Nigel Pearson urges Watford to play with passion and focus on winning above everything
Nigel Pearson is already stressing the importance of playing with “passion” to Watford’s under-achieving, rock-bottom players.
Known as a motivator and disciplinarian, the new Watford manager took training for the first time on Sunday, having watched Saturday’s 0-0 home draw with Crystal Palace from the stands.
Watford have shown signs of mental weakness at times during the season and have won only once.
Etienne Capoue - player of the year in 2018-19 and a stand-in captain this season - admits the new manager is already challenging them.
The former Tottenham midfielder publicly vented his emotions, showing his frustration at the full-time whistle, after Watford failed to break Palace down.
The France international said: “He [Pearson] came in before the kick-off and said: ‘Play with passion. Enjoy it and win. It is all about winning, no matter how you do it.’ We were unlucky but we almost did it.
“He spoke with some players after the game. You can see that he is ready to challenge us and to make us win quick.”
With the next two games being against Liverpool and Manchester United, that is easier said than done.
Predecessor Quique Sánchez Flores also had a difficult start, against Arsenal and Manchester City in September, and taking one point from those games meant there was no early momentum.
Flores eventually ground out some draws and a win against Norwich in a slight recovery - but was finished off by defeats by Burnley and Southampton.
Pearson has become the first English manager that Watford’s trigger-happy hierarchy have appointed since taking charge in 2012, when Sean Dyche was sacked.
Asked if having an English manager will make a difference, Capoue replied, “I don’t know - we will see”, but communication with senior players could become smoother.
Pearson’s last experience of the Premier League involved similar circumstances to these, as he was tasked with hauling Leicester City off the bottom in 2015.
Leicester won seven of their final nine matches in a stunning escape - before Pearson left after “differences” with the board.
Reminded of the manager’s turnaround with Leicester, Capoue said: “Of course - but it is not only about him, it is about us as well. The manager does not make the passes and tackles.”
Against Palace, Watford played higher up the field than normal and tried to be positive, while Palace were cautious and looked to counter-attack.
Gary Cahill made some crucial interventions to stop a Watford breakthrough in a Palace back-line that keeps changing due to absences - while, at the other end, Wilfried Zaha was left frustrated by being repeatedly fouled.
Cahill, who returned here after a knee problem, said: “Three clean sheets in a week for us is something to be proud of.”
Zaha could have been sent off, after a first-half booking, but managed to keep his calm in the second half.
On Zaha, Cahill added: “When fouls keep going against you, it gets a little bit frustrating and obviously his emotions were high.”
