Matty Whichelow has found it hard to affect games during his two loan spells this season, manager Sean Dyche has explained.

The forward had an excellent 2010/11 campaign as he made five starts and 16 substitute appearances during his first season as a professional.

He returned in the summer expecting to challenge for a starting place but only made one substitute appearance for the Hornets before being loaned out to Exeter in September.

The 20-year-old made three starts during his loan spell at the League One club but returned home early after losing his place.

He was loaned out to League One strugglers Wycombe Wanderers for a month at the end of January but failed to impress during his four starts for the club, despite making a scoring debut.

Dyche said the decision regarding whether to loan out Whichelow again hasn't been made yet as "it depends on the player and it depends on if anyone comes in for him."

The Watford manager said: "He has had two different experiences at two different clubs that will stand him in good stead.

"He will have to go back into our squad and show us that he is ready to play and ready to do a job."

Dyche continued: "To affect games, you need to learn how to affect games; whether that is in a team that are flying or a team not doing as well. You need to be able to affect games and that is what he has found difficult in his two loan spells.

"But he will have learned from that for sure and that is what loan spells are about; the development of players and improving them.

"Some loans are for just going out and having a great time and others will have a challenge within them and different kinds of challenges. He has had his fair share [of challenges] this year and it will be important to see how he develops from them."

Fellow youngster Adam Thompson, on the other hand, will remain at Brentford for another month.

The first-year professional enjoyed a positive spell with the Bees before Christmas and has made four appearances for the League One side in the last month.

As for arrivals at Vicarage Road, Dyche said: "We are still eyeing the market and that won't change and will be ongoing because we want to finish the season in the right manner.

"We have put ourselves in a very nice position and deservedly so from our performances levels over the course of the season and now it is about keep moving forward and going as hard as we can until the end of the season."