Post by halls2006 on Mar 16, 2007 16:44:25 GMT
Predictions Please
[last time out]
Watford 0 Tottenham 0
Tommy Smith produced one of the misses of the season to ensure Watford are still looking for their first Barclays Premiership victory after 10 matches.
Smith somehow shot over an open Tottenham goal in the eighth minute - a moment that summed up the struggles Watford are enduring as they try to adapt to life in the top flight.
This was the kind of game Watford need to win if they are to survive, because Spurs - with the exception of the excellent Aaron Lennon - lacked inspiration in attack.
They could have won the match had Lennon not found Hornets goalkeeper Ben Foster in such fine form, but a Spurs win would not have been a just result, while Watford will bemoan Ashley Young's strike which was disallowed in the first half for a marginal offside.
Tottenham made nine changes to their starting line-up for today's Barclays Premiership clash at Watford, with only Tom Huddlestone and Hossam Ghaly retained from the XI that started the midweek Carling Cup win at Milton Keynes Dons.
But it was Watford who made a flying start to the match, and came close to taking the lead inside 15 seconds.
From the kick-off, Gavin Mahon released Smith on the right, and the winger eluded Benoit Assou-Ekotto before sending in a cross that Michael Dawson did superbly to hook away from the head of Darius Henderson.
Smith was a constant threat for the home side on his return to the team - but only he will know how he failed to put Watford 1-0 up in the eighth minute.
After Lloyd Doyley had volleyed Jordan Stewart's left-wing cross back into the danger zone, Smith somehow managed to shoot over the crossbar from three yards with the goal at his mercy.
Watford were almost punished immediately when Lennon tricked his way past Doyley and Dan Shittu to set up an angled shot that Ben Foster saved smartly at his near post.
It was an extremely lively start to the match, and Foster denied Lennon again in the 11th minute, racing out of his goal to prevent the England winger finishing off Robbie Keane's excellent pass.
Watford persisted with the long-ball strategy that they have used all season, but Dawson was playing superbly at the back for Spurs and rarely missed a header.
Doyley was experiencing a far tougher time against the skilful Lennon, who came close for a third time in the 35th minute.
Lennon collected a pass from Ghaly and stepped inside Doyley before unleashing a 12-yard effort that Foster did well to push over the top.
Smith had the measure of Assou-Ekotto on the Watford right, but after beating him again in the 37th minute, the Hornets man waited too late before pulling the ball back, and Ledley King was able to clear for a corner.
Watford put the ball in the net four minutes before the interval, but Young was ruled to have been offside at the moment Bouazza released him through the middle.
Just as they had done at the beginning of the first half, Watford began the second period by creating a chance.
But as in the opening 45 minutes, they failed to take it, Smith inches away from applying a decisive touch to Young's low ball from the left across the face of the goal.
Spurs came even closer to scoring the game's opener in the 53rd minute.
Ghaly's clever pass from the right found Keane, who rounded Foster before volleying the ball back into the middle where Jay DeMerit produced a superb back-heeled clearance to concede a corner.
At the other end, Damien Francis' 20-yard effort took a deflection off Huddlestone and trickled just wide of the left post, while in the 57th minute Keane - given too much time and space inside the Watford area - saw a right-footed shot parried by Foster.
Lennon was frustrated by Foster once again in the 75th minute after Watford found themselves in a muddle at the back.
After Stewart had lost the ball, Lennon seized possession and bore down on Foster, but the on-loan goalkeeper was able to push Lennon's angled shot into the ground and was relieved to see it bounce over the crossbar.
And in the final 10 minutes, Jermaine Jenas and King both headed wide when unmarked inside the penalty area.
Teams:
Watford Foster, Doyley, DeMerit, Shittu, Stewart, Smith,Mahon, Francis, Bouazza, Henderson, Young.
Subs Not Used: Lee, Mackay, Powell, Bangura, Priskin.
Booked: DeMerit, Bouazza, Mahon.
Tottenham Robinson, Chimbonda, King, Dawson, Assou-Ekotto,Lennon, Jenas, Huddlestone, Ghaly (Murphy 67),Keane (Defoe 76), Berbatov.
Subs Not Used: Cerny, Davids, Gardner.
Booked: Jenas.
