Four games left to play as the Eagles head to take on Watford at Vicarage Road so TEB had a chat with The Hornets’ Nest to find out about their season so far and thoughts ahead of this match up.
Q. Let us kick off with your views on the previous meeting between the two clubs this season.
Do I have to…? It was a game that pretty much summed up Watford’s season in a nutshell. Started off with all the promise of an early Darryl Janmaat opener only for Watford to inexplicably throw it away at the death. It is a result that still sticks in my mind but epitomised the unpredictability of the sport we love (though some Watford fans would argue there was nothing unpredictable about Watford conceding two in injury time!).
Q. How has the season gone for Watford since that game?
It has been topsy turvy and has resulted in our season petering out towards the end with nothing to play for, as has been the case for the last two seasons. December was a terrible month for us, losing to teams in the bottom half of the table and ultimately this led to Marco Silva’s sacking in January. Gracia was brought in and made an instant impact with a draw away at Stoke City on a Wednesday night before some crucial home wins against Chelsea, Everton and West Bromwich Albion. Believe it or not, Watford have not taken the lead away from home since that Janmaat goal at Selhurst Park! Despite home form improving under the new boss, away form has been horrendous, and we have not won away from home since November!
Q. Did the club do the business required in the January transfer window?
In a word; no. Gerard Deulofeu was brought in on loan but has been the only player to make any impact on the squad. Unfortunately, he will be side-lined for the match on Saturday. The fans were crying out for some defensive reinforcements, as we had a number of central defenders out injured at the time but the club failed to bring anyone in.
Q. How has Javi Gracia settled in since he was appointed to replace Marco Silva?
Initially Javi settled in well, the win against Chelsea certainly helping that! The fans, as always, welcomed him in and at a recent Fans Forum he came across humble, approachable and put in every effort to speak English. Some fans however are frustrated about our away form, with no win since November and no goals on the road since January some fans have been asking for him to go at the end of the season. There is no doubt that if we lose on Saturday the pressure will be on as we trundle towards the end of the season.
Q. Who would be your player of the season both for your club and for the Premier League as a whole?
For club it would have to be Abdoulaye Doucoure. Hopefully we can keep hold of him for one more season, but won’t be surprised if he goes to one of the top four for some big money during the transfer window. In the league for me it would have to be Kevin de Bruyne. His performance at Vicarage Road earlier in the season in their 6-0 mauling of us was one of the finest individual displays I have ever seen.
Q. Explain in no more than 140 characters how the last ten years have been for the club.
From being hours away to entering administration to top-flight football, it’s fair to say the last decade as a Watford fan has been a bit of a roller coaster!
Q. What have you made of Palace this season?
Terrible at the start, obviously, but Roy has worked his magic. Palace always seem to be able to raise their game when it matters, it’s a trait that I’ve always admired and in all honesty am a little bit jealous of.
Q. Name a player from EACH side that the opposition should be concerned about?
For us it has to be Will Hughes. He’s been exceptional since coming into the first team and is a real danger if given enough space. For you guys it has to be Wilfried Zaha, a constant menace. No doubt a small number of fans will give him a bit of stick as always but that will inevitably make him play better and then the fans who do that can’t take it when Zaha gives it back. Football fans, eh?
Q. Your prediction?
I can see Palace winning this one in all honesty, but I have a rule whereby I can’t ever predict a loss for Watford, so I’ll go 3-1 to the ‘Orns.
Q. And finally, tell us a little about your fan group and any projects that you may be working on.
I started The Hornets’ Nest back in 2013 after the Playoff Final. I was heading into my final year of University and thought, what better way to blow my student loan than to follow Watford around the country for a season in the hope we’d be promoted and document it online as something to look back on in several years’ time. Sadly, the promotion dream didn’t happen that season (in fact it was a pretty miserable year!) but I loved the process of going to the game and jotting down my thoughts, so I just kept going! As it stands I’m still doing the blog, contributing to BT Sport each week, writing the Fans View pieces in the local paper and have recently started co-hosting the Watford Fan Show on Love Sport Radio, 558am, Sundays 7-8pm.
