Watford vs Saints - Match Thread

[BARCELONASAINT]

Our league season kicks off in a few hours and i'm suddenly nervous as hell. Being on -4 points to start is probably what is already making me feel nervous and the fact that we always seem to start the season slowly, which now more than ever is something we cannot afford to do.

100%agree with Hypo, a win today and we won't worry too much on other things.

[Willo of Whiteley]

Scrappy 2-1 win.

Performance largely prevent at this stage, all about getting early points on the board.

[AlexLaw76]

Be nice to start a season like a steam train and get right up there early....Bit like the Adkins promotion season please

 

[rallyboy]

Three points please.

[BranfootsLoveChild]

On 13/08/2026 at 08:51, Toadhall Saint said:

Spygate gets a mention within 5 mins of the start of the broadcast.

And a co commentator who thinks we should have been deducted more points and kicked out of the league 😅

[Football Special]

18 hours ago, Matthew Le God said:

 

 

 

Portuguese league has obviously decided the Championship is a good place to go shopping with this deal and Benfica bidding for THB, definite shift in the market there,  previously we used to have to worry about players being poached by the call of the Premier League not so much foreign leagues 

[Lee On Solent Saint]

10 minutes ago, Football Special said:

Portuguese league has obviously decided the Championship is a good place to go shopping with this deal and Benfica bidding for THB, definite shift in the market there,  previously we used to have to worry about players being poached by the call of the Premier League not so much foreign leagues 

Article on BBC football page with the sporting director at Espanyol, previously with Villa. He stated that he thinks a lot of Spanish clubs will look at the Championship more for up and coming players. 

[Convict Colony]

2-0 saints

[saintant]

1 hour ago, BARCELONASAINT said:

Our league season kicks off in a few hours and i'm suddenly nervous as hell. Being on -4 points to start is probably what is already making me feel nervous and the fact that we always seem to start the season slowly, which now more than ever is something we cannot afford to do.

100%agree with Hypo, a win today and we won't worry too much on other things.

Look at it this way - how many points did Will Still cost us until Tonda took over? Few gave him a chance of getting us anywhere near the top 2 (me included) but he very nearly did it from a starting position worse than a 4 point deduction.

If we keep the key players and add a replacement for Shea we'll be ready to have another right good go.

[Willo of Whiteley]

I think teams will be more prepared to play us this season after the way we finished the last.

All that said I think we’re the underdogs in comparison to the teams that came down, Middlesbrough, Wrexham (because of the media love in); we have an opportunity to have a right go and stay under the radar which probably suits us just fine.

[benjii]

Peretz

Bree THB Stevo Manning

Downes Matsuki

Fellows  Dobbin Scienza

Larin

 

Ramsdale, Mads, Weli, Wood, Bragg, Azaz, Akochukwu, Divin, Archer

[Lee On Solent Saint]

29 minutes ago, benjii said:

Peretz

Bree THB Stevo Manning

Downes Matsuki

Fellows  Dobbin Scienza

Larin

 

Ramsdale, Mads, Weli, Wood, Bragg, Azaz, Akochukwu, Divin, Archer

Not Matsuki in the centre for me. Would rather Bragg. I know Watford will be physical and Matsuki will put it around, but he looked lost in that role last week.

[Disco Stu]

2 hours ago, Lee On Solent Saint said:

Article on BBC football page with the sporting director at Espanyol, previously with Villa. He stated that he thinks a lot of Spanish clubs will look at the Championship more for up and coming players. 

The Germans have been at it for a few years with Bellingham Mk.1, Bellingham Mk.2 and Tella.

Edited 3 hours ago by Disco Stu

[Saint_clark]

Cant seem to get fawanews to load except an archived page, has it been taken down over the summer? 

[trousers]

57 minutes ago, Lee On Solent Saint said:

Not Matsuki in the centre for me. Would rather Bragg. I know Watford will be physical and Matsuki will put it around, but he looked lost in that role last week.

Indeed. If Matsuki starts as DM I'll gently weep. We shouldn't be having to put square pegs in round holes on day 1 of a new football season, especially one where we give everyone else a 4 point head start... 

[davefizzy14]

2-0 to us today to get off to a good start 😊 Scienza and Larin to score 😊 COYR 😊

[gandalf]

11 minutes ago, Saint_clark said:

Cant seem to get fawanews to load except an archived page, has it been taken down over the summer? 

I've just tried and it seems ok.

[CSA96]

[Saint Matty 76]

Good team. I think Matsuki or Fellows was really the only consideration with Jander not ready yet.

Azaz, Fellows, Edozie and Mubama to come off the bench gives some real option.

[trousers]

[Disco Stu]

Good team.

[Saint_clark]

Think that's our strongest line up to be honest. 

[hypochondriac]

Great lineup. Dobbin starts as suspected. Great to see Matsuki on the wing and not the middle and to see Bragg starting. 

[coalman]

That'll do for an opening team sheet. Good attacking options off the bench too.

[Dan Johnson]

Bench is ridiculous for a championship game. COYR!

[benjii]

18 minutes ago, Saint_clark said:

Cant seem to get fawanews to load except an archived page, has it been taken down over the summer? 

