Watford

Christian Fuller
Watford fan writer

Image source, Getty Images

They say never fall in love with a loan player – and for Max Alleyne, that could not be more fitting.

While his time at Watford was short and sweet, the young centre-back had begun to make a real impact at Vicarage Road.

The 20-year-old made 16 league appearances for the Hornets across a spell which saw Javi Gracia's side lose just one of their last 13 matches.

While central defence is a position with more cover than most at Watford, his recall to Manchester City felt like a real blow.

As gutting as it is for Watford supporters to see Alleyne return to his parent club, the feeling was somewhat quelled watching him slot into City's starting XI right away.

And having impressed on his Premier League debut in Manchester City's 1-1 draw against Brighton & Hove Albion, there is no doubt in my mind that Alleyne will one day find himself playing for England.

Already an international at various youth levels up to Under-21, the defender looked comfortable with the ball at his feet and passing it around the backline, often breaking lines or firing it into Erling Haaland.

It is fair to say he began the match looking nervous and was not flawless, but the biggest compliment you can give Alleyne is that you would not have known it was his Premier League debut.

To do that at the age of 20 is impressive in any position, but doing so in the heart of defence has meant Alleyne caught the eyes of many – all while not even being available as an option on the Premier League's own Fantasy Football game.

And somewhat fittingly, he did it lined-up alongside fellow former Watford loanee Nathan Ake.

How many more matches he will feature in this season is yet to be determined. And who knows, perhaps once Manchester City's injury crisis is resolved, we may see Alleyne back at Vicarage Road for the remainder of the season.

But one thing that is for certain – remember the name, Max Alleyne.

Championship clubs including Watford and Bristol City are on high alert as Chelsea attacking midfielder Leo Castledine could be sold. The 20-year-old has starred on loan at League One Huddersfield, scoring 12 goals in 27 appearances, but has a January break clause in his deal and is out of contract in the summer. (The Athletic, external)

Want more transfer news from the EFL? Take a look at Wednesday's gossip column here.

Image source, Getty Images

Watford midfielder Edo Kayembe will head back to England after his DR Congo side were knocked out of the Africa Cup of Nations on Tuesday.

The Leopards were beaten 1-0 by Algeria after extra time in Rabat to exit the competition at the last-16 stage.

The 27-year-old came on as a substitute in the 70th minute as his side lost to an Adil Boulbina goal in the final moments of extra time.

Kayembe had previously been used as a substitute in DR Congo's 1-1 draw with Senegal in their second group game before starting the 1-0 win over Benin.

Watford visit Bristol City in the FA Cup third round on Saturday (17:45 GMT).

Geoff Doyle
BBC 3CR sports editor

Image source, Getty Images

It's FA Cup third round weekend and for those Watford supporters travelling to Bristol City on Saturday, anybody who guesses the starting XI deserves a medal.

As much as it's one of the best club competitions in the world, this is not going to be top of the priority list at Vicarage Road.

Watford's four league wins in a row has thrust them firmly into promotion contention and, if they want to think big, an automatic place isn't beyond question.

It feels as though there isn't as much quality in the Championship this season, paving the way for teams like Watford to dream of a second place finish.

Despite the postponement at Hull on Sunday - the fallout from that is going to be interesting when the reports come out and the new date is set (expect plenty of spice in that one) - Watford players need a rest and a very well-earned one at that.

Ten players started all four games in the 14 days they played around Christmas. Javi Gracia won't want to risk too many of those nine in an FA Cup tie in which they'll start second favourites away to a fellow Championship team.

So the 11 at Ashton Gate is likely to be made up of all the recent substitutes that have featured over the Christmas and New Year period.

Will there be any new signings in the squad? Watford are being linked with a left back as cover for Marc Bola, who has put in such a big shift this season.

If they are to mount a realistic automatic promotion push, they would probably need two or three experienced others but that isn't the Watford way in terms of transfer policy, with chief executive Scott Duxbury recently reiterating the recruitment model of signing young, overseas potential stars.

The clash at Bristol City will give players who haven't featured as much this season the chance to shine but the top six clash against Millwall the following week will be much more the priority at Watford HQ.

Listen to Bristol City v Watford on BBC Three Counties Radio at 17:45 GMT this Saturday on your smart speaker, tablet and mobile phone via BBC Sounds.

Image source, Shutterstock

Watford defender Max Alleyne has returned to Manchester City after being recalled from a season-long loan at Vicarage Road.

The 20-year-old made 17 appearances for the Hornets, which included the four-match winning run up to New Year's Day which has lifted Javi Gracia's side into the play-off places.

Alleyne has yet to play a senior game for City, but has been part of their under-21 side in the EFL Trophy in the past two seasons.

Pep Guardiola's team need additional cover after Josko Gvardiol fractured a shin bone in their 1-1 draw with Chelsea and fellow defender Ruben Dias also went off injured.

