Watford Season Review 2018/19

19/06/19 2548

A mid-table Premier League finish and an FA Cup final - A successful season for The Hornets?

Overview

It’s fair to say that Watford’s 6-0 FA Cup final thrashing at the hands of Manchester City was an unjust end to an otherwise positive season for the club.

The Cup run coupled with an 11th placed league finish meant The Hornets firmly established themselves as a Premier League club, with their highest finish since returning to the England’s top flight 4 seasons ago.

Highs

Javi Gracia became the club’s 10th manager since 2012 after replacing Marco Silva in January. The managerial merry-go-round at Vicarage Road in recent years has left the club struggling for consistency however Gracia seems to have steadied the ship.

The Spaniard has successfully mixed Watford’s exciting flair players like Gerard Deulofeu and Roberto Pereya with more defensively minded midfielders such as Abdoulaye Doucoure and Etienne Capoue, resulting in a well-balanced and dynamic side.

Ben Foster also enjoyed a resurgence in his career. The 36-year-old goalkeeper played every Premier League game last season, making some brilliant saves and keeping 7 clean sheets.

Stand out performer

Abdoulaye Doucoure was immense for The Hornets last season. The 26-year-old Frenchman proved he’s one of the best in the league when it comes to breaking up opposition attacks. He also scored 5 Premier League goals and his outstanding season has made him a summer transfer target for PSG and Arsenal.

Room for improvement?

Watford’s constant managerial changes have definitely hampered their progression. Players and fans alike will be hoping they can continue to build under Javi Gracia and will want the club’s owners to be patient if results don’t immediately go their way next season.

Strength in depth is also a problem for Watford. Gracia will no doubt be hoping he has the full backing of the board and is allowed to bring in players who he thinks can take the club to the next level, after inheriting the current squad midway through the last campaign

One to watch

Portugal under-20 international Domingos Quina endured a frustrating first season with the club. He didn’t feature often but when given the chance, the highly rated midfielder showed glimpses of real quality. He will certainly be hoping the manager puts more faith in him next season so he can show everyone what he is about.

Next season

Watford will be hoping for stability next season as they aim to grow as an established Premier League club. They will need to score more goals if they want to better their 11th placed finish so some more firepower upfront may be required.