopefully the long shunt down the East Coast Main Line isn't overly expensive nor riddled with repacement buses. Plenty of watering holes in town on the way to the ground and the one next to the station is often useful for a swift 'un afore the train 'ome turns up. The natives are mostly friendly too.

[themaclad]

Coach for us given recent arrival times will probably be able to spend about 6 hours there pubs are likely to have guards on the doors, plenty of time to get my steps in !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

[themaclad]

Watford 0 Preston North End 0

Watford line-up: Bachmann; Porteous, Sierralta, Hoedt; Andrews, Kayembe (Chakvetadze, 62), Dele-Bashiru, Lewis; Bayo (Rajović, 61), Asprilla, Dennis (Koné, 81). Subs not used: Hamer, Ince, Livermore, Pollock, Martins, Morris.

PNE line-up: Woodman; Storey, Lindsay, Cunningham; Brady, Whatmough, McCann, Hughes; Keane; Osmajić (Frøkjær, 82), Riis (Stewart, 82). Subs not used: Cornell, Woodburn, Holmes, T.Mawene, Best, N.Mawene, Seary.

Attendance: 19,374 (2,022 PNE fans).

Referee: Mr J Bell.

Unlike last year's Gentry Day mauling at Boro, this was a better result, bowler hats a plenty in Hertfordshire of which and every credit to the hosts who also played their part in the celebration.
A warm day in Watford, even the sun came out for a while I know bizarre or what, met some Saints fans on the way down at the services seemed a decent bunch, that will change a week on Tuesday.
Team wise to say we were struggling was an understatement, the absence of Browne and Millar in addition to the long term absence of Whiteman and Potts highlighted our lack of depth in the squad, both Mawene brothers were on teh ench, one surprise no Mads FJ in the starting line up Whatmough in central midfield.
The first period was the more entertaining of the two, we startd on top but the home side always looked dangerous on the break, a couple of half chanes past the left hand post of Woodman before the first clear chance to the home side fell to Lewis who put it into outer space.
Whatmough sent a header narrowly wide and just before the break Hughes seemed to be in a good position but put his shot wide.
The home side dominated possession but a lot of that was due to passing the ball between the back three.
Cunningham did an excellent job on winding Bayo up although did get lucky not to get booked for a deliberate block on a player.



The raucous atmosphere in the way end quitened during the less exciting second period, Watford improved with the introduction Chadvetadve who gave them a pace, again probably the best chance fell to Lewis he was a bit clloser this time. A free kick from Rajovic went just over the top but the best chance fell to us Keane's first time shot looked goal bound until curling away from the onion bag at the last minute, with that we rather disappointingly shut up shop bit strange seeing we needed to win.
Play offs still on but hanging by a thread suspect the next two homes games will be crucial wins needed.

Finally as a stadium find Vicarage Road decent although third visit had two goalless draws and lost the other to an own goal in the 93rd minute, the pitch was immaculate, the programmes decent as well, biggest shock was the size of the Memorium stone in the neighbouring grave yard which must have cost 25000 at least, the home fans will know what I mean on that.


Watford interim head coach Tom Cleverley told BBC Three Counties Radio:

"It's not where I want us to be and it's not where I want us to get to in these sort of games.

"We have to try and find the balance of going for the win and then not risking a loss, and I think maybe we were a little bit conservative with that today.

"I thought we just lacked that little bit of killer edge in and around the box.

"I thought we improved the tempo, improved the quality in the second half and we were pushing and with just not having that final bit.

Preston North End manager Ryan Lowe told BBC Radio Lancashire:

"We've got a valuable point which hopefully will help us.

"But I think we did enough to win it, we had some great chances, some good set plays in there, we just didn't have that clinical edge at the top end of the pitch today where we've had it in games.

"We were solid at the back, we had a back five at times which was important for us today against a good team, and we still had that goal threat, we just didn't manage to put it in the back of the net.

"At this stage of the season you need three points, but as I've always said, if you can't win it

[themaclad]