Scunthorpe United v Watford- Previously...

I'm slightly hesitant to write this as some recent previews seem to have been followed by atrocious localised weather conditions at the ground in question. However if the game survives the snowstorms, hurricanes or heatwaves that may now be on their way to Glanford Park this will be the 11th game Watford have played away at Scunthorpe United. We've won 5, drawn 3 and lost 2, scoring 11 and conceding 6.

All but one of our away games against The Iron took place at The Old Showground, where Scunthorpe played before Glanford Park was built in 1988. Our only visit to their current stadium was back in 2007/8 in the Championship when Aidy Boothroyd's Watford won 3-1. Adam Johnson, Darius Henderson and Marlon got our goals.

This season we met back in November at the Vic where we won 3-0 with two H goals and one from Danny Graham, which was the last time he scored for us.

Scunny are currently 17th, two places behind us. They've got 36 points from 31 games compared to our 38 from 29 games. At home this season their record reads won 7, drawn 3 and lost 5. So far in February they've lost to Palace, West Brom and Leicester but beat Barnsley at home 2-1 on Tuesday night scoring a winner 5 minutes into injury time.

We could do with starting to win away games again. It was unfortunate that the golden opportunity to start was taken away from us on Tuesday night and that we'll have to wait until late April now for that particular opponent. However tomorrow's is certainly a game we should be able to win if we can just start replicating some of our home form on the road.

Rodgers Returns?- Watford Youth 0 Chelsea Youth 4

It was a bit daft that having encouraged everyone to get behind the youth team the club seemed a bit overwhelmed by the turn out. I'd luckily rung up yesterday and got the ticket loaded onto my season ticket card thingy, but most people hadn't and so there were lengthy queues up Vicarage Road when I arrived at 6.50pm. I assume that people were still outside at kick-off as there was a constant trickle of people coming into the Upper Rous well into the first half. I guess this is the problem with getting rid of manned turnstiles. Apparently there were two women selling tickets in a makeshift booth outside the Rous for those who hadn't pre-booked.

The team were given the full first teamers treatment coming out to Z Cars and Richard Short announcing the line ups. For us I only recognised Eddie Oshodi and Matty Whichelow. Immediately the most striking thing was that the Chelsea side looked about twice the size of ours.

We gave a very good account of ourselves in the opening 20 minutes and came close to scoring when a header from a free kick went narrowly wide. Keeper Bond then made his only mistake of the night when he was caught in no mans land as Chelsea broke and the ball was bundled into the net. He was lucky however that the ref ruled an arm had helped its progress.

It was 1-0 a short time later though when Chelsea volleyed in the opener and they almost got a second straight away when a similar shot went just over. Just as in the game against the Chelsea senior team back in January, once we'd conceded any chance seemed to have gone. They moved up a gear, looked loads better than us and went in 2-0 up at the break after Oshodi conceded a penalty.

A rumour went round at half time that Brendan Rodgers had been spotted in the stand. I didn't see him and there were no obvious chants about him but I suppose it could've been true. He is presumably looking for employment and his former charges (Chelsea, not us) would be an obvious place to go. On the other hand it was an easy and obvious rumour to start up.

The only difference in the second half was the ref. He had had a decent unmemorable performance in the first 45, but decided he fancied a bit of action. After all, the Chelsea TV cameras were there! So he started being Mr. Pedantic, booking our players for dissent over a throw in, and the distance of a wall. Every free kick had to be taken from exactly the right spot, and the ball had to completely still. He even threatened to send the Chelsea coach to the empty East Stand at one point. All this was completely unnecessary and just made him look a right dick.

A disappointing night, especially as 2270 turned out. I know the club encouraged us to go but I do think that people are more likely to get behind the reserves and youth team when these games are played at the Vic rather than in Borehamwood. I can never make 7pm at Meadow Park. Its just too far round the M25 when I don't finish work until after 5pm. However 7pm at the Vic when you can park in the hospital is just about do-able. How about Watford FC? Could we have the reserves back at their proper home for 2010/11?

Queens Park Rangers v Watford- Previously...

This will be the 59th competitive time we've visited Rangers since we became members of the Football League. Our record in West London reads won 12, drawn 21 and lost 25, scoring 71 goals and conceding 96.

