[Archived] Watford 2-1 Rovers

[Ozz]

When the fixtures are announced in the summer, the first match we all look for is of course Watford away, hoping against hope that it is on a wild wet and windy Tuesday night in the new year.

So it is with much joy that this is where we find ourselves, with a late pressie from the fixtures computer.

With an amazing set of recent away results, Rovers must be the form team on the road right now, and with the Hornets beginning to look set for just another one season in the top flight Blackburn supporters must look at the match as a real chance of making some progress towards another top six finish come May.

As many of you will have worked out by now, I am not going to be the next Brian Glanville. Indeed, I am more like Arkwrights Granville, but but but without the s s stutter. F-f-ffetch a cloth Gladys.

So, rather than mess on with poor stabs at humour and endless words on tactics, line ups and booing I have just collated a series of pictures and stories written by others.

I know this is a preview, but I like to look backwards to look forwards, much like the Owl does.

CUE JOKE-What’s the most common Owl in the UK? (Answer later)

This is the cover from the program the last time we played at Vicarage Road. Can you count how many are left children?

The game was during our last promotion season, with Blackeye Rovers benefiting from the ref, a Mr Rob Styles (what ever happened to him?) sending off two Watfordians.

The winner for us scored late-ish on by the certainly not Bent.

TellyGraph Report

I liked this one better though.

Blind Stupid and Desperate.

For the Vicarage Road Virgins, here is what awaits you.

AMAZING FACT-This is the very first meeting in the top flight of English football between the two clubs.

Individual records

Leading appearance makers

503 - Luther Blissett

Highest goalscorers

186 - Luther Blissett

Most international caps

(while at Watford)

31 - Kenny Jackett (Wales)

& John Barnes (England)

Highest average League attendance

19,488 - Division One - 1982-83

Highest transfer fee paid

£2,250,000 to Tottenham Hotspur for Allan Nielsen in August 2000

Highest transfer fee received

£2,300,000 from Chelsea for Paul Furlong in May 1994

(well at least till Monday tea time. Probably.)

MORE LATER

And finally Esther, the obligatory caption competition.

I was going to say something about Dr Stranglove, but thought better of it.

I think we will get beat 6-2

Easy, easy, easy.....you shaddap.

Bugs me when people do that.

Oh yea, the TEATE-OWL.

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

Nice work mate.A club I would have liked to have visited had it not been midweek now.... shame they wont be staying for long!.Cant help but feel sorry for 'em in a way,if ever a club was seemingly ill prepared for top flight football its Watford.

Watford 5 Rovers 0

[Jim J]

So it is with much joy that this is where we find ourselves, with a late pressie from the fixtures computer.

This game should have been played in December but was postponed due to our European fixtures.

Apart from that one minor slip, nice preview Ozzie

Watford 1-2 Rovers

[bob fleming]

Nice one Oz. Good to see an owl joke in there too, they've been few and far between recently.

3-0 Rovers.

[stuwilky]

This game should have been played in December but was postponed due to our European fixtures.

Is that not why its a "late" pressie?

Or am I giving Ozz too much credit!

[Jan]

I'd say the number of the team left is 3

Dunny (YAY)

Friedel (YAY)

Hughes (he is god)

[1864roverite]

Ozvaldo

if that preview had been in French then a certain Olive MArtin would have given you a triple aaa distinction before twitting you with her bunch of keys ! (ah the memories).

Nice preview Ozzie, I was at the game and as luck would have it on the three occasions I have been to Watford I have never seen a Rovers defeat (I aint going to the match on this occasion unless Rovers can provide me with a freebie as a lucky charm!!).

This has slip up written all over it for all concerned in a Rovers shirt, even if we have a settled side and are currently good on the road.

Watford will press and press so I see Rovers playing a lazy 4-5-1 albeit with a 4-4-2 look. Thats sounds odd I know but with watford going heall for leather, a young Derbyshire dropping off just in front of the midfield will provide an outlet for Rovers and McCarthey.

I would take a draw at 1-1, I would love a win at 1-0 but my heart says Rovers to taste defeat by the odd goal.

[Bobby G]

We always seem to struggle against the bottom of table sides, ie West Ham, Charlton, & Sheff Utd this season so Im hopeful we can break that bad jinx at Vicarage Road and cement our place in the top half of the table.

[MarkBRFC]

Our recent away form & the fact Watford are rock bottom and cant buy a win at the moment suggests a comfy evening for Rovers, however as we all know this is BLACKBURN ROVERS we are talking about so im thinking either 1-0 or 2-1 to Watford.

[philipl]

Excellent preview ozzie.

Wigan's implosion means we can only go 9th if we win but that shouldn't deter the lads. Should win but these sort of games are made for disappointments.

A hard fought Watford 1 Rovers 2. Could be a rout if Rovers score early and get on a roll.

[emglch]

when rovers are expected to win, they sometimes blow it.

watford 1 blackburn 0

[frosty]

Watford 0-1 Rovers

[Mr. E]

we've had our good run, it ends here I'm afraid. 2-1 watford

[theresonly1alj]

Wow everyone's so negative because we've started to get some good results.

