With Bachmann out, Bond likely to step in - but what about Roberts?
With Dan Bachmann out of action for two to three months with an ankle ligament injury, attention has rapidly turned to the goalkeeping options at Vicarage Road.
Bachmann has started 31 of the last 34 Championship fixtures for Watford, missing three earlier this season with an injury picked up at Norwich.
Jonathan Bond deputised for him then, and also played in all three Carabao Cup ties.
Academy product Alfie Marriott was on the bench on those six occasions, but he is carrying a toe injury which requires surgery.
In the Under-21s there are three keepers, all of whom have had spells out on loan at non-league level, but none of Jonathan Macaulay, Gabriel Ortelli or Roraigh Browne have featured for the first-team.
At the age of 31, Bond has plenty of senor experience in a career that started at Vicarage Road as a 10-year-old and saw him make 33 first-team appearances between 2012 and 2015.
Capped five times by England Under-21s, Bond had spells at Peterborough and Reading before moving to America to join LA Galaxy, where he played 89 games in the MLS.
He returned to Vicarage Road this summer, and was in goal for the home wins over Middlesbrough and Sunderland before somewhat controversially being replaced by Bachmann for the horrendous 3-0 derby defeat at Luton.
Bond will play at Fulham in the FA Cup tie on Thursday, and is the natural next in line now Bachmann is out.
But what about another of the club’s senior goalkeepers: 23-year-old Myles Roberts?
Myles Roberts (Image: PA)
Impressive for the Under-21s last season and a player who has caught the eye repeatedly during loan spells – particularly in Scotland this season – Roberts may still be something of an unknown quantity to many Watford fans.
He actually played as a striker when a youngster, before joining Reading and becoming a keeper.
He never played for the Berkshire side and, after brief loan spells with Wealdstone and Tonbridge Angels, he joined Watford in 2020.
As well as playing for the Hornets’ Academy teams, he was loaned out to Wingate and Finchley before spending the 21/22 season with National League side Concord Rangers, where he made 36 appearances.
The following season he was back in the National League on loan at Welling United, where he won Manager’s Player of the Year at the end of a 29-game spell.
Roberts regularly played for Watford Under-21s last season and was the club’s third-choice senior keeper, being an unused substitute three times in the Championship and a further three times in cup ties.
Loaned out to Partick Thistle at the start of this season, Roberts made an instant impression at Firhill Stadium.
He won the club’s Player of the Month award in August, with two clean sheets in his first four games.
The Jags went on a run of just one defeat in 12 Scottish Championship games, during which time the keeper enjoyed six shut-outs.
He won his second Player of the Month Award in October, but then at the weekend announced via his social media channels that he had been recalled to Watford.
“Thank you to the staff, players and fans at Partick Thistle. I’ve loved every minute playing for the club and made memories that I’ll never forget. Wishing everyone at the club all the best for the future!” he said in a post on X.
Watford head coach Tom Cleverley revealed that the Hornets had another loan move lined up for Roberts, but with first-choice keeper Bachmann now sidelined for months with an ankle ligament injury, that plan may well change.
So, the Watford Observer asked Jamie McDonald, a member of Partick Thistle fan podcast Draw Lose or Draw and a board member of The Jags Foundation, about the keeper that has impressed Thistle fans so much.
You have a great young keeper - the message from a Partick Thistle fan to Watford supporters about goalkeeper Myles Roberts. (Image: Donald Wilson)
What was the initial feeling among Partick fans when Roberts signed?
At the time I would say we were relived to get a keeper in - our other first-choice keeper David Mitchell had suffered an injury that would keep him out around four or five months so a replacement was needed.
If I’m honest I feel most of not all Thistle fans had not heard of Myles Roberts at this time, so were unsure of what to expect.
However, we don’t often go down the keeper on loan from England route, so I think there was natural curiosity to see how he’d do in the Scottish game.
At that point were you expecting him to be the first-choice keeper?
Due to the injury situation it looked as if he would come in and be the first choice at least for a few months, I don’t think the calibre of performance was quite expected though.
What were his initial performances like?
His first few performances were very solid, he kept a clean sheet on the league opener at home to Morton, where he made a big one-on-one save in the first half and was actually awarded man of the match that day.
During his third game for the club he pulled off one of the saves of the season away to league leaders Falkirk, so he made a good impression in his first few games.
It looks like he kept a couple of useful early clean sheets at home to Queens Park and Dunfermline?
If I remember correctly he didn’t have an awful lot to do in the Queens Park game, although I’m sure keepers don’t mind having simple clean sheets from time to time.
The 1-0 win against Dunfermline was one of those scrappy games that could go either way, he put in another strong performance commanding his area, which helped us secure the victory.
He won Player of the Month for August, and then again in October – was that well deserved?
Absolutely, there were a few games in there that stick out, especially in October.
We drew 1-1 at home to Falkirk and Myles almost won us the point himself that day, multiple top saves.
We also won 1-0 away to Queens Park that month and he once again pulled off a few brilliant stops, another one-on-one saved and a brilliant reaction stop.
How would you describe him as a goalkeeper?
I would describe him as a confident keeper, for example he isn’t afraid to rush a striker and make the goal smaller.
Roberts in action for Patrick Thistle. (Image: Donald Wilson)
Where are his particular strengths, and can you see any weaknesses?
His shot stopping has to be his biggest strength, he made multiple highlight-reel saves in his spell with Thistle. He is the type of keeper you really notice, making saves that others don’t.
His only real weakness is his distribution, however, he is still only 23 so has plenty of time to work on that.
Watford are a team that likes to play out from the back, and use the goalkeeper as a key part of that. How is Roberts with the ball at his feet?
As I previously mentioned his distribution is the only part of his game that could use some work, it’s something made up for by the saves he consistently makes, but like I said he is still young so has plenty of time to work on it.
You tweeted about trying not to fall in love with loan players, but you couldn’t help it with Roberts – has he really become that popular in such a short space of time?
Absolutely, he was definitely in with a shout of player of the year if he had stayed the whole season.
He quickly won over Thistle fans, getting his own chant and interacting with the fans during games. He will definitely be missed.
Now he’s returned to Watford, what would you say to Hornets fans about the keeper they have on their hands?
You have a great young keeper. By far one of the most memorable keepers I have watched in my 13 seasons of following Thistle.
It is of course a significant step up in level, but I really hope he is given the chance to show what he can do for Watford. He has a bright future ahead of him and I wish him all the best.
• Officially confirming the end of the loan this afternoon, Partick manager Kris Doolan said: “Myles was brilliant for Partick Thistle.
"We have been a victim of our own success as when you give players a platform and they do well they can be cherry picked by other clubs.
“We are delighted to have had him and we got the best out of him. He has good memories of being here as well.
"When you go out on loan as a young player you are hoping it goes well and it influences your career positively.
“I think we have kick-started his career and good luck to him.”
