Premier League: All Change Yet All The Same For The Hornets!

Watford FC vs Arsenal

The Premier League is back this weekend.

After the first international break of the new season, SBOBET fans can look forward to a full programme of matches in England’s top flight.

That means more Premier League highlights and more Premier League betting odds to feast your eyes upon.

This game at Vicarage Road may not be an obvious stand-out fixture when you scan down the list but don’t be too judgmental.

This has a sparky history.

Talking Points

The initial talking point centres on a new, yet familiar face in the home dugout.

Quique Sanchez Flores is back in charge of Watford after Javi Gracia, who guided the club to the FA Cup Final last season, harshly paid the price for a bad start to the campaign.

That is Watford’s way though under their trigger-happy owners and as Flores, harshly dismissed himself in 2016, clocked on for his second coming at Vicarage Road, he claimed: ‘I feel this is my home’.

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Indeed, there were just 31 minutes between the two announcements with Flores returning to the club who dismissed him in May 2016 following just 11 months in charge after guiding them to a cosy mid-table finish and the FA Cup semi-finals.

Certainly, he will not need time to get to know all his squad as there are still several players remaining from his previous stint in charge.

His return has gone down well with those who worked with him last time around and there’s little doubt he will give the club a lift at an opportune moment.

One point from their opening four matches may hardy constitute promise but Flores, like his predecessor, will surely get more out of his players collectively than their individual talent suggests he can.

There is experience in the ranks he has inherited too with skipper Troy Deeney (although out of action right now with a knee injury), Etienne Capoue (who could return from illness), Ben Foster and Danny Welbeck (likely to be a threat off the bench against his former club) among the experienced heads he can turn to both on the pitch and in the dressing room.

Arsenal have no shortage of experienced heads in their squad either and have some positive news on the injury front this week, even if this game will probably come too early for the return of a trio of defenders.

Rob Holding is pushing to be involved in the squad after returning to full training – the 23 year-old has been out of action since last December after suffering a serious knee injury against Manchester United.

He has been working hard to regain full fitness and has already appeared for Arsenal’s Under-23 side

There is also good news for the Gunners with Hector Bellerin and new signing Kieran Tierney in first-team training, although neither will be ready for this weekend.

Premier League: Arsenal are set to face Watford with their new manager — Nicolas Pepe, David Luiz and Granit Xhaka during Arsenal’s match against Tottenham Hotspur

They are certainly needed based on what we have seen defensively so far this season, although their talent in attack has helped ease some of their defensive frailties so far – as best illustrated in their last outing in an exciting North London derby.

Putting the team news to one side, this could be tasty – there is certainly history as shown by their last two clashes in Hertfordshire.

History

Last season Deeney’s stupidity let him down as he thrust his forearm into the face of Lucas Torreira and was sent-off early on in a 1-0 defeat.

The year before, Deeney has rubbed salt into Arsenal’s wounds with a goal in a 2-1 success after which he claimed the Gunners didn’t have the “cojones” for the fight.

Arsenal have actually won 17 times against Watford overall, yet have lost 12 games. They have also won the last three league meetings without conceding a single goal.

As well as their 1-0 triumph last April, Arsenal also saw off Watford 2-0 at home last season, courtesy of a late own goal and a Mesut Ozil strike.

That will not deter the hosts though who have defeated them three times in the last eight in league and cup, including a famous 2-1 FA Cup quarter final success masterminded by Flores at the Emirates Stadium in 2016.

It’s hard to think they have only drawn once before. That came in the old First Division in 1984 at Highbury in a 1-1 draw.