Cleverley feels 'it doesn't take a rocket scientist' to see signings are needed
Watford badly need to bolster their squad agreed Tom Cleverley after last night’s 1-1 draw at Cardiff.
The head coach said “it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to see that” after the Hornets eked out a point from a turgid encounter in Wales.
They had only four attempts at goal and none of them were on-target until Vakoun Bayo’s 87th-minute equaliser.
This morning Cleverley will be back at London Colney preparing for Saturday’s trip to face Derby and, while working with his players and staff, he’s having to entrust recruitment to others in the building.
Whatever the views of those individuals is on which positions and potential players might be needed, the fact new signings have to be made – and soon – is surely obvious to anyone?
“I don’t want to disrespect the players we have in the building, because although we’re all focussed on what they can’t do due to the bad form, they’ve done a lot right this season to get us seven places higher than we finished the last one,” said Cleverley.
“But like you said, the last few games have shown that we do need to improve the squad if we want to mix it with Middlesbrough, West Brom, Blackburn.
“It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to see that.”
The Hornets boss had said he would like fresh blood before yesterday’s match, and now with only three days before the squad set off for the east midlands, the question is will any signings be made before then?
“We’re hoping so because if you get to the end of January then there are three months of the season left,” he pointed out.
“I wish we could get some in before the Derby game but it’s not as easy as that.
“Everyone is working hard but I think the last two games certainly show that we need it.”
While he has to work with the players and prepare for games, exactly how much input is Cleverley able to have on recruitment?
“I can offer my opinion,” he replied.
“I can offer my opinion of which areas we need to strengthen and the players I feel can do that.
“Now in the summer I was really involved in all the processes, and we got some right and some wrong.
“I’m more focussed on the team this time because we’re in the middle of a tough period.
“So this window I’m maybe not as involved but like I said, I can only offer my opinion.”
Cleverley explained why signings were important, not just to what they bring in terms of playing ability but also on a wider scale.
“We are eighth in the league so we’re seven places higher than we finished last season,” he said.
“But we have bigger ambitions than that and I think it’s not just adding quality, but sometimes in January it’s just about getting fresh minds through the door.
“It’s players who maybe haven’t been playing so much at their clubs and have got so much energy waiting to give to us.
“They’ve not suffered the recent setbacks that we have and so they have a clear mind.
“In January it isn’t just about the quality you bring in, which helps of course, but the freshness of mind.”
