Watford hosted Fulham at Vicarage Road with one eye an FA Cup semifinal, while the visitors looked towards relegation.
Watford were keeping an eye towards the weekend and the FA Cup semifinals, while Fulham, with a loss, would be relegated. In the winning words of boss, Javi Gracia, “The best way to prepare for that game on Sunday is to try to win the next game, to respect the FA Cup competition and the Premier League as well.” However, the win didn’t appear as straight forward as it should have been as the teams were tied, 1-1 going into the break.
Abdoulaye Doucoure opened the scoring with a screamer from the edge of the penalty box which flew past a diving Sergio Rico to give the Golden Boys a 1-0 lead. Yet, all was not golden on the pitch, as the Hornets seemed to get lazy and the Cottagers tried to capitalize. Ryan Babel equalized about 10 minutes later, beating a drawn-out Ben Foster. At the break, Gracia made tactical changes, “In the first half, yes, because I didn’t like what I saw, but after I think the team needed to change something, support and to be calm and to play better in the second half.”
The second half started, much like the first ended, with the Cottagers having a bit of momentum yet they were unable to take advantage of the home side. The Hornets got going on 60 minutes, as they scored three goals in quick succession to power them to an important win.
The scoring started with a banger from Will Hughes on a volley to give the Hornets the 2-1 lead, but six minutes later they extended that lead as captain, Troy Deeney, slotted home a pass from substitute Andre Gray. It was could Kiko Femenia finishing off a golden day for Watford with another assist from Gray.
“There are many games left to play and some of them we are feeling really well. It is something special for us. To get 46 points, the best ever in the Premier League, it is something which is a very good reward for all these players working very, very hard from the beginning. It’s important but the players don’t want to stop there. They want to keep going, keep getting more points and they are very, very demanding,” said Gracia in a post-game interview.
Fulham to finish strong
It’s been a very challenging year for the Cottagers, after posting 88 points in the Championship and winning the playoffs to earn promotion back to the Premier League for the first time since the 2013/14 season. This season has seen Fulham post just four wins during the campaign, Slavisa Jokanovic was sacked in favor of Claudio Ranieri, who started his term with a dramatic 3-2 win over Southampton. It would be just one of three wins the Italian would pick up over 17 games in charge though.
The firing of Ranieri saw Fulham appoint Scott Parker as the caretaker, but the Cottagers woes continue. Winless in five games and relegated after their defeat to Watford, “I’m finding it easy to motivate this group. The focus is on how badly we’ve done and how much money has been spent. My focus is ‘do your best and to give it as much as possible,’” said Parker. While this Premier League season is over, Parker could make some inroads towards next season back in the Championship.
The team has some quality players and that was evident in the Watford match, going forward in attack with Aleksandr Mitrovic, Ryan Sessegnon, Ryan Babel and Tom Cairney – all who could play a key role to finish the season. Their style of play will be more akin to reestablishing themselves in the Championship next season, but for any return to Premier League, their defense will need to be addressed and sooner rather than later.
Watford dominate second half
If asked what starting XI to run out on Saturday against Wolves at Wembley, it would be the same XI that hit for three goals in the final 45 minutes of the fixture vs Fulham. The Hornets put forth one of their best efforts of the season, in a losing effort at Old Trafford the fixture before Fulham, yet the Golden Boys made amends, as they hit quickly in front of their home fans.
This team has been driven all season long by the experience and leadership of players like team captain, Troy Deeney, Ben Foster and the FA Cup hero, Heurelho Gomes. “Before the FA Cup started, it was in my heart that we would go very far and I used to say it to the players ‘It’s a great opportunity for us to get a cup.’ The feeling of lifting a trophy is something out of the ordinary and I miss it,” said Gomes.
Watford played with a confidence and swagger that’s becoming commonplace this year with supporters. The 2-1 comeback against Spurs seems to have set the tone for this group of players, backed by Javi Gracia who believes they can achieve anything on the pitch and beat any club in the table.
Gracia, Manager of the Year
There have been some excellent performances during this Premier League season. Ahead of the season, many pundits were calling for Watford to be relegated. The Golden Boys came out of the blocks with the best teams in the league, as Javi Gracia had a summer to work with his team and bring in key players to help solidify a strong 26 man squad.
While Ole Gunnar Solksjaer has given Manchester United the boost they needed to compete for a Champions League spot, he had a strong core of world-class players to work with. Gracia’s opposite number this weekend, Nuno Espirito Santo has been unbelievable this season, as his Wolves claimed the Championship last season and currently sit 8th in the Premier League table.
Gracia convinced Gerard Deulofeu to sign during the summer, as Ben Foster was reintroduced, in his second go-around with the club. These have been key moves for the Hornets, as both players have become important pieces of Gracia’s plan. He’s taken a club that had fallen out of favor with their former boss, Marco Silva and a poor second-half performance, to revitalize a squad who believe in each other and Gracia himself which really puts him in contention for Premier League manager of the year.
