How Quique Flores’ European revolution is taking Watford to a new level

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On the two previous occasions Watford have been promoted to the Premier League, they have been relegated in the same season. Always associated with being dogged, hard-working and industrious, but a lack of quality has seen them crumble when making the step up to the top division. However, this season has been a different story and that’s largely down to a new Spanish flavour mixed with British intensity in Hertfordshire.

Much was made of Slavisa Jokanovic’s contract not being renewed last summer after a miraculous run which guided Watford to automatic promotion and but for a late equaliser on the final day, the title. In came Quique Sanchez Flores. A La Liga winner with Real Madrid in his playing days and a Europa League winner as manager of Atletico Madrid, but following repeated clashes with Diego Forlan, he left and hadn’t settled into a job since. Many doubters saw this appointment as a gamble with no experience of English football and having to make an impression quickly, Watford were tipped for relegation the moment he arrived.

After a promotion season which overshadowed the fact Watford went through four different managers in that campaign, Flores needed to establish himself. 11 summer signings saw a squad overhaul as 10 went out the door. Players such as Etienne Capoue, Valon Behrami and promotion hero Matej Vydra joining up was a big statement as the club could attract bigger names, improving the quality of the squad. Heurelho Gomes provides an experienced head in goal and one of many leaders on the pitch. Ben Watson, Craig Cathcart and Troy Deeney all hold senior roles in the dressing room, Deeney in particular as one of the longest serving players and top goal scorer in three of the last four seasons. A tough test away to Everton was up first, was it to be the positive start of a new era at Watford?

The answer, look at them now. Following a 2-2 draw at Goodison Park, a game in which they led twice, they lost just one of their first six games, conceding only five goals. They didn’t score many but soon started firing and the flourishing partnership of Troy Deeney and Odion Ighalo emerged. Flores’ possession based football was pleasing on the eye but a clinical edge was missing in early weeks. Then their first win of the season came against Swansea as Ighalo scored what would one of many strikes as he and Flores made their names in the Premier League. Along with an attractive passing game, Watford could be direct using their two workhorses up front who were building a seemingly telepathic connection. An away win at Newcastle showed this as Ighalo got both with Deeney involved in the moves. The second was a perfect blend of Flores’ style. A long ball to Deeney, he chested it down turned and played a through ball to Ighalo, he rounded the keeper and scored, the revolution had started to take shape.

Five months down the line, Watford are ninth, four points off the top six and 12 points clear of relegation. They’ve beaten Liverpool and West Ham in stand-out results and matched the two Manchester’s and Chelsea at Vicarage Road. Ighalo has 14 league goals this season and him and Deeney have been directly involved in 31 goals between them, a fantastic amount. As well as the star pair, the likes of Capoue, Gomes, Allan Nyom and Cathcart have been crucial parts of Watford’s impressive season.

Flores has implemented himself efficiently and successfully as its clear the decision to bring him in was the correct one. As well as the league, the Hornets are two wins away from a Wembley semi-final as an FA Cup run could well be on. This is not the Watford of old who would be bowled over by the ‘bigger teams’ and scrap for survival, this team has the capabilities to make it into a European place, reach an FA Cup semi-final at the least and has international stars in their ranks.

With that all said, it’s safe to say Quique Flores’ ‘Revolution’ at Watford has also involved evolution with the balance of patient passing and direct power being played perfectly. Long ago are the days of Aidy Boothroyd’s Premier League side where getting the ball to Ashley Young and crossing it or putting a long ball up to Marlon King and hoping was the plan. This side is on its way to becoming an established Premier League team, as Swansea, Stoke and Southampton have done. Furthermore, if Flores can pick out a few more talents from Europe or use the Pozzo’s Power to switch players from Udinese and Granada to the Premier League, who’s to say this Watford team can’t move up a level and become a regular contester for a Europa League place? Still, fans will be just as happy to be reassured that for the first time, Watford will make it to a second season in the Barclays Premier League.

Featured image: all rights reserved by Ben Sutherland.