Watford's squad jigsaw will need to be pieced together again when the transfer window shuts in less than 48 hours time, and on current form there is going to be at least one disappointed face when the (maximum)25-man list is submitted to the Premier League on Thursday.

Craig Cathcart missed out on the whole first half of the season when Watford named their initial Premier League haul in September, but given he has spent most of the intervening time injured it had little impact on the Northern Irishman's prospects.

However, 28-year-old Cathcart is now close to fitness, and it's his other defensive rivals who are facing a race against time to convince Javi Gracia and Filippo Giraldi they can make the cut.

Gerard Deulofeu joined the club yesterday, but given Mauro Zarate is currently on his way to Velez Sarsfield he will be a like-for-like replacement in the Hornets' frontline.

There's a good chance at least one player will depart Vicarage Road before the end of the deadline, but here's who could be in line to miss out on the cut:

Etienne Capoue
Chop rating: 5/10

Capoue has been living on borrowed time in many ways at Vicarage Road for some time. Not for his ability, but for his attitude.

Even under Walter Mazzarri last season, it did not go unnoticed that after defeats he would be back to himself within minutes, seemingly unbothered by performances.

Watford Observer:

A summer confrontation with Marco Silva was eventually smoothed over but it was telling Javi Gracia decided he shouldmake way for Stefano Okaka at half-time on Saturday, in the head coach's first game.

One thing on his side is that Nathaniel Chalobah and Will Hughes are still out, so the Hornets are short on cover in midfield.

But if they bring in a new defensive midfielder, as was reported last night, his odds of missing out - or leaving altogether - would look pretty good.

Miguel Britos
Chop rating: 7/10

Britos could be a victim of circumstance, as Watford have seven centre-halves in the squad, more than a quarter of their list, if they include Cathcart.

So someone has to miss out, surely. Younes Kaboul is back in training, Molla Wague isn't far off, Cathcart himself will join his team-mates this week - but the best the club could say about Britos last week was that he was "progressing well".

Watford Observer:

Watford won't bring in any more defensive re-inforcements this window, but the one thing acting in Britos' favour could be that although he's been injured with the worst bruised foot you've ever heard of, his injury record has generally been pretty good.

Sebastian Prodl
Chop rating: 3/10

Prodl was overlooked in favour of Adrian Mariappa at Southampton on Saturday, but he will get his chance again.

Leaving him out of the squad, especially when fit, would effectively end his Hornets career as he is not the kind of man to happily sit in the stands for four months.

Watford Observer:

It's been a fall from grace for the Austrian since his player of the season gong last year, but there will be a time this season where they need him.

Younes Kaboul
Chop rating: 5/10

As with Britos, one of Watford's many centre-backs, and one who has been missing since September when he fractured his foot in an innocuous challenge.

Watford Observer:

The Frenchman is a good defender, when fit, and more importantly a leader, something Watford are lacking in.

A lot depends on the medical opinion of new director Emilio Lopez-Vidriero, who was appointed last week, and when he will be back in first-team contention.

Molla Wague
Chop rating: 4/10

Wague is only a short-term doubt, or so you would think given he pulled a hamstring at Leicester City 10 days ago.

But Watford's history of hamstring injuries is shocking in recent times, and Wague has failed to build on a promising full debut against Leicester City on Boxing Day.

Watford Observer:

Outfought against Southampton at Vicarage Road and then Leicester at the King Power, he's likely to be back sooner than Britos but it wasn't encouraging that Gracia didn't seem to have heard of him when his fitness was queried last week.

Ben Watson
Chop rating: 4/10

Watson started Gracia's first game, so that's already a tick to his name. He wasn't great, but he was far from the worst player on the pitch.

Last season, the ex-Wigan man started only two games in the whole of the campaign, but he's already featured in the Hornets' line-up eight times in 2017/18.

Watford Observer:

A loan to Cardiff or Sunderland was mooted at the start of the month, but he looks a lot further from the fringes than a player about to sit out the rest of the campaign.

His calming presence can't be overlooked either. Who was the one to break up the tension between Christian Kabasele, Jose Holebas and some irate Watford fans on Saturday? Watson.