Watford

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Watford will be forced into making changes for Thursday's FA Cup third-round tie at Fulham, says head coach Tom Cleverley.

The Hornets have played five Championship games in a fortnight, losing four of them, and Cleverley says some of his players need a break.

"We simply haven't got the luxury of going out and replacing a really important player, so some have to be wrapped up in cotton wool," he told his pre-match news conference., external

"If we had been playing Saturday, Saturday, Saturday, Thursday, Tuesday, I think on Thursday you can go strong, but we've not. We've been playing Sunday, Wednesday, Saturday."

Cleverley has confirmed fringe players Pierre Dwomoh, Mamadou Doumbia and Antonio Tikvic will all be given some game time at Craven Cottage.

"I expect all of them to see the pitch at some point tomorrow," he said.

"There will be enough experience in there tomorrow to know what kind of game plan we are going for. We know we are going to have to manage the game in periods, going to a Premier League team who are on an unbeaten run."

Hull City have reportedly made a £1.7m bid for Watford defender Ryan Porteous, who is said to be unhappy with the Hornets and is looking for a move in January. (Fussball Europa - in German, external)

Want more EFL transfer stories? Read Tuesday's full gossip column.

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Watford manager Tom Cleverley felt his side deserved a point from their 2-1 defeat by Sheffield United, but admitted they lacked a killer instinct.

Gustavo Hamer and Andre Brooks netted either side of Jeremy Ngakia's strike to secure victory for the Blades.

Watford have now won just two of their past six games, losing four, which has seen them slip four points adrift of the play-offs.

"One team knew how to win, the other is pretty new to it. There is not much between the teams," Cleverley told BBC Three Counties Radio.

"I told the players the month of December finds teams out and it has found us out.

"It is my job to knuckle down and get this group together because we've shown our fragilities these recent weeks."

Cleverley confirmed a positive prognosis on the injury picked up by goalkeeper Daniel Bachmann late on, ruling out a dislocated ankle or ruptured Achilles tendon.

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Tom Cleverley has been given a fitness boost ahead of Sheffield United's visit to Vicarage Road on Saturday afternoon.

Back-to-back defeats have seen the Hornets drop out of the play-off places but Cleverley could name Angelo Ogbonna in his XI for the first time since the 3-0 defeat at Luton on 19 October, having been an unused sub over the festive period.

"He's a live player, and ready from the start tomorrow," Cleverley told his pre-match press conference.

Imran Louza is also back in contention after missing Wednesday's 3-1 defeat at QPR with a knee strain, while Tom Dele-Bashiru (also knee) is back in training after missing 14 matches also sustained in that defeat at Luton.

"It's good news... Imran's improved a lot and will be available for the game. Tom has rejoined the group so we're getting stronger (in central midfield)."

Watford and Sheffield United will seek to get back on track when they meet on Saturday (15:00 GMT).

The Hornets have lost back-to-back games to fall out of the play-off places while the Blades have picked up just one point from three games since Christmas to fall off the pace in the promotion race.

• Watford are unbeaten in each of their past four home league games against Sheffield United (W3 D1), keeping a clean sheet in each of those matches since losing 2-0 in January 2009.

• Following a 1-0 win at Bramall Lane in September, Sheffield United are aiming to complete a league double over Watford for the first time since 2008-09 under Kevin Blackwell.

• Watford were unbeaten in 15 straight home league games prior to losing to Cardiff in their final match of 2024 (W10 D5) – the Hornets last lost two in a row at Vicarage Road in the Championship in February.

• Sheffield United are unbeaten in their past 13 Championship matches played on a Saturday (W9 D4), since a 1-0 loss at home to Luton in March 2023.

• Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder has never won away to former side Watford in the league, drawing 0-0 with the Blades in the Premier League in October 2019 before losing 2-1 with Middlesbrough in the Championship in August 2022.

Image source, Rex Features

Watford boss Tom Cleverley admitted his side failed to reach the standards they produced against Portsmouth on Boxing Day as defeat by Cardiff City ended their unbeaten home record for the season.

"All good things come to an end. Today we let them off the hook too many times with sloppiness, with lack of concentration, and it was a game we have to take on the chin and say that we weren't good enough to a man," Cleverley told BBC Three Counties Radio.

"As a defensive unit, if we're going to go from a three to a four, or a five to a four, however you want to call it, we have to become high-urgency defenders where conceding a goal has to be the worst possible thing that can happen to you.

"That needs high focus of the mind and body and I think we can improve in that department - and I will help the players improve in that department."

