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Tag: Watford

  • I wanted to be like Zidane – Capoue

    I wanted to be like Zidane – Capoue

    Watford midfielder Etienne Capoue has revealed he was set on becoming a No. 10 like Zinedine Zidane early in his career before settling for a deeper role.

    Having grown up in France when Zidane was at the peak of his powers, a young Capoue wanted to emulate the 1998 World Cup winner by playing in a creative role, as he broke through the youth ranks at Toulouse.

    After seeing his career somewhat stall following a move to Tottenham in 2013, Capoue has finally found comfort at Watford under Javi Gracia.

    “I was actually a No 10 when I was younger. I grew up watching Zidane,” Capoue told The Times. “But they [the Toulouse coaches] said, ‘You’re too slow, come back here, you can read the game, so it’s better for you to play here.’

    “It is my best position, I am born in this position in Toulouse. The new coach [Gracia] knew me since I was in Toulouse, so he knew I could do a very good performance in my real position.

    “So when he asked, it was natural for me to drop and read the game, do some interceptions, tackles and give the ball to others. I like to be in the shadows.”

    The 30-year-old has been a crucial figure this season for Watford, playing every minute outside of two games he has missed through suspension.

    That total could double over the next week with Capoue set to miss two more games after receiving a three-match ban following a red card for a tackle on Leicester’s Kelechi Iheanacho last weekend.

    Having had an initial appeal rejected, Watford have taken the rare step of challenging that ruling in the hope of having Capoue available for their Monday Night Football trip to Everton.

    After a strong start to the season, Watford have gone on a five-match winless run, which has seen them drop into the bottom half of the Premier League table.

  • Super Eagles forward Isaac Success signs new Watford contract

    Super Eagles forward Isaac Success has signed a new five-year contract on Thursday with Watford to keep him at the Premier League club until 2023.

    The 22-year-old moved to Vicarage Road from Spanish side Granada in July 2016 and has since gone on to make 35 appearances for the Hornets.

    He spent the the second half of the 2017-18 season on loan to Malaga but has scored three goals in all competitions this term for Watford.

    Success has won four caps for Nigeria.

    “This is a just reward for Isaac’s continued hard work and application this season,” said Watford chairman Scott Duxbury.

    “We look forward to seeing him develop further over the coming years.”

    Watford manager Javi Gracia signed a new four-and-a-half-year contracton Wednesday.

  • EPL: Bournemouth edge out newly-promoted Cardiff, Watford beat Brighton

    EPL: Bournemouth edge out newly-promoted Cardiff, Watford beat Brighton

    Bournemouth spoiled Cardiff City’s Premier League return with a hard-earned 2-0 victory.

    The technically superior hosts were quick to dominate possession, pinning their opponents back in their own half for long periods and deservedly taking the lead when Ryan Fraser fired in from close range.

    Bournemouth were then awarded a penalty when Callum Wilson was brought down after a tangle with Bruno Ecuele Manga, but the forward’s low spot kick was well saved by Neil Etheridge.

    Cardiff roused themselves in the second half with a flurry of chances from set pieces – the best seeing Sean Morrison thwarted a yard out by Asmir Begovic.

    But Wilson struck in added time to give Bournemouth a first opening day win since they were promoted to the top flight in 2015.

    There was a sense of relief as the unseasonably heavy rain descended on the Vitality Stadium, where the hosts had looked set for a routine victory before they were unsettled by Cardiff’s second-half resurgence.

    For the visitors, despite competing with the tenacity expected from a Neil Warnock side, this was a harsh reminder of the chasm in quality between the Championship and the Premier League.

    Roberto Pereyra scored both goals as Watford opened the new Premier League season with a comfortable win over Brighton at Vicarage Road.

    The 27-year-old Argentine opened the scoring with a sweet volley 10 minutes before the break, after he was left unmarked from a Jose Holebas corner.

    Shortly after half-time the former Juventus man got his second after driving into the area and curling the ball beyond a helpless Mat Ryan from a tight angle.

    The Seagulls, who finished last season a point and a place behind Watford in 15th, bought on club record signing Alireza Jahanbakhsh and fellow summer signing Yves Bissouma, but Hornets goalkeeper Ben Foster was rarely troubled.

    The visitors – hampered by the loss of captain Bruno, who was forced off early on by what appeared to be a hamstring injury – failed to muster a single effort on target and Watford were worthy winners.

    BBC

  • EPL: Arsenal beat Watford to end league winning drought

    Arsenal ended a run of three successive Premier League defeats as they secured a fine victory over Watford.

