Leggi Looks At: Watford
By Leggi
February 6 2008
STB message boarder Leggi is back giving us an insight into Town's opposition on Saturday it's Watford at Portman Road in The Championship.
WATFORD
Saturday 9th February, Portman Road, Kick-off 15:00
The Club:
Watford were formed in 1881, and played their home games at the Cassio Road Ground until 1922 when they moved to, the now, 19,920 capacity Vicarage Road site. Their Highest ever finish in the League was ending Runners-up in the old First Division (now Premiership) in 1982-83, a year after Town also achieved the same feat. They also came second best in the 1984 FA Cup Final, losing to Everton, however they did win something when they walloped Leeds 3-0 in the 2006 Play-off Final and made it to The Premiership. But they only managed 5 wins all season in the top flight and ended bottom. Now, Still under the guidance of Adrian Boothroyd they started this season flying and until November looked almost certainties to win The Championship, but since then, their form has hit a wobbly patch, and they have only managed 5 wins since the bonfire month. Despite, this on/off form, they currently sit 2nd in the table after a 3-0 win against Wolves on Saturday, 7 points ahead of 6th placed Town. Watford beat Town 2-0 at Vicarage Road in the first of this seasons encounters.
FORM GUIDE
(10) Ipswich Town P6 W2 D3 L1
(12) Watford P6 W2 D2 L2
*MATCH FACT* Town have failed to beat Watford in their last 6 meetings, Home and Away.
OUR LEAGUE RECORD V WATFORD AT 'FORTRESS' PORTMAN ROAD
Played: 29
Won: 14
Drawn: 7
Lost: 5
Goals:
For: 53
Against: 31
Our biggest victory came in a Division 3(south) game, way back in 1939, when Town beat The Hornets 5-1.
Our biggest loss also came in Division 3(south) game in 1948, Watford winning by 3 goals to 1.
The highest attendance came in 2005 when 24,069 people saw a Town loss, this time a 1-0 deficit.
The lowest gate, 11,351, saw the points shared in a 1-1 draw in 1990, Brian Gayle with Ipswich's goal.
Our leading all-time scorer against The Hornets is John Wark with 7 goals, Ted Phillips got 5, Tom Garneys 4, and Dean Bowditch is amongst 5 players who netted 3 times, all of his goals coming in a 4-1 win.
19 players have represented both clubs, they include, Billy Baxter, Wayne Brown, Steve Palmer, Trevor Putney, Brian Talbot and Charlie Woods.
Leggi's player to fear: 26-year-old Striker Darius Henderson, who signed for Watford in 2005 from Gillingham. He scored on his Hornets debut, the day after signing, and went on to get a further 14 goals in Watford's Play-off Winning season. He, (and Watford), stuttered in The Premiership, without the long time injured strike partner of Marlon King and Darius only managed 3 goals last term. So far this season he has netted 10 times, and had formed a formidable partnership with King until his departure last week. It will be interesting to see how he fairs with new strike partner, the on loan Collins John.
Henderson has scored 3 goals in 4 starts against Ipswich.
Leggi predicts: An easier game that it would have been a couple of weeks ago, I really rated Marlon King and I think his departure will hit Watford hard in the coming months. Our new signings have been a breath of fresh air and I'm looking forward to the rest of the season now, we got our first away win last week so the boys should be on a real high, and with Watford's inconsistent form and our home record I can only see a Town win. 3-0. Just gotta keep an eye on Henderson who likes scoring against us.
Leggi is feeling confident ahead of the game, how are you feeling? Leave your predictions below.
-----------------Bywater------------------
--Wright---Naylor---De Vos-----Harding----
--Walters----Norris--Garvan------Quinn----
-------------Lee-----Counago--------------
Subs:
Trotter
Haynes
Bruce
Roberts
Colgan
You think this is an easier game than it would have been before we lost King? MUHAHAHAHA!!! You bloody wally! We're looking better now than we have all season. You don't stand a chance, you stupid @#$%& pigfuckers! MUHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!
Influenceing the paper from 200 miles away, well done leggi
Ipswich Town - the pride of anglia
Just a wee bit cocky weren't you?
And before you start about timewasting - You're masters at it yourselves as I remember (last seasons FA cup)