No one had expected Watford to sit 8th position in the league table after 11 matches just as no one expected Manchester United to be in the 6th position. While many have touted Walter Mazzarri’s men as over-achievers, a closer look at the shopping that the Italian has done this season says otherwise. It looks like sound planning and proper execution.
Watford have brought in 11 players this summer, here is how they have fared.
Roberto Pereyra (7.5/10)
Mazzarri brought this Argentine midfielder from Juventus for a big fee of 13 million pounds and the player has not disappointed as such. In his 5 appearances, Pereyra has already got 1 assist, which is good considering his less time to adapt to the league. His crossing and technique to hold the ball have drawn much attention and he just dazzled in Watford’s 4-2 win over West Ham United.
Younes Kaboul (8/ 10)
A seasoned defender who has been in the Premier League for many years now, in Younes Kaboul Mazzarri expects a calm and disciplined performance, more so against bigger teams. Especially with his experience, he was brought into to keep the back line stable, and he has done exactly that. The 30-year-old central defender was bought from Sunderland for 3.5 million pounds at the last moment in the summer transfer window.
Isaac Success (7.5/10)
The 20-year-old Nigerian was a much-hyped transfer with many expectations, but he is still to come up to them. The left central midfielder has scored 1 goal in his 5 appearances but is yet to create any goal. At 186 cm, the midfielder looks like a bright prospect for Watford.
Christian Kabasele (6/ 10)
The central defender, 25, was there in Marc Wilmots’ Belgium squad for the duration of Euro 2016 and is another example how much Mazzarri has planned in beefing up his defence. Kabasele has only made 3 appearances and is yet to make an impact on Watford’s campaign but having a player like him on the bench says a lot about the squad depth.
Juan Camilo Zuniga (7/ 10)
An experienced player from Serie A, it was a very unlikely deal that Mazzarri pulled off. The on-loan midfielder has been a regular for the Watford side and has already bagged 1 goal and 1 assist in 9 appearances. He has been good with his passing and dribbling abilities but his short height has prevented him from becoming a threat in the air.
Daryl Janmaat (7/ 10)
Mazzarri got another seasoned Premier League player in Janmaat. After Newcastle’s relegation last season, the Holland right-back moved to Watford. It is very unfortunate that his season has been halted by injury but he was very effective in the 5 matches he played for Watford. He even bagged 1 goal and 1 assist for the team.