    Shkodran Mustafi headed in Mesut Ozil’s left-wing free-kick to give the Gunners an eighth-minute lead, before Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang collected Henrikh Mkhitaryan’s pass to add a second.

    Watford had a chance to pull one back but Troy Deeney’s penalty was saved by Petr Cech, who secured the 200th Premier League clean sheet of his career.

    Mkhitaryan sealed Arsenal’s victory, their first league win since beating Everton 5-1 on 3 February, with a shot from inside the penalty area following Aubameyang’s pass.

    The result leaves the Gunners sixth, 10 points behind fourth-placed Tottenham in the final Champions League spot.

    However, Arsenal could still qualify for next season’s Champions League if they win the Europa League, and that competition affected Arsene Wenger’s team selection on Sunday.

    With Arsenal holding a 2-0 lead against AC Milan and playing the second leg of their last-16 leg tie at home on Thursday, Wenger took a risk by making six changes.

    Aaron Ramsey and Laurent Koscielny were rested, with Jack Wilshere only on the bench, but the gamble paid off for Arsenal.

    BBC

  • Watford’s Troy Deeney to face FA investigation over obscene gesture

    The FA is investigating video footage of Troy Deeney’s reaction after the Watford striker scored a penalty against Chelsea on Monday.

    Deeney, who is facing the prospect of a second four-match ban this term, made an obscene gesture to the crowd after he put Watford ahead at Vicarage Road, before the Hornets eventually secured a 4-1 victory against the defending champions.

    The FA is awaiting referee Mike Dean’s report to ascertain whether he saw the incident before any decision is made. If the action was not seen by the match officials then he is subject to a standard retrospective two-game ban if a charge of making an obscene gesture is proved.

    Should Deeney be banned it would be his third red card of the season and therefore a further two-game ban would be implemented because of his previous disciplinary issues.

    The 29-year-old served a three-match ban in October for violent conduct after grabbing the face of Stoke’s Joe Allen and was also handed a four-game ban before the Christmas schedule after being dismissed for a challenge on Collin Quaner during a 4-1 defeat by Huddersfield on December 16.

    Deeney said after the game it was a response to speculation over his future and to remind people he was still around. Should he be banned will have missed 11 games through suspension this season.

    Earlier this season, Dele Alli was banned by FIFA for one match after the Tottenham midfielder made an inappropriate gesture during England’s World Cup Qualifier against Slovenia in September.

  • Watford score three late goals to beat 10-man Chelsea

    Watford score three late goals to beat 10-man Chelsea

    Watford scored three late goals to win Javi Gracia’s first home game in charge in an “unforgettable night” for their manager and increase the pressure on Chelsea counterpart Antonio Conte.

    The Blues played an hour with 10 men after Tiemoue Bakayoko’s red card capped off a dreadful individual 30-minute performance – in which he gifted Watford four chances.

    The Hornets – who had only won one of their previous 12 Premier League games – led controversially as Gerard Deulofeu went down easily under keeper Thibaut Courtois’ challenge and Troy Deeney scored the penalty.

    Chelsea, who brought on Olivier Giroud for a debut in the second half, scored an undeserved equaliser when Eden Hazard curled home brilliantly from 25 yards.

    But two minutes later, Daryl Janmaat scored a fantastic goal of his own when he cut in from the right wing, played a one-two with Roberto Pereyra and beat another couple of defenders before scoring with his weaker left foot.

    Deulofeu added another when he ran from halfway before his shot was deflected home by Gary Cahill – and then Pereyra scored a fourth from Abdoulaye Doucoure’s through ball.

    The Hornets are now six points above the relegation zone.

    Gracia, who replaced Marco Silva last month, told BBC Sport: “It was a great victory and a great match. I am very proud of my players today.

    “We played a good match, pressed high. The match changed after the sending off but I think we played very well. Chelsea are a very big club, a big team.”

    It was Chelsea’s second consecutive defeat by three goals in the Premier League, following their 3-0 home reverse by Bournemouth.

  • Watford name Gracia as new manager to replace sacked Silva

    English clubside Watford appointed Spaniard Javi Gracia as manager on Sunday, hours after sacking Marco Silva and blaming a rival Premier League club for their recent slump.

    Gracia, 47, signed an 18-month contract with Watford who lie 10th in the standings.

    “Watford FC is delighted to announce the appointment of Javi Gracia as the club’s new Head Coach,” the club said on their website (www.watfordfc.com).

    During two seasons with Malaga he achieved back-to-back top-10 La Liga finishes, famously defeating eventual UEFA Champions League and Spanish champions FC Barcelona at the Camp Nou in February 2015.”

