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'We're Watford, we've got to be pushing to win these games'

Mattie Pollock in possession <i>(Image: Alan Cozzi/Watford FC)</i>
Mattie Pollock in possession (Image: Alan Cozzi/Watford FC)
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Mattie Pollock is "absolutely desperate" for Watford to beat Preston North End at Vicarage Road tonight as they aim to keep the feelgood factor that defined the opening weeks of their season alive.

The Hornets took five points from three difficult games in August but have fallen to back-to-back away defeats at the start of September, despite elements of their performance impressing.

Now they need some more points, though Pollock is not taking the league table too seriously at this early stage.

Rather than setting long-term targets, the club captain claimed his aim "is to win as many games of football we can".

He said: "We are Watford Football Club, we're a big club in this league, and we've got to make sure we're pushing to win these games. There's no hiding that.

"In the same breath, we're five games in so looking over our shoulder now - when you can win one game and be second, and lose one and be down the bottom - it's too early to be thinking about that.

Mattie Pollock in possession (Image: Alan Cozzi/Watford FC)

"As players and staff, we have one ambition and that's to win as many games of football we we can.

"Firstly we're focusing on Tuesday, we want to win that, and if we do we'll go into Saturday with full confidence to win that as well.

"We're desperate to win football games. Me personally, I'm absolutely desperate to win this on Tuesday night, for the fans and to make sure that the feel-good factor stays there.

"I think it's been a good start and we've fallen short this week but we haven't been battered, we haven't been done, and we should probably have had more points.

"I'm looking at the West Ham game and thinking we probably should have won that, and I'm looking at the West Brom game thinking we probably deserved a point.

"It's about time we go and get some more points on the board and really push. We all know that we're expected to win and that's what we want.

"We aren't going into a game trying to draw or stay in the game, we're at home in front of our fans and we've spoken about making Vicarage Road a hard place to come.

"In terms of work ethic and effort that's what we've done so far and we'll continue to do that."

Mattie Pollock applauds the Watford fans (Image: Alan Cozzi/Watford FC)

Watford dropped points in seven of their 11 home games against bottom-half teams last season and Pollock is aware that these matches are the ones they need to raise themselves for.

He said: "Every game's an opportunity, especially when we're at home.

"We've shown in the past that sometimes these games are the ones we struggle with, so it's about having the right mindset and not overlooking any opponent.

"Preston have their own threats in what they can do, so we've got to make sure we're ready, take it as a normal game and hopefully give them a real good go.

"These are two massive home games and we've come up short in the last two away games, so we've got to make sure we put things right at home in front of our crowd."

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