MX23RW : Monday, November 25 00:28:22| >> :120:41489:41489:
[monks data]
Attendance: 30,414
Brighton logo
Premier League | Gameweek 25
Feb 2, 2019 at 3pm UK
 
Watford logo

0-0

FT

Gracia urges Watford to be more clinical in front of goal

Gracia urges Watford to be more clinical in front of goal
© Reuters
The Spaniard wants his players to convert more of the clear-cut chances they create.

Watford head coach Javi Gracia has seen his side score some wonderful goals so far this season – but now he has called on his players to also tuck away their bread and butter chances.

The Hornets have caught the eye with a number of goal of the month contenders as the likes of Gerard Deulofeu and Roberto Pereyra have stolen the show with individual moments of brilliance.

But, according to official Premier League statistics, Watford have missed 43 big chances so far this season – more than any other club in the top flight.

A 2-1 defeat to Tottenham on Wednesday night would have been hard to stomach for Gracia, as Watford again proved profligate.

But, while the Spaniard knows finishing must improve, he has backed his players to score the easy goals – starting at Brighton on Saturday.

"I try to take advantage of the chances we are creating," he said.

"If we score these kinds of goals I am happy because all of them are amazing goals but we need to take other kinds of chances as well.

"We need it, we spoke about it last week – we have been the team to miss the most big chances this season.

"I think we need to be more demanding to be more clinical in those situations. We try to create the situations where the players can finish because they have the quality to do it.

"Then there are other moments in play where they have to finish and in those situations we can improve because we have the quality and I'm sure in the next games we will do it better.

"All of them are demanding with themselves and only in this way can we compete the way we are doing.

"For sure we need to improve things, we need to finish better but we play this way – it is our personality and characteristics and we try to improve them."

Watford head to the south coast with midfielder Abdoulaye Doucoure still likely to be absent due to a knee injury.

Tom Cleverley may also be rested as he still works his way back to full fitness having only recently returned from a year-long lay-off.

ga('create', 'UA-72310761-1', 'auto', {'name': 'pacontentapi'});
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'referrer', location.origin);
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension1', 'By Mark Mann-Bryans, Press Association Sport');
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension2', '3b5c7e7d-67cf-4c5e-81ef-db778d72d930');
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension3', 'paservice:sport,paservice:sport:club-news,paservice:sport:football');
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension6', 'story');
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension7', 'composite');
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension8', null);
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension9', 'sport:football');
ga('pacontentapi.send', 'pageview', { 'location': location.href, 'page': (location.pathname + location.search + location.hash), 'title': 'Gracia urges Watford to be more clinical in front of goal'});

ID:349029: cacheID:349029:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:restore:4493:No Data Analysis info
Restore Data
Share this article now:
Darren Sarll pictured in January 2018
Read Next:
Watford suspend head of academy Darren Sarll over bullying claims
>
Read more about Javi Gracia Football
rhs 2.0
Today's games header
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Leeds UnitedLeeds1695228121632
2Sunderland1695226121432
3Sheffield UnitedSheff Utd1610422191232
4Burnley168621961330
5Middlesbrough1683529191027
6West Bromwich AlbionWest Brom166821811726
7Watford168262524126
8Millwall166641914524
9Blackburn RoversBlackburn156451917222
10Bristol City165742020022
11Derby CountyDerby165562020020
12Stoke CityStoke165561920-120
13Norwich CityNorwich164752524119
14Swansea CitySwansea165471414019
15Sheffield WednesdaySheff Weds165471826-819
16Luton TownLuton165381826-818
17Coventry CityCoventry164572223-117
18Oxford UnitedOxford Utd164571924-517
19Plymouth ArgylePlymouth164571728-1117
20Preston North EndPreston163761624-816
21Cardiff CityCardiff164481524-916
22Hull City163671621-515
23Portsmouth152671628-1212
24Queens Park RangersQPR161871326-1311


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
Argentina's Lionel Messi kisses the World Cup trophy after collecting the Golden Ball award on December 18, 2022Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!