Is this Watford striking duo among the Premier League’s best?

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Whilst Leicester have been the stand-out story of the 2015-16 season to date, Watford have quietly gone about their business and currently find themselves sitting in the top half of the table, just outside the European places. Quique Sanchez Flores’ men were among the favourites to be relegated at the outset of the campaign but their free-flowing, attacking football has won both admirers and games as they chalked up four consecutive top-flight fixtures for the first time since 1987. Their Christmas Day tally of 28 points equalled their highest ever tally in a full Premier League campaign, a mark they surpassed with a point at Stamford Bridge on Boxing Day, still less than half way through the season.

A big part of Watford’s success has been built on their solid defence with just six teams conceding fewer goals in the opening 23 fixtures of the campaign. However, the standout performances have come from the in-form striking duo Troy Deeney and Odion Ighalo. The Nigerian has already notched up 14 Premier League goals, 13 of which were before the turn of the year, making him the highest scorer across England’s 4 professional leagues in 2015. Deeney; one of the Championship’s most lethal marksmen in recent years has slightly struggled with his adaptation to the Premier League but has still recorded 6 goals in his debut campaign and provides his team with a lot more than just the simply the final touch.

The pair have been exchanging Watford records so far this season with Deeney becoming the first Hornets player to score in four consecutive top flight games before Ighalo outdid him and made it five in a row. The importance of the striking partnership cannot be underestimated with Craig Cathcart’s goal against Newcastle just the fourth Watford goal this season not to be scored by Ighalo or Deeney. The duo are also the highest assist makers in Watford’s ranks with Deeney recording six so far this season and Ighalo sitting on a couple. Only four other players have managed a single one.

The front men are two of six ever-presents for Watford in the league so far, consistency that has held them in good stead to date. Having served their apprenticeship in the Championship, it has allowed their partnership to flourish into one of the most dangerous in the league. Jamie Vardy and Riyad Mahrez have been the stand-out pair in the league so far this season but very few other teams have a partnership to match Watford’s deadly duo.

Deeney’s all-round play has proved the maturity he possesses whilst Ighalo has become an extremely accomplished finisher. The large amount of game time they have seen together this season means things have started to come more naturally to both players, such as where and when the other is going to make a run off the ball. Incredibly, all six of Deeney’s Premier League assists have been for his striker partner whilst Ighalo has made one in return. It demonstrates how successful the two have become as a pair and their unselfish manner is benefiting the team.

Although Deeney and Ighalo have been a revelation so far this season, great credit must be given to manager Quique Sanchez Flores. Flores became the fifth man in only 12 months to occupy the Vicarage Road hot seat when he took over in the summer and was inheriting a team that had just won promotion – a very unusual situation. There were also 13 new signings during the summer transfer window meaning Flores needed to blend a new squad together in one of the world’s most competitive leagues.

At this point it would have been easy for the former Spanish international to play a defensive game, packing five men in midfield with either a big target man up front or trying to play on the counter attack with quick pacey wingers – a common tactic for traditional lower half teams.

However, after a slightly stuttering start to the season, the Spaniard has ignored such ideas and has chosen to play with two strikers. The move has paid off spectacularly with a run of six wins in eight games prior to Christmas culminating with a comprehensive 3-0 victory over Liverpool the highlight so far. Although the turn of the year saw Watford suffer four consecutive defeats and many people to jump to the conclusion that teams had worked out their style of play and Deeney and Ighalo’s strengths, the Nigerian notched a goal and an assist as the Hornets beat Newcastle last weekend.

The idea of 4-4-2 has seemed somewhat outdated in recent years but Watford have provided a refreshing throwback with their success this season. Teams who struggle to score are often those that get dragged into relegation battles but Sanchez Flores and Watford’s bold tactics have paid dividends as their two strikers have scored the goals which see them currently sitting comfortably in mid-table.

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