Flores delighted for Hornets’ ‘soul’ Deeney

Ian Watson
Quique Sanchez Flores Troy Deeney Watford TEAMtalk

Quique Sanchez Flores: Enjoys Watford's win at Stoke

Watford boss Quique Sanchez Flores stressed after Troy Deeney broke his Premier League duck in the 2-0 win at Stoke that he had never been worried about the striker.

Hornets captain Deeney, who scored 21 times in the promotion campaign last term, finally found the net for the first time since then when he put his side ahead with a low shot from fellow forward Odion Ighalo’s clever tee-up in the 43rd minute.

And Flores said afterwards of the man he describes as the “soul” of the Watford team: “I’m really happy (for Deeney) and I wasn’t worried about the situation.

“He has been working hard and is the soul of the team.

“But it is better for him because we know, for strikers and their confidence, it is very important when they score.”

Deeney and Ighalo caused problems throughout for Stoke, with each hitting the crossbar seconds apart moments before the opener, and the latter subsequently providing another assist as he set up Almen Abdi to make it 2-0 with a strike in the 69th minute.

Flores added: “Both Ighalo and Deeney played really well.

“For us, it is very important how they keep the ball very well. They are always pushing the team. Their performances are always very important.”

The result adds to what has been a very creditable start to the season for Watford, who now have 13 points from 10 games and are up to 13th in the table, a place and a point clear of Stoke.

“I’m really happy with the performance of the team,” Flores said.

“We played really well today – with a lot of confidence. The balance of the team was amazing, and when we play like this it is very difficult for Stoke and for other teams also.”