Sanchez Flores wants to get Watford playing with style
Watford manager Quique Sanchez Flores is eager to implement his style of football at the club, like he achieved four seasons ago.
The former Valencia and Atletico Madrid boss is back at Vicarage Road for his second stint in charge of the Hornets.
Sanchez Flores took over previously ahead of the 2015-16 campaign and guided Watford to 13th in the Premier League, earning plenty of plaudits along the way before leaving the following summer.
While this situation appears more tricky, with the team yet to win in the top flight after seven games, the Spaniard reflected on the problems he faced last time – becoming the fifth Hornets manager in the space of 12 months.
“The scenario four years ago was really bad also because every time we were in the press area, they say ‘remember last year they sacked four coaches’ so my start was under pressure, but funnily it was an amazing year and the start was to believe,” Sanchez Flores said.
“I am the same coach – positive, always believing in the players and always working really hard trying to correct mistakes.
“The most important thing is we are looking for style. It is not just about whether you win or lose. If you lose, you have to lose with some style.
“Now we are working on some style and we say to the players how we want to play.
“We don’t want to play in the way the opponents invite us to play. It is like last weekend, Wolves invite us to play one way, but it’s not what we want. We want to play some style and we need to define this style and to improve it.”
Since Sanchez Flores returned on September 7, he has witnessed two league defeats, a draw at home to Arsenal and a Carabao Cup victory over Swansea.
The 2-1 success over the Championship outfit last month gives the 54-year-old confidence he can lift Watford out of the relegation zone, but he knows Saturday’s fixture at Vicarage Road with Sheffield United is crucial.
“I had the feeling when I got the first win against Swansea because for us every single match is important. It is important for the players also,” he added.
“The feeling was amazing in the dressing room and it’s the best vitamin and best medicine for the players because it means energy for the players and that’s what we need right now; positive energy.”
A victory over Chris Wilder’s Sheffield United would lift the mood of the supporters, who are beginning to fear a relegation battle.
Sanchez Flores wants three points too, although he hopes the Hornets can achieve it with style.
He said: “Our squad is flexible and we can play in different positions and change shapes, so I think we can do different things with the players.
“The style is more about how quick we reorganise the team when we lose the ball, how few spaces we concede to the opponent, where we want to defend and how we play. This is style and we take habits and repeat good habits.”