Try a VPN.

[RedArmy]

Only Azaz and Jander missing from our best 11. 
 

Time to make a statement today and smash these 3-0. 

[goodymatt]

Best we could select really:

Jander not fit, Bragg fills in

Azaz limited pre season, so Dobbin starts.

THB plays despite speculation.

Good attacking options off the bench if needed.

[gio1saints]

If Bragg or Downes get injured we’re in trouble. Makes the point that if Jander leaves and Shea already gone we are CM lite. 

[skintsaint]

Will just take a win...dont care how as work with two Watford fans....🫠

[austsaint]

Good lineup.   Would be a worry if either Downes or Bragg pick up an injury - no cm cover on the bench.

[Matthew Le God]

Just now, austsaint said:

Good lineup.   Would be a worry if either Downes or Bragg pick up an injury - no cm cover on the bench.

Matsuki or Azaz would go into central midfield

[skintsaint]

2 minutes ago, gio1saints said:

If Bragg or Downes get injured we’re in trouble. Makes the point that if Jander leaves and Shea already gone we are CM lite. 

Get Stephens in there. Always felt he is ideal for that DM role...would be a rolls royce in there....

[coalman]

Just now, austsaint said:

Good lineup.   Would be a worry if either Downes or Bragg pick up an injury - no cm cover on the bench.

Plus I don't see a world in which BBD gets subbed on before any of the other attackers on our bench

[Saint_clark]

Just now, Matthew Le God said:

Matsuki or Azaz would go into central midfield

That's why it's a worry. Either of them playing there is a downgrade on last season.

[die Mannyschaft]

Good attacking starting line up, with strong bench.

[stknowle]

10 minutes ago, Disco Stu said:

Good team.

Attack heavy subs bench as well.

[Football Special]

This game has the feel of a 1-1 draw to me , we'll concede a scrapy goal , possibly a scramble from a corner late on 

[trousers]

1 minute ago, Football Special said:

This game has the feel of a 1-1 draw to me , we'll concede a scrapy goal , possibly a scramble from a corner late on 

Nah... 0-0 mate... you heard it here first

[Baird of the land]

The lack of cm’s on the bench is the only concern for me. Would have thought they could have included a u21 player.

[austsaint]

2 minutes ago, coalman said:

Plus I don't see a world in which BBD gets subbed on before any of the other attackers on our bench

Makes you wonder why he's made the bench - hardly a shop window prospect is he?   Could have put one of the U/21 midfielders  in place of BBD.   Let's hope Derby are still keen,

[jrobsbigshorts]

Happy with the lineup, would of started Azaz personally but that's a strong side and I'm pleased to see Bragg and Downes together in the middle ,COYR

[Brumsaint]

I was hoping Akachukwu or O'Brien-Whitmarsh would have got a chance on the bench after they impressed in pre-season. Both looked much better footballers than BBD.

[VectisSaint]

13 minutes ago, Dan Johnson said:

Bench is ridiculous for a championship game. COYR!

No options in CM, our strongest area last season, where we (nearly) always rotated. With Shea gone and Jander not fit enough yet it has left us exposed.and limited our attacking threat. Happy for Bragg as he deserves to start though.

[die Mannyschaft]

2 minutes ago, austsaint said:

Makes you wonder why he's made the bench - hardly a shop window prospect is he?   Could have put one of the U/21 midfielders  in place of BBD.   Let's hope Derby are still keen,

If BBD is not in the squad he won't get loaned out as teams will think he's not fit or skilled enough to make the team. Maybe Watford can loan him after today.

[tdmickey3]

8 minutes ago, Football Special said:

This game has the feel of a 1-1 draw to me , we'll concede a scrapy goal , possibly a scramble from a corner late on 

Before we’ve kicked off 🤣

[West end Saints]

2 hours ago, Willo of Whiteley said:

I think teams will be more prepared to play us this season after the way we finished the last.

All that said I think we’re the underdogs in comparison to the teams that came down, Middlesbrough, Wrexham (because of the media love in); we have an opportunity to have a right go and stay under the radar which probably suits us just fine.

We gained 7 points on Middlesbrough over just last 6 games last season. They have lost their best player (albeit he was injured end of last season) there is no reason we should feel underdogs compare to them or Wrexham, we have better first team, better squad, better. 

I feel we just need a positive start...

[egg]

2 minutes ago, Baird of the land said:

The lack of cm’s on the bench is the only concern for me. Would have thought they could have included a u21 player.

They played Friday so Sunday lunchtime would be too early. 

That said, Moses Sesay apparently played well, and could be one to breakthrough. Not sure what's happened to Barnaby Williams though. 

[SNSUN]

We start the season strong. Let's hope the results are strong because the next couple of weeks of the window will be tricky. 

I still think we start with a draw here but I hope for so much more.

[egg]

3 minutes ago, Brumsaint said:

I was hoping Akachukwu or O'Brien-Whitmarsh would have got a chance on the bench after they impressed in pre-season. Both looked much better footballers than BBD.

Neither played for the u21's so I'm guessing either injured, earmarked for a loan, or around the squad but didn't make the 2O.