[theo_luddite]

The Sir Alf McGalphpharmSmiths Stadium
If it hasn't been blown or washed away
By a storm most Brit weather forecasters/news readers
Can't pronounce properly
It's Storm Ciarán, with a hard C, pronounced Keiran.
It really shouldn't Trippier them up that much.
Ask ritchie about hard C's.

Kick-off 15:00 UK Time
Saturday 04/11/23

Lock up your beehives you Apiarists (or Apiculturists), the Hornets are in Town.



Not the Asian one's forunately, these come from that little corner of England south of the M25 between The M1 and the M40.

Well, we've put the clocks back, it's Bonfire night on Sunday, so it's officially going back home after the match in the dark and Winter Drawers on.



Will Moore light a rocket under the Town squad's collective backsides?
Will there be fireworks in the match box, or even matches in the firework box?
Will plot's be afoot for another change off the pitch if we don't sparkle again?
Will Town put in a banger of a performance, or will it be just another damp squib of a display?

Guys (and Dolls), I'm Fawked if I know.



On the tellybox

Not showing anywhere official at the moment other than iFollow in furrin lands.
If you're lucky the Radio Local feed might last the whole match, but I wouldn't bet on it.
Bang on about half-way through the second half it typically goes up in a puff off blue smoke.

Pies, pees and pints

Normally this is an away thing, but anyway, Town have announced a Happy Hour in The Fanzone before kick-off.
It runs from 12:30-13:30, so if you're happy to stand in the rain for over 2 hours, most of which will be to buy very expensive and very cold fizzy beer, then sit in the cold for 2 hours watching (based on recent performances) uninspring football, go for it.

Otherwise if you're coming up from Watford, find a nice warm dry pub in the town centre that sells beer at sensible prices.
It's a 10-15 minute walk to the ground.
A bit less of a hike from the station to the ground than your place is from Watford Station but enough boozers to keep you happy there or there abouts.

Latest news

See the above section. Otherwise our owners and management team appear to be unchanged.

Build a bonfire, build a bonfire .... 

Out Injured/Suspended/Isolating

Rudoni joined the list of long-term injured before last weekend's game, even if Moore tried to play it down in the presser, and skipper Hoggy picked up his 5th yellow for a 1 game ban, so our options in midfield look a tad bleak.
Another game where he won't score against his old team. Letting 20+ players leave in the summer (OK we couldn't afford all of them) and bringing few reinforcements in, let alone many good ones, was always going to result in this scenario at some point.
They point the finger at Financial Fair Play, which has bit Reading amongst others, on the arse before now.

Kasumu and Ruffels unlikely to be fit, Ward is officially still injured, but then again he usually is.

Back training but not oven ready/Back in the frame

Koroma hopefully is fit this weekend to plug one gap on the left of midfield and give some cover to Mount Naka-Fuji-Yama down the left flank.
Didn't appear to be much of that on Saturday in the first half. Stokie Edwards has hopefully sprained his wrist so he can't play right back and take longish (well, about 3/4's as long as Duane Holmes used to throw 'em) throws that we don't ever seem to win.
He was run ragged on the right wing last week. He'd be more use selling signed oatcakes in The Fanzone this weekend.

Last time out

Who would be surprised if I said we came 2nd? Another 4 goals in our onion bag. This isn't doing Nicholls' back any good.
We're already on the trap door again. Thankfully there's already 3 clubs way worse than us, but that won't last all season. It might not last while Christmas.
I didn't see L666s playing much 20-30 pass football to bamboozle us last weekend, mostly they scored on a quick break from their half when we handed them possession.
With the speed of our defence, the U-11's would beat us in a foot race at the back.



Watford tried to come 2nd against suddenly managerless Millwall, but scrambled a late equaliser for a 2:2 draw.



The derby games last weekend threw up wins for Cardiff, Wendies, West Brom and then there's that game I might have just mentioned above.
Otherwise Leicester and Ipswich continued their march towards promotion by the end of January, Wayne Rooney's Brum City continued their 100% losing record since he took over, Blackburn continue to blow hot and cold, Boro's 6 game winning streak came to an end as Stoke extended their's to 3 games.



Music

I did the Elton John thing to death a few season's back, soooooooooo ......

Spreading the field out to Hertfordshire (for good reason, I'll explain) we find a certain Mr. Mick Taylor, once of the Parish of The Strolling Bones.
As a member of the Stones, he appeared on Let It Bleed, Get Yer Ya-Ya's Out! The Rolling Stones in Concert, Sticky Fingers, Exile on Main St., Goats Head Soup and It's Only Rock 'n Roll.

Like I need an excuse for a Bones toon.



Free the nipple, eh? Never mind the security!!

Deep Purple - formed in Hertford, Hertfordshire in 1968.

