Watford – Crystal Palace SOCCER PICKS
Watford and Crystal Palace meet at Vicarage Road Stadium, in a match for this phase of the FA Cup (Quarter-finals). In this stadium, the history of direct confrontations indicates total balance between these two teams, since there were 2 draws and 1 win for each team in the last 4 matches. However, the last time these two teams played a match in this stadium was on 26-08-2018, for the Premier League, which ended with Watford’s victory by (2-1). The goals of the match were scored by R. Pereyra (53 ‘) and J. Holebas (71’), for Watford, and W. Zaha (78 ‘), for Crystal Palace. In this game the home factor may be decisive, since the Crystal Palace presents considerable differences in their results at home and as a visitor.
Watford:
The home team reaches this phase of the FA Cup (Quarter-finals) after having played previous qualifiers with: Queens Park Rangers, Newcastle United and Woking. This is a team that usually maintains its competitive levels in home and away matches, since in the last 30 matches they register 6 wins, 4 draws and 5 losses as a visitor. against 7 wins, 3 draws and 5 losses at their stadium. In the last match that they disputed, for the Premier League, they lost with Manchester City out by (3-1). Watford has won 4, tied 2 and lost 4 of the last 10 home matches. Their attack has scored regularly, since they have scored goals in 7 of the last 10 matches. In 15 matches, they suffered the first goal 5 times and only managed 1 comeback.
The Watford enters this unmotivated day, after a foreign snub, by 3-1, in the displacement to the land of Manchester City. The home team usually acts in a tactical system in 4-3-3, privileging fast transitions, mainly through the wings. One of the strengths of the local team is the way they manage to react in a situation of disadvantage. The Watford coach will not be able to count on Tommie Hoban, for being injured.
Crystal Palace:
The visiting team reaches this phase of the FA Cup (Quarter-finals) after having played previous rounds with: Doncaster Rovers, Tottenham Hotspur and Grimsby Town. This is a team that usually gets better results in away matches than at home, since in the last 30 matches they register 6 wins, 2 draws and 7 losses in away matches, with 26 goals scored and 23 conceded; against 5 wins, 4 draws and 6 losses at their stadium, with 14 goals scored and 13 suffered. In their last match, for the Premier League, they got a home loss against Brighton & Hove Albion by (1-2). In the last 10 away matches Crystal Palace has won 5, tied 2 and lost 3. They have not been very strong defensively, since they have suffered goals in 7 of the last 10 matches, but their offense has scored consistently, as they have scored at least one goal in each of the last 10 matches. In 15 games, he never got the comeback in the 4 games in which he suffered the first goal. There is 1 period that stands out in the last 20 away matches for all competitions: they have scored 12 of their 31 goals between minutes (76′-90 ‘).
The Crystal Palace enters this unmotivated round, after a home defeat, 1-2, at the reception in Brighton. The visitor emblem usually acts in a tactical system in 4-3-3, privileging fast transitions, mainly through the wings. In this tactical drawing, the three men responsible for throwing the panic into the opposing defense are Zaha, Batshuayi and Townsend. The Crystal Palace coach will not be able to count on the lateral defender Pape Souaré for recovering from injury.
