And here’s our match report. Enjoy the rest of your weekend; ta-ra.
Eddie Howe says there wasn’t much in it till Watford scored the first goal – I’m not sure about that – and that the second half was “difficult” – I am certain about that. He says the first goal came about because of “our endeavour to do the right thing”, and that he’s not going to blame players because he never does, but the problem was the execution not the action.
He agrees that his team are conceding too many and scoring too few; they worked on attacking this week, but confidence is low. And so too is fitness; he says he has players playing through injury, and when a team goes behind that becomes a problem. Finally, he says that the responsibility is his, and it is his job to give cbeief to his players.
Half an hour from now, Aston Villa-Man City kicks-off; join Rob Smyth for build-up fun immediately.
So there we are. It’s still only January and Bournemouth have plenty of time to save themselves, but they need to get going because their run-in is brutal. Watford, on the other hand, are going to be fine.
“The boys and the gaffer have gotta take credit,” says Troy Deeney bashfully. “We’ve hit rock bottom a few times this season”. He then praises Doucoure, who hasn’t trained this week.
Doucoure says he likes playing further forward, then Deeney says his team should’ve scored more and, gesturing to the away end, says “look how happy these guys are”, which is what it’s all about.
Bournemouth are now second-bottom with 20 points from 22 games; Watford have 22 from 22, while between them, Villa have 21 from 21, and they play Manchester City in 36 minutes’ time.
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Full-time: AFC Bournemouth 0-3 Watford
Four wins in five league games for Watford, who move out of the bottom three for the first time this season. Bournemouth, meanwhile, now have one win in 11 games, and unless they can find something and fast, are going down.
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GOAL! AFC Bournemouth 0-3 Watford (Pereyra 90+2)
Yet another counter, Pereyra finding Gray, but Billing does really well to hold him up with a slide before Cook S clears his shot off the line ... only for the ball to rear up straight at Pereyra, who controls beautifully on his upper chest before zetzing home a murderous volley!
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90 min There’ll be four added minutes.
90 min Pearson treats Deulofeu to an ovation from the away end, replacing him with Andre Gray. He looks disappointed, so Pearson takes him by the phizog to offer some consoling threats.
88 min Hinchcliffe gives Deeney man of the match. I might’ve gone Masina, who was huge when the scores were level, or Doucoure who got the first goal and has been the difference in midfield, but I can’t argue with the choice.
88 min Fraser, who’s been willing but uninspired, curves in a low cross, which Dawson kicks away.
86 min Second change for Watford. Off comes Doucoure, who exchanges bro-hugs with the giletted Pearson. Quina replaces him.
84 min Nice again from Watford, Deeney finding Deulofeu out side. He moseys towards the box and rolls to Doucoure, who can’t fold his go-go Gadget legs around the ball, slicing a shot that doesn’t even go out for a throw.
83 min Change for Watford, Pereyra replacing Sarr.
82 min Watford are superior to Bournemouth in every department. They’re stronger, faster, more skilful and have a better idea of what they’re doing.
80 min Deeney, who’s had a very nifty second half, sends Doucoure away down the left; he looks up and squares directly to Ake.
79 min Surridge sways into the box and beats Mariappa, but Chalobah comes across to relieve him of possession
78 min Bournemouth have gone to three at the back, for all the good it’ll do them.
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78 min Watford look dangerous every time they counter, and Deulofeu combines with Doucoure once more before running out of pitch.
77 min Teams are in for the Villa-City game, which you can follow here with Rob Smyth.
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75 min Final go for Howe, who sends Surridge on for Wilson H, armed with various notes.
74 min ...Deeney pulls to the left side of the box and holds up Deulofeu’s pass, laying it back into his stride ... but the eventuating shot is wide.
73 min The Watford fans sing for the late lamented Graham Taylor as their team sweep forward again...
71 min The away end are enjoying themselves/is enjoying itself. They’re expecting more goals, and Bournemouth can’t subdue Deulofeu/ who scythes through a one-two/ with Dou/ Coure/But his shot/ isn’t true.
70 min Bournemouth desperately try to compose themselves, Fraser chipping a ball into the box that’s cleared as far as Billing ... who half-clumps a volley wide.
68 min Bournemouth get caught upfield which is not something you want to happen when the other side have Sarr and Deulofeu. And the latter drives on the counter, burrowing into the box and shooting into shins before Deeney, following up again, shoots first time. But this time, Travers is there to save.