Yes, I know, I know, but it's (probably) the first riff that any wannabe rock geeeeetar player ever wants to learn. Well, I did.
Amazing how many amateur musicians put the most impossible to follow fretboard versions on t'interweb. Not just this song either.



Colin Edward Michael Blunstone came to prominence in the mid-1960s as the lead singer of the rock band the Zombies.

This one's for Geri Halliwell - well, if I'd stayed in Watford, I'd have struggled to spice up your life on this thread with many others.



Others incluce Batchelor Boy Cliff Richard, Sara Brightman, Andrew Ridgley of Wham, George Ezra, a percussionist called Ray Cooper who played in Elton John's band, see above, and some band called unit 4+2. With a small u occassionally.
This was before the likes of Hygena and IKEA heralded the flat-pack era of home furniture.



Pass me that Allen key, no the bigger one. Who you calling two screws short of a full wardrobe? 

The Sack Race

It got into 3rd gear last weekend, 3 of them went, two in our division and one of them has already played us, just for a change.
One is a tad previous, I will explain.

Paul Hurst got the tin-tack at Grimsby after almost 3 years in charge. 1 draw and 5 defeats in a month can do to you, that even in League 2.

The fireworks kicked off in The Chumpionship as 6 defeats on the bounce finally convinced QPR that Gareth Ainsworth had finally outstayed his welcome.
The 2nd to go 2 games after playing us in recent weeks. Is this a new trend I ask? Or is it just them there Larndan clubs?

Likewise, Brizzle City finally pulled the plug on Sunday on Nigel Pearson, who has been unable to get a consistent tune out of a fairly expensive (wage wise) squad.
They play us on 9th December, so that's maybe just a tad early but fits the general pattern of many a recent season.

Marti Cifuentes (me neither) has been appointed at QPR, so that will disappoint the Neil Warnock fans. It's November, not February folks.


Tables, Form & all that geeky stuff

The gap between 6th place and 21st (that's us by the way) was extended to 9 points last weekend.
Our once fairly competent defence are currently playing like a bunch of complete strangers. Our attack always did.

After a bright(ish) start, Watford reverted to last season's last 3rd form soon after.
They are however unbeaten in the last 4. They sit 3 points and 5 places above us.










Innies and Outies

After trying to do the rebound thing, which failed miserably in the end, they cashed in on some expensive assets.



You may recognise a certin Mr. Tom Ince and one of the bench warming keepers is a former resident of our parish, Ben Hamer.
The best keeper we ever had that could dive the wrong way. I'm sure he's improved that aspect of his performance since he left us.

Who's banging 'em in

The couple of £million spent with the loose change has had some benefits though.



They can't all lose

In this weekends raffle of baffling results and crazy performances ......

Leicester get the chance to put more points between them and the chasing pack on Friday. They should be a bigger test for Beeston than we were last weekend. Brum host Ipswich, can Rooney make it 4 on the trot?
Down amongst the dead men, Wendies go to Brizzle, Millwall host Sarfamton, Plymouth host Boro, Coventry go to PNE, Rotherham play QPR though neither can catch Town (yet) and a rapidly plummeting Norwich host Blackburn. Why weren't they this crap when they played us?
All of a sudden they are as soft in defence as Delia's floury baps, not to mention powder puff pastry up front.



We've played 'em before

Fairly close in the Head-2-Head. The away teams came out top last season.
Harratt scored his first goal for Town last season with a near post flick for the winner at their's as Warnock marched us up the table to safety.
To date, in 16 League seasons and one FL Cup home and away tie, there's never been a 0-0 draw between the two sides and none have been drawn this century - so you know where to put your money this weekend then.
Assuming you like to contribute to Uncle Joe's (or one of his mates') holiday fund.



Next up?

'ull away next Saturday in another Yorksha League match.

Speaking of which, Watford fans tuning in this week might have missed this last week.
The League you ain't in, but it's the only one that matters round here.
Promotion to the Prima Donna League is sooooo over rated. 



Pressers

OK, we're still scrolling 10 minutes into the video before Radio Local get to ask the first questions. Horrible Hannah on duty again.

https://www.htafc.com/news/2023/november...f-watford/

Lee Nicholls

"Everyone wants a reaction, the fans deserve a reaction, and we all know recently it's been really tough for the club. We've picked up a few injuries which has maybe played a part in it, but whoever gets the nod needs to put a performance in.

"It was just the result and performance in general last weekend. Everyone in the dressing room would say it wasn't good enough and it wasn't the performance we planned or wanted to put in. It's a tough time and I've been here before as a player: football can change really quick. It's about us sticking together, that's the biggest thing for us right now.

"When I've looked back at the times we've struggled as a team and we've come out the other side, it's because we've been a resilient group. The gaffer is setting us up really well but there's individual errors in there.

