3 things to expect from Premier League new boys Watford
Published:
Watford’s path to Premier League promotion wasn’t made fascinating by a face-wobbling, G-force ascent up the table, but more by their level of sheer consistency in the face of utter chaos off the pitch.
Slavisa Jokanovic, the manager who steered them to a spot within the second tier’s top two, was their fourth of the season. Yet the Hornets have continued collecting points in relentless fashion, with the three they managed over Brighton last time out enough to secure their top-flight status.
Thoughts haven’t quite drifted to Premier League preparation though, as the Championship title is still within reach – at a price of 1/5.
Nonetheless, here are three things to expect from the Londoners during their first campaign among the big boys since 2007:
A new manager
The likelihood of former Chelsea midfielder Jokanovic seeing out the entirety of next season is slim, not just because Watford have gone through managers like toilet paper this term, but because it is becoming the norm for promoted clubs to panic-axe.
Plenty of loans
The last time the Hornets made a push for promotion, under Gianfranco Zola two seasons ago, it was with a considerable helping hand from loanees.
Although this campaign has been nowhere near as reliant on temporary signings, the fact remains that the majority of their leading lights – Odion Ighalo, Matej Vydra and Adlene Guedioura and Daniel Tozser – are all owned by other clubs.
Goals for Troy Deeney
The club captain became the first Watford player to ever score 20 goals in a season three times in a row.
If the Vicarage Road faithful are to celebrate surviving the first foray back in the big time, then Deeney’s performances will be vital.
Considering his consistent success in front of goal it is reasonable to rely on the Birmingham native doing enough to prevent the Hornets from delving too deep into their pockets for a front man during the summer.
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