Javi Gracia says Watford can take positives from late defeat at Tottenham
Thursday 31 January 2019 00:09, UK
Javi Gracia said the level of Watford's disappointment from their late 2-1 defeat to Spurs was a positive for his side.
Had the Hornets' game against the side now seven points off the top of the division finished 10 minutes earlier, they would have instead been celebrating a 1-0 win courtesy of Craig Cathcart's first-half header.
But a late show from Tottenham got them back to winning ways courtesy of Fernando Llorente's header three minutes from time, leaving Gracia with only the small margin of defeat to comfort himself.
He told Sky Sports: "We started the game scoring from a corner, and after that we worked well in the game knowing they had more possession, and created chances too, but we defended well.
"In the last 10 minutes we conceded two goals, but it's a good sign for us that we're disappointed because we wanted to win today.
"They changed shape, players and brought on more offensive ones, we tried to control them but it was difficult. We created our chances because in the second half Troy (Deeney), Isaac (Success) and Gerard (Deulofeu), if they score one of those, the game could be different."
The Watford boss, who will become their longest-serving Premier League manager when they host Everton on Saturday, felt the performance at Wembley could give his side hope for the rest of the season.
He said: "Now we are thinking in this game and we are disappointed, but we are competing well in all the games, always with options to get points and I think playing this way, with this attitude, we will enjoy the rest of the season."
