Okay, do we go with the theory that Watford will still be shell-shocked after their 8-0 mauling against Citeh, or do we take the view that they will straining every sinew against us to get their season back on track? Personally I take the latter view.
However, forcasting this is difficult because at the moment we have no idea of the players that each manager will field. If I were Quique Sanchez Flores, I would play my strongest team to try and consign Saturday to history and kick-start the season by giving our Swans an almighty hammering. If this is his mentality then I feel that, no matter what team we field, we'll do well to keep it to a couple of goals. There's a lot of talent, pace and physicality in that Watford team despite the horrendous performance against Citeh. Truth be told, Citeh might well hit ten past some luckless team this season, so Watford can't be judged solely on that particular performance.
Then there's the question about which side Cooperman will select. Given our present position, he could likely decide to rest some of our best players and give some of the squad a runout. Let's face it, we have shown only glimpses of our true potential so far this season and goals have dried up in the last couple of games. So, does Cooper give his best team a chance to brush away the cobwebs, or does he rest some to recharge their batteries? Celina, for instance, has looked totally knackered at times.
The problem is that, if Cooper does field his best team and they DO get hammered, this could have a severe detrimental effect on the players' confidence going forward. It's a difficult decision no doubt and one that Cooper draws big bucks to make. If it were me, I'd give some of the squad some game time, supplement them with a handful of regular starters and stack the bench with experience to give us a chance if we're still in the game towards the end.
As for the result, I have to go with a Premier League team playing at home and smarting to show their fans and critics that they are still a force. For sure, they will throw the kitchen sink at us. But, the longer we can stay in the game, the more their confidence will dilute and maybe let us back in the game to steal a draw then maybe a win via the lottery of the penalty shootout. Unlikely I know but stranger things have happened and we do tend to rise to the occasion. Let's hope we do so tonight. Worst case scenario is that we lose but if we do so with honour then at least we can concentrate fully on the league and that's no bad thing given our present lofty position.
However, forcasting this is difficult because at the moment we have no idea of the players that each manager will field. If I were Quique Sanchez Flores, I would play my strongest team to try and consign Saturday to history and kick-start the season by giving our Swans an almighty hammering. If this is his mentality then I feel that, no matter what team we field, we'll do well to keep it to a couple of goals. There's a lot of talent, pace and physicality in that Watford team despite the horrendous performance against Citeh. Truth be told, Citeh might well hit ten past some luckless team this season, so Watford can't be judged solely on that particular performance.
Then there's the question about which side Cooperman will select. Given our present position, he could likely decide to rest some of our best players and give some of the squad a runout. Let's face it, we have shown only glimpses of our true potential so far this season and goals have dried up in the last couple of games. So, does Cooper give his best team a chance to brush away the cobwebs, or does he rest some to recharge their batteries? Celina, for instance, has looked totally knackered at times.
The problem is that, if Cooper does field his best team and they DO get hammered, this could have a severe detrimental effect on the players' confidence going forward. It's a difficult decision no doubt and one that Cooper draws big bucks to make. If it were me, I'd give some of the squad some game time, supplement them with a handful of regular starters and stack the bench with experience to give us a chance if we're still in the game towards the end.
As for the result, I have to go with a Premier League team playing at home and smarting to show their fans and critics that they are still a force. For sure, they will throw the kitchen sink at us. But, the longer we can stay in the game, the more their confidence will dilute and maybe let us back in the game to steal a draw then maybe a win via the lottery of the penalty shootout. Unlikely I know but stranger things have happened and we do tend to rise to the occasion. Let's hope we do so tonight. Worst case scenario is that we lose but if we do so with honour then at least we can concentrate fully on the league and that's no bad thing given our present lofty position.