Att: 19,660
Ref: U Rennie (S Yorkshire).
[last time out]
Watford 0 Tottenham 0
Tommy Smith produced one of the misses of the season to ensure Watford are still looking for their first Barclays Premiership victory after 10 matches.
Smith somehow shot over an open Tottenham goal in the eighth minute - a moment that summed up the struggles Watford are enduring as they try to adapt to life in the top flight.
This was the kind of game Watford need to win if they are to survive, because Spurs - with the exception of the excellent Aaron Lennon - lacked inspiration in attack.
They could have won the match had Lennon not found Hornets goalkeeper Ben Foster in such fine form, but a Spurs win would not have been a just result, while Watford will bemoan Ashley Young's strike which was disallowed in the first half for a marginal offside.
Tottenham made nine changes to their starting line-up for today's Barclays Premiership clash at Watford, with only Tom Huddlestone and Hossam Ghaly retained from the XI that started the midweek Carling Cup win at Milton Keynes Dons.
But it was Watford who made a flying start to the match, and came close to taking the lead inside 15 seconds.
From the kick-off, Gavin Mahon released Smith on the right, and the winger eluded Benoit Assou-Ekotto before sending in a cross that Michael Dawson did superbly to hook away from the head of Darius Henderson.
Smith was a constant threat for the home side on his return to the team - but only he will know how he failed to put Watford 1-0 up in the eighth minute.
After Lloyd Doyley had volleyed Jordan Stewart's left-wing cross back into the danger zone, Smith somehow managed to shoot over the crossbar from three yards with the goal at his mercy.
Watford were almost punished immediately when Lennon tricked his way past Doyley and Dan Shittu to set up an angled shot that Ben Foster saved smartly at his near post.
It was an extremely lively start to the match, and Foster denied Lennon again in the 11th minute, racing out of his goal to prevent the England winger finishing off Robbie Keane's excellent pass.
Watford persisted with the long-ball strategy that they have used all season, but Dawson was playing superbly at the back for Spurs and rarely missed a header.
Doyley was experiencing a far tougher time against the skilful Lennon, who came close for a third time in the 35th minute.
Lennon collected a pass from Ghaly and stepped inside Doyley before unleashing a 12-yard effort that Foster did well to push over the top.
Smith had the measure of Assou-Ekotto on the Watford right, but after beating him again in the 37th minute, the Hornets man waited too late before pulling the ball back, and Ledley King was able to clear for a corner.
Watford put the ball in the net four minutes before the interval, but Young was ruled to have been offside at the moment Bouazza released him through the middle.
Just as they had done at the beginning of the first half, Watford began the second period by creating a chance.
But as in the opening 45 minutes, they failed to take it, Smith inches away from applying a decisive touch to Young's low ball from the left across the face of the goal.
Spurs came even closer to scoring the game's opener in the 53rd minute.
Ghaly's clever pass from the right found Keane, who rounded Foster before volleying the ball back into the middle where Jay DeMerit produced a superb back-heeled clearance to concede a corner.
At the other end, Damien Francis' 20-yard effort took a deflection off Huddlestone and trickled just wide of the left post, while in the 57th minute Keane - given too much time and space inside the Watford area - saw a right-footed shot parried by Foster.
Lennon was frustrated by Foster once again in the 75th minute after Watford found themselves in a muddle at the back.
After Stewart had lost the ball, Lennon seized possession and bore down on Foster, but the on-loan goalkeeper was able to push Lennon's angled shot into the ground and was relieved to see it bounce over the crossbar.
And in the final 10 minutes, Jermaine Jenas and King both headed wide when unmarked inside the penalty area.
Teams:
Watford Foster, Doyley, DeMerit, Shittu, Stewart, Smith,Mahon, Francis, Bouazza, Henderson, Young.
Subs Not Used: Lee, Mackay, Powell, Bangura, Priskin.
Booked: DeMerit, Bouazza, Mahon.
Tottenham Robinson, Chimbonda, King, Dawson, Assou-Ekotto,Lennon, Jenas, Huddlestone, Ghaly (Murphy 67),Keane (Defoe 76), Berbatov.
Subs Not Used: Cerny, Davids, Gardner.
Booked: Jenas.
Att: 19,660
Ref: U Rennie (S Yorkshire).