Image source, Shutterstock

Watford have insisted they did not agree with the decision to postpone Sunday's Championship game at Hull City.

The match was called off fewer than 20 minutes before the scheduled 15:00 GMT kick-off because areas surrounding the pitch were deemed unsafe by match officials.

"The decision to postpone the fixture so close to kick-off is regrettable and we fully share the frustration of our supporters," Watford said in a statement.

But in a later post on X, the club said: "We hope all our inconvenienced fans made it home safely from Hull. We reiterate we were ready and willing to play after the pitch was passed fit by the referee.

"We remain disappointed by the decision to postpone, and by how the decision was reached. We did not agree to the postponement."

Tickets bought for the game can be used by travelling supporters when it is rescheduled.

Watford are sixth in the table but will switch to FA Cup action on Saturday for a third round tie away to Bristol City.

Christian Fuller
Watford fan writer

Image source, BBC Sport

Image source, Shutterstock

Football can be frustrating at the best of times, but it reaches a whole new level when you leave a stadium before the match has even begun.

The feeling of frustration is one Watford supporters have begun to forget in recent weeks.

Four wins from four, seven unbeaten and in the play-off places – it felt like nothing could ruin the rhythm for Watford.

But the late postponement of the Hull City fixture due to freezing conditions left a bitter taste in the mouth of the travelling supporters.

You expect matches to be called off in the lower leagues, but not at this level – and certainly not in this way.

With fans having made the 200-mile trip, the game was scrapped less than 20 minutes before kick-off.

And the worst of it all? It fell to the Watford players to inform the fans in the away end that the match had been called off.

Decisions like this must be made sooner. It is as simple as that.

It was already badly scheduled, with an eight-hour round trip on a Sunday for an untelevised fixture. But the poorly handled decision may have just created an unofficial rivalry spawned out of annoyance and anger.

It was disappointing for so many reasons – but more than anything, it has taken the sting out of the excitement and buzz around the club following a string of fantastic results.

An investigation will inevitably take place, and the match will eventually be rescheduled. But that is little compensation for those who made the trip, hoping to see a Watford side full of confidence.

While it is yet to be seen if our momentum will be impacted, the Hornets are still flying high and remain in the play-off places despite most other Championship fixtures going ahead.

Meanwhile, Watford's dominant 3-0 win over Birmingham City certainly should not be forgotten.

It was a sign of intent – and one that supporters will be hoping can be replicated in the blockbuster tie against Millwall on 17 January.

A win against our fellow play-off hopefuls will rise us further up the Championship table. And from there – if our momentum has not diminished – who knows what the rest of the season may bring?

Bournemouth's Argentine left-back Julio Soler, 20, has emerged as a loan target for Watford.(Fabrizio Romano), external

Want more transfer news from the EFL? Take a look at Monday's gossip column here.

Watford winger Tom Ince thanked head coach Javi Gracia for providing a "breath of fresh air" in his career after scoring his first hat-trick for more than 10 years.

The 33-year-old is one of the most experienced players in a largely youthful squad and has made 14 of his 16 appearances this season since the Spaniard returned to the club for a second spell in charge in October.

Ince's treble against Birmingham City on New Year's Day secured a 3-0 win to push the Hornets up to fourth in the Championship table, just three points adrift of Ipswich Town in second place.

"Whatever the manager asks of me, I try to do it to the best of my ability," Ince told BBC Three Counties Radio.

"It was nice to get my 100th (goal against Norwich) a few weeks ago and to add to that so quickly - I'll have a look at the table of the top 10 Championship goalscorers and see if I can catch a few of them before the end of the season.

"He [Gracia] understands what's required without hollering or shouting. He understands the squad he's got and that a lot of the players need his arm around them.

"He has players with a lot of flair and talent, but if you're not compact and you don't work together and have the belief to fight for each other, he doesn't care who you are.

"For me, he's been a breath of fresh air. Just the simplicity of it, he has his game plans, but the man he is, the aura he has around the place, I can't fault it."

Watford are away to fifth-placed Hull City on Sunday.

Watford boss Javi Gracia spoke BBC Three Counties Radio after Thursday's 3-0 win against Birmingham City.

"I told the players at the end of the game that I love to work at Christmas. It's a good moment for the team, having good performances at home and away and getting good results," he said.

"It's been amazing for us and help us to believe in all the things we are going and believe in the power of the squad. We just need to keep going.

"We were playing against a very good team and it's not easy to win 3-0 against Birmingham, the same way we did against Middlesbrough.

"It also a good thing to get another clean sheet. It's important because to get a clean sheet we have had to defended well while creating a lot of chances at the same time."

Image source, Getty Images

Watford chief executive Scott Duxbury has hailed Javi Gracia as a "fantastic" success since returning to Vicarage Road as head coach.

