Flores needs answers fast as Watford slump again
THE Watford revival proved to be short-lived as they slumped back to the bottom of the Premier League as Burnley emerged victorious at Vicarage Road.
A win at Norwich appeared to ignite Watford’s season.
Optimism abounded. Now there is gloom after Burnley once again proved to be obstinate and organised opposition.
Clarets manager Sean Dyche took no nonsense as a player and the same traits are evident in his management. He does not have a superstar on his books — just an assembly of decent and honest professionals.
And it is an approach that is paying rich dividends.
Burnley are in a highly respectable sixth place in the Premiership and they are an outfit that no one relishes playing. They may lose but the word surrender is absent from their vocabulary.
They have a spirit and a work ethic to be envied. Just ask Watford.
Their manager Quique Sanchez Flores knows professional football is an unforgiving business. And at Watford, history shows patience is not the manager’s friend. A revolving door rather than a manager’s office would appear to be appropriate in recent years.
‘We weren’t that good in the first half, we were waiting for things to happen,’ said Dyche. ‘That is what I said at half-time. Not shouting or anything. Just to make things happen, make chances. But you have to stay in it to win it and we did that. We were below par in the first half but we had a good reaction in the second.
‘Obviously I am pleased to keep a clean sheet and get our first away win of the season. But I have to be honest — I don’t think it was a 3-0 game. But I’ll take it of course.’
Sanchez Flores was at something of a loss to explain the result after his team had much the better of the first half with the enigmatic Gerard Deulofeu at his elusive best.
‘We had the better chances,’ said Sanchez Flores. ‘It is difficult to explain the result. We did not think everything was resolved and fixed at Norwich. But after a defeat we don’t think everything is lost. We need to keep it positive.
‘We just need time,’ he added — though that is a luxury afforded to few Watford managers. ‘We need belief and we need fight and we need to stay positive. We need all these things.’
And his future? ‘I am not worried about anything in my life. Football is very unpredictable. It is impossible to say how everything is. It is about how you trust or not trust your players. But I believe in my players. 100 per cent.”
Dyche certainly believes in his squad. He is delighted with the camaraderie and slavish efforts of the likes of Ashley Westwood and Jack Cork. ‘They do the things fans don’t always see but coaches and players admire. They put in the hard yards that help us to win the game. They will do the hard yards, the miles, the ugly things.’
Chris Wood opened the scoring with an instinctive finish when Watford failed to clear a 53rd minute corner.
Then came a VAR intervention for an 81st-minute challenge by Jose Holebas on Ashley Barnes which brought a penalty that Barnes converted and, two minutes from time, James Tarkowski scored from close range. Game over.
Dyche revealed afterwards that he maintains contact with Watford president Elton John.
‘I get texts from him every now and then,’ said the former Watford central defender. ‘Will I hear tonight? Probably not.’