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[Albion] Brighton & Hove Albion vs Watford *** Official Match Thread ***



Dick Head

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Jan 3, 2010
13,612
Quaxxann
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Albion v Watford


PREMIER LEAGUE

Venue: The American Express Community Stadium
Date: Saturday 8th February 2020
Kick-off: 17:30 GMT
Referee: Kevin Friend
Assistants: Simon Bennett, Adrian Holmes
Fourth official: Simon Hooper
VAR: Andre Marriner
Assistant VAR: Andrew Halliday


TEAM NEWS

Shane Duffy is available for Brighton after recovering from surgery to remove a blood clot in his leg.

Fellow defender Dan Burn could return from the broken collarbone he suffered on New Year's Day, while new signing Tariq Lamptey might be involved.

Watford midfielder Tom Cleverley is in line to make his comeback from an Achilles injury.

The Hornets will assess Nathaniel Chalobah, who was substituted due to a back spasm last week, and Ismaila Sarr.

Winger Sarr has not played since sustaining a hamstring injury against Tottenham three weeks ago.


MOTD COMMENTATOR'S NOTES

Jonathan Pearce: Brighton's U-turn over Glen Murray was essential. One moment he had no apparent future. Now, with a new contract, Graham Potter says the forward has "a big part to play".

Successful pass and possession stats HAVE risen this season. But the percentage of passes they make in the attacking third per game has dropped from 27.6% to 26.9%, suggesting hold-up play is poor. They also have the division's worst big-chance conversion rate. Murray can change all that if he starts a game Albion must win.

Watford are dipping after their initial rise under Nigel Pearson. But he is getting the best out of Troy Deeney, and the service from wide positions is good.

I predict the losers will be in trouble right to the final day.


WHAT THE MANAGERS SAY

Graham Potter: "We need to improve our points tally - and obviously we're focusing on that for the weekend.

"It's not going to give me any comfort looking at the league table and deciding who's in it [the relegation fight] and who's not, we just have to focus on ourselves.

"I think Arsenal have won the same number of games as us, so it just shows you that wins in the Premier League are hard to come by for everybody."

Watford head coach Nigel Pearson: "We have an opportunity at the weekend to get back to winning ways and that is what we will try to do.

"It is important we put as much pressure on other teams around us, and we do that by getting our own results right.

"The realism of being involved in a relegation battle is that you have to get over setbacks pretty quickly."

MATCH FACTS

Head-to-head

  • [*=left]Brighton won the reverse fixture 3-0 on the opening weekend of the season, scoring one more goal than they had in total in the previous seven league meetings.
    [*=left]Albion are vying to secure their first league double over Watford since 1990-91, when the sides were playing in the second tier.
    [*=left]Watford's only defeat in their past seven league visits to Brighton came in the Premier League in December 2017 (W3, D3).
Albion

  • [*=left]The Seagulls are winless in all five Premier League fixtures in 2020. Their tally of three points this year is the division's joint-lowest tally, along with Crystal Palace.
    [*=left]Albion's solitary victory in 10 league matches came against Bournemouth in December (D5, L4).
    [*=left]That is also their only victory in the past seven league and cup fixtures at the Amex Stadium.
    [*=left]Graham Potter's side have 26 points after 25 games, one fewer than at this stage of last season under Chris Hughton.
    [*=left]Brighton have conceded three goals in successive league matches for the first time this season.
    [*=left]Neal Maupay, Brighton's top scorer in the Premier League this season with seven goals, has gone seven appearances in the division without scoring.
    [*=left]Glenn Murray's goal against West Ham last weekend made him the Premier League's oldest scorer this season, aged 36 years & 129 days.
Watford

  • [*=left]Watford have lost successive league matches and are winless in three, having previously taken 13 points from five games.
    [*=left]They have lost from winning positions in back-to-back games and dropped 15 points altogether this season.
    [*=left]Nonetheless, Watford have the fifth best record in the league over the past eight matches - earning four wins and 14 points.
    [*=left]The Hornets have failed to score in a league-high 11 fixtures this season.
    [*=left]Nigel Pearson is winless in all four league matches as a manager versus Brighton at Amex Stadium (D2, L2).
    [*=left]Troy Deeney has scored five Premier League goals since Nigel Pearson's first game in charge of Watford, a tally only bettered by Mohamed Salah and Sergio Aguero, with seven goals each.
 


