Summer signings Alex Geijo and Fitz Hall are still out as Watford take on Brighton and Hove Albion

10:29am Tuesday 18th September 2012 in Sport Photograph of the Author By Frank Smith, Deputy Group Sports Editor

Picture: Action Images Picture: Action Images

Summer signings Alex Geijo and Fitz Hall are still out of contention for Watford ahead of their clash with Brighton and Hove Albion tonight, but there is good news about one of their other injured players.

Geijo and Hall took part in full training during the international break but last week Hall suffered a minor setback, with tightness in his hamstring following his previous lay-off with a calf problem.

Last Thursday Gianfranco Zola stated that Geijo was in contention to be involved on Saturday but the Swiss-born striker was left out and Watford's head coach yesterday confirmed he won't be involved again tonight.

Zola said: "Hall is better and tomorrow (Tuesday) he should be training. We will probably play a friendly game on Wednesday so he should be involved then.

"When we started, his form wasn't good and then he picked up an injury, a muscle problem in his calf.

"Now he just has a tightness, I believe, in his hamstring so we kept him out."

"Both Geoffrey Mujangi Bia and Alex Geijo picked up muscle problems but they should be back in training during the week," he added.

Another player who is definitely out is Prince Buaben. The midfielder played during pre-season but has not featured this season due to injury and fitness issues.

It was feared the Ghanaian could be out for a few months with a hamstring injury but he had a scan yesterday and now expects to be back in around four weeks.

Speaking before the results of Buaben's scan were known, Zola said: "Prince is having a scan today and we don't know the extent of his injury yet.

"His injury is near his hamstring but it is towards the end of the muscle, near his tendon."

Captain John Eustace will also miss the game with Brighton following back surgery two weeks ago but he should return to the training ground shortly.

"John should be back in a few days and beginning his rehabilitation work, so he shouldn't be out too long," Zola said.

There is good news for Stephen McGinn though as he is now fit enough to be considered for selection after 19 months out with a knee ligament injury.

Zola confirmed: "Stephen can be selected and he is doing very well."

Brighton are without three of their players, with Vicente ruled out due to a hamstring injury, Andrew Crofts has a thigh problem and former Hornet Will Hoskins is recovering from a foot injury.

They were boosted this week though by the news that Watford-born Craig Mackail-Smith should be fit to play; the striker has scored five goals in his last three games.

Albion are in good form after winning all three of those matches and scoring 11 goals and conceding just two in the process.

Gus Poyet's men beat Sheffield Wednesday 3-0 on Friday following 3-1 and 5-1 victories over Burnley and Barnsley prior to the international break.

There will be more from Zola and Poyet later today.

Comments(24)

Holly68 says...
10:41am Tue 18 Sep 12

Iwelumo again then :-(

Report this post »

CroxleyTandoori says...
10:50am Tue 18 Sep 12

Wwe need Fitz Hall desperatly. He is probably a better player than Martin Taylor.

Report this post »

londomollari says...
10:52am Tue 18 Sep 12

A result against this team, at this point in team building, would be a real achievement. The mutterings on this site about Hall's injury-prone history seem well founded. Am I correct in remembering that Buaben had a late start to last season for the same fitness/injury reasons?

Report this post »

CroxleyTandoori says...
10:58am Tue 18 Sep 12

Every QPR fan I know says Fits Hall is a very good player BUT he is a proper sick note

Report this post »

jasonwatford says...
11:22am Tue 18 Sep 12

Can't believe Geijo is still out...came to us on 4th August and still out...unreal

Report this post »

AngelHornet says...
11:29am Tue 18 Sep 12

The Geijo situation is becoming a joke! He wasn't even injured when he arrived.

Report this post »

rousman 2 says...
11:34am Tue 18 Sep 12

I thought it was only Boothroyd who signed players that were injured. As for Hall he is always injured why sign him in the first place.

Report this post »

watford1881 says...
11:38am Tue 18 Sep 12

We really need to break this losing streak that we are on right now.. I'm hopeful for the three points tonight... COYH....

Report this post »

ORBY says...
12:24pm Tue 18 Sep 12

ok, lets be realistic here, we signed Hall as cover and he was injured at the time and it is doubtful for a week or two, he is not match fit so we can add another week or two,Geijo is an unknown quantity and again he is not match fit. We are still a work in progress team so we really should not expect too much as far as results go. Brighton have spent a lot of money on some very good players, so any sort of result tonight would be a bonus.We played very well against Bolton in the second half, so hopefully we can pick up where we left off on Saturday. Providing we can hang onto a few coat tails in the coming months, come the new year we should be able to give a good account of ourselves and perhaps bring ourselves into contention for the playoffs,but I am not being defeatist when I say I would be happy with a top ten finish. I live in Devon so won't make the game tonight, but I will be there on Saturday against Bristol and in the South West Herts club after the game if any of you feel like buying me a drink, I'll be the guy with the red rose in my buttonhole, the Financial Times under my left arm and a pint of Guiness in my right. Enjoy the game!!

Report this post »

Chris the Vic says...
12:48pm Tue 18 Sep 12

It is difficult to be as realistic as you Orby.

