MUNOZ’S PLEA TO MIGHTY MASINA
WATFORD boss Xisco Munoz is looking for more from goalscorer Adam Masina after his strike earned victory over lacklustre Nottingham Forest.
The first-half effort was enough to send the Vicarage Road side up to second in the Championship after their sixth win in seven games.
It was the first goal in 13 months for the Italian, and while Munoz was happy with his player, he was planning on giving him a more attacking role.
He said: “Masina is a big player, right now he’s in a good moment. Now is the time to push to change different things, but most importantly he has very good ambition.
“He wants to give the best for the team, sometimes he thinks more about the team than the individual.
“I’m happy with him, we’ve tried him more in attack and we want to see him in offence.
“I want to say congratulations to the players, I know we have done very well, but I think we can be better.
“I think I have a very good squad, and right now it doesn’t matter who I put in the first 11, everyone is in the high level.”
After finding the net twice in midweek, Andre Gray nearly added his third of the week after just four minutes, when he connected with a cross by Kiko Femenia, but his effort was collected by goalkeeper Brice Samba.
The home side continued to have the majority of the early play, and they took the lead after 17 minutes. Ismaila Sarr beat Gaetan Bong on the right and fired in a low shot that Brice Samba parried, with Masina collecting the loose ball and slamming a shot into the net.
Watford almost doubled their advantage six minutes after the restart, when Joao Pedro picked up a through ball from Philip Zinckernagel, but his tame effort was collected by Samba.
The home side came close again when Gray just failed to connect with a low drive across the face of goal by Femenia. The visitors were still very much in the contest, and Bong headed Anthony Knockaert’s cross wide.
Former Watford midfielder James Garner scuffed an effort wide with three minutes left, while sub Lyle Taylor thought he had equalised only for his effort to be ruled offside.
It was enough for Watford though, while Forest failed to bounce back after their defeat against Luton last week.
Manager Chris Hughton believed the quality in the final third proved to be the difference between the two sides.
He said: “There wasn’t a lot in it, and that’s one thing I continue to speak to the players about – we look at why Watford are where they are and we are where we are.
“That’s the difference. We’ve had games against the top six where the level of performance has been good and not too far away from the opposition.
“But it’s finding the way to get that win. That’s what the top teams do, and unfortunately that was the case today.
“They’ve got the goal today and probably in the final third they looked more threatening.”