"It's an opportunity for the young boys to come in and improve and put their names out there. We know there's ability in this group and I think when we get through this tough patch we'll be a good team.

"Hoggy's a leader in the dressing room and we all follow his lead.

"We need to be more consistent in areas and make ourselves hard to beat again.

"The gaffer addressed the Leeds game on Monday and was honest with us and told us where he felt things went wrong, but from then on it's been all about tomorrow. It's about sticking together and giving the fans something to shout about. Ultimately we need them onside at the moment, but it's on us to give them something to shout about.

"I was here when we got to the play-off final and they were huge for us. I don't disagree with them being against us at the moment, but need to get them onside."

The views from Harry Potter World

https://www.watfordfc.com/news/preview-i...town-clash

https://www.watfordobserver.co.uk/sport/...-500-club/

https://www.watfordfc.com/news/bachmann-...each-other

Extra bonus stuff ... not hidden behind a paywall

I found this on Watford's website looking for their pressers. Good stuff chaps.

https://www.watfordfc.com/magazine/featu...aaron-mooy

Of course everything else was about them battering us, but hey, like we haven't battered them either from time to time.

So ??? Vote ???
Can't be bothered working out how to do one on here.

Damp Squib?



Sparkler?



Rockets red glare? £*?!% bursting in air?

[jjamez]

Apparently Dr burgzorg is also out this weekend. So we are bare threadbare this week. If you are able bodied and can run faster than Edwards, either of them, feel free to bring your boots, kit will be provided.

[Lord Snooty]

Tom Ince has scored more against us than for at the JSS. His most famous one though was against Watford.

Bound to score, innit?

[theo_luddite]

Koroma is still out, and Bergzorg "being monitored" sounds awfully like Rudoni "wearing a boot for protection" from last weekend.

Um, yup, I can't run more than barely across a road these days (might still be further than Edwards) but my nephew can. Is there still a Sports Direct on Leeds Road? We might pop in and get him some new boots. He's a sparky so the blisters he'll rub up won't affect his screw driver handling skills.

---

All the pressers are finally in and added in their normal place. We still can't edit out 10 minutes of sod all at the start of our pressers.

[theo_luddite]

Fixed a couple of image errors that I hadn't spotted earlier in the OP regarding last weekend's results

---

Oh, here we go, site can't be reached again.

[WakeyTerrier]

It’s matchday and yet to find anyone with any enthusiasm for todays game, I’ve had a mate texting me asking if I’m sacking it off and if I do he will as well and either watch it at home or go watch Burnley. We then have our “gang of 5” who travel together for home games, none of us really want to go and the first question will be when we meet up in the boozer will be “what time are we leaving” Thank god the international break is coming up soon and thank god I’ve only got 2 home games to attend(inc today) before I jet off for a bit of winter sunshine.

The squad has been threadbare for a while and now the first XI is creaking. The once ever reliable Nicholls is fast becoming unreliable. We have the slowest right back in the world who will probably play because it’s him or Matty Pearson who is equally as slow. Talking of backs, the left back despite being a Japanese international isn’t much quicker than the two I’ve just mentioned and within the first 10minutes today you will see if his attitude is up for it or He’d rather be elsewhere.
Midfield will probably see REG wander around trying to fill in for the suspended Hogg, but with no effect., Rudoni is crocked so any link between central midfield and the forwards has totally gone. What am I talking about forwards, Danny Ward has reverted back to pre Neil Warnock and is constantly injured again. Burzorg is crocked, he probably injured himself trying to beat himself 3 times before falling over and whilst Harrett tries at times we may as well stick a headless chicken up front to run about after aimless hoofs up the pitch by our defence.

Still, good news, I’m back on the pop and and I’ll be drinking to forget from 12pm

---

P.s. We are likely to lose the Japanese left back for the best part of a month in January/February when the Asian cup to takes place in Qatar.

[Lord Snooty]

I'm going, but Her Ladyship has not only given up on Sportsbabble, she's given up on Huddersfield Town as well. Just can't summon up the enthusiasm to go.

---

As for the Jordan Rhodes situation, we'll see today if they insist he doesn't play in the Cup because we don't want him to be cup tied, there's a good chance we'll be getting him back in January. If he plays today, then it's game over for him in the famous bright blue n white.

[theo_luddite]

I'll post the team as soon as I stop wrestling with Imgur but, oh my word.

[Lord Snooty]

Moore is without 11 players today; Jonathan Hogg (suspended), Delano Burgzorg (knee), Jack Rudoni (foot), Josh Koroma (groin), Tom Edwards (concussion protocol), David Kasumu (hamstring), Ollie Turton (knee), Kian Harratt (personal reasons), Danny Ward (Achilles), Pat Jones (hamstring), and Loick Ayina (heel).

[theo_luddite]