[pick32]

4-0 rovers

[Gareth]

Wow everyone's so negative because we've started to get some good results.

... because this is Rovers we're talking about... whenever a team's on a bad run and play us we lose!

Watford 2-1

[orwot]

are all these negative predictions just to save face incase the un-thinkable happens? i know, we do seem to perform awfully when facing lower-table opposition but with the run of form and a settled and, lets face it, strong team i think it'll be a push over. Famous last words and all that...

watford 1 rovers 3

[Eddie]

Nice preview. So we are in form and playing against a team who can't buy a win...all things point to a rovers win, so surely we are going to lose. Hopefully we can keep it up so I'll be optimistic and go for a 4-0 Rovers win.

[Driftpeasant]

We need this win.

3 points here would put us safely ninth.

Chelsea at the Bridge will be very hard, even given their problems of late. We MIGHT pull out a win there, but noone has won at the Bridge in the Mourinho era, so I don't see us pulling it off here.

Then we have a short break before Sheff U at home. You would think we'd get a result (hopefully a win) out of that, which would see us to 37 points.

Then Everton away. I imagine they'll be full of ###### and vinegar to take us down after we destroyed them there in the FA Cup, so in current form I doubt we take points away there.

Then we have the UEFA fixtures, which don't leave us with much rest before Pompey comes to town. They'll be coming off a two week layoff, so I would doubt we'll get any points there either.

Then Notlob at the Reebok. Again I think it will be hard to come away with points there.

Then, joy of joys, West Ham at home. I think our lads will want a bit of revenge for letting Shearingham become the oldest prem player ever to score, and to give Lucash a little going away present. I think we take the win there unless things dramatically change for the Irons. That being said, they have scored 5 goals in the last 2 games, so they do seem to be picking up their pace a bit. Time will tell how that continues.

Then we go to Old Trafford. While we always play them hard, I think ManUre will want some revenge for last year, and will likely win.

Then Villa at home. They'll be coming off a short week, and have a bit of a daunting schedule between now and then, so I would think we should at least get a result. I'll call it a draw.

Then 2 days later we have Spurs at White Hart Lane. On short rest for both squads, but with Spurs in a derby with what will undoubtedly be a desperate Chelsea side, I think we come away with a result.

We have Watford after that, at Ewood, which I think we should be able to win. Of all the bottom feeders, I think Watford have the greatest chance of going down. West Ham have money to spend, and, while I think they'll still go down, Charlton at least has Pardew's fire and some unlikely wins under their belt.

Then Fulham at Craven Cottage. They've been falling off of late, and I don't see that ship righting itself, so I think Rovers can eke a win out.

Next, Charlton at home. While we do seem to lose to the down clubs, I think Rovers will want some revenge for our earlier defeat. While Charlton will come out swinging, we're at Ewood. Blackburn wins.

In the penultimate clash we have Newcastle at St. James. Hard call this. I think we lose, as I forsee Newcastle stumbling down the stretch and needing this to stay safe.

In the grand finale, we have Reading. I would think we'll be safe by then, so a loss seems likely.

Total Rovers points: 51

[Drunx2002]

Well, I'm going, and it's my 30th away game in the premiership. Those with exceptionally good memories will possibly know that I've never seen us win away in the top flight.....you'd expect Rovers to be paying me to stay away.

Alas they're not, so a trip down the M11 to Vicarage Road it is. I watched them slay Leeds at Cardiff in the playoffs and have a soft spot for the Hornets especially as they have been destroyed by an injury to Marlon King and now they've sold Ashley Young which is GREAT news for us.

A hard fought 2-1 win for rovers with a late McCarthy winner and the end to my curse.

Fingers crossed

[colin]

Nice preview Ozzie, what could it be that makes you and I such wonderful match previewers?

Anyhow, Watford have taken one point out of ther last six games, they have only won one game all season. At Vicarage Road they have won one, drawn five and lost four.

On the road recently we have stuck ten past Wigan, Everton & Citah.

So, Rovers being Rovers it's a win for Watford.

[Ozz]

Nice preview Ozzie, what could it be that makes you and I such wonderful match previewers?

Gotta be our hugely impressive modesty Col. Either that, or the fact we are both Earth signs.

[Fife Rover]

when rovers are expected to win, they sometimes blow it.

watford 1 blackburn 0

Did you say SOMETIMES! In over 60 years of watching Rovers I am struggling to reacll an occasion where they were Expected to win and duly obliged. I am sure there may have been one or two instances though.

[Shabani]

pah

we'll probably lose, we're useless against crap teams

1-0 watford, Hendersen gets his first goal all season, 1 yrd tap in

[Presty On Tour]

tidy preview ozzie mate

with watford losing again to the villa at the weekend and with young on his bike with his bags packed, watford are doomed for relegation.

we are on fire on the road and i expect rovers with key players on form right now to claim an easy victory, mgp and derbyshire amongst the goals again.

dunny may make the 16 and it would be happy days if he could crack in a beauty to finish them off.

i feel if we get an early goal there could be a riot on the cards.

all this talk of us going to lose because we are expected to win is balls, wouldn't worry about it.