Window gave Watford strength in depth

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The January transfer window in some ways can be more important and have a greater impact on a team than the summer window. For a struggling team, it gives them the chance to restructure, bolster key areas and provide injury cover. For those doing well, it gives them the opportunity to protect that performance and consistency and enable them to cement their high placing leading into the crucial period of the season.

For Watford, after a first half of the season best described as mixed, with a team highly affected by injuries and in need of improved defence and fire power, the transfer window could not have come at a better time.

Many might have expected an influx of Udinese and Grenada players as part of the Pozzo football empire, but not so this period.

January’s transfer window has seen a shift change to the recruitment at Watford. Whilst this coincides with Beppe Sannino’s arrival at Vicarage Road, I think we all know, like with many clubs the transactions are completed elsewhere within the organisation. I do feel though that Beppe must have had an input into what was needed – why else such a change in the sourcing of these players? From this most recent window, we saw seven new recruits to the Yellow Army: Alexander Merkel (midfielder); Mathias Ranegie (striker); Hector Bellerin (defender); Fitz Hall (defender); Daniel Tozser (midfielder); Samba Diakite (midfielder) and Park Chu-Young (striker).

It’s great to see that all areas of the team have been strengthened, especially defence and the strike force. Up to the hard-fought draw at Leicester, all players have played a part, (most notably Merkel who already an assist to his name) except Ranegie and Bellerin whom have both been named on the subs bench but as yet have not played.

Personally I feel Park, Merkel and Tozser could be the crucial signings for Watford in the final three months of the season. It is too early to tell whether these new signings will make the defining difference to Watford, but it can only improve competition for places, and improved performance. Let’s hope so anyway.