Watford boss Flores ‘realistic’ over relegation threat after Bournemouth draw

Quique Sanchez Flores admitted Watford will have to work hard to avoid the threat of relegation after their goalless draw against Bournemouth at Vicarage Road.

The result leaves the Hornets as the only side across the four leagues without a win so far this season, and they are rooted to the bottom of the Premier League table with five points from their first 10 matches.

Watford had the best of the early chances but were unable to find the net, with the absence of natural striker Danny Welbeck apparent as they struggled to find an outlet during their attacking moves.

When asked whether he was concerned about relegation, Flores said: “I am confident and realistic too so I know exactly we have to work really hard.

“I know that we are working really hard and I know how the players are training every single week and how confident they are in the tactics and in the systems and everything we are doing.

“They deserve to win before, but football is very capricious sometimes so you need to wait. But at the moment we are creating something that I hope is solid for the future.”

The hosts had seven shots during the game, of which only three were on target, but Flores insisted he was not concerned by his side’s recent lack of goals.

“The feelings we have within us is this match was really tough and really even. Anything could have happened because both teams push a lot to try to score, both teams try to defend well.

“The final feeling is we are more mature defending, we are much better like a team defending.

“We sometimes are not taking good decisions in the last third. That is part of the process because it is normal in that moment in this situation because the players don’t feel completely relaxed to take good decisions.”

Bournemouth have failed to score in their last three Premier League matches and are without a win since September 20, and manager Eddie Howe admitted he was disappointed with the outcome at Watford.

Speaking after the match, Howe said: “I thought it was a game both teams could have won and we’re disappointed we haven’t because I thought our chances were good enough to.

“But ultimately I don’t think we were ever in total control of the game. It was end-to-end at times so, with our expectations, we’re disappointed we haven’t won ultimately. But another clean sheet, difficult game away from home, so they’re my general emotions.”

On his side’s lack of goals, he said: “Of course you want to score and historically we always have. We’ve been a very good attacking team, it’s not quite happening at the moment for whatever reason, the last three games.

“But I back us. When you’re creating you will score and today we created, so I back the players that we have that that will return very quickly.”