Vs Watford (A) Match Thread

[Ian Buxton's Bat]

1 hour ago, The Scarlet Pimpernel said:

If I go to the Netherlands for instance this weekend can I watch on RamsTV?

Club website says 'International' so, if you are lucky/tactically astute enough to be across the channel on Saturday afternoon, it's possibly a goer.

 

[Crewton]

We were really unfortunate to lose there the last time we played them in Feb 2021. We had a goal incorrectly ruled out by one of the all-too-many incompetent referees we got that season. He disallowed it because their keeper had jumped into Wisdom and missed Byrne's corner, yet he didn't notice Wisdom being bear hugged by one of their defenders late-on when Byrne hit the post with another corner.

We owe them one.

[JuanFloEvraTheCocu'sNesta]

3 hours ago, DCFC1388 said:

Here we go again, really didnt think I would be here after Boro at home but happy to do so. Sorry @Caerphilly Ram & @Comrade 86 in particular for taking so long to start a new one 🤣.

Our first 3:00pm kick off of the season away at Watford who have won both their league games so far so this is going be a tough test.

Main 2 questions going into the game...will JWZ start? Will Yates come straight into thrle sgarting 11? 

I personally think Vickers will keep the shirt with JWZ making a start vs Barrow & keeping his shirt afterwards. 

Vickers - Nyambe Nelson Bradley Elder - Adams Ozoh Osborn - Jackson Yates NML

JWZ Forsyth Wilson Ward Thompson Goudmijn Barkhuizen Collins Brown

I dont think Wilson will be fit enough to start but may make the bench, only other option really is CBT if he is back, Washington or a youngster.

Get JWZ and Yates straight in. No room for sentiment, we need points.

[jimtastic56]

2 hours ago, Ian Buxton's Bat said:

I reckon JWZ will start.......he looks a right unit.

I'd have played Fozzy instead of Elder v Boro but Elder deserves to keep his spot.

Collins' stats weren't great on Saturday but he worked his socks off and was a pain in the neck for the Boro defence - thought Matt Clarke had his hands full but played well. Don't know anything about Watford but, on the basis Yates may not be match fit, I'd start with Collins and swap at half time.

They've scored 3 goals per match.in the league plus 5 in the league cup.....so a re-run of Boro will do me.

Again with “Big =good”.  Beilik was the “Beast that guarantees promotion”. And he was £10 mill wasted .  Let’s not pile too much pressure on J Z. He has not played many games for a 26 year old , and let’s not be quick to write him off if he doesn’t have a great game v Watford . 

[IlsonDerby]

I’d understand the sentiment behind starting the team that played the majority of the match against boro but we need to be more cut throat than that. 
 

                      JZW

Nyambe Nelson Bradley Elder 

      Osborn Kenzo Ozoh

    Jackson Yates Barkhuizen                    
 

JZW in for obvious reasons - he’s a marquee signing. 
 

Yates in for Collins because he’s a very good striker at this level and will provide more up front. 
 

Probably the most controversial but I’d drop NML. Haven’t been enamoured by his play so far this season. Would try him against tired legs in this match as a sub to build some confidence hopefully. 

[Srg]

5 minutes ago, IlsonDerby said:

I’d understand the sentiment behind starting the team that played the majority of the match against boro but we need to be more cut throat than that. 
 

                      JZW

Nyambe Nelson Bradley Elder 

      Osborn Kenzo Ozoh

    Jackson Yates Barkhuizen                    
 

JZW in for obvious reasons - he’s a marquee signing. 
 

Yates in for Collins because he’s a very good striker at this level and will provide more up front. 
 

Probably the most controversial but I’d drop NML. Haven’t been enamoured by his play so far this season. Would try him against tired legs in this match as a sub to build some confidence hopefully. 

Have to say re NML, he would struggle to trap a bag of cement this season. Dont know what is going on but every first touch bounces off him like prime Ravanelli. 

[IlsonDerby]

2 minutes ago, Srg said:

Have to say re NML, he would struggle to trap a bag of cement this season. Dont know what is going on but every first touch bounces off him like prime Ravanelli. 

That’s one of the things I noticed. The ball just seems to bounce away from him and the championship is too fast paced to get away with it where as in league 1 his pace meant he could beat the defenders’ reaction times. 

[Srg]

17 minutes ago, IlsonDerby said:

That’s one of the things I noticed. The ball just seems to bounce away from him and the championship is too fast paced to get away with it where as in league 1 his pace meant he could beat the defenders’ reaction times. 