Last season we drew 0-0 there just after Christmas. I'm sure I don't have to remind you what happened in the previous fixture this season back in early December but the words Lloydinho, goal, Magilton and headbutt should jog your memory.

Since then QPR have won just once, 2-1 against Bristol City at home on Boxing Day. Their home record this season is won 4, drawn 6 and lost 4. They are currently 17th with 34 points. On Saturday they lost 1-0 at Coventry.

The boo boys should have a field day, or night with Mick Harford currently caretaker managing the R's and Lee Cook featuring regularly. Gavin Mahon isn't due back from injury until April. Tamas Priskin should play as he is currently on loan from Ipswich. The loan terms for H mean he can't feature against his parent club.

Loooofer

Great to see Luther pulling out the balls for the FA Cup draw. Even better to see some footage of him in the yellow shirt, and scoring that hat-trick against Luxembourg.

As you might have heard he is currently after our old shirts. If you've not heard, check out the details here.

Sighing, Moaning and Dissent- Watford 2 Bristol City 0

Another Tuesday night, another three points and another satisfying performance. Rather the reverse of the Sheff United game in that the first half was entertaining whilst the second half was rather turgid but we hung on and that is by far and away the most important thing.

Not that several of those I shared the Rous with seemed to agree. There was a lot of sighing, moaning and dissent during the second 45 minutes as we ensured that we picked up all three points. This was quite ridiculous. Do these moaners not understand how well we are doing given everything that has happened this season and that part of supporting a team that isn't one of the 'Big Four' is appreciating you can't just turn on the style and score goals for fun? Last night was a typical Championship game. If you want dazzling Premiership action you're in for a long long wait and even then it might not happen. If you're going to whinge about not seeing that at Watford then why not head to the Emirates or the Bridge rather than getting on the backs of a team that is winning 2-0.

The player who received the most abuse was Liam Henderson. I would completely agree that he didn't put in the best performance of his Watford career when he replaced Danny Graham, but to shout at him from the moment he gets on the pitch as the bloke behind me did last night is just insane. How is that going to help him or us in any way at all?

Liam hasn't copied Ross Jenkins, Scott Loach or Lee Hodson in bursting into the first team squad and never looking back but isn't that all the more reason to give him a chance? Leave the criticism to Malky to pass on. If he doesn't end up making the grade to stay at the Vic that should be down to him alone. Not because certain supporters, who are struggling to find a bogeyman post Simpson, Russo and Rodgers, have decided to start picking on a kid who is only just 20.

Watford v Bristol City- Previously...

If the game survives the snow that is meant to be on the way tomorrow night this will be the 43rd meeting hosted by the Horns against Bristol City. Our record at home against them reads won 18, drawn 12, lost 12, scoring 66 and conceding 52.

Last season we went down 4-2 at the Vic in a very depressing Boxing Day encounter that saw us concede in the first minute. Our last meeting was on 28 December 2009 when we drew 2-2 with Cleverley and Eustace getting our goals, the second of which came deep in injury time.

For the second game in a row we are pitied against opponents one place above ourselves in the league table. Bristol City are currently 11th with 37 points from 28 games. Their away record this season is won 2, drawn 6, lost 5.

Since our Christmas meeting they've had almost a more miserable time of it than we have. They've played Cardiff three times, twice in the cup where they lost 1-0 in a replay and a week later in the league when they lost 6-0 to them at home. Their only success in January was a 4-2 win over Preston. On Saturday they drew 1-1 at home to Coventry, the week before they shared a goalless draw with Middlesbrough.

Bristol City's ex-Horns remain solely on the managerial side with Gary Johnson in charge and Keith Millen as his assistant.

No Bull- Barnsley 1 Watford 0

We must have done okay if Malky reckons we deserved to get something out of the game. In a Ray Lewington type way I like the fact that he is completely honest about our performances. Its good to see we've maintained our position despite losing. That win on Tuesday really was an important three points. We now need another one against Bristol City this coming Tuesday.

Barnsley v Watford- Previously...

Tomorrow will be the 24th meeting between Watford and Barnsley at Oakwell. The first meeting up there was in the old Division 3 in March 1961 when we won 1-0. Our record is won 6, drawn 6, and lost 11. We've scored 21 goals and conceded 32.

