West Bromwich Albion — Watford: Match Preview, Championship Round 5
The Championship has reached the fifth round, and the fixture list has already produced an intriguing clash — West Bromwich Albion against Watford. At first glance, the hosts look like the favourites, particularly with the Hawthorns factor on their side, but the Hornets have hardly looked like a team that can be written off this season. The match will take place on 5 September, with kick-off at 15:00 British time.
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West Bromwich Albion head into this match with mixed emotions. The season started brightly: James Morrison’s side opened their campaign with a 2-1 win over Norwich before comfortably beating Burnley 3-1 at home. However, that was followed by a 3-1 defeat to Middlesbrough and a difficult League Cup clash against Newcastle, where the Baggies lost 3-2. Albion were nevertheless competitive against the Premier League side and scored twice.
West Bromwich Albion head coach James Morrison favours a 4-4-2 formation, so the hosts can be expected to play energetic and fairly direct football. Jimmy-Jay Morgan and Barney Stewart provide options in attack, while Isaac Price looks like one of the key figures in midfield. He has already made an impression at the start of the season and can add plenty of dynamism when the team transitions from defence into attack.
Watford arrive in West Bromwich in a more positive mood. Alessio Dionisi’s side remain unbeaten in the Championship. The Hornets were particularly impressive in their latest match against West Ham, which ended 1-1. Watford were not simply sitting back and defending either: 19-year-old Amin Nabizada scored a superb goal and has emerged as one of the team’s biggest breakthroughs at the start of the season.
The visitors also have plenty of interesting options in attack. Alongside Nabizada, Iker Bravo and Luka Kjergaard can pose a threat. The club have also been actively working to strengthen the squad, with Watford looking for another centre-back, winger and striker ahead of the transfer deadline. Captain Mattie Pollock remains an important figure in defence and, despite interest from Wrexham, is not expected to leave.
Tactically, this promises to be an intriguing encounter. West Bromwich Albion will surely look to take control at home, dominate possession and regularly put the ball into the visitors’ penalty area. It will be particularly important for the hosts not to allow Watford to launch quick counter-attacks. Dionisi’s side have several young and explosive players who can make the most of open space.
At the same time, Watford are unlikely to sit deep for all 90 minutes. Nabizada has already shown that he can make the difference with individual moments, while the Hornets as a whole are capable of causing problems even for more established opponents. In the most recent meeting at the Hawthorns in April, West Bromwich Albion beat Watford 3-0, so the visitors will surely be looking to get their revenge.
On paper, West Bromwich Albion look slightly stronger, but Watford’s current form makes it difficult to be overly optimistic about the hosts. I expect a closely fought match in which both teams will look for opportunities through quick transitions.
My prediction — Both teams to score: Yes.