Dick Head

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Jan 3, 2010
13,612
Quaxxann
These might come in handy for some.

soccerstreams100(dot)tv
soccerstreams(dot)net
 


Stat Brother

Well-known member
NSC Patreon
Jul 11, 2003
73,371
West west west Sussex
I will BeIn my car at 2.
 




Guinness Boy

Tofu eating wokerati
Helpful Moderator
NSC Patreon
Jul 23, 2003
33,820
Up and Coming Sunny Portslade
One of those genuinely terrifying "must win" games. I mean, Villa, Bournemouth and West Ham could all have been categorised as that as well but, having not won a single one of them, this really is.

A good test for Potter. If we can play our football and get behind them we should win. If we allow them to bully, foul, harrass and break on us then we'll lose. No doubt Pearson will set them up to do the latter. Whatever you think of him personally he's a good manager to have in a crisis and they've really picked up under him.

We need to score first. IMO that IS the game plan.
 






Mellotron

I've asked for soup
Jul 2, 2008
31,730
Brighton
Absolutely buzzing for this game.
 






Icy Gull

Back on the rollercoaster
Jul 5, 2003
72,015
I don’t have a good feeling about this one.

I never have a good feeling for “perceived” must wins :down: this is the first genuine must win of the season imo. We just don’t win them do we?

I’ll settle for a point :ohmy:
 


Peter Grummit

Well-known member
Oct 13, 2004
6,769
Lewes
Up early and nervous/excited more than usual for this one.

It's really NOT "must win" though. One of the most abused phrases in football, along with "club legend" and "Robbie Savage kissed the badge". It's a have-a-couple-pre-match, hold- your-nerve, be-patient and get-behind-the-team game.

UTA!

PG
 


sparkie

Well-known member
Jul 17, 2003
12,466
Hove
If we win this I'm very confident that we'll stay up.

If we lose this I'm regretfully confident that we'll go down.

A draw would leave it very much in the balance.
 






Perfidious Albion

Well-known member
Oct 25, 2011
5,987
At the end of my tether
It is never a really “must win” until the very end of the season when it is mathematically essential. Today is a “we would just love to win “ game, and it would do us a power of good.,before this wretched break. . If we start as we finished last week, it is game - on !

Come on, let’s sting these Hornets :albion2:
 


Thompson720

Well-known member
Jan 5, 2019
1,250
Patcham
Today's the day we should make the climb. All other teams around us playing top teams and on paper shouldn't be picking up points. Absolutely nervous as feck, and I'd probably take a point about now though ...

Sent from my SM-G975F using Tapatalk
 




Beach Hut

Brighton Bhuna Boy
Jul 5, 2003
71,903
Living In a Box
So excited
 




The Kid Frankie

New member
Sep 5, 2012
2,082
Almost every pundit I have heard has tipped us to lose today. From memory whenever that happens we turn the script on its head and pull off a win. Fingers crossed it happens again.
 


spence

British and Proud
Oct 15, 2014
9,811
Crawley
These are a good side were loose

:lolol:

In other words you have no confidence in Potter ? Tell me are Villa are good side ? West Ham ?

With the games we have left to play who do you think we could beat realistically bare in mind Watford are below us?

I sold my ticket on the exchange for today's game as i have no faith left in Potter. His tactics, team selection and woeful defending is there to see.

We won't win today and let's see the reaction on here at full time.
 




Icy Gull

Back on the rollercoaster
Jul 5, 2003
72,015
:lolol:

In other words you have no confidence in Potter ? Tell me are Villa are good side ? West Ham ?

With the games we have left to play who do you think we could beat realistically bare in mind Watford are below us?

I sold my ticket on the exchange for today's game as i have no faith left in Potter. His tactics, team selection and woeful defending is there to see.

We won't win today and let's see the reaction on here at full time.

Well we know you’ll be all over this thread if we lose, but will you be on here if we win?
 


spence

British and Proud
Oct 15, 2014
9,811
Crawley
Well we know you’ll be all over this thread if we lose, but will you be on here if we win?

Actually i won't either way. Can't be bothered son. Today's result will cause it's own hysteria without my intervention.
 



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