Watford 2–2 Sunderland: Hornets use up another of their nine lives v Black Cats

In some parts of the world, black cats are considered lucky; less so in others. For Watford and Rob Edwards, it’s fortunate Saturday’s 2–2 draw with the Black Cats of Sunderland precedes a much-needed two-week international break.

While there were some positives to cling to in the point earned at the Vicarage Road, lingering resentment from the aberration at Blackburn Rovers won’t be cast aside that easily. The boos at full-time felt harsh, though it’s not a stretch to imagine a lot of that frustration is directed at the ownership and hierarchy, rather than the team and Edwards.

Here are five observations from another afternoon of discontent…

1. Best foot four-ward: if there’s one thing we knew about Edwards from his time at Forest Green Rovers, it’s that he prefers a three-man defence with wing-backs. Yet not for the first time in his brief Vicarage Road tenure, he has relented and utilised a more traditional four-man defence instead.

Against Sunderland, that meant reinstating Hassane Kamara to left-back. From there, we saw the best of the Ivorian’s raiding runs, and it was his cross for full home debutant Keinan Davis that opened the scoring.

The decision to withdraw Kamara towards the end and put Ken Sema at left-back was strange. Unless the Udinese-bound full-back was injured — and towards the back of the Rookery it wasn’t obvious that he was — there appeared to be no clear reason for his premature removal.

On the opposing side, that meant Craig Cathcart — most often used as a left-sided centre-back this term — moving to right-back. It’s a role he’s filled in at before without letting anyone down but it nullifies any attacking threat from that side. We all remember that Norwich City win where the usually reserved Ulsterman turned into a modern-day Cafu-cum-Trent-Alexander-Arnold, after all.

But more than that, leaving actual right-back Mario Gaspar out of the matchday squad in favour of a very central central defender felt like a statement of intent from Edwards…

2. Edwards is between a rock and a hard place: whatever he says about being ‘happy’ with the squad, he could surely be happier. He doesn’t have a single right wing-back, only has one out-and-out left wing-back, lacks any ball-playing central defenders and is crying out for a controlling central midfielder and a reliable goal-getter.

Of course, he is hamstrung by his position. He can’t call out those responsible for recruitment (whether that’s Gino Pozzo, Cristiano Giaretta, Mogi Bayat or anyone else) and expect to still have a job.

Publicly at least, he is forced to play diplomat. In private, it’s hard to imagine he isn’t fuming. Ten games into the season and he has effectively been forced to concede one of the central tenets of his blueprint because those responsible for providing the necessary tools to implement that plan have failed him.

Leaving out Gaspar — the only right-sided defender brought to the club this summer, yet emphatically not a wing-back — while playing a central defensive stalwart in his place seems more than a coincidence.

3. Davis dazzles on debut: we’ve been granted glimpses of the Aston Villa loanee but owing to his physical condition, Davis had been eased in until this point.

Handed his first start, the 24-year-old almost instantly gave the perfect demonstration of why he has been brought in to lead the line.

Strong, intelligent and positionally aware, he used his physique well to bring others into play, regularly dropping in to hold the ball up — usually while occupying multiple defenders — before offloading to someone in a better position.

Even without his goal, Davis was the stand-out candidate for man of the match. It’s no coincidence that when he came off nine minutes from the end, the visitors seized control and found a late equaliser through Jewison Bennette.

The drop-off from Davis to Vakoun Bayo and Rey Manaj is clear. But we will also have to be patient. His injury history is well known and he cannot be flogged in the same way previous centre-forwards have — cause for concern.

Update: in fact, so good was Davis, a Sunderland-supporting friend at the game described him as, ‘the best striker we’ve faced this season’ and hailed his ‘bullying’ of ex-Watford youngster Luke O’Nien. He also conceded Davis was the only threat the Hornets had…

4. Square pegs in round holes: it’s a continuation of points one and two and the holes left in the squad by bad recruitment — or a total absence of it — but Edwards’ continued insistence on playing players out of position is slightly strange too.

João Pedro on the right was a strange call and although he got involved by drifting across the line to pick up possession, it left Watford entirely lopsided with the vast majority of attacks coming down the left-hand side.

Yáser Asprilla felt a little lost at times — probably as a result of Pedro taking it upon himself to play the free role — though it should be noted it was the Colombian’s pass to Kamara which set up Davis’ opener.

I’ve already touched upon the decision to take Kamara off. Hopefully, that was tactical and not a niggle as Sema is far more effective as a winger than full-back. But ending the game with a back four comprising three centre-halves and a winger neatly encapsulates the issue — and Edwards’ decisions, which have caused confusion previously too.

5. International breaking-point: ordinarily, the season’s first pause would be the point at which Watford head coaches would be clearing their lockers out.

But Edwards can rest easy. The fans are with him and, publicly at least, has been more backed than any other coach in recent Pozzo history. In fact, the decision to part with Giaretta is another big win for the former FGR boss — especially if, as claimed, he demanded his removal from the training field at London Colney.

But Watford need this two-week hiatus to get the likes of Davis and Kortney Hause up to speed. Tom Cleverley — groan, yes, I know — and the much-vaunted Imran Louza will hopefully return after the pause too.

Notwithstanding the clear deficiencies in this squad, Edwards has yet to have everybody available to him. With Davis and Hause up to speed and Louza back to offer some thrust and guile from the centre of midfield, things should be looking up when Watford travel to Stoke City on Sunday, October 2.