2015-16 Premier League Season Preview: Watford
Welcome to theScore's 2015-16 preview of Watford. Transfer dealings, lineup projections, and everything else you need to know about the club's upcoming campaign.
Watford
Top-flight football is returning to Vicarage Road for the first time since 2006-07.
Despite off-the-field turmoil that saw four managers take the pitch before completing a quarter of its Championship fixtures last season, Watford remained focused and was the first club to secure promotion to the Premier League.
All the conditions are right for Watford to remain afloat: a surplus of technically gifted midfielders, a phenomenal 'keeper in Heurelho Gomes, three forwards who can find the back of the net, and a reliable manager in Quique Flores.
Barring unforeseen events, Watford should avoid the fate suffered eight years ago, when the club was relegated back to the Championship immediately after achieving promotion.
2014-15 Season
| Record (Points) | Finish | Goals For | Goals Against | Top Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 27-8-11 (89) | 2nd | 98 | 45 | Troy Deeney (21) |
Trophies Won: None
Managerial issues plagued the beginning of Watford's 2014-15 season.
Beppe Sannino resigned as manager in August amid reports of player unrest. His replacement, Oscar Garcia, quit after four weeks due to health reasons. Billy McKinlay was then pushed aside to make way for Slavisa Jokanovic, who guided the club to promotion.
The rotating door, however, never interfered with Watford's campaign. The club went on to enjoy an excellent run, winning 14-of-19 fixtures between December and March, fueled largely by the goal-scoring exploits of Troy Deeney, Odion Ighalo, and Matej Vydra, who combined for a jaw-dropping 57 goals by season's end.
Appropriately, Watford's season came to a close with a pitch invasion, one of the most iconic traditions in English football. Following its final game of the campaign, a 1-1 draw versus Sheffield Wednesday, supporters flooded the pitch, celebrating a well-deserved return to the Premier League.
Key Arrivals
A selection of newcomers will be joining Watford in its return to the Premier League.
Since attaining promotion, the club has seen 10 new players arrive:
- Giedrius Arlauskis (from Steaua Bucharest)
- Valon Behrami (from Hamburger SV)
- Steven Berghuis (from AZ Alkmaar)
- Miguel Britos (from Napoli)
- Etienne Capoue (from Tottenham Hotspur)
- Jose Holebas (from AS Roma)
- Jose Manuel Jurado (from Spartak Moscow)
- Marco Motta (on a free transfer)
- Allan Nyom (from Udinese)
- Sebastian Prodl (on a free transfer)
Of course, none of the arrivals are quite as large as the one involving Capoue, who joined Watford in early July for a club-record transfer fee that is reportedly valued at £6.3 million.
That being said, Watford's most impressive signing is arguably its acquisition of Holebas, who completed a £1.8-million transfer earlier this month and could end up being one of the Premier League's top left-backs.
Key Departures
Jonathan Bond, a 22-year-old 'keeper who made only three Championship appearances last season, is the only player to have departed Watford since last season.
The youngster put pen to paper on a three-year deal with Reading exactly one month after Watford acquired Arlauskis, who will almost certainly be the backup 'keeper to Gomes.
Projected Starting Lineup (3-5-2)
Heurelho Gomes; Gabriele Angella, Craig Cathcart, Sebastian Prodl; Juan Carlos Paredes, Etienne Capoue, Daniel Tozser, Almen Abdi, Jose Holebas; Troy Deeney, Odion Ighalo.
If Watford carries its formation from last season into the Premier League, the club will be one of the only top-flight sides to feature a three-man backline with two wing-backs.
One of Angella, Cathcart, and Tommie Hoban will likely be pushed out of Flores' starting XI to make way for Prodl, and all signs point to Hoban being the odd man out.
In the midfield, Paredes and Allan Nyom will compete for the role of right wing-back, while Holebas takes the pitch at left wing-back. Which three central midfielders are deployed remains to be seen, but the trio of Capoue, Toszer, and Abdi seems viable.
With no shortage of forwards available for selection, Flores will have the luxury of rotation between Deeney, Odion Ighalo and Vydra.
Player To Watch: Troy Deeney
The top scorer from Watford's promotion-clinching season will be back at Vicarage Road for the club's Premier League adventure, as Deeney inked a new five-year contract in early July.
Of course, that should come as no surprise.
Deeney, who notched 21 goals and nine assists through 42 Championship appearances, is something of a cult hero at Watford having spent the last five years of his career at the club.
Watford will rely heavily on Deeney's commanding presence in front of goal to keep the club in the Premier League.
Keep One Eye On: Gabriele Angella
Three Questions
- Can Watford not only avoid relegation, but also avoid a late-season relegation battle?
- Will Capoue live up to his club-record transfer fee and fill the void left by Adlene Guedioura?
- Is Deeney capable of translating his goal-scoring form from the Championship to the Premier League?
Trivial Matters
- Manager: Quique Flores
- Nickname: The Hornets
- Stadium: Vicarage Road (Capacity: 21,577)