Fantasy Football

Watford squad shining in Premier League under Javi Gracia

Watford have been a surprise team in the early stages of the Premier League. The Hornets are a perfect nine points from nine, and their squad is excelling in Fantasy Premier League. Javi Gracia has got off to a great start, much like his predecessor Marco Silva. Now, supporters and FPL managers will hope Gracia can continue to get results.

http://gty.im/1023792558

Watford’s star performers

Watford’s standout performer so far has been attacking midfielder Roberto Pereyra. The 27-year-old is in his third season with the Hornets after joining them from Juventus. Although Pereyra showed flashed of brilliance with Juventus and Udinese before them, he has become a far more consistent player with Watford.

The midfielder’s best points total in FPL came last season with just 81 points scored. He is well on his way to smashing that total this term. Pereyra has tallied 26 points from three gameweeks and still only costs £6.1 million.

Teammate Jose Holebas continues to be one of the best defensive players in FPL. He will only set managers back £4.6m. Holebas has scored 24 points this season from three games as the defender has registered two assists and a goal. Last season saw a slight dip from Holebas as he scored 72 points. It was 15 fewer than the previous term.

Eight other Watford players are already in  double digit points. While Pereyra and Holebas lead the way, it doesn’t mean another Hornets’ player won’t catch the duo in the coming weeks.

Watford’s upcoming fixtures

Gracia’s team will be put to the test in the coming weeks. After wins against Brighton, Burnley, and Crystal Palace, Watford’s fixture list gets increasingly difficult over the next four matches. Tottenham, Manchester United, and Arsenal will all clash with Gracia’s team in the next four gameweeks.

If the Hornets can get through the three teams relatively unscathed, they may just have a shot at a European place come the end of the season.

Right now, Pereyra is Watford’s leader on the pitch and in FPL. His play will dictate how the team performs over the next few weeks.

Final thoughts

It would be great to select both Pereyra and Holebas in FPL for gameweek 4. However, Tottenham offer a completely different proposition to the three teams that have come before. Holebas, especially, could get the run around against tougher opponents. FPL managers may choose to stick with Pereyra and forgo Holebas due to the quality of Watford’s upcoming opponents.