Another year, another Watford manager sacked. It’s the same old story, an unpopular one that has still yielded tremendous rewards for the Hornets. It is unconventional of an English side to sack head coaches this much, but between an FA Cup final and six Premier League campaigns in the past seven seasons, the cutthroat philosophy has worked for Watford. The sacking of Xisco Munoz, however, might be the harshest, but at the same time, it is more than just necessary.
Watford Needed to Part Ways With Xisco Munoz
Xisco Munoz Sacked by Hornets
Following a lacklustre defeat to Leeds United, the Hornets sacked the Spanish head coach.
In a statement on the official club website, Watford said: “The board feels recent performances strongly indicate a negative trend at a time when team cohesion should be visibly improving. The Hornets will always be grateful to Xisco for the part he played in securing last season’s promotion and wish him well for his future career in football.”
Hierarchy’s Once-Clear Vision Became Blurred
The Hornets appointed Muñoz as head coach after his only head-coaching experience came in the form of 11 matches in the Georgian top-flight, thus making his arrival questionable to begin with. Despite him achieving promotion to the Premier League with Watford, sacking him for a more experienced manager with Premier League/top-flight experience would not have been a shock. However, the hierarchy at Vicarage Road liked the trajectory the club was heading in with the likeable boss. He seemed to be the head coach who would best promote unity in a return to the best league in the world.
But, as stated by the club, recent performances (namely a lucky draw against Newcastle and appalling defeat to Leeds) suggested such cohesion and desired improvements are taking a turn for the worst. And so, despite Muñoz’s tremendous accomplishment of promotion, even with the Hornets four points above the drop zone after seven matches, hope for safety was already starting to slip away (as picking up considerably more points under current tactics/management seemed untenable, and a switch is the only thing that could potentially change that).
Tame Tactics
In the Premier League, Watford have tried to play a similar possession-based style of play as they did in the Championship (while trying to line up in a more counterattacking manner, but not actually playing in that high-octane, quick-transition way). And, considering the Hornets have one of the league’s weakest squads, continuously trying to play the same way – no high-press or consistent counterattacks – was unacceptable, especially after trying the same tactic for a few matches and seeing no improvement. If anything, performances grew poorer and bleaker. Ismaila Sarr, despite already scoring four goals this season, has not been given ample service on counterattacks to further show his class.
Against Wolverhampton Wanderers, Watford tallied just 0.19 xG. They accumulated the same number of xG against Leeds. Simply stated, the style Watford were playing was not working. Frequently trying to play out of the back led to many errors in the midfield or defence which led to goals (or set-pieces that concluded in goals). And, despite clearly struggling to partake in such build-up play, Muñoz insisted such tactics persisted: the lessons were not learned from, and it came to sting the Hornets and, as is the focus, the head coach.
Random omissions of some of the club’s most talented players from match-day squads (such as Watford’s most-expensive summer-signing Imran Louza, rarely playing Ben Wilmot which led to the talented centre-back’s departure, etc.) also raised question marks during his reign.
Watford’s easy start to the season is the reason they have seven points from seven: considering their performances, seven points is lucky. Considering their opposition, more than seven points will be needed from the reverse fixtures if safety is to be achieved. And, as highlighted by the club, change and improvement with the current management was not occurring. A new, better tactical identity is needed.
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