When in Rome, as the saying goes, do as the Romans do, or to be more accurate; when in Britain do as the British do. Watford have gazumped that backward clan that still exist in the football world, in insulated, odorous pockets. They’re the ones who boast baselessly about foreigners’ habits for diving, for softness, and other such nonsense. For a team managed by a stylish, continental gentleman, with a squad containing only three English players, it is a delicious irony that it’s Watford who should bring back, with gusto, the classic physical centre forward play. When Watford lined up last weekend against Stoke, it was the Potters who were relying on diminutive scurriers, Bojan and Shaqiri. Stoke manager Mark Hughes, the Welshman who played most of career in England, has reshaped a club that was, not so long ago, defined by the burly, the towering. Against Watford, who started Troy Deeney and Odion Ighalo as their two powerful, direct strikers, Stoke looked positively lightweight.
Watford won that game against Stoke, in highly convincing fashion, by three goals to nil. Theirs was a muscular performance, an impressive showing by a team that appears well-drilled, disciplined and fully aware of what exactly they must do to win games. They meet this weekend a team equally focused on a clear plan of attack, albeit one that differs considerably. West Ham have stunned most of the league, winning emphatically over four of last seasons top six teams, and playing a breathless, scintillating brand of counter-attacking football. Slaven Bilic has, since he arrived, formulated a hugely potent one-two punch; starting with Diafra Sakho, Dimitri Payet, Manuel Lanzini and either Victor Moses or Mauro Zarate as his attacking unit, West Ham look to scythe through at speed, early in the match, when their legs are at their freshest. Then, usually with a goal or two to their name, West Ham prepare their late-game dreadnought, Andy Carroll, who trots on to wreak havoc, grinding tired defenders into dust, like an ogre, finally unchained and allowed to run wild in a nunnery.
It has proven irresistible, and both Crystal Palace and Chelsea have succumbed to it in recent weeks. Watford have scored the equal-fewest goals in the league, and yet still have a totally respectable goal difference of -2 (eight teams have a worse differential). Their issue, in spite of their 2-0 win last weekend, has been scoring, not conceding. So, if Bilic’s ‘Plan A’ can’t break through a team for whom defending in the top tier has come naturally, Carroll will again enter the fray. It is safe to say that, although they will be happy not to have conceded up until that point (if they manage to do so) the Watford defenders will not welcome the sight of Carroll warming up. An image of two teams, both aiming direct balls at their traditional strikers, may well end up being the lasting final tableaux of this match.
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A lot will depend on West Ham’s ability to defend a physical onslaught by Deeney and co. Winston Reid, able to compete with any striker physically, is still doubtful to return from his hip injury. That means that James Collins, or possibly Gabriel Ogbonna, will partner James Tomkins. Collins will be able to fight with Watford’s strikers, should they opt for a more brutish approach. He will be susceptible to Ighalo running in behind though, and that may prove West Ham’s undoing, assuming the Welshman starts. Decisions, decisions.
Another statistical tug-of-war sticks out when these two teams are compared. Watford have conceded only one goal from outside the box, the second fewest in the league. West Ham have scored the fourth-most goals from outside the area, and have been given the green-light to shoot at will from Bilic. Manuel Lanzini in particular has relished any and all opportunities to shoot from distance – his shot, which could only be parried by Costel Pantilimon, meant Payet could nip in and score his teams equaliser against Sunderland a fortnight ago. The seems no obvious reason why Lanzini, or Victor Moses, who should reenter the starting line up following his absence against Chelsea, would shy away from letting fly this weekend. Watford goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes is experienced but, at his age, isn’t the most mobile shotstopper. A well aimed shot, suddenly dispatched, could catch him out.
The Hammers have quickly built a reputation as the most fearsome travelers in the division, still unbeaten on the road this season. Vicarage Road will greet them with no small amount of trepidation, but will be confident that their own team can match their focus, if not quite their talent. Quique Sánchez Flores’s team have shown they have the tools – a distinctly local-feeling set of tools, in fact – to survive in the Premier League this season. Surviving Andy Carroll, as the clock, and their energy, runs down, is just as daunting a challenge.
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