67 min There is not a chance Bournemouth will redeem this.
GOAL! AFC Bournemouth 0-2 Watford (Deeney 65)
What a finish this is! Deeney drops deep and feeds a ball into Sarr down the channel; Cook S could just see him away, but instead dives in and Sarr lanks beyond him and to the line, driving a cross into legs ... only for the ball to break to Deeney, arriving onto the scene and absolutely punishing a first-time finish into the far side-netting! Bournemouth are in absolutely all sorts!
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63 min Watford just have more class and more confidence than Bournemouth, playing like they expect to win not like they kind of hope to win.
62 min Better again from Bournemouth, Solanke nipping out right and standing up a cross for Wilson C. But Masina, who’s been excellent, is wise to the ruse and heads clear.
60 min This is better from Bournemouth, Fraser feeding a ball into Billings’ stride and he powers into the box. But Caopue follows him, refraining from jumping in, playground-style, in favour of running his man out of position.
59 min Howe has seen enough, hooking Gosling and Lerma for Billings and Cook L.
58 min Wilson C, who we’ve barely seen, suddenly finds space on the right of the box, lamping a shot high and wide of the near post.
57 min Deeney loses possession to Wilson H, who scurries away only to quickly be levelled by a sliding recovery. Deeney is booked.
56 min A long clearance sends Sarr lanking away, but the counter looks over when he slows ... only to pick a clever pass into the path of Doucoure, who goes one more for Deulofeu. He should pass back across goal, but instead slices high and wide at the near post.
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54 min “This Bournemouth team has the look and feel of one at the end of its cycle,” says Stephen Carr. “When you factor in injuries and some frankly weird signings on top, you’re left to conclude - sadly - that Howe’s time is up.”
I’m not sure about that – he’s earned the opportunity to build again – but so far, this is a relegation performance. It is not unusual for a board to act in such circumstances.
52 min The corner isn’t cleared so Deulofeu clips in a cross that Deeney attacks, and though he gets nothing on the ball, he attracts men to him, leaving Sarr free! But instead of taking it down or panelling first time, he dribbles a tame shot across the face that Bournemouth eventually clear.
51 min Again,Bournemouth give it away deep inside their own half and Watford move the ball from left to centre, Sarr easily diddling Gosling with a clever shimmy and driving a low shot which loops off Ake and behind.
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51 min Mariappa lumps high into the box and Doucoure is up. He can’t get over the ball, but his desire to get to it nevertheless highlights a difference between the sides.
50 min Not huge amounts going on here, but Bournemouth are passing it a bit quicker now.
48 min Fergus Brown is back: “To the tune of “Copacabana”; Deu, deulefeu, he really is quite a good playeu...”
One of my mates has a mum called Lola. Oh what larks, dear old Pip, dear old chap.
46 min “Well, obviously,” begins Fergus Brown. “Deu… Deulofeu … daylight come an me wanna go home...”
Manchester United fans sung this about George Weah when he was at Manchester City.
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46 min Off we go again!
Half-time entertainment: Bournemouth in happier times.
Half-time: AFC Bournemouth 0-1 Watford
Bournemouth are in trouble, threatening little and tripping themselves up lots. They need to stop messing about in their own half and get men into the box, because if they don’t they’ll lose this by another goal or two. Watford, on the other hand, haven’t played well but have been comfortably the better side.
45+2 min It’s very quiet in Dean Court, and Eddie Howe looks rueful.
45 min There’ll be three added minutes.
45 min Bournemouth badly need to find something. And here it almost is, Lerma picking a ball through midfield which Gosling touches off to Solanke, who slides in Fraser! But his low drive is superbly blocked by Mesina.
GOAL! AFC Bournemouth 0-1 Watford (Doucoure 43)
Circus music! Again, Bournemouth try to pass out from the back and Nigel Pearson my son is having no such thing. His team press, Francis opts not to go long but to go home, and Travers sells Smith short. So Sarr bursts through him, cuts back hard, and Doucoure takes a fine first touch, allowing him to turn, then another that sets up a shot ... which flies into the roof of the net.
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40 min Smith loses the ball, which goes crossfield to Ake ... whom Sarr barges through. Dean isn’t angry, he’s just disappointed, all the more so when Ake takes swift revenge. No card are shown, but the one with the sounds is ticking.
