I WAS NEVER GOING TO MISSILE
This was a Troy story of two thunderbolt penalties and pal Hughes said: To show such bottle says so much about him
HE is the captain, leader, legend – Watford style.
No player is the life and soul of a Premier League club more than Troy Deeney at Vicarage Road. And there is no-one his team-mates would rather have to convert the two pressure penalties which left Nigel Pearson’s team on track for a Great Escape.
“Everyone knows what Troy is like as a captain,” said Will Hughes. “He is very vocal, gets the best out of players.
“To have the bottle to take the penalties and score them both, says a lot about him.
“And he has been brilliant keeping us going, not letting us drop our heads. You need players like that if you are going to avoid relegation.” It was appropriate this old-school derby between Pearson and Steve Bruce should be decided by a traditional centre-forward like Deeney.
After Dwight Gayle gave Newcastle the first-half lead, Watford’s No.9 smashed both penalties down the middle in a style reminiscent of Gary Lineker in the World Cup quarter-final against Cameroon at Italia 90.
“Did anyone want to take the second penalty off Troy?” added an incredulous Hughes.
“No. He is our penalty-taker, especially as he scored the first one and his confidence was high from that.
“He is our leader and he wants to take responsibility and he has shown a lot of character by doing that.”
Loveable rogue Deeney could not resist “a bit of mind games” before his second shot whistled past Newcastle keeper Martin Dubravka for his 29th successful spot-kick for the club “I said to him, ‘You know where it’s going, don’t move.’ But he moved.” said Deeney.
“I wasn’t at my absolute best. I felt I should have scored two other goals, but I definitely wasn’t going to miss the penalties.”
Deeney netted a 90th-minute spot kick at Wembley to send last year’s FA
Cup semi-final into extra time but confessed he felt more nervous in an empty stadium.
“It was probably more pressure than the Wolves one because we know what’s at stake,” said Deeney, who later limped off with his nagging knee problem.
“We can’t afford to be naive to the situation we’re in. We’re in a relegation fight, we have been since the start of the season with the poor start we had, but we’ve turned a corner and it’s in our own hands so we’re relishing that.
“We highlighted the last game against Norwich, this one and the game on Friday at West Ham as three must-wins and we’re two out of three.”
Last year’s FA Cup finalists might not have n e ed ed to appoint Pearson as their third manager this season if Deeney had not undergone knee surgery in August before struggling for form this season.
When the former Leicester miracle worker was appointed Hornets boss in December, Watford were seven points from safety.
“I have got a bit of empathy with players in this situation,” said Pearson. “It is not easy to perform to our best.”