BOURNEMOUTH return to Vicarage Road on Wednesday night in the Capital One Cup second round – just 18 days after being thrashed 6-1 in the league by Gianfranco Zola`s Hornets.
Eddie Howe`s men bounced back from that humbling in impressive fashion, beating F.A Cup holders Wigan Athletic at Dean Court the following Saturday.
However, that win was followed up by another sound beating on Saturday, as the Cherries went down 5-1 at the John Smith`s Stadium against a rampant Huddersfield Town.
Boasting a 100 per cent record at home but without so much as a point on the road so far – conceding 11 times on the way – Bournemouth will be out to improve their dismal away form on Wednesday evening.
Bournemouth progressed to the second round of the Capital One Cup by beating south coast rivals Portsmouth 1-0, though Howe did make eight changes from the side that had beaten Charlton Athletic on the opening day of the season.
Only goalkeeper Ryan Allsop and defensive pair Simon Francis and Steve Cook played in both games as Howe shuffled his pack.
Charlie Daniels returned from injury an injury sustained in the defeat by Watford as a substitute against Huddersfield, whilst Elliott Ward missed out with his wife in labour.
Striker Wes Thomas started against Portsmouth in the previous round in place of Lewis Grabban and the former Portsmouth, Blackpool and Birmingham City loanee could be involved once in more on Wednesday.
Thomas led something of a nomadic existence last season, starting the season on-loan with Michael Appleton`s Portsmouth before following his manager to Blackpool in another temporary arrangement, before finishing with Lee Clark`s Birmingham City.
Those three loan stints brought the former Crawley Town, Cheltenham Town, Rushden & Diamonds, Grays Athletic, Dagenham & Redbridge and Fisher Athletic forward just 18 league starts, but a decent return of nine league strikes.
Midfielder Eunan O`Kane made his first appearance of the season against Pompey and scored the game`s winning goal to set up Wednesday`s meeting.
The former Everton trainee made his breakthrough in the Football League with Torquay United, spending 18 months with the Gulls before joining Bournemouth for an undisclosed fee in June 2012.
A regular last term, the 23 year-old Northern Irish midfielder made 39 league appearances as the Cherries were promoted.
The diminutive midfielder has represented Northern Ireland at Under-16, Under-17, Under-19, Under-20 and Under-21 level before switching allegiance to represent Republic of Ireland`s Under-21s.
Howe will come up against an entirely different Watford side to the one which beat his side on the second weekend of the season, with Zola expected to make a raft of changes to the side which drew 1-1 against Forest on Sunday.
New loan signing from Granada, Essaid Belkalem, is amongst those expected to be involved for the Golden Boys, with the Algerian left out until now due to fitness issues.
Jonathan Bond will replace Manuel Almunia between the posts, whilst Davide Faraoni should reclaim his right wing-back berth from Daniel Pudil too. Whether it is Pudil – who made his first start against Forest – or Ikechi Anya who starts on the other side is up for debate.
Defender Joel Ekstrand is a doubt after missing Sunday`s game altogether, though Reece Brown should start at the back once again.
Javier Acuna looks likely to start as well, after making just one substitute appearance in the Championship so far this season, but whether the diminutive forward will be paired with the similar Fernando Forestieri – the other forward left out on Sunday – or not, remains to be seen.
Predicted line-ups:
Watford: Bond; Ekstrand (capt), Belkalem, Brown; Faraoni, Battocchio, Smith, Murray, Anya; Forestieri & Acuna.
Bournemouth: Allsop; Francis, Cook, Ward, Harte; Fraser, O`Kane, Hughes, Surman, McDermott; Thomas.
Kick-off: 19:45
Referee: Mr D Deadman
Radio: BBC 3CR & Hornets Player
Highlights: Hornets Player & The League Cup Show (BBC1, Weds, 23:35)
