Hornets midfielder Moussa Sissoko insisted the team will be ready for Chelsea’s visit in three days’ time (December 1), following a difficult defeat away at Leicester City.
Watford and the Foxes played out an entertaining game at the King Power Stadium, with a Joshua King penalty and an Emmanuel Dennis strike ultimately not enough to prevent the hosts coming out on top 4-2.
Sissoko, who captained Watford, admitted he always expected a tough match-up against Leicester, while he is looking forward to using positives from the clash to improve heading into December.
“I think we started well, but we conceded the first goal and we are disappointed because [William] Troost-Ekong thought someone told him to leave the ball to clear it,” said Sissoko, 32.
“OK, we made a mistake, but I think we came back into the game with the penalty. After that, we lacked some concentration when they scored the second one.
“They scored the third goal just before half-time, and we said if we came back and scored early that could change the game. We scored and it was an open game with the weather - it was difficult to play in the second half.
“We tried our best, but it wasn’t enough and that is why we lost the game. I think we need to learn from our mistakes because since I arrived there have been many games when I think we should have done much better, but we made some mistakes.
“At this level you can’t make these types of mistakes because you get punished straight away. It is part of football and now we need to move on, there is another game on Wednesday and we have to be ready.”
The conditions in the Midlands were certainly tricky but they didn’t stop the Golden Boys’ offensive players from notching two goals, a fact Sissoko is pleased with.
“It is good for us to score, it is good for our confidence, it is good for our team,” he said.
“It is always good when the offensive players score goals. I hope they are going to keep going that way. For us as a team, I’m happy with them scoring but they will be disappointed that we lost.
“The weather wasn’t great and we couldn’t play our normal football so we had to play long and be ready for the second ball. We tried and it was an open game so each team could score at any time but today it worked for them so congratulations to them.
“For us we are going to analyse what we can do better for the next game and be ready for Wednesday.”
In reference to the travelling fans, Sissoko revealed how important their support is to the Hornets.
“They are amazing and always behind us from the first minute until the end,” Sissoko added.
“We would like to thank them because we will need them until the end of the season. We know we are going to have some good moments and some bad moments, but we are together, and we have to make sure we stick together and fight until the last game of the season.”
