Quique Sanchez Flores backs Watford's Troy Deeney to regain scoring touch
Friday 18 September 2015 13:07, UK
Watford manager Quique Sanchez Flores is confident forward Troy Deeney will soon end his wait for a Premier League goal.
The Hornets captain scored 21 goals in his side's promotion-winning campaign last season, but is yet to open his account in the top-flight.
Deeney scored 81 goals for Watford during five seasons in the Championship, but Flores said: "The level of the opposition is very different.
"He has scored lots of goals for us in other years. But the level of defenders and teams are different so we need a bit more from the players. They know that.
"I have no doubts over Troy. The Championship is different to the Premier League in terms of playing, the intensity and the quality.
"If Deeney wants to score 20 goals again it will be very difficult. But I don't have any obsession with any situation in the team.
"Deeney will score goals. He is a big player for us on the pitch."
Watford secured their first win of the season last time out against Swansea and have lost just once on their return to the Premier League, a 2-0 defeat at current leaders Manchester City.
Flores' side travel to St James' Park on Saturday to face Newcastle, who sit bottom of the table and without a win from their opening five matches.
"We have positive emotions after our win over Swansea but we must think about Newcastle," Flores added.
"We respect them and they have a good coach. We will put pressure them and our target will to be try and silence the stands.
"When you get to play and win in this kind of stadium it is amazing for the players and for their confidence, so it is very important to try to use this kind of atmosphere."
Midfielder Valon Behrami was shown a straight red card in Watford's 1-0 win over Swansea last Saturday for a reckless challenge on Andre Ayew.
The Switzerland international, who will miss the clash with Newcastle, has subsequently apologised and admitted his dismissal was deserved.
But Flores, who insists the incident has been dealt with, knows similar indiscretions in the future could end up costing the Hornets dear.
"I didn't consider it an act of indiscipline. It was part of the play - it looked bad but it was an accident, maybe because he (Ayew) is so quick so it is possible to happen," he said.
"Of course Behrami knows it wasn't a good idea to do this kind of action during the match and I tried to talk about it with the players because I don't like to lose one player during the match.
"I don't like it because this kind of situation can change too much a match, so we will try to solve it for the future and not repeat these kinds of actions."
