Watford vs Blackburn Rovers
EFL Championship
Sunday
27th August 2023
Vicarage Road
The most comprehensive preview, detailed analysis and reliable predictions of game week 4 of the EFL Championship fixture of Watford vs Blackburn Rovers.
Watford vs Blackburn Rovers: Preview
Watford form analysis
Away at Sunderland, Watford let a lead slip in a dramatic 2-2 draw, going ahead early through Kabasele before being pegged back late after Porteous made it 2-0. A convincing 2-0 home win over Stoke followed as second half goals from Louza and Davis earned a vital three points. Watford built on this with an emphatic 4-0 thrashing of QPR at home, racing into a 4-0 lead by halftime with goals from Dele-Bashiru, Louza, Martins and Bayo capping a dominant display.
However, they were then held to a 0-0 home draw by Plymouth, failing to break down stubborn opposition. Most recently, Watford suffered a narrow 0-1 loss away at Stoke, undone by Vidigal’s second half strike in a tight game between the playoff chasers.
Overall, it’s been a mixed spell for Watford who have oscillated between commanding victories and dropping points from winning positions. Maintaining intensity for full games is crucial. But their best performances have shown Watford have the attacking weapons to blow teams away on their day.
Blackburn Rovers form analysis
Blackburn settled with a late 1-1 home draw against Luton, conceding on the hour before Carter netted a vital 86th minute equalizer. They followed up with a thriller away at Millwall, winning 4-3 after an extraordinary game that saw lead changes, red cards and late Brereton strikes deciding an enthralling contest. Blackburn then claimed an excellent 2-1 home win over West Brom as goals from Markanday and Leonard either side of half time downed the league leaders. However, Blackburn could then only manage a 2-2 draw away at Rotherham despite leading twice, conceding a late leveler. Most recently, Blackburn suffered a disappointing 1-2 home loss to Hull. They took the lead through Gallagher but conceding twice late on to undo their good work.
Overall, it’s been a period of inconsistencies for Blackburn who have oscillated between the highs of outscoring Millwall to the lows of dropping points from winning positions in their last two games. Maintaining intensity and focus for 90 minutes will be key. But Rovers have shown their quality and goal threat against strong teams. This indicated they can challenge at the top end of the table.
