Ed Still gave a simple answer when questioned about selecting four centre-backs across his defence: "You're playing Preston away".
Still raised eyebrows by selecting James Abankwah and Stephen Mfuni either side of Saba Goglichidze and Mattie Pollock at the back, with Marc Bola missing his first Championship minutes since October 18.
While the excellent Mfuni played almost as a tucked in third centre-back, Abankwah was essentially a wing-back in the first half before playing in a more conventional role after the break.
- Still felt Watford did enough to win after Baah changed the game at Preston
- Bove received dressing-room applause after emotional return to football
Still was clear about why he'd selected as he did and is really pleased with his options.
He said: "You're playing Preston away.
"You need it, you need the power, and what's fantastic is you've got the choice.
"We have Jeremy Petris, who's rapid and wants to get forward. There's Jeremy Ngekia, who in the end wasn't quite 100% fit, and I'd prefer not to take those who are not 100%.
"Or we've got James Abankwah, who showed everybody what a modern and classy defender he is. He's got the speed and the bravery to play in that position.
"And then Stephen [Mfuni], hats off to him. What a player he is at 18. I just hope he gets his head down and keeps doing that because he could turn into a really good player."
Still introduced Formose Mendy, who has now appeared off the bench in the last two matches and played over half an hour at Deepdale.
After a first six months of the season during which he has barely featured, it appears he could be set for more minutes.
Mendy was a member of a reshuffle in the second half that saw Watford end the game with an all-changed centre-back partnership from the one they started with.
Still said: "He [Mendy] is a good player.
"I know him really well from Ligue 1.
"We had to deal with that today, that Mattie Pollock's come back and we were under strict instructions that he's not got 90 minutes in his legs yet.
"I definitely don't want to be losing him so it's a question of the timing in the game to be able to make the change.
"Saba Goglichidze has not played in a while. He showed what a good defender he is but we knew at half-time he was starting to feel his legs. He's never played on a pitch like this.
"So to have to make two changes at centre-half in a game like this where they're under the cosh, top job to both Formose and James."
Share