Tom Cleverley launches brutal criticism of Watford squad ahead of Leeds United clash.
Leeds United host Watford this evening looking to secure back-to-back wins and climb into the automatic promotion places in the process.
Leeds and Watford had very contrasting performances and results when they faced local rivals at the weekend.
The Whites brushing aside unbeaten Sheffield United with a commanding 2-0 win, while the Hornets were well beaten by Luton Town 3-0 at Kenilworth Road.
Tom Cleverley heavily criticises ‘inconsistent’ Watford squad pre-Leeds
Losing a fierce derby against a bitter arch rival is going to sting the Watford squad being managed by Tom Cleverley.
It was one of four losses they have suffered on their travels this season from five games, and they face another major test on the road against Leeds.
Hornets boss Cleverley has identified the problem his Watford side face at the moment, and it’s nothing to do with how he’s preparing the team, he thinks it’s down to the players being inconsistent on the basis (via the Watford Observer):
“I can see how inconsistent we are as a team. We’re inconsistent at the basics. I’ve not stopped thinking about the performance on Saturday, and I go back to why can you do it at Millwall but not at Kenilworth Road? Two similar environments, two very similar playing styles.
“You go to the Etihad which is a massive challenge and a big psychological obstacle away from home, and give a very strong performance. But then at Deepdale, Carrow Road and Kenilworth Road, we’re inconsistent. It’s the basics. We were nowhere near it on Saturday.
“Is that the players now knowing about what to expect? Unless they had their eyes closed and their fingers in their ears during all the meetings, no. It’s absolutely not the reason. On Friday afternoon I sat down with Damon and asked him if I had over-roused the players, and am I about to over-rouse them with what I’m about to tell them. We can’t say they didn’t know. It’s just we are too inconsistent at the basics.
“It’s been a huge part of the inquest into the lack of performance, and at Luton we were outrun, outfought and they imposed their game plan on us, but we didn’t impose on them at all. We are inconsistent, and to gain consistency we have to go through a lot of repetition on the training ground. And me, as the coach, I have to try and pick the most consistent players in the group.”
It’s usually not a great practice for a manager to lay the vast majority of the blame at his squad’s feet, and Cleverley then discussed what he can do as coach to rectify his side’s lack of consistency, especially away from Vicarage Road:
“I can make players better at the basics, and that then brings consistency. Certainly that is the case with the younger players, by making sure they add value. There is no division anywhere in the world where the value of the basics is more important.
“It’s a process, it’s work on the training pitch and in the video room, and it’s the biggest criticism we have to take on the chin at the moment. We are not consistent enough to be successful in this league.”
Leeds could heap misery on Watford, but expect a big reaction from their performance
