Hornets full-back Danny Rose felt there were huge positives to take out of the 2-1 defeat to Chelsea, with Watford only narrowly missing out to the side that currently occupies top spot in the Premier League.
The visitors opened the scoring through Mason Mount before Emmanuel Dennis brought the game level with half-time beckoning. The Blues eventually found a winner but Rose believes the Golden Boys deserved more.
“It was a very enjoyable game,” Rose said.
“We lost, but the result was not what we wanted or deserved. Over the course of a season, if you grind out performances like that then there won’t be many games you don’t come out with three points. Even though we lost there were plenty of positives to take.”
Rose praised Watford’s determination and character after going a goal down to respond by levelling the game through Dennis, who coolly slotted the ball past Édouard Mendy.
“It’s brilliant, it’s a great attitude to have,” he said.
“You don’t ever want to be 1-0 down but if that does happen, the Head Coach wants to see what sort of characters he’s got and I think tonight we showed he has a dressing room full of fighters.
“It was a great response and another great finish from the man of the moment at the minute in Dennis, but we are gutted that we couldn’t hold on to at least a point.
“Obviously we’re just gutted that Ismaïla [Sarr] is out at the minute because Ismaïla and Dennis on either wing - I’m telling you that there aren’t many teams in the league that will have a better option on the counter-attack than us.
“It’s great working with Dennis, and everything he is touching is turning to goals at the minute. Long may it continue.”
The 31-year-old mentioned how great the Watford fans have been since he arrived at the club in the summer, and that he is looking forward to continuing to fight for the Hornets supporters.
“They are top class,” Rose said. “I saw it during the Manchester United game.
“We know what we have to do, the manager tells us but when we have the crowd that we have got, that are pushing us on for the extra 10 per cent, it’s brilliant. It shows because we are getting clapped off even when we have lost.
“It just shows that they appreciate the effort we are putting in, and I think they know there won’t be many games where we come off here without winning. I hope we can maintain our home ground as a fortress and we will be picking up a lot of three points throughout the season.”
Rose praised the medical staff at the stadium who intervened early on during the game after a medical emergency was declared, with the encounter subsequently suspended for half-an-hour. A supporter who suffered a cardiac arrest in the stand was eventually stabilised, and taken to hospital.
“The medical staff, especially after recent events at the Euros in the summer with Christian Eriksen, they are brilliant,” Rose said.
“They are so fast to respond and we saw not so long ago at Newcastle how quick they were to react. It was the same again tonight.
“A big well done to both sets of medical staff. It’s fortunate that the person was at a football game where there are medical people who are on hand.
“Everyone in the changing room and everyone associated with Watford wishes the guy a speedy recovery, and we obviously hope he can attend a game in the near future.”
