Arsenal vs Watford - Wenger expecting 'very quiet' deadline day

Posted Tuesday, January 31, 2017 by PA

Arsene Wenger has called on his Arsenal players to prove he is correct not to strengthen the squad in the January transfer window.

The Gunners have yet to make any major acquisitions this month and Wenger has again reiterated he has no intention to buy before Tuesday's 2300 deadline.

The Frenchman showed how strong his current squad is as he made 10 changes for Saturday's 5-0 FA Cup fifth-round victory over Southampton.

Danny Welbeck scored a brace, with Theo Walcott adding a hat-trick as the likes of Petr Cech, Laurent Koscielny, Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez were rested from the starting line-up.

That quartet are expected to return for Tuesday's Premier League clash at home to Watford with the transfer window closing soon after full-time and Wenger, who will serve the second of a four-game touchline ban against the Hornets, insists he will not spring a surprise between now and then.

"Yes, of course," Wenger said when asked if his squad's strength influenced his thinking during the transfer market.

"It's not only to buy players, you have to have a need in your squad first of all. I believe that number-wise and quality-wise, we have what is required to do well.

"Now it's down to us to perform and to produce with the quality of our focus, the quality of our ambition and desire to produce the performance in every single game."

Wenger said Arsenal would mirror most Premier League clubs by doing very little business in the final hours of the window, with his only addition this month having been young left-back Cohen Bramall from Hednesford Town.

"(It will be) very quiet. On our front, we have a big squad," he said.

"We are not in need of buying. On a general front it has been very quiet. That shows that there are not many players available who can strengthen English teams.

"It also shows that all the teams in England, especially the big teams, have big squads. That's why not a lot happened."

Under-fire Watford manager Walter Mazzarri has demanded a response from his players after they crashed out of the FA Cup to Millwall.

The Hornets lost 1-0 to the League One side in the fourth round of the competition, and are currently in the midst of a poor run of form which has seen them record just one win in their last nine matches.

Mazzarri came in for criticism after making a handful of changes to his starting XI, keeping just four players from the Premier League clash with Bournemouth, and suggesting after the match that his side did not deserve to lose, instead questioning the officials' decision making.

However having reflected on the loss, Mazzarri has called for a response as he prepares his side to travel to Arsenal on Tuesday.

"First of all, I want to say that yesterday I was very upset immediately after the game," he said.

"Because I understand how upset the fans were feeling this game, I made some comments that were immediately after the game. I want to congratulate Millwall for the performance and now we have to think regarding our side.

"We have to react immediately. We have the chance to do it and obtain as soon as possible our first objective. This is what I wanted to say. We want to do it in the most positive manner."

The Hornets expect to have new signing M'Baye Niang available against the Gunners, after his recent arrival from AC Milan.

The French forward joined on loan until the end of the season but, although he did not receive international clearance in time to feature against Millwall, he is likely to play some part against Arsenal.

Mazzarri added: "He is available (Niang). He will probably come with us.

"He hasn't been training a lot with the team but he is a player we can utilise in the game."

Fellow new signing Mauro Zarate remains suspended following a red card in Italy, while Jose Holebas serves the final match of a ban of his own and Costel Pantillimon is out for up to four weeks having suffered a leg injury on Sunday.