38 min “This game rely needs Mike Dean to assert his influence and dictate proceedings,” says Colin Flint. “By the way, what would you choose as your rapper name?”
Tonight Matthew, I’m gonna be MC Mikey Dean.
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36 min “MF DOOM could ink a rap opus titled ‘Deulofeu’ in the time it took him to drink one-and-a-half bottles of malt liquor,” tweets Dean Van Nguyen.
I was picturing Pharoahe Monch, but that’d do me. I’m off for some half-time 8 Ball.
35 min Lerma leaps into Doucoure and hurts his knee. That looked a sair yin, bone on bone, but he should be ok.
34 min I said earlier that this is the unscary crowd derby, but it’s also the waterpark derby: Splashdown v Watford Springs RIP. It’s not a remotely close contest.
32 min There is nothing going on here; anyone fancy a game of Four In A Row? Why don’t you come too?
30 min Watford are dictating in midfield but are struggling to create anything, and as I type that, Sarr lays back for Mariappa who humps a cross in the general direction of Deeney. Nothing comes of it.
29 min I’ve seen better games.
27 min Sky show us Bournemouth’s next few league fixtures, which are both appealing and daunting. They play:
Norwich (a)
Brighton (h)
Villa (h)
Sheffield United (a)
Burnley (a)
So plenty of points available, but if they don’t find some form quickly, they’ll have to beat teams better than them to stay up.
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25 min Wilson H, who looks better, teams up with Fraser to pick a route through the Watford defence, but Masina is there again.
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24 min Ake eases forward and flicks a ball out to Fraser, whose cross is a good one ... but Masina sees it coming and concedes the corner which obviously comes to nothing.
23 min If I was a rapper, I’d love the word “Deulofeu”, brilliant for rhymes and half-rhymes with its own internal rhyme.
22 min Bournemouth are determined to pass their way out of defence and into trouble. Francis is nearly caught in possession by Deulofeu, but gets the ball away, just.
20 min Again, Bournemouth give the ball away deep inside their own half, and this time Cook has to chuck his body in the way of Sarr’s shot. The home side are nervous again.
20 min Caopue’s corner is a good one, but Masina can’t direct his header.
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18 min But here’s Deulofeu, Francis giving it away cheaply to Masina, who finds Doucoure ... and he knocks off to Capoue, who slides a lush baa in behind for Deulofeu, who drills a low shot which Travers tips around his near post.
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17 min We’ve not seen anything of Deulofeu yet, but it’s noticeable how quickly Watford get up when the ball goes into Deeney, whom they assume will win the header.
16 min These last few minutes have been a bit better for Bournemouth, who’ve settled into the game now. And Wilson H is back on too, but still grimacing.
15 min Wilson stands at the side as we get going again.
14 min Wilson H is down after landing on shoulder. It looks sair, and I’m not sure he’ll be able to continue.
13 min Nice from Sarr, skirting around the outside of Smith and away down the line, only for Smith to scythe through him. He’s booked.
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12 min There’s a brief pause after Lerma and Doucoure enjoy minor afters; lil Mikey Dean quickly reminds them who everyone’s come to see.
11 min While we’re on the subject, when did it become desirable to dress like a Peaky Blinder. We now have colours available to us, and all sorts.
9 min Wilson, who looks like the youngest Shelby, John i think, outswings one past the wall ... and Foster has to dive to save!
9 min Chalobah hauls Lerma down for no reason, and Bournemouth have a free-kick, almost dead centre, 25 yards out.
7 min Close! Smith drags a low shot that flicks off Wilson c and bobbles about as Solanke tries to adjust body and feet without losing sight of the ball. He can’t quite manage it though, and Foster smothers.
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6 min “Super-low camera angle today,” says Joe Pearson. “Hard to see the far side of the pitch.”
Trudat. I prefer too low to too high because I’m trying to feel involved in the game, but this isn’t great. Tagentially, when did “super” become a synonym for “very”.
5 min The corner yields another, which comes to nothing. This is a good start from Watford.
4 min Fraser gives it away and Ake is caught up the pitch so Watford break, but Sarr’s first touch is loose and he does well to win a corner when Travers shoves his shot around the post, though it was going wide.
2 min Watford knock it about confidently, until Mariappa’s heavy touch forces him to stretch. But stretch he does and Smith finds Deeney, whose first touch is lovely, sending Doucoure away down the right. His cross is good, but with Deeney behind play, no one is around to cash in.
