Chelsea will be only the third opponent for Premier League new boy Javi Gracia, who replaced Marco Silva as Watford coach on 21 January. A defensive midfielder and well-travelled coach, the Spaniard’s most recent port of call was Rubin Kazan. The Volgans were ninth in Russia’s 16-team Premier League when he departed by mutual consent last year.
Gracia has never previously encountered the Blues, but the 47-year-old has a reputation for meticulous preparations and appears happy to change his tactics according to the opposition. Such adaptability may ease his initiation into England’s top flight, but his injury-ravaged team are in a difficult run of form.
The Hertfordshire club remain 11th going into this weekend, four points above the bottom three, despite losing eight of their past 12 league games and winning one.
Gracia’s first match in charge was a 0-1 FA Cup defeat at Southampton in which the visitors edged possession, and the second, away to Stoke on Wednesday, was a goalless draw. The Hornets managed two shots on target in each outing.
Watford’s late January signings may indicate the squad requirements he quickly identified. Defensive midfielder Didier Ndong has arrived from Sunderland, where he was the club record signing in 2016. Anderlecht’s Belgium Under-21, Dodi Lukebakio, and Gerard Deulofeu, previously of Everton, on loan from Barcelona, are both wingers.
Chelsea’s latest new arrivals were introduced the crowd at half-time on Wednesday. Emerson Palmieri, a pacy, skilful, Sao Paulo-born left-back, partnered Toni Rudiger at previous club Roma. Injury ruled the 23-year-old out for much of this season and he is eligible to play for the Blues in the Champions League. Incidentally, the Brazilian-Italian joins with pre-WW1 half-back George Lake and current Derby loan Kasey Palmer, to complete the famous prog-rock group, ELP – ask your parents.
France striker Olivier Giroud, Arsenal’s fifth-top scoring player in the Premier League, is also able to feature for the Blues in Europe, despite playing and scoring in the Gunners’ Europa League campaign.
Before the knockout phase, each club is permitted to add one player to their UEFA squad who has transferred from a club competing in a different completion. The 6ft 4in frontman has already netted 12 goals over 29 appearances in Europe’s elite competition.
Giroud will don the occasionally history-making number 18 shirt, as worn by Erland Johnson when he earned a match-winning penalty in the 1996/97 FA Cup replay with Leicester, and Wayne Bridge when he scored that Champions League winner at Highbury in 2004.
Chelsea have made other noteworthy winter window signings over the previous decade, including: Branislav Ivanovic (2008), Fernando Torres and
David Luiz (both 2011), Gary Cahill and Kevin De Bruyne (both 2012, although De Bruyne remained at Genk for the rest of the season), Kurt Zouma (2013, but remained at St-Etienne), and Mo Salah and Nemanja Matic (both 2014)

If una like, no win

ill be rooting for baby daddy

I am indifferent jare...... Let d best man win

Make I quick go book my bet shaaar

Straight win .. WATFORD FC

chelsea una go suffer tonight oooooo?

Watford 0:5 Chelsea..
.
.
Giroud Liver trick.


.
Only if that Italian mafia go play am.

I carry Chelsea to win oo. My last 1k. God help me

Away to win...

mukina2:
ill be rooting for baby daddy

dis luv strong die gan

even my street guys sef will win chelsea talkless of Watford.......

Watford 4 - Chelsea 1

Bakayoko, Giroud, Hazard and Alonso to score tonight...

Na ur type don give una Soul to Bet9ja .....

Draw 0-0

u don cut ur ticket younq man.....

Let us see which team the God of Soccer will favour.

Conte out

skullzflex:
Straight win .. WATFORD FC

I tells u...Watford slaughter those cows

Wat 0 - 3 chelsea

BTS anybody to win

Drogba go play ??

exenxe1:
I tells u...Watford slaughter those cows

let us watch and see oo

bivanJohnaliuz:
Na ur type don give una Soul to Bet9ja .....

is it yuh soul? Abi na yuh giving?

Anytime Chelsea is playing, bike go just full veiwing center

Bike must scarce for street.

Who is thinking what I am thinking ?

guys,aswear 2 almighty G,am afraid,frightened at d same tym curious coz of tonyts match,i no play bet oo.am just addicted 2 chelsea,i av even lost my appetite already,am jst praying dat conte shud start giroud against all odds but m very sure he wont.

if conte like make him no change tactics and formation and still play that baka(02)yoko den I know dem go sack am dis season.
Chelsea loaned out 36players can't he just recall 5 of dem that are doin well and start playing them ni.
he sold ake, Costa and matic loaned out van ginkel, loftus cheek,kenedy, bat, zouma and Tammy all dis players can fill the void that is affecting Chelsea dis season.

We haters don show...team Watford...we can do it

mukina2:
ill be rooting for baby daddy

it's high time you changed your profile picture. 70% of the names there are no longer gunners

Watford 2-1 Chelsea

I pray Hazard doesn't play as false 9. Hazard plays better behind a striker. I also hope Bakayoko and Rudiger are on bench.