When Watford locked horns with Tottenham Hotspur at Vicarage Road after three back-to-back wins, few would have expected them to overpower one of the most competitive sides in the Premier League. However, with a relentless display outlined by sheer determination and willpower, Javi Gracia’s side overcame the odds to beat Spurs 2-1 despite trailing by an own goal.
Prior to the game against Spurs, the Hornets had looked impressive in their victories over Brighton & Hove Albion, Burnley and Crystal Palace. Barring the Watford fans, few would have been interested in the mid-table outfit but the victory over Spurs have effectively turned them into a force to be reckoned with.
The most impressive thing about Watford against Spurs was their composure even after conceding the own goal. As a matter of fact, they were not undone by Spurs’ reputation of a top team.
Javi Gracia has been consistent with his team selection and has fielded the same XI in all four Premier League games so far. This goes to show that the players have played according to the manager’s plans and have repaid his faith.
Gracia has not experimented much with the team dynamics and has relied on the same 4-2-2-2 formation from the first game against Brighton. Ben Foster has looked fairly impressive between the sticks, with some good reflex saves amidst his struggle against aerial balls. Meanwhile, the centre-back pairing of Christian Kabasele and Craig Cathcart have managed to keep things tight at the heart of the defence.
Much of the team’s success has been down to the full-backs, Daryl Janmaat and Jose Holebas. While the duo has blown hot and cold in terms of defence, they have compensated for it with their impact in the opposition’s half. Holebas has made more impact than any other player in the Premier League with his goals and assists.
Roberto Pereyra, who scored a brace on opening day against Brighton, has been effective down the left and has linked play well with Troy Deeney and Andre Gray. Will Hughes has had a productive campaign down the right as well, combining with the attackers and scoring a screamer against Burnley.
Etienne Capoue and Abdoulaye Doucoure have been pivotal to Watford’s winning streak. Doucoure has played the role of a box-to-box midfielder while Capoue has dictated the tempo of the midfield with his smart passing.
Up front, Troy Deeney has led the forward line admirably. He has shown good work rate and has regularly battled to win possession, besides troubling the opposition with his powerful headers.
Truth be told, all the players – starting from the goalkeeper to the strikers – have been consistent and have contributed in some way or the other. Watford’s success has not been headlined by the individual brilliance of any single player; it has more to do with the way they have combined as a team.
And the credit should go to Gracia for getting his combination right from the start of the season. The manager has organized a decent set of players and has been successful in extracting the best out of them. There are many mid-table sides who have better players than Watford but have been unable to achieve the same level of consistency so far.
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With four wins on the trot, the fans have reasons to believe that Watford could mount a challenge for a top-ten finish this term. However, it is not unusual for mid-table teams to suffer a dip in form midway through the season and Watford should be wary of that. If they continue to win games the way they have done so far, then a playoff spot in the Europa League should not be beyond their grasp.