1 min Ake is playing at left-back, presumably so that instead of fighting with Deeney, he’s shackling Sarr.
1 min Away we go!
Daryl Gurney’s walk-on plays as the players get ready.
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Here they come!
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“It’ll be a game of chess in terms of who’ll make the first move,” says Steph Houghton. Er, pretty sure that’s white.
The players gather in the tunnel.
Watford have had some well good kits. Here’s Nigel Callaghan in the 1984 Cup final, taking on the ABSOLUTELY HILARIOUS John Bailey.
Today is a big day for Dominic Solanke, who has one goal in 21 Bournemouth appearances. Howe can’t afford to keep picking a striker who doesn’t score, or at least can’t when his team is losing. On which point, when is David Brooks back? If it’s soon, that could be the difference between staying up and going down.
FOOTBALLESE QUIZ TIME: Graeme Souness thinks Nigel Pearson is someone you’d want...
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“We’re effectively playing catch-up now,” says Pearson, which makes me think: has any gameshow achieved such lasting verncularial impact as Going for Gold?
Foster goes on to say that Pearson has got his side mentally prepared. When he came in, he was very quick “in and out”, telling players what he expected of them, and is a manger whereas previously Watford had had coaches.
Ben Foster tells Sky that Watford needed a rocket, and Pearson was that man. That man himself says he wanted the players to enjoy themselves and not worry about things going wrong.
Breaking: Andy Hinchcliffe reckons Ake being back is important for Bournemouth. More news as i get it.
On which point, Bournemouth’s two strikers have a big role to play today (and in other revelatory news, I think the first goal will be important). But it’s rare for centre-backs to have a man each to mark, and if Lerma or Gosling can make third-man runs, Watford will have a problem.
Looking more closely at that Watford team, it looks very physically imposing, but with no small amount of wit and imagination. I strongly fancy them today, though Bournemouth pose a threat if they can get the ball wide early.
Choking up here!
Respect 🤝#BOUWAT pic.twitter.com/prObdg6p5g
— Watford Football Club (@WatfordFC) January 12, 2020
Eddie Howe tells Sky that his club’s circumstance represents his biggest challenge in the Premier League, but also notes that it’s more or less like this every season, with his team forced to fight to stay up. He is clear that his team will seek to attack and get the crowd going, which reminds me that today’s match is the least-fearsome crowds derby.
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As for Watford, they make two changes: Kabasele is suspended and Femenia is injured, so Mariappa and Mesina get a go.
So what does it all mean? Well, huge news four Bournemouth comes with the return of Nathan Ake, who replaces Chris Mepham; at left-back, Adam Smith returns from an injury to his moral sentiments, Diego Rico dropping out; and in goal, Mark Travers replaces the minorly hamstrung Aaron Ramsdale.
Teams!
AFC Bournemouth (a genteel 4-4-flipping-2): Travers; Francis, Cook S, Ake, Smith; Wilson H, Lerma, Gosling, Fraser; Wilson C, Solanke. Subs: Boruc, Surman, Cook L, Rico, Simpson, Billing, Surridge.
Watford (an ungenteel 4-2-3-1): Foster; Mariappa, Dawson, Cathcart, Masina; Chalobah, Capoue; Sarr, Doucoure, Deulofeu; Deeney. Subs: Gomes, Gray, Quina, Success, Dele-Bashiru, Holebas, Pereyra.
Star of the show: Lil Mikey Dean (Wirral)
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Preamble
He may call his dad “Son”; his real name may be “Nigel Pear”; but you’d have to be an absolute ostrich not to grasp that “Nigel Pearson” knows something. Claudio Ranieri may have bought pizza and such, but it was not him who built Leicester’s ludicrous league winners.
As such, Watford’s recent improvement is no remote surprise. They have enough good players to stay up, and now they have a manager able to identify and arrange them in mutually advantageous manner. It would be a surprise were they to go down.
It would also be a surprise were Bournemouth to go down, as they too have some decent players and a manager with a track record of competence. But they’ve lost three of their last four games and sit 18th in the table, just a point above their visitors today; if they lose, they are in trouble.
All of which is to say that this game is absolutely monstrous, and both sides can be relied upon to attack it as such. Bournemouth will stay true to the attractive, enterprising football that has left them at this point, and Watford will continue with the aggressive, direct football that has rescued them from that point. Settle in.
Kick-off: 2pm GMT