If we signed Fitz as cover was it for Tiny?

So we let Dale go out on loan, Tiny sold to Wednesday others unfit etc etc Is it us who are unrealistic?, or you talking bull or what? please tell.

Oh and sorry most of these players who have come in are known quantities to our owners and Udinese and Grenada. Like 23 other teams in our division we are a work in progress but it seems Brighton can spend money on players signed or on loan and can settle them in but somehow it is different for us?

needless to say I dont buy your excuses but I am not certain WFC or Zola have been dealt a totally fair hand by others. All we can do is give them time and hope but that does not mean we have to believe everything is good.

Report this post »

peter10531089 says...
1:01pm Tue 18 Sep 12

May I ask a question? Nano replaced Wilson in the role of identifying and acquiring talent, Zola when asked how this would work said he would ask for options for positions or types of players needing to be bought in and Nani would provide him with some options.

So my question is - if we are simply taking players from Udinese and Granada what is Nani actually doing? Add to this the fact that only a few of the players appear to be fit we don't seem to be doing much assessment of the players or we are doing work in training that is injuring these players?

I think Pudil, Abdi and Vydra are quality and I find it very frustrating that we seem unable to get other players fit enough to play - it does not take this long to get players fit to play.

Report this post »

Boosey says...
1:08pm Tue 18 Sep 12

I'm not anywhere near as good as Fitz Hall as a footballer and definately a lot older but the Pozzo's could have saved a lot of money by signing me for a grand a week to sit in the treatment room!
ONLY JOKING!

Report this post »

Smilingburkinshaw says...
1:09pm Tue 18 Sep 12

We sure are rueing Boothrooyds decision to let Demba Ba go! We wouldn't be desperate for Giejo to be fit then!

Report this post »

dal8oy says...
2:28pm Tue 18 Sep 12

Smilingburkinshaw wrote:
We sure are rueing Boothrooyds decision to let Demba Ba go! We wouldn't be desperate for Giejo to be fit then!
HAHA! Yeah and of course since then weve had LB come to the club....you REALLY think if we had got him he would still be here??? No chance....

Report this post »

Holly68 says...
2:48pm Tue 18 Sep 12

So team tonight :

Almunia
Doyley
Neuton
Ekstrand
Pudil
Hogg
Abdi
Battachio
Vydra
Belleck
Anya

Subs : Bond, Nosworthy, Iwelumo, Murray, Forestieri, Chalobah, Yeates

Report this post »

Holly68 says...
2:52pm Tue 18 Sep 12

So team tonight :

Almunia
Doyley
Neuton
Ekstrand
Pudil
Hogg
Abdi
Battachio
Vydra
Belleck
Anya

Subs : Bond, Nosworthy, Iwelumo, Murray, Forestieri, Chalobah, Yeates

Report this post »

tommy gunn says...
3:37pm Tue 18 Sep 12

I doubt if there will be many changes from Saturday'.Big Chris' will probably keep his place to defend corners.The second half display at the Reebok will maybe keep the team together especially as Brighton are not renowned for the long ball stuff.

Report this post »

The Rover says...
3:50pm Tue 18 Sep 12

Anyone know if the match is on TV? Cannot make it to the vic tonight :-(

Report this post »

The Rover says...
3:52pm Tue 18 Sep 12

Anyone know if the match is on TV? Cannot make it to the vic tonight :-(

Report this post »

stevyweavy says...
4:03pm Tue 18 Sep 12

I'm not fit either, can I please get paid not to play football for Watford - certainly beats what I'm doing at the moment.

Report this post »

jasonwatford says...
4:11pm Tue 18 Sep 12

Like the look of that team holly68 however i fear he will again play nosworthy and yeats and big chris and with 15 mins left bring on battachio and casetti and beleck and that will change the game. I though casetti looked class at derby so cant see why he didnt play against bolton.

Report this post »

saraman says...
5:34pm Tue 18 Sep 12

We at the ALBION have a regular sick note by the name of Vicente. A wonderful player when fit but he is never fit. We look forward to taking 3 points from you tonight.

Report this post »

rousman 2 says...
6:23pm Tue 18 Sep 12

Holly68 wrote:
So team tonight :

Almunia
Doyley
Neuton
Ekstrand
Pudil
Hogg
Abdi
Battachio
Vydra
Belleck
Anya

Subs : Bond, Nosworthy, Iwelumo, Murray, Forestieri, Chalobah, Yeates
really? I doubt it you may half the team right.

Report this post »

Smilingburkinshaw says...
12:01pm Wed 19 Sep 12

dal8oy wrote:
Smilingburkinshaw wrote: We sure are rueing Boothrooyds decision to let Demba Ba go! We wouldn't be desperate for Giejo to be fit then!
HAHA! Yeah and of course since then weve had LB come to the club....you REALLY think if we had got him he would still be here??? No chance....
You are quite right of course! He would have been sold for a pint and a pack of pork Scratchings by that clown!

Report this post »

click2find

About cookies

We want you to enjoy your visit to our website. That's why we use cookies to enhance your experience. By staying on our website you agree to our use of cookies. Find out more about the cookies we use.

I agree