Valerien Ismael says Watford’s late equaliser against Millwall could be vital

Posted Sunday, October 29, 2023 by PA

Watford manager Valerien Ismael believes Mileta Rajovic’s injury-time header in a 2-2 draw with Millwall at Vicarage Road could prove a key moment in his side’s season.

Ismael said: “The morale, the mentality we showed again tonight was something great. It has been a good week for us with two wins, one draw.

“For sure you want more, but we are showing the mentality of a team that supports each other. At the end of the season, maybe we will talk about this day being a massive point for us.

“The Championship is a long run and these are all the values you need, either to win games or at least not to lose, to stay in the game. We made it perfectly this afternoon.

“For sure we are at home and you want to win the game, but our fans pushed us until the very end and gave us the belief we needed. They believed that something can happen. The team needed that.

“The feeling was there from the crowd and it lifted the players. We showed that we are able to score at any time in the game. We’ve got the squad – we are fit and we believe in ourselves.

“In this league anyone can beat anyone so you need the mentality, the desire, togetherness and belief from the beginning. Then you just need the structure and some quality to make the difference.

“We keep improving. I see the positive side from our work and we are coming. The stability is back in our squad.”

Ismael also hailed the impact of his substitutes Imran Louza and Rhys Healey.

Louza supplied the cross for Rajovic to head home, but Rhys Healey had earlier headed Jake Cooper’ s goalbound effort up and against his own bar with Millwall holding a 2-1 lead.

Ismael added: “I was pleased to see the mentality of the players and the impact from the bench. Louza made the assist, Rajovic scored the goal, but just before that Rhys Healey made a massive save. This is why I’m pleased.

“For the first 60 minutes we were excellent, but then we lost control and the game became hectic.

“Millwall put us exactly where they wanted to put us. Our build-up wasn’t as clinical and our clearances were sloppy.

“Short clearances, another throw-in, another free-kick and they started to build momentum and it was difficult to take control. But at the end we showed with the quality we’ve got we can score at any time.”

Millwall conceded an early goal from Yaser Asprilla only for Zian Flemming to equalise before Wes Harding’s 85th-minute header appeared to have won it for the visitors.

It was the central defender’s second goal in as many games.

Caretaker Millwall manager Adam Barrett said: “I’m delighted for Wes. He’s a great pro. He has come into the group in recent weeks and is a bit of a leader.

“It was nice to see someone attacking that ball with real intent. Hopefully. there is more to come from him. He’s really stepped up.

“I’m definitely disappointed after we got ourselves in a wonderful position there to go 3-1 up with Jake’s header and somehow the ball stayed out.

“Obviously at the end, there, it’s a real sickener to take. I was very disappointed to see their goal go in the back of the net. It was a kick in the teeth.

“We have a good bond in there. We just need to be a little bit braver. You can see it in spells. There’s been a lot of upheaval in the club in the last week or so, but the boys have stuck together.

“It would have been nice to take the confidence from a win into next week on the training pitch.”

Barrett admitted he has heard nothing about the managerial situation at The Den.

He said: “No, I haven’t heard anything. I’ve just about had some sleep in the past seven days. It’s been a hectic week and as far as I know I’m coming on Monday as normal.”