The Spaniard, previously in charge from January 2018 to September 2019, was reappointed in October when Paulo Pezzolano was sacked.

The Hornets have won seven of their 15 games since then, including the past three, and are sixth in the Championship table before Thursday's home game against Birmingham City.

"Javi has been fantastic since he returned," Duxbury told the club website., external

"We knew from his first spell at the club that he just gets what Watford is all about; he understands the culture, the people, and recognises what it means to the fans.

"There is a connection which has been reflected in the way the team now plays with adventure and attacking intent."

Watford have one of the youngest squads in the second tier and Duxbury vowed that none of their players would leave in January without Gracia's approval.

"Recruitment underpins pretty much everything about the club, and our track record of signing young players, and seeing them shine in a Watford shirt as they develop before going on to bigger things, has been clear for all to see in recent years," he added.

"The rich pipeline of talent continues, and that's why our recruitment strategy in the summer was based around a particular age profile.

"With (Kwadwo) Baah and (Rocco) Vata to return soon, it's clear there will be even more competition in the matchday squad and other players may have to leave, but they will only be the ones Javi believes would benefit from a fresh start.

"Nobody will leave that Javi doesn't want to lose. That being said, we are in constant discussion with Javi about squad strength and if an opportunity presents itself, we will move."

Watford will look to extend their good run of form as visitors Birmingham City hope to end their winless spell as the two sides meet at Vicarage Road on New Year's Day (15:00 GMT).

The Hornets have won their past three successive games to put themselves into the play-off places and are undefeated across their last six, though the last team to beat them were Blues.

However, the West Midlands side haven't been able to find another win since that victory at St Andrew's in December.

Can they end a six match winless streak to deliver a league double against their hosts?

• Watford have won each of their last six home league games against Birmingham City without conceding; only against Portsmouth between 1962 and 1989 have they kept seven clean sheets in a row on home turf.

• Birmingham City had won just one of their last 12 league meetings with Watford prior to this season (D1 L10) but won the reverse fixture 2-1 last month; the Blues last completed a league double over the Hornets in 2008-09.

• Watford have only won their opening fixture in two of the last 14 calendar years (D2 L10), beating Wolves 2-1 in the Premier League in 2020 and Norwich in the Championship in 2023.

• Birmingham City haven't won a league game on New Year's Day since 1991 away at Mansfield Town (2-1), going winless in 15 such matches since then (D5 L10), which is the longest ongoing winless streak on January 1st of any team in England's top four tiers.

• Watford have only lost one of their last nine home league games against newly promoted opposition (W4 D4), winning all three such games last season.

Christian Fuller
Watford fan writer

Image source, Getty Images

Watford are becoming a team known for never giving up.

Whether it is conceding early in games and fighting back or scoring late to snatch a win, Javi Gracia has created a team you feel could always be on for three points, no matter the circumstance.

In the Hornets' 2-1 victory over Leicester City, it was an all-too-familiar start as the Foxes scored with their first shot on goal.

But as has been the case on many occasions this season, Watford dug in and turned the game around.

Othmane Maamma's equaliser made him the first player since Troy Deeney in 2015 to score in three consecutive away games for Watford – not bad company to be in – before some questionable decision-making from the Leicester keeper gift-wrapped a Boxing Day victory to Watford by misjudging a cross, which Mattie Pollock gladly headed home.

As much as supporters would prefer not to always go behind to kickstart momentum, it has been a winning strategy of late.

Meanwhile, in the absence of Mamadou Doumbia, whose Africa Cup of Nations journey is to be extended with Mali qualifying for the last 16, it was Vivaldo Semedo who sent the away end into bedlam with a last-gasp winner in Watford's 1-0 win against Norwich City.

And while it was Semedo who stole the headlines this time, it is that sharing of the workload that supporters can be excited about, with goals and chances shared among an array of attacking talent week by week - soon to be even more bolstered with the imminent return of Kwadwo Baah.

That is three wins on the bounce and a first away clean sheet in nearing a year.

But most importantly, the recent string of victories puts us into the play-off places – with momentum going into what will hopefully be a year to remember for all the right reasons.

Image source, Getty Images

Watford boss Javi Gracia was full of praise for his side's unity after the 2-1 comeback victory away against Leicester City.

"We know the quality of their team and the individuals well. We were aware about the way to prepare knowing we needed to defend well but also show our quality - and we did," Gracia told BBC Three Counties Radio

"We conceded an early goal; they scored with their first opportunity but we kept believing in our plan and in the end we got what we wanted. I am really happy for the players and the supporters.

"It is always difficult to play away but all the members of the team are improving. We are growing as a team.

"Many people speak about solidarity and helping each other and we have to show that on the pitch.

"Today we showed a good face and the spirit we need. It means we could show our quality."