Gracia plays down talk of unlikely title challenge from Watford

Posted Sunday, October 28, 2018 by PA

Javi Gracia believes Watford boast the Premier League’s best squad – but insists the Hornets cannot win the title this term.

Watford thumped Huddersfield 3-0 at Vicarage Road on Saturday to secure their best-ever start to a top-flight season, with Roberto Pereyra, Gerard Deulofeu and Isaac Success all on target.

Gracia’s class of 2018 now boast 19 points from 10 games – two more at the same stage than Graham Taylor’s side that finished second in 1982-83.

The current Watford manager could not be happier with his squad, but does not expect them to emulate Leicester’s shock Premier League title win of 2016.

“For me, this is the best squad in the Premier League,” said Gracia.

“I don’t think we’d be able to achieve to win the championship. But we are going to try to enjoy every game, and try to do that for our supporters, help them enjoy it with us.

“But in all the games we are going to make a big effort to get the best results.

“I think it’s important to win the game today and I’m proud to get that achievement (of the best-ever season start).

“But I prefer to think only of the next game, I don’t spend much time looking at the table.

“I think that’s not good for us, it’s better to refocus on the next game and try to do our best.

“The end of the season is very far, and I prefer to enjoy every game.

“I’m very demanding, I think the best way to achieve a good future is to be focused on the present, do our best in the present.

“It’s our mentality, try to be demanding in all the games.

“I didn’t spend any time looking at the table at the moment, or if we achieve a new record.

“I prefer to be demanding. Today we have many things to improve, and tomorrow we’ll speak about that as well.

“I’m sure the owners, supporters, players, all the workers at the club, all of them will be happy and proud of us.”

Pereyra and Deulofeu had Watford 2-0 to the good in 19 minutes, whereupon the hosts just killed the game.

Success tapped home from a training-ground move at the death for a deserved victory margin, leaving Huddersfield bottom of the table and still winless after 10 matches.

Terriers boss David Wagner lamented his side’s inept defending – but insisted his men can still avoid the Premier League drop.

“First of all we have to be honest with ourselves and say today was not good enough,” he said.

“We conceded two goals which are easy to defend if we’re more aggressive and take more responsibility for these challenges.

“We didn’t deserve anything out of this game because defensively we weren’t good enough.

“I will not judge my players on one performance and one game, but I have to be honest – defensively this was not our level.

“If everyone thinks the other guy will do it, this just does not help.

“But what we’ve shown in recent weeks gave me all the confidence which I need. Of course I’m confident because we’ve already played 10 games, a lot of them on a high level, just without collecting the right points.

“The place where the sun shines is only two points away and there’s another 28 games to go.

“We have everything still in our hands, but we have to perform better.”