MX23RW : Thursday, April 25 22:57:37| >> :120:39997:39997:

How Watford could line up next season

Sports Mole looks at how Watford could line up at the start of the 2020-21 campaign.

There is still no guarantee that the 2019-20 Premier League season will be completed, but there is a hope that the top flight will be able to resume at some point in the coming months.

Watford would be more than happy to accept their current position in the table, though, as they occupy 16th, only outside of the relegation zone on goal difference.

It has been a tough campaign for the Hornets, but Nigel Pearson's work since arriving as head coach has been impressive, and they recently became the first side to beat Liverpool in the Premier League this season.

Watford will be hoping that they will remain in the top flight for next season regardless of what happens in the coming months, and the club will then turn their attentions to the 2020-21 season.

Here, Sports Mole looks at how the Hertfordshire side could line up next term.


POSS WAT XI 20-21

There is a general acceptable that Watford seriously underperformed in the first half of the campaign considering the strength of their squad. Since taking charge in December, Pearson has only lost six of his 15 matches at the helm, recording five wins in the process.

On paper, the Hornets should not be sitting at the wrong end of the table, and it would not be a surprise if the majority of their current XI started next season in the team.

Indeed, Ben Foster and three of the back four could remain unchanged, but Liverpool's Nathaniel Clyne is available on a free transfer this summer and could be an option for the Hornets at right-back.

Etienne Capoue should again line up in central midfield, but there could be a new partner for the Frenchman as Besiktas's Dorukhan Tokoz has been strongly linked with a move to Vicarage Road.

The 23-year-old has missed a lot of football this season with a knee problem but reports in Turkey have claimed that Watford are battling Lazio for the midfielder's signature.

The Hornets will do well to keep hold of Abdoulaye Doucoure this summer, although talk of a potential switch to Tottenham Hotspur has quietened, and the club are not under pressure to sell as the 27-year-old is on a contract until the end of the 2022-23 campaign.

Gerard Deulofeu has been ruled out for the remainder of the season with a knee injury but will be back next term, and Watford have two extremely exciting wingers with Ismaila Sarr lining up on the opposite side.

Sarr has provided five goals and four assists in 19 appearances at club level this season. In truth, the 22-year-old might eventually outgrow Watford, but there seems little chance of the Senegal international leaving this summer as he only arrived in August 2019.

It would not be a surprise to see Watford attempt to sign another striker this summer, but Troy Deeney remains a hugely important figure. The 31-year-old has also chipped in with six Premier League goals this season, meanwhile, and will again lead the team's attack during the 2020-21 campaign.

ID:394337: cacheID:394337:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:restore:5271:
Restore Data
Share this article now:
Watford's Ismaila Sarr celebrates scoring their first goal on February 29, 2020
Read Next:
PL Team of the Week - Sarr, Alonso, Jota
>
rhs 2.0
Today's games header
Result
Blanch
Nadal
1 0
6 6
Result
Cachin
Ofner
6 6
3 3
Result
Elahi Galan
Bautista-Agut
64 6 1
77 4 6
Result
Gasquet
Sonego
2 5
6 7
Result
Hanfmann
Mensik
4 63
6 77
Result
Koepfer
Carballes Baena
1 6 65
6 3 77
Result
Kovacevic
Medjedovic
6 5 4
3 7 6
Result
Lajovic
Monteiro
4 3
6 6
Result
Machac
Ruusuvuori
6 1 6
4 6 2
Result
Michelsen
Fonseca
6 0 2
4 6 6
Result
Nishioka
Auger-Aliassime
6 1 4
4 6 6
Result
O'Connell
Arnaldi
4 1
6 6
Result
Purcell
Giron
4 6 77
6 4 62
Result
Ramos-Vinolas
Kotov
3 4
6 6
Result
Tabilo
Cobolli
7 4 4
5 6 6
Result
Zhizhen
Kecmanovic
3 2
6 6
Result
Azarenka
Maria
6 6
3 1
Result
Eala
Cirstea
3 78 4
6 66 6
Result
Annie Fernandez
Potapova
7 6
5 3
Result
Gauff
Rus
6 6
0 0
Result
Keys
Camelia-Begu
77 78
63 66
Result
Podoroska
Navarro
2 1
6 6
Result
Karolina Schmiedlova
Jabeur
4 7 3
6 5 6
Result
Swiatek
Wang
6 6
1 4
Result
Sorribes Tormo
Svitolina
6 7
3 5
Result
Vekic
Sakkari
3 2
6 6
Result
Arango
Yastremska
6 5 4
0 7 6
Result
Osaka
Samsonova
2 6 5
6 4 7
Result
Ostapenko
Bouzas Maneiro
6 6
3 1
Result
Haddad Maia
Errani
6 6
3 2
Result
Lourdes Carle
Kudermetova
6 6
4 4
Result
Mertens
Stephens
6 3 1
3 6 6
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Leicester CityLeicester443041086394794
2Leeds UnitedLeeds44279880374390
3Ipswich TownIpswich432611685533289
4Southampton442591085612484
5West Bromwich AlbionWest Brom4420121267442372
6Norwich CityNorwich442191477611672
7Hull City441912136556969
8Coventry CityCoventry4317121468551363
9Middlesbrough44189176460463
10Preston North EndPreston44189175661-563
11Cardiff CityCardiff44195205061-1162
12Bristol City441611175147459
13Sunderland44168205251156
14Swansea CitySwansea441511185762-556
15Watford441217155958153
16Millwall441411194355-1253
17Stoke CityStoke441311204460-1650
18Queens Park RangersQPR441311204157-1650
19Blackburn RoversBlackburn441310215874-1649
20Plymouth ArgylePlymouth441212205869-1148
21Sheffield WednesdaySheff Weds44138233968-2947
22Birmingham CityBirmingham441210224864-1646
23Huddersfield TownHuddersfield44917184774-2744
RRotherham UnitedRotherham44412283285-5324


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
Argentina's Lionel Messi kisses the World Cup trophy after collecting the Golden Ball award on December 18, 2022Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!