'We are a very inconsistent football team' - Cleverley
They started the season with four league victories, but then didn’t win any of their next three – Watford won at Derby on Saturday with a good solid performance, but lost tonight with one of their worst displays of the season.
It has been a season of inconsistency, and that was not lost on Tom Cleverley after the game, as he did not attempt to hide his frustration and disappointment.
“It’s absolutely more disappointing coming after Saturday, but it’s what we are at the moment: a very inconsistent football team,” he said.
“I’ll continue to work as hard as I possibly can but the players need to realise that being a top footballer is a life-style; it’s a mindset.
“It’s how you live you life, how you train, how you recover.
“In that respect, these boys have someone like Moussa to see first-hand what you do to reach the very top.
“Do a lot of them learn? I would say not enough yet.”
The opening 45 minutes was possibly the worst at Vicarage Road this season.
“We were nowhere near it,” admitted Cleverley.
“I keep banging on about doing the basics well, but in the first half we were absolutely nowhere near that.
“Preston ran faster, they tackled harder, they won every first and second contact, and that’s before I even start on the technical stuff.
“With performances like the first half we are throwing the outcomes of games into the hands of the Gods.
“We are always giving ourselves mountains to climb, sometimes we’ll do it and sometimes we won’t.
“I said pre-match to the players that we have a great record when we go ahead in games, and that should be extra incentive to try and get ahead – but we just don’t look like a team that’s willing to take that step at the minute.”
To compound things, Cleverley saw three players limp off during the game, with Kwadwo Baah appearing from the tunnel in the second half on crutches.
“Injuries to key players, and I’m not sure what the extent of the injuries to Festy and Imran are, but I can certainly say that Baah’s looks a significant injury,” Cleverley reflected.
“We were all on the same page that we needed to improve the squad before this game.
“I think I can say that with a bit more conviction now.”
