Burnley play Sean Dyche`s old club, Watford at Turf Moor this Saturday hoping to get back to winning ways after just one victory now in six games.
The Pre-amble:
Its Dychember Day this Saturday with Sean Dyche`s former club Watford the visitors to Turf Moor. Cheap tickets are on offer but three points would be more valuable for Clarets fans after no win now in six games.
Watford manager Gianfranco Zola has got his team playing with some confidence and they are currently riding high in sixth spot on 33 points from 21 games, five points more than the Clarets in 17th spot. They did however lose at home2-1 to Hull City last Saturday so their momentum may have been dented although they have won five and drawn one of their last six games with a couple of particular impressive away wins! They beat the Owls 4-1 at Hillsborough and crushed Leeds 6-1 at Elland Road so the Clarets better be on their guard.
Burnley Team News:
Both Michael Duff and Chris McCann picked up their fifth yellow card in the 2-0 defeat at the City Ground last Saturday and now sit out a one-match suspension. David Edgar and Marvin Bartley look set to make a return to the starting eleven in the centre of defence and midfield respectively. Ben Mee remains sidelined after picking up medial knee ligament damage in the recent derby game against Rovers. Danny Lafferty looks set to deputise at left back again.
Player to watch: Martin Paterson
Pato has failed to impress in these last few games and badly needs a goal to justify his inclusion in the starting eleven. I have never been convinced playing Paterson on the flank is fully justified but until Dyche plays a 4-4-2 formation, it would appear to be his only option.
Watford Team News:
Forestieri (hamstring) missed the Hull game last Saturday and is now working his way back to fitness. Prince Buaben (thigh), Nyron Nosworthy (hamstring), John Eustace (back) and Neuton (ankle) are all at various stages of their individual recoveries but they don`t look likely to feature on Saturday.
Player to watch: Fernando Forestieri
We asked Vital Watford`s Tom Bodell this question and he replied:
“Attacker Fernando Forestieri has been superb this season. One of the most gifted footballers to turn out for the club in recent years, the little Argentine-Italian has more than a shade of the Lionel Messi about him.
Diminutive and so benefitting from a low centre of gravity, he`s always looking to beat his man and make things happen. An absolute menace and I think like everyone else, I`m praying he recovers from a hamstring strain to feature on Saturday.”
Team & Tactics:
Although still missing Ben Mee and now also Duff and McCann, the replacements seem straightforward. Danny Lafferty was arguably man of the match against Forest and he looks likely to start again on Saturday at left back. David Edgar seems the obvious choice to replace Duff in the centre of defence and likewise Bartley for McCann in midfield unless Dyche is contemplating some more radical chances to the line-up, formation and tactics. We can expect then an eighteen that looks something like this :
Grant, Trippier, Shackell, Edgar, Lafferty, Stock, Wallace, Marney, Bartley, Paterson, Austin
Subs: Jensen, Mills, O’Neill, Stewart, Stanislas, Ings, Vokes
Another option might be to play Stanislas and drop Paterson to the bench. Pato has struggled to make any sort of impression in recent games.
Ref Watch:
West Midlands referee, Philip Gibbs is in charge of this one. His last game involving the Clarets was our 1-0 defeat to Reading at Turf Moor last season back in October 2011. He is quite modest in his card showing and so far this season has only sent off one player in 17 games. Last season just four players saw red from 41 games. The yellow card count was 117 in 2011-12 and this season so far the tally is 39.
Match Prediction:
This is another of those must-win games if we still want to have some belief we can reach the play-offs. Watford will not be an easy game to win but the Dyche effect could see the team come away with three points. 2-1 Clarets!
Next Match:
A visit to St Andrews next Saturday 22nd December to play Birmingham (3pm Kick-Off) before the Christmas schedule begins!
