Transfer window that hasn't really opened for Watford shuts in 12 days
The January transfer window shuts at 11pm on Monday February 3 – that’s a little more than 12 days away.
Given that Tom Cleverley indicated some time ago, and regularly during this month, that he needed some fresh faces, the fact only one promising but raw 21-year-old has so far arrived on loan is as disappointing as it is worrying.
After last night’s grim 2-1 home defeat to Preston, the head coach did his best to stay reasoned about it.
“I’m not the only manager that doesn’t have the perfect squad in this league,” he said.
“Everyone’s budgets are tight and getting tighter.
“There is a lot of Championship clubs that are losing money so I’m realistic that sometimes you will have to try and fit square pegs into round holes, find the best balance of the team and be creative.
“But the main thing from tonight is there has to be a level of consistency of how much you want to compete.
“It couldn’t be more black and white for us as a squad: we’ve taken the lead 13 times this season and gone on to win 12 of those games.
“How much incentive do you need to start the game better than we are?
“For me, the demand is on me and players right now, not externally.”
The Watford boss has been working with a thin squad that has some very obvious holes since the August window closed, and he said until he gets reinforcements all he has to get more from the players he has.
“All I can do is try and improve the players I have at my disposal,” Cleverley pointed out.
“It’s clear to see that if we want to make a real charge that we have to improve in some key areas.
“My job is to improve the players that I have to work with on a daily basis.
“On tonight’s performance, there is a lot of scope for me to do that.”
