Abuse still stings for target Wilf
ROY HODGSON has claimed players like Wilf Zaha have to be “superhuman” to rise above provocation from opposition fans.
Zaha is set to receive his usual hot reception tomorrow in his long-running feud with Watford supporters.
The Crystal Palace star, below, has been a target since winning the decisive penalty in the 2013 play-off final against the Hornets, and has been booked for diving in his last two visits to Vicarage Road.
Club mascot Harry the Hornet mockingly dived at the Palace player’s feet in 2016.
Hodgson said: “Wilf is a very, very dangerous opponent and presumably the fans of those clubs will do everything they can to nullify that threat and get whatever advantage they can.
“He is not the only centreforward who is a target for people who want to put him off by winding him up in some way. We try to nullify that situation by encouraging him to put that behind him and do his talking on the pitch and not to be put off by psychological tactics.
“We have made some strides but nowhere near as much as we would be hoping to do. When you’re being kicked or fouled and in your eyes not being protected enough or getting the free-kicks you want, would I also perhaps rail against it? We’re talking human nature.
“You have to be superhuman, accept it, take it and get on with it and if you react, you are the one they are going to complain about, not the one who has kicked you. You can only hope that referees are strong enough in those
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situations.” Watford boss Javi Gracia is not laying any special tripwires for the Eagles’ matchwinner, saying: “Our game plan is always different because you don’t play alone – every week you face something different and you need to adapt.
“I don’t like to pinpoint one player, but Zaha is a very good player whose style of play involves a lot of dribbles and attacking situations involving contact.
“It’s normal that there will be contact in different situations and with different opinions. But I don’t see anything different or anything special about Zaha in those moments.
“If you want to defend well you have to stay close and sometimes be in contact with these players. We always try to avoid giving away fouls in all our games, not just this one because we are playing Palace or players like Zaha, and we try to avoid the ball coming into our box.”
Gracia ended his 210-day wait for Watford to score an away goal in the win at Burnley last weekend but added: “I’ve only ever been interested in doing my best.
“It’s my mentality to work like that – when I’m stressed, it doesn’t help me do my job any better.
“We know what we have to do, and it doesn’t make things better if I shout a lot at the players: I need to be calm and speaking to them in a way that you can tell them what you want.”