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Quique Flores faces tricky Premier League test with new-look Watford

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Watford have added no shortage of quality to their squad in a hectic summer transfer window, but how will their new-look side fare in the Premier League? Nick Wright investigates with the help of club legend Luther Blissett.

These are exciting times for Watford. The imminent arrival of Italian midfielder Alessandro Diamanti will make it 11 signings and counting this summer, and new manager Quique Flores has already spoken about achieving “something special” in his first season in English football. 

Watford’s summer overhaul should come as little surprise given their recent history under the ownership of the Pozzo family. After all, Flores is their fifth managerial appointment in under a year and his predecessor, Slavisa Jokanovic, left the club just weeks after guiding them to automatic promotion.

Flores is new to English football but brings considerable pedigree to the role, and the former Valencia and Atletico Madrid boss has wasted no time in reshaping his side. The Hornets have signed three more players than any other Premier League club, further diversifying a cosmopolitan and bloated squad which now includes 22 different nationalities.

Alessandro Diamanti of ACF Fiorentina in action during the Serie A match between SS Lazio and ACF Fiorentina at Stadio Olimpico on March 9, 2015 in Rome, Italy. Photo: Paolo Bruno/Getty Images
Image: Alessandro Diamanti is set to become Watford's 11th signing of the summer

Etienne Capoue and Valon Behrami will bring solidity and Premier League experience to central midfield while former loanee Matej Vydra has signed on permanently, but seven of their new additions are completely new to English football and Watford go into the new season as something of an unknown quantity.

On the one hand, the likes of Berghuis (who scored 11 goals in 22 appearances for AZ last season), Spanish playmaker Jose Manuel Jurado and Greek international defender Jose Holebas have the quality to boost Watford’s Premier League survival chances, but such an influx of new faces is also a risky strategy which raises questions about stability.

Indeed, Watford are likely to field a very unfamiliar starting XI in their Premier League curtain-raiser away to Everton on Saturday, so it is imperative they integrate the new signings quickly. That view is supported by former striker Luther Blissett, Watford’s all-time leading goalscorer who netted 186 times in three separate spells at the club between 1975 and 1993.

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Quique Sanchez Flores with the Europa League trophy in 2010
Image: Quique Flores won the Europa League with Atletico Madrid in 2010

“Last year they had a decent forward line and the team was slowly getting the belief that they were good enough to get promotion, so I think that’s a great place to start,” Blissett told Sky Sports.

“The new manager has come in and he’s already brought in lots of new players. My only question is, are we able to get those players to gel and knit together in time, to start the season in a position to win more games than we’re going to lose early on?”

Watford have home fixtures against West Brom and Southampton after their opener at Goodison Park. Blissett added: “If they can get a decent start in the Premier League and it all comes together, they’ve got a very good chance of staying up.”

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Watch Steven Berghuis' top five goals for AZ Alkmaar last season

Former England international Blissett is impressed by the individual quality at Watford’s disposal, but moulding them into a team is a separate challenge – and the Hornets don’t have much room for error. “The quality is very important, to have players who can do things and have the potential to win you games, but in the Premier League it takes a team to get you through,” he said.

“That’s why I’m asking, have they got enough time to gel into a unit that can be productive and be resilient throughout the season? You do need to have that experience of what the Premier League is all about. The manager has never been in the Premier League, and a large percentage of the players haven’t either, so it’s all a massive learning curve and it can be quite a brutal one in the Premier League.”

Having finished bottom in their last two seasons in the top flight, Watford are all too aware of just how brutal that step up can be. But if their new signings have the desired effect, Blissett believes it could be a different story this time around.

Jose Holebas: Watford's new signing in action during pre-season
Image: Watford new boy Jose Holebas was Roma's first-choice left-back for much of last season

“Watford’s last two promotions to the Premier League were through the play-offs, so they had limited time to get all the bits and pieces in place to prepare for the new season,” he said.

“This time they have had an extra month to do that, so they will hopefully be in a much better position organisationally to get in there. It just boils down to whether the players will settle quickly enough to start in that strong way so we can maintain it.”

Of course, Watford’s hopes do not rest solely on their new signings. Much will be expected of club captain Troy Deeney, who signed a new five-year contract at Vicarage Road in July and will spearhead their attack once again having scored 66 goals in 134 appearances over the last three seasons.

He’s strong, he’s quick, he knows where the goal is and he doesn’t mind putting his foot in.
Luther Blissett on Troy Deeney

“I think the club have rewarded loyalty by giving him his new contract,” Blissett said of the 27-year-old. “Troy loves being at the club, he just wants to score goals and help lead that team to more and more success."

Deeney will be ably supported by Matej Vydra and Odion Igalho in attack, and Blissett has no doubts about his ability to make the step up to the Premier League. “He’s got great quality. He’s strong, he’s quick, he knows where the goal is and he doesn’t mind putting his foot in.

“He leads by example and he has dragged them along in periods when they needed it. It could be a great season for him if the team is right and they create the opportunities. Between him and the other strikers, I think they might just have enough.”

Watford have their leader and they have the quality – the question is whether Flores can find a way to fit the parts together. 

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