F365’s early winners: Javi Gracia and Watford stability
When Watford kicked off against Brighton on the opening day of the season, Javi Gracia became the first manager of the Hornets’ latest Premier League sojourn to last a whole summer; after becoming the first Watford manager in 20 years to win his three opening games of the season, he is well placed to become the first Hornets’ manager since Gianfranco Zola – which now feels barely believable – to last over 12 months in the role. Finally, it might be worth tightening the screws on the nameplate attached to the Watford manager’s door.
To those who think Watford always start well so we should not be surprised that they have notched three straight victories in their first three games, it’s worth noting that this has not happened since the days of Graham Taylor. Indeed, it has been almost three years since they have won three consecutive Premier League games at any juncture of the season.
That this has come after a summer when they fashioned a transfer profit makes the achievement even more remarkable. While other managers have grouched about being denied transfer funds, Gracia has quietly taken the players who ended last season in their customary slump and worked on improving them in a new shape that suits their strengths. It sounds terribly old-fashioned.
The football itself is also a little old-fashioned, Gracia pragmatically building on a physical, dynamic and skilful central midfield and a physical and skilful (if not dynamic) strike partnership. Their 4-2-2-2 formation is narrow but it is combative (Wilfried Zaha would witness that it is perhaps a little too combative) and it works, with Roberto Pereyra and Will Hughes given the freedom to look for space in wide and central areas.
By all modern measures – possession, pass completion – Watford were outclassed by Palace, and yet they still emerged as victors despite early and late onslaughts from the visitors. There may have been a touch of luck in Jose Holebas’ cross-cum-shot succeeding as the latter, but there was no luck in the Hornets’ first, with Etienne Capoue driving forward from deep before Pereyra finished with what duty demands we call aplomb.
“We were poor by our standards…we got lucky today,” admitted captain Troy Deeney afterwards, while Holebas thought it best not to repeat what was said in the dressing-room at half-time. They had been indeed been poor but Deeney’s use of the words “grit” and “determination” was more than cliche; this is a Watford side with no little steel. This is the kind of resilience engendered by a manager having a full pre-season with a group of players.
That Gracia has named the same starting XI three times – with no new outfield signing – is no coincidence. A club that has often confused us with a bizarre and sometimes forgettable collection of both players and managers for the entirety of their spell in the Premier League is starting to take on a familiar look. At Watford, it may finally be time for some stability.
Sarah Winterburn
