We are beginning to look like ourselves again
It was a 0-0 draw at Watford today and an afternoon when Sean Dyche, returning to where he cut his management teeth, was the happier of the two after we came so close to winning it.
Watford boss Javier Gracia admitted afterwards: “You always want more but if you don’t play your better game, then it is a positive to get a point. Today, on a special day for the club, for all of us, we wanted to get a victory.
“To play against Burnley you always need to be constant, to be very demanding in all the challenges, all the second balls. I think that part we did well, but we didn’t do the different ways we try to attack, to create chances.
“In the beginning we created a clear chance with Gerard (Deulofeu), in the first half with Sema and with Troy (Deeney) we created two or three more chances but it wasn’t enough to score. It was an equal game, very close, we got a point and we continue.”
He added: “There are many positives but in this moment I’m a little bit disappointed because we wanted today to get a win. But when you can’t win, I think a point is good. All the team worked, were very concentrated and disciplined and you have to defend well because I remember last season when we were winning 1-0 and at the end of the game with two long balls, two free kicks, we lost the game. I think it’s important to remember these things.”
“Seeing it again after the game it looks onside but we know we have found it tough to get big decisions this year, and beyond. I think we’re something like 65 Premier League games without a penalty now, which is a statistical anomaly, but I don’t want to cry it in because we were really good today. In the end a big call has cost us, but I thought the officials did very well today other than that and from our point of view it was a very, very strong performance.
“It’s not easy coming down here anyway and they started well, but I felt we grew into the game and once we did that I don’t think we really looked back. We stayed on the front foot and probably my only gripe other than the decision is we created enough chances, good chances and a couple of golden chances, to seal the game. That’s probably the thing we look at in ourselves because decisions are out of our hands. We created enough today and should have taken one.”
He added: “For me, it’s all about the performances. Three Premier League wins on the trot and a draw and a clean sheet here today, along with our progressive play and the chances we created means there is a lot to be pleased about. We never really looked in any danger after Tom’s early save, and he was kept fairly quiet because of how well the defence played in front of him.
“The spine of the team today was excellent and if that is right it often leads to good performances, and did today. It’s not easy, and we’ve had a lot of questions asked of us this season, but we are beginning to look like ourselves again and I’m enjoying that, from the group in general.”
Follow UpTheClarets:Share this page :