PEARSON: PRESSURE? TROY JUST LOVES IT
NIGEL PEARSON hailed the Troy Deeney effect on Watford as he prepared his side for today’s crunch basement battle with Bournemouth.
The Hornets boss had tried to sign Deeney for Leicester to partner him with Jamie Vardy.
But the Foxes could not get the deal over the line and it was only last month that Deeney and Pearson were finally united at Vicarage Road. Since Pearson’s arrival, Deeney (below) has scored three goals in four games to help his side to the three wins and a draw that have given them a real shot at staying up.
“We tried to take Troy to Leicester,” said Pearson. “It’s his game effectiveness. He’s a player who understands what his strengths are and he’s a focal point.
“We played with two
EDDIE HOWE has told Callum Wilson to nail his England place at the Euros – by firing Bournemouth to Premier League safety.
With Harry Kane’s fitness for the tournament in doubt after surgery on a ruptured hamstring, the spotlight is now on those Three Lions hitmen battling to fill the skipper’s prolific boots. Having been a regular in Gareth Southgate’s squad for the past 14 months, Wilson is definitely a contender.
Yet, on current form and evidence, the Bournemouth star – capped four times – appears way behind the likes of red-hot Chelsea rival Tammy Abraham.
Wilson, 27, last scored a top-flight goal in October and only recently ended a 14-game drought in all competitions with a strike in the FA Cup rout of Luton.
That dip has coincided with the Cherries’ own alarming slide into the drop zone.
Little wonder then that Howe (right) reckons Wilson must start delivering again for his south-coast strugglers – if he is serious about landing a leading role in Southgate’s summer plans.
Ahead of today’s crunch relegation scrap with up front, so it was always going to be important to have somebody to play off. That was the idea. He was somebody we thought would improve us, but we couldn’t do it at that point. “I’m aware of his large character as well. All those things mean he brings something different and it’s important.”
Deeney is a straight talker and,
Watford, the Bournemouth boss declared: “It’s difficult to talk about Callum and England – other than urge him to do well for us.
“If he does – and scores goals between now and the end of the season – he’ll have a real opportunity to do what he wants with the national team.
“If he doesn’t, that option won’t be there for him.
It’s about him thinking short-term, staying in the now.
‘‘He’s still been the bubbly guy we need him to be, but I know he’s hurting – because he lives for scoring goals.”
Dutchman Nathan Ake while that does not sit well with all bosses, it does with Pearson.
He said: “Because Troy has been at Watford a long while, he cares about the football club.
“I speak about things being authentic, I’m not a believer in people sucking up to other people, it’s got to have an element of authenticity.
“That’s the important thing and we need to recognise collectively what is going to give us the best chance of getting out could make a welcome early return from his calf injury this afternoon – and put himself back on Chelsea’s transfer radar. The Blues have a £40million buy-back option on their one-time central defender, who left for Bournemouth for half that sum in June 2017.
But Howe is unconcerned by the speculation, adding: “I’m not going to play games with Nathan. We want him back, as fit as he can be, to make a difference.
“You have to do what’s right for the team. I don’t worry about things out of my control.” of the situation we’re in. I look at what Troy gives us in games.
“He’s a difficult player to play against and he likes playing under pressure. We’ve won penalties recently and it’s clear that in the situation, the pivotal moments for us to win the game or not, I don’t think for one second he doubted himself about taking the penalties.
“You need players who are able to play under pressure in the situation we’re in.”