    In the following season, Malaga went unbeaten against both Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid.

    He moved to Rubin Kazan for the 2016-17 season but left after they finished ninth in the Russian League.

    Everton had targeted Silva in their quest to replace Dutchman Ronald Koeman in November but were refused permission to approach him and appointed former England manager Sam Allardyce instead.

    Without naming Everton, Watford criticised the Merseyside club for their interest in Silva.

    They believe their interest unsettled the manager and affected a squad that had began the season well and reached fourth in the table.

    “This has been a difficult decision and one not taken lightly,” Watford said.

    “The club is convinced the appointment of Silva was the right one and had it not been for the unwarranted approach by a Premier League rival for his services we would have continued to prosper under his leadership.

    “The catalyst for this decision is that unwarranted approach, something which the board believes has seen a significant deterioration in both focus and results to the point where the long-term future of Watford FC has been jeopardised.”

    Silva, 40, joined Watford from Hull City on a two-year deal in the close season and took them up to fourth after eight matches.

    Watford have since struggled for consistency, winning just once in the past 11 league games.

    They were beaten 2-0 by Leicester City on Saturday, their third league defeat in four matches.

    Gracia, who played for a number of La Liga clubs including Athletic Bilbao and Villarreal, will be Watford’s 10th manager since the Pozzo family took over the club only six years ago.

    They visit Southampton in the FA Cup fourth round on Saturday and Stoke City in the Premier League on January 31.

  • Controversial equaliser sees Watford fight back against Southampton

    Abdoulaye Doucoure bundled home a controversial 90th-minute equaliser as Watford fought back from 2-0 down to draw with Southampton.

    Doucoure used his right hand to divert Troy Deeney’s header past Alex McCarthy from close range to snatch a point for the Hornets.

    Two goals from James Ward-Prowse had given the Saints a 2-0 lead at half-time as they looked to be on course to end a run of nine Premier League games without a win.

    But Watford came out stronger in the second half, thanks largely to the introduction of Deeney at the break.

    They pulled a goal back two minutes before the hour mark as Andre Gray headed home after McCarthy turned Daryl Janmaat’s shot onto the crossbar.

    Doucoure’s late intervention meant the game finished all-square, but Watford have won just once in their past 10 Premier League games.

    The home side edged an entertaining first quarter of an hour, but fell behind on 20 minutes as Shane Long’s pull-back was deflected into the path of Ward-Prowse, who guided the ball into the bottom corner from 12 yards.

    That turned the the match in favour of the visitors, and they deservedly doubled their lead a minute before half-time. After Long’s determined run down the left, he fed Dusan Tadic on the edge of the area and the Serb helped it on to Ward-Prowse, who netted past an exposed Heurelho Gomes.

    The goals took Ward-Prowse’s tally to three goals in his past two games, having failed to score this season before the FA Cup third-round win over Fulham last week.

  • Swansea come from behind at Watford in boss Carvalhal’s first game

    Swansea City staged a remarkable late fightback to beat Watford and give Carlos Carvalhal victory in his first game in charge of the Welsh side, lifting them off the bottom of the table.

    In a lively start to the match, Jordan Ayew struck the bar from 25 yards before Andre Carrillo headed Watford in front from the rebound.

    Neither side seized control of the match in a disjointed second half and, as the nervous hosts retreated with five minutes left, Swans substitute Oli McBurnie nodded down for Ayew to convert from close range.

    In the 89th minute, Heurelho Gomes saved a powerful effort from Nathan Dyer but could only push it into the path of another Swansea substitute, Luciano Narsingh, who finished well to spark ecstatic celebrations in the dugout and the away end.

    Just a fourth win from 21 Premier League games this season sees Carvalhal’s side overtake West Brom, who are now at the foot of the table, and moves them within two points of safety.

    For Watford, a fifth defeat from six league matches sees them stay in 10th place.

    BBC Sports

  • Marvin Zeegelaar: Watford defender’s red card appeal rejected

    Watford defender Marvin Zeegelaar has had his appeal against the red card he received at Burnley on Saturday rejected.

    The 27-year-old was dismissed for a two-footed challenge on Steven Defour in the Hornets’ 1-0 defeat at Turf Moor.

    The Dutchman will miss the club’s festive fixtures against Crystal Palace, Huddersfield and Brighton.

    “It was a harsh decision,” Watford boss Marco Silva said on Saturday.

    Speaking after the game, Silva added: “It’s not a red, it changed everything, and after two or three minutes they scored.”

    Watford will look to win their first game in four when they take on Roy Hodgson’s Crystal Palace on Tuesday.