Tom Cleverley’s Powerful Watford Speeches Ahead of Middlesbrough Clash

Tom Cleverley is determined to see Watford secure three points against Middlesbrough, even if the performance isn’t perfect.

After a frustrating trip to Sunderland, where the Hornets were denied victory by a stoppage-time equaliser, and a heavy defeat to Leeds United at Vicarage Road, the Watford head coach is clear: results matter more than style this weekend.

Cleverley’s side has picked up only five points from their last 10 matches, a run that has seen them drop to 12th in the Championship, well off the play-off pace. Despite being disappointed by the midweek loss to Leeds, he believes the performance against Sunderland showed his players what they are capable of and wants them to channel that same energy against Boro, even if the display is scrappier.

“Absolutely. We are 100% in that territory. It is all about the result on Saturday,” Cleverley said bluntly. “We want to try and replicate that performance at Sunderland. Barring the two set-piece goals we conceded, it was fantastic. We played on the front foot, we were solid when we needed to be, and we showed real quality and character with the ball.”

Cleverley is keen for his squad to maintain their belief despite recent setbacks, trusting that consistent performances will eventually bring results. “I’ve said to the players to keep believing in the way they are training and playing because, ultimately, it will bring results over a long period of time,” he stated. “Don’t get too down about the midweek result because, as I said, we played an exceptional side.”

One of the key players in Cleverley’s plans could be Rocco Vata, the Irish Under-21 forward, who returned from illness as a second-half substitute against Leeds. The virus had caused him to lose weight, but Cleverley is optimistic about his recovery and availability for the weekend. “Rocco will be feeling better for the blow-out he had on Tuesday night because he lost a few kilos when he had his virus,” Cleverley explained. “He’s slowly recovered that weight, and we’re pleased with his progress. He’s in contention to start on Saturday.”

Meanwhile, defender Angelo Ogbonna remains a doubt, as he is still battling the virus that affected Vata. However, there are no other fresh injury concerns for the Hornets heading into the clash.

The match against Middlesbrough is the final test in a gruelling run of three games in a week for Watford, all against top-10 opponents and featuring two long trips to the north-east. Cleverley acknowledges the physical and mental strain on his squad but insists they must be ready to give their all at the Riverside Stadium.

“This is what we’re in it for,” he said. “The Championship throws up these kinds of weeks where it’s Saturday, Tuesday, Saturday. We have to expect that. I think everyone will deserve a couple of days off after Saturday, and I’m hoping the performance will be worthy of those couple of days off.”

Despite the demanding schedule, Cleverley believes that resilience and focus are the keys to success in the Championship. “It’s the nature of this division,” he continued. “To be successful in this league, when you have these triple-game weeks with a couple of long travels, it’s essential to focus on what really matters. And that is 3pm on Saturday. When the whistle goes, there are absolutely no excuses. It’s all about producing a performance to bring us those points.”

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