Watford match winner Matej Vydra is fit to start against Ipswich Town but will he still miss out?
11:23am Tuesday 21st August 2012 in Latest Football News By Frank Smith and Tom Allnutt
Vydra is fit to start ... but will he still miss out?
Matej Vydra is fit enough to start for Watford tonight but Gianfranco Zola claims he still may not promote the forward to the starting XI despite scoring the winner at the weekend.
Vydra scored the crucial goal in Watford’s 3-2 victory over Crystal Palace on Saturday but had to settle with coming off the bench after playing 120 minutes against Wycombe the week before.
The 20-year-old missed a large chunk of last season with a serious knee injury and spent much of pre-season with the physios, due to what Zola described as a 'muscle imbalance'.
Speaking to the Watford Observer yesterday, Zola said: "Vydra is now fit enough to play, whether he will or not though I am not sure. But he is fit enough."
Full back Daniel Pudil has recovered from the injury he sustained against Tottenham Hotspur two weeks ago.
Zola said: "It is good news; Pudil is back to fitness and he is fit enough now to start."
Sean Murray is available for selection again after he came through Watford’s match at the weekend without any recurrence of his calf problem.
New signing Ikechi Anya was left out of the starting line up on Saturday but Zola confirmed the decision was a selection rather than a fitness issue.
Steve Leo Beleck is close to making a return but a decision on his condition will not be made until tomorrow.
Alexandre Geijo, Fitz Hall and Stephen McGinn are all still ruled out.
Zola was pleased with his side’s memorable victory over Crystal Palace but insists there is room for improvement.
He said: "I was really pleased. The goals we conceded were due to mistakes we can easily avoid but I was pleased because we played the right way until the end.
"I know we need to improve lots of things but we are on the right path."
This will be Watford’s first home game of the season and Zola was keen to stress how important the crowd will be to his side’s performances at Vicarage Road .
"The home crowd is always important, the other day the supporters were fantastic at Crystal Palace and they are vital for us because they can make the difference," he said.
"The players need to see their support - if they see the support is behind them then their performances will always be much better."
Watford have an incredible record against Ipswich; the Hornets have not lost in the last 15 meetings between the sides, winning 12 of those.
Comments(17)
petsoundsnick
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12:00pm Tue 21 Aug 12
Colin West's mullet
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12:11pm Tue 21 Aug 12
Colin West's mullet
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12:24pm Tue 21 Aug 12
Chris the Vic
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12:25pm Tue 21 Aug 12
GFZ wants the supporters to get behind the team...his wish will be granted, but why does he treat those self same supporters as idiots with all this clap trap. It is disrespectful and gives me doubts about his ability to manage.
he really does need to review his PR.
Stoney77
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12:27pm Tue 21 Aug 12
Colin West's mullet wrote:or do you stick with your striker who cannot hit a cows backside with a banjo, and is prone to a minimum of 1 'air shot' per game..... definitely a tough one to choose between.
it's always a tough decision - your most dangerous player by a country mile is fit & full of confidence...should you play him?
D.unstable
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12:55pm Tue 21 Aug 12
Stoney77 wrote:Always a chance that the air shot may go in off of the underside of the Rookery roof.
Colin West's mullet wrote: it's always a tough decision - your most dangerous player by a country mile is fit & full of confidence...should you play him?or do you stick with your striker who cannot hit a cows backside with a banjo, and is prone to a minimum of 1 'air shot' per game..... definitely a tough one to choose between.
Holly68
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12:59pm Tue 21 Aug 12
TilliDie
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1:00pm Tue 21 Aug 12
LE PARK
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1:12pm Tue 21 Aug 12
Stoney77
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1:34pm Tue 21 Aug 12
LE PARK wrote:having not seen him I dont know everything about Vydra.... but am I right in saying he can play out wide too? Maybe GZ will drop Yeates and go with a front 3 of Murray, Garner and Vydra?
I think he'll start with garner unfortunatly.The lad will be chomping at the bit but see very much the same starting lineup as sat with the lad coming on to make a major impact again.Good to see pudil fit and hope he starts looks a decent player.
