Javi Gracia calls for Watford to “find different ways to win” after Preston frustration – and confirms new midfielder signing is done
Vicarage Road, Watford – Javi Gracia admitted Watford must learn to break down deep-lying defences and “find different ways to win games” after his side were held to a second consecutive home 1-1 draw, this time by Preston North End on Tuesday night. The result, following an identical scoreline against Millwall ten days earlier, leaves the Hornets six points off the automatic promotion places with the Championship season approaching its halfway mark.
Yet in a busy evening for the club, Gracia revealed immediately after the final whistle that Watford have completed the signing of a new central midfielder, with an official announcement expected within the next 24 hours. Sources close to the deal indicate the player is 25-year-old Argentine international Rocco Di Matteo (no relation to the former Chelsea manager), currently at Spanish Segunda side Sporting Gijón. The fee is understood to be in the region of £8.5 million plus add-ons, with Di Matteo set to sign a four-and-a-half-year contract.
Speaking in his post-match press conference, a visibly frustrated Gracia did not hide his disappointment at dropping two more points at home but was keen to strike a balance between criticism and perspective.
“We have to be honest – tonight we did a lot of good things, we created chances, we dominated possession, but we didn’t find the clinical moment,” the Spaniard said. “When teams come here and sit deep with ten men behind the ball, we need more variation, more speed in our combinations, more movement off the ball. We cannot just rely on crossing or individual brilliance every week. We have to find different ways to win games, and that is my responsibility and the players’ responsibility.”
Watford took the lead in the 33rd minute through Giorgi Chakvetadze’s third goal in four matches. The Georgian playmaker collected a clever lay-off from Moussa Sissoko on the edge of the box and curled a precise left-foot shot beyond Preston goalkeeper Freddie Woodman. It was a moment of genuine quality in an otherwise scrappy half, with the visitors content to cede territory and look to hit on the break through Danish forward Emil Riis.
The equaliser arrived in the 68th minute and will give Gracia and his staff plenty of material for the video analysis room. A long diagonal from Preston captain Ben Whiteman caught Nathaniel Chalobah dwelling on the ball; Riis stole in, held off Chalobah, and squared for Ali McCann to tap home from six yards. Replays showed Francisco Sierralta playing the entire Preston front line onside, a marginal call that left the Watford bench furious.
From that point, Watford laid siege to the Preston goal. Woodman produced excellent saves to deny Vakoun Bayo and substitute Matheus Martins, while Ryan Porteous saw a header cleared off the line by Liam Lindsay in the 89th minute. In stoppage time, Edo Kayembe’s drive appeared to strike the arm of Andrew Hughes inside the area, but referee Josh Smith waved away vehement penalty appeals.
Gracia refused to blame the officials but admitted the decision “looked difficult to understand from the bench”. He preferred to focus on his team’s inability to turn dominance into three points for the second home game running.
“Football is about fine margins,” he said. “We had 22 shots, eight on target, 64% possession, but only one goal. That is the reality. When you don’t kill the game at 1-0, you leave the door open. Preston are a very organised team under Ryan Lowe, they defended with discipline and took their chance well. We have to learn quickly because the Championship does not wait.”
The draw extends Watford’s unbeaten run to nine matches in all competitions, but more importantly it is now four league games without a victory at Vicarage Road – a run that stretches back to the 3-0 win over Stoke City in late September. With Leeds United and Burnley pulling away at the top and Sheffield United finding form again, Gracia knows the margin for error is shrinking.
Which is where the imminent arrival of Di Matteo becomes significant.
When asked directly about the midfielder, Gracia allowed himself a small smile for the first time all evening.
“Yes, the deal is done,” he confirmed