Still looking over our shoulder - can we get the result our play deserves?

Derby County v Watford
Coca Cola Championship
Pride Park, Derby
Saturday 6th March 2010 -3:00pm

Watford:

Current League Position: 15/24
Leading scorer: Tom Cleverley 10lg
Manager: Malky Mackay
Kit home: yellow shirt with red Trim/Black shorts
Kit away: All Black
Last Game: Watford  1 - 2  Newcastle

Quotes from the manager:
 
Mackay speaking after last weekends game:

"When you look at the balance of play I think that we deserved something out of the game."

"We were playing the top team in the league and I think we coped well with the fact they decided to go long today. We won a lot of ball back off that and I thought we kept possession well and dominated play at times."

"I think it was our final ball that let us down today because we certainly got into the forward areas well."

Current Watford Squad:
 
No. Position. Player

1 Keeper Scott Loach
2 Defence Adrian Mariappa
3 Defence Jure Travner
5 Midfield Henri Lansbury (on loan from Arsenal)
6 Defence Jay DeMerit (captain)
7 Midfield Don Cowie
8 Midfield Stephen McGinn
10 Striker Danny Graham
11 Striker Heiðar Helguson (on loan from QPR)
12 Defence Lloyd Doyley
14 Midfield Ross Jenkins
15 Defence Jon Harley
16 Keeper Richard Lee
17 Defence Dale Bennett
18 Striker Will Hoskins
19 Striker Liam Henderson
20 Midfield Tom Cleverley (on loan from Manchester United)
21 Striker Lewis Young
22 Striker Will Buckley
23 Defence Jordan Parkes
24 Defence Martin Taylor
28 Midfield John Eustace
29 Midfield Michael Bryan
33 Defence Lee Hodson
34 Defence Eddie Oshodi
36 Midfield Kurtney Brooks
37 Keeper Jonathan Bond

The Rams:

Quotes from the manager:

Nigel Clough talking to BBC Radio Derby after the West Brom game:
 
"It is a nearly sort of performance again where we could have come away with the three points."

"We matched one of the best sides in the league, if not the best, for the majority of the game but don't have quite enough at the moment to see it through."

"There are grounds for encouragement in some ways but you have to get a point."
 

No. Position. Player
1 Keeper Stephen Bywater
2 Defender Paul Connolly
3 Defender James McEveley
4 Midfield Paul Green
5 Defender Miles Addison (vice-captain)
6 Defender Dean Leacock
7 Midfield Lee Croft
8 Midfield Robbie Savage (captain)
9 Striker Rob Hulse
10 Midfield Kris Commons
11 Midfield Gary Teale
12 Striker Chris Porter
13 Keeper Saul Deeney
14 Defender Shaun Barker
16 Midfield Stephen Pearson
17 Defender Jake Buxton
18 Midfield Ben Pringle
19 Midfield Michael Tonge (on loan from Stoke City F.C.)
20 Striker Steve Davies
21 Defender Dean Moxey
22 Midfield Arnaud Mendy
23 Defender Mark O'Brien
24 Defender Nicky Hunt (on loan from Bolton Wanderers F.C.)
25 David Martin (on loan from Millwall F.C)
26 Midfield Lee Hendrie
27 Defender Russell Anderson
28 Defender Mitchell Hanson
31 Defender Javan Vidal (on loan from Manchester City F.C.)
32 Striker Gilles Sunu (on loan from Arsenal F.C.)
33 Defender Mark Dudley
35 Striker Callum Ball

What the Bookies think:

Home Win: 10/11
Draw: 11/5
Away win: 5/2
First Scorer: - Chris Porter, Rob Hulse 5/1, Heidar Helguson  7/1

Information for travelling fans:
 
Driving: Watford to Derby is about 114 miles. Take the M1 North to J25 then take the A52 Brian Clough Way to Derby. You will see the ground on your left as you arrive in Derby. Follow the signs for the parking or stay on the A52 as described below.

Parking: Away fans should park at Catalyst on London Rd opposite the Navigation pub. It’s about 10-15 minutes walk from the ground. Don’t be tempted to park at the shopping centre on Pride Park unless you fancy being clamped.

You can also park for a £5 at the hospital further up London Rd near the hospital and the Railway station. Another alternative is to park at Pentagon Island. Take the exit for the cattle market and turn left and after a few hundred yards you will come to The Cattle Market Car Park. It’s about 10 minutes walk to the ground from here.
 
Drinking: There are a few pubs very close to the ground but if you come by train, the locale around the station is fairly inviting. The Crown and Cushion at the junction of London Rd always seems to be full of away supporters.

The Brunswick is a must for any real ale fans and the Alexandra next door is my personal favourite.
 
Fans tend to mingle in these pubs and as long as you’re not being aggressive, the atmosphere is good. The Waterfall opposite the station is okay as well. If you are driving, the Navigation Pub on London Rd opposite the parking area is your best bet.

Around the ground there's a Frankie & Bennie's, Harvester and the Pride Park but these tend to be very busy.

Mick’s Prediction:
 
The last two games should have dispelled the idea we were on a late push for the play-offs. We should now be focussing on the fact that survival is our main priority.

We're five points above Sheffield Wednesday who top the drop zone and a couple of run of wrong results could leave us easily in relegation trouble again.  I know it's negative but to stick our head in the sand and hope it goes away would be more negative.

More positively, we have played well in the last two games for at least part of the game. The fact that we couldn't capitalize - mainly because of key missing players - should  alert fans that we aren't out of the woods yet.

Rob Hulse should return for this one though Kris Commons is still out. Porter & Sunu did well last week though with minimal service. I would like to see if Martin is any better in midfield than Pearson. Pearson is doing well but still provides little final product in the form of crosses or goals. That said; he does beef up the midfield allowing us to play Robbie Savage - which is what the manager wants to do at the moment.

Watford are in the same position as us - although having played less games. They play some good football on the ground - but these are the type of games we should see as our bread and butter. It's good getting results against the top teams in the division - it's bad to then drop teams against the perceived weaker teams.

Mick's Team:

Bywater, Hunt, Barker, Buxton, Moxey, Green, Savage, Tonge, Pearson, Sunu, Hulse.

Subs: Vidal, Deeney, Pringle, Anderson, Porter, Martin ...

Mick's Prediction:

Derby 2-0 Watford

Photo: Action Images

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