It’s been even basic passes under little pressure, just a lead footed touch. Hopefully, it’s just early season rust. I know he was never perfect in that regard, but he does need to improve from what we’ve seen so far.

Shows you though that we are a bit light out wide when CBT is injured. Barkhuizen is a bit of a utility forward player, but he isn’t the counter attacking threat we need really. 

[RamsFan10]

                     JWZ

Nyambe Nelson Bradley Elder

       Kenzo Ebou Osborn 

      Jackson Yates NML

It’s harsh on Vickers but you play who you think is best, and JWZ should come in for all the same reasons we’ve been desperate for a new keeper all summer. I’d still like to see Ebou from the start over Ozoh, who I’m still not fully convinced by as a holding midfielder, but I suspect Warne will stick with the same midfield. 
 

2-1 to the Rams 🐏

[MACKWORTHRAM]

1 hour ago, Srg said:

Have to say re NML, he would struggle to trap a bag of cement this season. Dont know what is going on but every first touch bounces off him like prime Ravanelli. 

I'm glad someone else has said this 😂.

I think he's been pretty poor in the first couple of games and I hope we're not having to rely on him as much as we did last season.

[Rammy03]

 

[Ian Buxton's Bat]

2 hours ago, jimtastic56 said:

Again with “Big =good”.  Beilik was the “Beast that guarantees promotion”. And he was £10 mill wasted .  Let’s not pile too much pressure on J Z. He has not played many games for a 26 year old , and let’s not be quick to write him off if he doesn’t have a great game v Watford . 

Steady on @jimtastic56!

I’ve genuinely not said big=good, let alone said it previously.

I think he’ll start as he’s been bought to be number 1 and I noticed on Saturday that he was a big unit.

Believe me, if we signed Bernardo Silva and Phil Foden on loan, I’d be doing cartwheels.

[jono]

I wonder what our tactics will be, anyone from the Middlesbrough thread want to comment ? 

I guess we’ll find out after the game but win or lose we will have done it wrong 

Collo to start and told to burn rubber, then Yates gets the last 30 minutes

JWZ / Josh .. can’t call it but I’m not a manager. 
 

Love it we could beat them 🐏

[Caerphilly Ram]

39 minutes ago, jono said:

I wonder what our tactics will be, anyone from the Middlesbrough thread want to comment ? 

I guess we’ll find out after the game but win or lose we will have done it wrong 

Collo to start and told to burn rubber, then Yates gets the last 30 minutes

JWZ / Josh .. can’t call it but I’m not a manager. 
 

Love it we could beat them 🐏

I think we need to set up to be solid and difficult to breakdown once more, it irked me a little that that isn’t how we approached the Blackburn game. I know we had a good spell for sort of the middle third of the match, but overall I thought the approach was too open and a little wild which ultimately cost us.

A focus on stubbornly keeping out the opposition and using the pace/movement of Jackson, Yates and either NML or Barkhuizen to counter would suit me for Saturday. Kenzo and Osborn can pick a pass for the forwards to get after. Not the pretty, possession based approach some want but for now I’d happily see us grind out another result however we can. 

[Ambitious]

JWZ, Nyambe, Nelson, Bradley, Elder, Ozoh, Kenzo, Osborn, Jackson, NML & Yates. 

The strongest XI we have had chance to put out this season, hopefully we see an upturn in performance. I do think this is a game where we could get at the opposition but they’ve obviously got off to a flyer this season. 

[Comrade 86]

2 hours ago, Ambitious said:

JWZ, Nyambe, Nelson, Bradley, Elder, Ozoh, Kenzo, Osborn, Jackson, NML & Yates. 

The strongest XI we have had chance to put out this season, hopefully we see an upturn in performance. I do think this is a game where we could get at the opposition but they’ve obviously got off to a flyer this season. 

Suspect that Josh Vickers is a likely to start, but I agree with the line up with one change, that being Fozzy for Bradley, despite the latter putting in a good defensive shift against the Smoggies. My thinking is that defensively, Fozzy is as good as Bradley and was surprisingly accomplished in the CB role on the odd occasion he played there last season. The key difference for me is that Fozzy is quicker and his passing ability is markedly superior. To my eye, the Boro game turned on the Cashin injury, as without his passing range, we really struggled to build from the back and ended up having to soak up way more pressure than was comfortable, though in fairness to Bradley, he played a key role in that regard. 

I also agree that Watford ought to be a less demanding opponent and I'd like to see us trying to play proactive football, like we did prior to Cash's withdrawal. I might be tempted to give Collo a start, if only to soften up their CBs, but I do think that if Yates is fully fit, that he offers a deal more goal threat at this level.

