Cleverley faces pleasing Watford team selection issues
With players available again after injury, new signings bedding in and some of the squad starting the season in excellent form, Watford head coach Tom Cleverley faces the sort of headache ahead of tomorrow’s game with Norwich City that managers don’t mind.
“This will be the toughest team selection I’ve had to date,” he said looking ahead to the trip to Carrow Road.
“We have more strength in depth, and it’s a nice problem to face.”
Having been stretchered off during last weekend’s draw with Coventry, the outlook appeared bleak for Giorgi Chakvetadze, but the outcome is far better than first feared and the Hornets are hopeful he will be available.
The same can be said of Kwadwo Baah, who missed the visit of the Sky Blues, while both Imran Louza and recent signing Angelo Ogbonna are available for selection.
“Giorgi has responded well. He’s not trained with the group yet this week but we’re hoping that he will be available for selection,” said Cleverley.
“He’s a bit more than 50/50. The plan is that we’ll see how he responds to training tomorrow (Friday) but the aim is to have him available for selection.
Clevs has best home start for more than 120 years
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“He’s just a good player, and a top professional.
“He wants to learn and he has really high game intelligence, and it’s that of a Premier League player.
“When you have that, along with his technical attributes, then he is someone who can be exciting.
“The challenge for Giorgi, certainly from me, would be to add goals and assists because he has the ability to do that, and now it’s just a mentality of being in the right place at the right time, every time.
“If he continues to do that then I expect to see big, big numbers from Giorgi this season.”
The Watford boss gave updates on other in his squad.
“I can’t say Baah is definitely going to be available, but we’re on the hopeful side of 50/50,” he said.
“He was 50/50 for last weekend and didn’t make it, but he’s trained today and we’ll see how he reacts to that.
