Slaven Bilic looks all set to name the same team as played against West Brom last weekend unless Andy Carroll comes through a fitness test.
The striker is undergoing the test right now as he bids to gain a place in the squad for tonight’s game at Vicarage Road with the odds will believed to be fifty fifty.
Arthur Masuaku is also fully fit and will be included in today’s squad and Andre Ayew is also expected to be on the bench along with Sam Byram.
That means Cheik Kouyate is set to remain at right back despite the former Leeds man being fully fit.
With Kouyate again in the back four, Slav looks set to have decided that skipper Mark Noble will remain as Pedro Obiang’s midfield partner.
The likely team – should Carroll fail – his fitness test therefore will be: Randolph; Kouyate, Fonte, Reid, Cresswell; Feghouli, Noble, Obiang, Snodgrass; Antonio, Lanzini.
Should AC make it then Antonio will play through the middle with him or wide with Feghouli dropping to the bench.
Byram must play at right back with Kouyate taking Nobles place in middle with Obiang .
COYI
Don’t think Byram’s good enough either Bubs
No Carroll again. What a shock! Bet Watford’s preparations are totally destroyed. Sorry to be cynical, but what does all this ‘not ruled out’ ‘ maybe off the bench’ really achieve?
Anyway, another break after this one until Chelsea so maybe they can put him back together again for that. He won’t get much change out of them anyway, so just get him fit for the run in.
I still have concerns over Slaven’s team selections. You have a fit right back and yet play your best midfielder there – he is still using square pegs in round holes, and it doesn’t work in the premiership. My main concern is that by now I would have thought he had learnt from this earlier on this season. The players are not new to him and neither is the premiership. The best managers learn and get better over time, I am not even sure he knows his best starting XI still. We gave 2 goals to West Brom in the last game and we have given Watford a head start today.
It is so frustrating.
Yeah he is clueless..The last seven away games- Won 3 Drawn 3 Lost 1..ffs.