TilliDie
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2:11pm Tue 21 Aug 12
tonyevans22
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2:48pm Tue 21 Aug 12
TilliDie wrote:Did you just not chose to notice yeates and Garner? Garner played well,won near on everything in the air against palace,also hit the bar,and yeates was involved for our winner,in fact it was an assist.Both players deserve to start the game,I would give Hodson a start which would be my only change.
Vydra was put on the right wing but drifted inside. He looked a different class when he come on with nice little runs, good touches and hes not afraid to get stuck in. Didn't notice Garner really nor Yeates ( apart from a free kick that nearly cleared the stadium ). Murray and Vydra would be nice to see supporting the striker.
lutondown
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2:49pm Tue 21 Aug 12
Chris the Vic wrote:Ah the librarian has spoken
Sometimes it is nice to give the opposition a better chance of winning.
GFZ wants the supporters to get behind the team...his wish will be granted, but why does he treat those self same supporters as idiots with all this clap trap. It is disrespectful and gives me doubts about his ability to manage.
he really does need to review his PR.
Only one person speaking clap trap here and that isn't Zola
I trust as the self appointed leader of Watfords home support you will personally get them rocking?
TilliDie
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4:18pm Tue 21 Aug 12
tonyevans22 wrote:Yeates looked unfit and garner created nothing. He hit the bar yes but it should of hit the back of the net. If we have two playing just behind him he could be more use.
TilliDie wrote:Did you just not chose to notice yeates and Garner? Garner played well,won near on everything in the air against palace,also hit the bar,and yeates was involved for our winner,in fact it was an assist.Both players deserve to start the game,I would give Hodson a start which would be my only change.
Vydra was put on the right wing but drifted inside. He looked a different class when he come on with nice little runs, good touches and hes not afraid to get stuck in. Didn't notice Garner really nor Yeates ( apart from a free kick that nearly cleared the stadium ). Murray and Vydra would be nice to see supporting the striker.
Bush Hornet
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4:40pm Tue 21 Aug 12
lutondown wrote:Sorry you have doubts about his ability to manage, Chris. Is it his bizarre decision to aquire good players and then implore the famously quiet home supporters to do their bit? Shocking approach.
Chris the Vic wrote:Ah the librarian has spoken
Sometimes it is nice to give the opposition a better chance of winning.
GFZ wants the supporters to get behind the team...his wish will be granted, but why does he treat those self same supporters as idiots with all this clap trap. It is disrespectful and gives me doubts about his ability to manage.
he really does need to review his PR.
Only one person speaking clap trap here and that isn't Zola
I trust as the self appointed leader of Watfords home support you will personally get them rocking?
tonyevans22
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6:49pm Tue 21 Aug 12
TilliDie wrote:Most of GZ squad is unfit,hence they are not playing,did you take in to account that pitch level it was 33 degrees.Garner done well up front on his own.It is a new role,a new way of playing.Garner done bloody well to get his head on the ball that hit the bar,the ball was above him and still managed to get a good leap.We win the game and yet people still aim to add criticism to the same players week in week out.
tonyevans22 wrote:Yeates looked unfit and garner created nothing. He hit the bar yes but it should of hit the back of the net. If we have two playing just behind him he could be more use.
TilliDie wrote:Did you just not chose to notice yeates and Garner? Garner played well,won near on everything in the air against palace,also hit the bar,and yeates was involved for our winner,in fact it was an assist.Both players deserve to start the game,I would give Hodson a start which would be my only change.
Vydra was put on the right wing but drifted inside. He looked a different class when he come on with nice little runs, good touches and hes not afraid to get stuck in. Didn't notice Garner really nor Yeates ( apart from a free kick that nearly cleared the stadium ). Murray and Vydra would be nice to see supporting the striker.
Another stat is that Big chris has come on twice,won the game once and we win the game again,as our equalizer came as a result of him taking the defender out of the game and creating the space for the shot to fly in.
mooneysmagic says...
11:51am Tue 21 Aug 12