Premier League Watford vs Bournemouth: A Battle of the Overachievers

Watford FC vs AFC Bournemouth

The underdog story is one of the few sports story archetypes that everyone can get behind. Ask any football fan, and they will tell you that they cannot really hate a club that is punching above their weight and having fun while doing it. Underdogs are what make the Beautiful Game even more enthralling.

Premier League: Watford vs Bournemouth is a game that features two underdogs that are thriving in the dog-eat-dog environment of the English top flight. The two clubs have rallied under Javi Gracia and Eddie Howe to pull off impressive results in the early days of the season.

Of course, it’s important to remember that a lot can still happen between October and May. However, there’s no bad reason for SBOBET fans to sit back and enjoy this battle between the league’s biggest overachievers.

Talking Points

Bournemouth Ryan Fraser has made a strong start in the Premier League this season — Ryan Fraser believes Bournemouth are ready for Watford battle

The obvious has to be said: plenty of pre-season predictions saw the two clubs wallowing somewhere in the middle of the pack, not vying for spots in the Champions League and Europa League. The fact that the two of them have gotten favourable results against clubs of equal strength last season is a testament to the tactical acumen of the managers and the players’ ability to pull off their coach’s vision.

Javi Gracia is doing a wonderful job as Watford boss since replacing Marco Silva at the start of the year. He did a brilliant job in keeping Watford up at the tail-end of the previous season, and he outperformed himself by bringing out the Hornets’ potential and turning them into a competitive football club.

He made key additions over the offseason, signing Deulofeu, Ben Foster, and Adam Masina for reasonable prices. However, the bulk of Gracia’s work can be found on the players that are already in the club. He used the preseason to position his players in a centre-heavy 4-2-2-2 with the wingbacks providing the necessary width.

While his defiant formation hasn’t paid dividends as of late, it cannot be denied that his players are thriving underneath it. Gracia sticks to his preferred XI and does not make many changes, ensuring the continuity of play is always there.

His players have thrived due to his tactics. The wingbacks, Jose Holebas and Daryl Janmaat, are among top-rated players in the club due to their involvement in the attack and defence. Troy Deeney, Roberto Pereyra and Andre Gray are finding goals. Etienne Capoue and Christian Kabasele are doing a marvellous job on defence.

This Watford team will be a tough customer to contend with at Vicarage Road, but it isn’t like the Cherries aren’t ready to face the music themselves.

AFC Bournemouth have established themselves as a Premier League mainstay under Eddie Howe. Their attack-oriented football has always produced plenty of highlights, and fans can always count on the young manager’s team to always push the limits.

Howe is considered by many to be England’s next big managerial hope as he has constantly defied expectations with his boyhood club. The 40-year-old has played such attractive football that some disgruntled Manchester United fans want to pry the beloved figure at Dean Court and stick him to the United job in Jose Mourinho’s place.

Of course, the manager’s attractive brand of football is cause for celebration. However, neutrals are severely mistaken if they think of Howe as the only outstanding man in the South Coast club.

Callum Wilson has always delivered for the Cherries, and his two-goal onslaught at London Stadium still brings shivers up and down the spine of Bournemouth fans. Ryan Fraser has shown his versatility in attack and defence. Steve Cook has blossomed into a Premier League-quality defender alongside former Chelsea man Nathan Ake.

The Cherries will surely try to score one on the Hornets, and it will be up to Gracia’s defence to try and stop them.

History

The two sides have not played each other plenty of times, with only fifteen games played between the two of them. The Hornets are leading the Watford vs Bournemouth results tally, winning seven of those encounters. Bournemouth only won two of those games, and the remaining seven fixtures have ended in draws.

However, it is important to remember that almost all of the games Watford have won in their history were during their League One days. Their last seven games saw Bournemouth and Watford take a game each and end the rest with ties.

Moreover, the forms of these two teams coming into the game tilt slightly in Bournemouth’s favour. The Cherries won against Blackburn in the League Cup and mounted a comeback against Crystal Palace in the league.

Meanwhile, Watford put up strong fights against fellow London clubs Tottenham and Arsenal, but their efforts ended in nought.

Betting Tip

	Watford FC vs AFC Bournemouth	Over 2.75 Goals @ 2.00
	October 6, 22:00 (GMT+8)

Watford vs Bournemouth odds sees this as a close battle, with the home advantage eventually pushing the Hornets through for the three points. I also won’t be surprised if both of these teams cancel each other out and see out the 90 minutes on equal terms.

However, it’s noteworthy to remember that three of their last four Premier League games finished with both sides scoring two goals each. It wouldn’t be far-fetched to predict that both sides would be able to score at least once and end the day with both of them taking a point apiece.

It wouldn’t be surprising to see Watford take the win, but the underdog-loving side of me wishes for a Bournemouth win. Either way, we are guaranteed exciting attacking football from these two overachievers!