It's largely out of his control, but one of Javi Garcia's first tasks as Watford manager will be to buy a lucky horseshoe, four-leaf clover and whatever else he can find to get as many of his 10 missing Watford players back in contention as soon as possible.

The club has promised a "detailed update" on its injury situation this week, which "will be a more positive picture than has been recently portrayed" - perhaps a parting shot to the now-departed Marco Silva. 

They have appointed a new medical director in Dr Emilio Lopez-Vidriero, a Sevillan surgeon, but it will take some time for the fifth man to hold that role in 18 months to work his magic.

Last season, the club suffered 77 injuries, the most in the Premier League, and only Crystal Palace, Sunderland and West Ham had more long-term absentees.

And things have got little better this time around. 19 players have been sidelined by injury at one time or another, in what has been a mess of a campaign off-the-field, with return dates drifting for weeks at a time, if they are made public at all.

But who have the Hornets missed most of those double-digit absentees?

Nathaniel Chalobah
Missing since: 23/9/17
Return date: Unknown
Points per game without: 0.65 fewer

Watford Observer:

Within weeks of signing for Watford, £5 million Chalobah was being touted as the bargain of the summer. Within three league games he had been called up for England, and he settled in to a steely looking midfield like he'd never been away.

Yes, the Hornets as a whole looked better at the start of the season, but he played a big part in their good start and his absence has been a big miss. Only last week did we finally get an idea of when he could return - which looks likely to be in March.

Gracia's teams are well-drilled and organised, and generally play narrow - so having someone with the technical ability of Chalobah to call upon will be a key priority.

Younes Kaboul
Missing since: 9/9/17
Return date: Unknown
Points per game without: 1 fewer

Watford Observer:

Often derided during his first season but repeatedly namechecked by Silva because of his leadership qualities, it is difficult to say quite how much of an impact Kaboul could have had on the Watford squad if he stayed fit.

But when he was forced off at Southampton with a foot injury, there was little indication he would still be missing four months later, and his experience would have helped avoid the kind of capitulations we have seen over the past eight weeks.

If Watford do not strengthen at the back in this window, getting him fit will be a priority with a lack of quality in depth.

Kiko Femenia
Missing since: 12/12/17
Return date: Unknown
Points per game without: 1.02 fewer

Watford Observer:

Femenia's absence has coincided with some awful performances over the Christmas period. Obviously, it's not all down to him, but Watford have picked up only eight points in the 12 games his replacement, Daryl Janmaat, has played.

A massive part of the Hornets gameplan both in and out of possession, he is one of many players to be absent due to the most troublesome hamstrings in the Premier League.

Getting him back will be key to Gracia's plans, as he enjoys playing with inverted wingers and using his full-backs to provide natural width.

Will Hughes
Missing since: 28/11/17
Return date: Mid-February
Points per game without: 0.11 more

Watford Observer:

Will Hughes has suffered somewhat from missing Watford's great start to the season, in that statistically they have done better without the 22-year-old.

But once he was honed into a Premier League free-role attacking midfielder, he showed great promise in his six games before he went off injured against Manchester United. Again, who expected him to then miss three months?

The young Englishman offers Gracia the potential to unlock opposition defences, but only when they can get him fit.

Tom Cleverley
Missing since: 13/1/18
Return date: Unknown
Points per game without: 1.18 fewer

Watford Observer:

Tom Cleverley has been pretty dependable for Watford this season, and although he's only missed two games, through injury and suspension, they have lost both.

Even when he's been out of form, he has put his all in - and although he was said to be close to a return against Leicester on Saturday, the nature of his hamstring injury would suggest a longer spell on the sidelines awaits.

His workrate will prove attractive to Gracia, whose teams are industrious and hard-working.

Craig Cathcart
Missing since: 26/8/17
Return date: Unknown
Points per game without: 0.08 more

Watford Observer:

Cathcart's injury problems pre-date this season by a long way - remember how he was making his return from a complaint suffered in April when he found himself on the end of a new problem against Brighton.

He was close to returning to fitness at the start of the year and played in a friendly against QPR, but has since injured himself again. Whether he'll ever be back to full fitness is anyone's guess.

If he can, he would be a good option to have at the heart of Gracia's defence, as he showed under Quique Sanchez Flores in 2015/16, his last injury-free season.

Miguel Britos
Missing since: 25/11/17
Return date: Unknown
Points per game without: 0.76 fewer

Watford Observer:

Miguel Britos looked like he'd played his last game for Watford when he ploughed through Anthony Knockaert's leg three games into the season, but actually, the nine games he has played in have yielded 14 points for the Hornets.

Since limping off with a bruised foot at Newcastle in November, he has been an absent figure from the line-ups though. Unless there has been a re-lapse we haven't been told of, that's one hell of a bruise.

If he can produce his best form, he could be a real asset to Gracia, and even if not, he's a useful squad player.

Molla Wague
Missing since: 20/1/17
Return date: Unknown
Points per game without: 0.11 more

Watford Observer:

Molla Wague is the latest name on the list after falling victim of the infamous hamstring curse on Saturday at Leicester City.

Most of the games he's missed this season have been through choice - and he took a while to get up to fitness when he first arrived.

He offers Gracia a pacier alternative than some of his defensive colleagues, when fit. Given the recent records with hamstrings, though, who knows when that will be.

The rest...

Heurelho Gomes, Jose Holebas and Isaac Success should all be fit in the near future, possibly to face Southampton this weekend in the case of the first two.

Success isn't even injured, as such, just lacking fitness. But whether he can do a better job of convincing Gracia he's got the commitment to get himself match-ready than he did with Silva, we'll have to see.