I expect another tough game, indeed I'm unsure that too many games will be anything but tough in this league unless we get some more quality through the door and sharpish, but I don't fear Watford the way I did Boro, though I'm sure I've felt this way in other games against the Hornets where we've ended up losing. In truth, right now I'd take a point now if it were offered.

COYR

[Reggie Greenwood]

5 hours ago, Comrade 86 said:

Suspect that Josh Vickers is a likely to start, but I agree with the line up with one change, that being Fozzy for Bradley, despite the latter putting in a good defensive shift against the Smoggies. My thinking is that defensively, Fozzy is as good as Bradley and was surprisingly accomplished in the CB role on the odd occasion he played there last season. The key difference for me is that Fozzy is quicker and his passing ability is markedly superior. To my eye, the Boro game turned on the Cashin injury, as without his passing range, we really struggled to build from the back and ended up having to soak up way more pressure than was comfortable, though in fairness to Bradley, he played a key role in that regard. 

I also agree that Watford ought to be a less demanding opponent and I'd like to see us trying to play proactive football, like we did prior to Cash's withdrawal. I might be tempted to give Collo a start, if only to soften up their CBs, but I do think that if Yates is fully fit, that he offers a deal more goal threat at this level.

I expect another tough game, indeed I'm unsure that too many games will be anything but tough in this league unless we get some more quality through the door and sharpish, but I don't fear Watford the way I did Boro, though I'm sure I've felt this way in other games against the Hornets where we've ended up losing. In truth, right now I'd take a point now if it were offered.

COYR

Another , lucky , unsustainable win with thread meltdown incoming 😉🐏

[Ambitious]

5 hours ago, Comrade 86 said:

Suspect that Josh Vickers is a likely to start, but I agree with the line up with one change, that being Fozzy for Bradley, despite the latter putting in a good defensive shift against the Smoggies. My thinking is that defensively, Fozzy is as good as Bradley and was surprisingly accomplished in the CB role on the odd occasion he played there last season. The key difference for me is that Fozzy is quicker and his passing ability is markedly superior. To my eye, the Boro game turned on the Cashin injury, as without his passing range, we really struggled to build from the back and ended up having to soak up way more pressure than was comfortable, though in fairness to Bradley, he played a key role in that regard. 

I also agree that Watford ought to be a less demanding opponent and I'd like to see us trying to play proactive football, like we did prior to Cash's withdrawal. I might be tempted to give Collo a start, if only to soften up their CBs, but I do think that if Yates is fully fit, that he offers a deal more goal threat at this level.

I expect another tough game, indeed I'm unsure that too many games will be anything but tough in this league unless we get some more quality through the door and sharpish, but I don't fear Watford the way I did Boro, though I'm sure I've felt this way in other games against the Hornets where we've ended up losing. In truth, right now I'd take a point now if it were offered.

COYR

I would be ok with Vickers starting but I think it’s as much likely to do with training this week. If Zetterstrom comes in and has a great week, is just evidently better and looks ready to go then he should start. If it’s neck and neck on training, while Zetterstrom is finding his feet then Vickers will retain his place. The last thing we need is a debutant goalkeeper coming in unsure, because the marginal gains we have by having the better keeper is made uncertain by perhaps him not being 100% comfortable and settled. 

It will be settled largely in training, I suspect.

[Gabby'sThighs]

17 hours ago, The Scarlet Pimpernel said:

If I go to the Netherlands for instance this weekend can I watch on RamsTV?

I use a VPN and usually stick it on Singapore but the Watford game is apparently "available to fans based outside of the UK & Ireland" so you should be golden.

[Anag Ram]

4 minutes ago, Ambitious said:

I would be ok with Vickers starting but I think it’s as much likely to do with training this week. If Zetterstrom comes in and has a great week, is just evidently better and looks ready to go then he should start. If it’s neck and neck on training, while Zetterstrom is finding his feet then Vickers will retain his place. The last thing we need is a debutant goalkeeper coming in unsure, because the marginal gains we have by having the better keeper is made uncertain by perhaps him not being 100% comfortable and settled. 

It will be settled largely in training, I suspect.

I felt a bit sorry for JWZ on Saturday. He was clearly keen to bond with the fans and at half time ran on to the pitch with the other subs.

The other subs then went through their routine with the trainer so Jacob was rather left hanging, simply doing his stretches. I fear if we leave him out of the team he’s going to wonder why he left. 

I think he could be a big star for us.