Last season we lost 2-1 at Oakwell in one of Malky's caretaking games, Tommy Smith got our goal. It was Mark Robins first game in charge of The Tykes when we met in September at the Vic. Danny Graham got the goal as we won 1-0.

Barnsley are currently 11th, one in front of us. We've both played 27 and they have 36 points, one more than us. At home their record this season is won 5, drawn 4 lost 5. On Tuesday night they had an even more impressive win than our own, beating Preston 4-1 away. Last Saturday they lost 1-0 at Reading and before that beat Leicester and lost to Sheffield Wednesday both at Oakwell.

Martin Devaney remains the only tenious link between us and them.

Tuesday Night Fortress- Watford 3 Sheffield United 0

What did the first half of this game and our new centre back Martin Taylor have in common? Well, they're both about as far from pretty as it is possible to get. No offence, Martin. In fact judging by the comments around me you've already got a place in our hearts. You are big, menacing, effective, and have the added bonus of being able to get forward too. A white Danny Shittu if you like.

The first 45 was true traditional Division Two fare. An even battle with not much skill but a lot of heart. Henderson, in particular, looking threatening. It would've been no surprise had we conceded, especially in the opening 25 minutes when they were probably the better side, but with our back four looking the most settled its been all season and Scott showing £3million form we kept them out. Gradually we fought our way back into it with Eustace having a couple of chances and Cleverley's wonderful free kick hitting the post.

But then we took the kind of chance that was bound to come along eventually. You know, the sort of one other teams always seem to take against us. A moment of hesitation in the United defence and Cleverley popped up and was extremely brave to head the ball past the Blades keeper before crashing into him. A few minutes later and following another mix up Helguson was unlucky not to make it 2-0.

The five minutes of first half injury time can all be put down to United, even though a couple of our players had needed treatment. They are still as dirty as they were in the Warnock days but oddly delicate whenever they were on the receiving end of anything as physical as a tackle, going and staying down all too easily.

One expected Kevin Blackwell to give his troops a right rollicking at half time and for them to come out and take the game to us.

However it just didn't happen. In the second half it was so one sided that I can't remember Loach doing anything other than kicking the ball out when it was passed back to him. We took total control and deservedly scored twice more through another mix up that Helguson punished and a Cowie free kick that went through everyone and in. We could've had as many as four or five. Lloyd made his now expected charge for goal and was unlucky not to score. Substitutes Graham and Hoskins also both went close.

It was a fine team performance. Despite the newcomer it was a team that looked far more comfortable with itself, like it knew what it was meant to be doing. Its true to say that all of the goals were probably as a result of opposition errors but its to our credit that we punished three out of the four that Sheffield United made.

With Palace winning in the cup meaning yet another Saturday will go by the wayside this was a good first effort at turning the Vic into a Tuesday night fortress.

Watford v Sheffield United- Previously...

As long as the undersoil heating works this will be the 21st time The Blades have travelled down to play us. My Dad commented to me today that we never seem to do well against Sheffield United and I was surprised to see just how true that is even at the Vic. We've only beaten them 5 times at home, drawing 5 and losing 10, scoring 21 and conceding 24.

The last time we beat them was in the first home league game after we'd both been relegated from the Premiership when a Lee Williamson goal gave us a 1-0 win. A 1-1 draw at Bramall Lane followed, but since then we've had no joy. They did the double over us last season including that awful 2-0 home loss in which both Henderson and Webber scored. Earlier this season we lost by the same score in Yorkshire.

Sheffield United are currently 6th with 41 points from 27 games. Away from home they've won 4, drawn 3 and lost 6. They went down 3-1 to West Brom at The Hawthorns on Saturday. Their last away win was a 3-2 victory over QPR in an FA Cup 3rd Round Replay. They lost 2-0 to Bolton in the 4th Round.

Darius Henderson is currently the Blades top scorer with 10 goals. Jordan Stewart has appeared 14 times since joining from Derby and played in the defeat to West Brom. Other ex-Horn Lee Williamson has only appeared 7 times for Sheff United since he left us and seems to spend most of his time warming the bench.