The Hornets, who took off defender Ryan Porteous at half-time, lost Rocco Vata and Imran Louza because of injuries in the second half and they will be assessed before the New Year's Day game at QPR.

Listen to Tom Cleverley's full interview on BBC Sounds

Play-off chasing Watford host struggling Cardiff City at Vicarage Road on Sunday.

Victory over Portsmouth on Boxing Day took the Hornets up to sixth in the Championship table, while a pair of late goals were not enough to rescue a point for the Bluebirds - who are second from bottom - against fellow relegation battlers Oxford United.

• Watford have lost their last three home league games against Cardiff City and have only won two of their last 11 against them at Vicarage Road (D4 L5).

• Cardiff City are looking to win consecutive league games against Watford for the first time since a run of three between March 2009 and March 2010.

• Watford haven't won their final league match of the year in any of the last three years (D1 L2) since beating Norwich 1-0 in 2020.

• Cardiff City have lost their final league game of the year in three of the last four years (D1) since winning 2-1 against Sheffield Wednesday in 2019.

• Watford are winless in their last four home league games against Welsh opponents (D1 L3) since beating Swansea 2-0 in May 2021.

Geoff Doyle
Sports editor, BBC 3CR

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What do Watford need in January?

Watford could do with another goal-scoring striker. Vakoun Bayo has done well this season but he needs some back-up. We thought Daniel Jebbison was going to be the answer but he hasn't been able to get going and has hardly featured since joining on loan from Bournemouth.

With Tom Dele-Bashiru injured, the Hornets may also need a central midfielder.

What sort of business are they likely to do?

Watford didn't do much in January last year but their league position at the time meant promotion didn't seem likely and so there probably wasn't much point.

The year before they had more of a chance and did sign a few but they still had parachute payments then which they no longer benefit from. But given their league position and the potential of promotion there could be some additions.

How successful have they been in recent January windows?

Last year was quiet although they did do great business in making Giorgi Chakvetadze's loan a permanent move which will turn out to be very profitable.

In previous years they have signed the likes of Ismael Kone and Wes Hoedt who have had decent spells at the club.

Are there likely to be any notable departures?

Chakvetadze is the prize asset and a fabulous player. There will be a number of clubs monitoring the Georgia international and he will eventually go for big money, but Watford don't tend to sell their stars in January so this one is more likely to happen in the summer.

How important is the transfer window likely to be in determining the success of their season?

It could prove to be very significant. If they keep Chakvetadze and get three or four decent ones in then the club have a more realistic chance of mounting a successful play-off challenge

The Hornets currently look set for the top 10. A January boost would increase their chances of a top-six finish.

On Boxing Day, Watford host a Portsmouth side that are fresh off the back of a morale-boosting 4-1 victory over Coventry City.

The Hornets sit in the Championship's top eight with 34 points and are just one point off Middlesbrough in sixth.

Pompey have spent large parts of the season in the bottom three but have recently found some good form at home that has lifted them above the dotted line and they currently sit 20th.

• Watford have won their last three home league games against Portsmouth, although this is their first meeting since a 2-0 win back in November 2011.

• The last six league meetings between Watford and Portsmouth have all been won by the home side.

• Watford have lost each of their last two league matches on Boxing Day, last suffering three straight defeats on this date between 1956 and 1958.

• In the second tier, Portsmouth are winless in their last seven games on Boxing Day (D4 L3) since a 3-1 win over QPR in 1997.

• Watford have won both previous Boxing Day meetings with Portsmouth, beating them 1-0 in 1988 under Steve Harrison and 2-0 in 1994 under Glenn Roeder.

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Watford head coach Tom Cleverley told BBC Three Counties Radio his side must improve their away form if they are to challenge for promotion.

The Hornets fell to a seventh away defeat of the season at Burnley - in stark contrast to their unbeaten home record.

"I think the scoreline flatters us - I've told that to the players. That could have been a lot more convincing (for Burnley) and was nowhere near an acceptable performance from us today.

"They showed more personality to play on the ball, they showed better problem-solving but, most worryingly, they ran more and tackled harder.

"In fairness to the players they always have responded well to a performance like that, but if we're serious about our ambitions this season we have to have a better mindset in these away games where you are going to suffer setbacks.

"At home we've suffered setbacks and responded to them, but away from home we just don't show the same character or mindset to come back from any deficits.

"I would never criticise my players for a technical mistake but when I see players shying away from wanting to receive the ball, then we've got a real issue.

"To get to the level we want to get to we can't just do it in the home games - we have to do it in the toughest environments.

"At the minute we're playing like a team who want to flip a coin and finish between fifth and 10th rather than really grab our own destiny by the scruff of the neck."