Javi Gracia has lifted the lid on the absence of Abdoulaye Doucoure.

The midfielder had been a notable absentee during Watford's pre-season campaign, and set tongues wagging as he once again missed out on Friday night's trip to face Stevenage, a game which they won 1-0.

Gerard Deulofeu and Nathaniel Chalobah also missed out, and Gracia revealed that all three were missing through a fitness complaint.

Speaking after the game, Gracia said: ""Gerard and Chalobah finished last season injured and in this moment they are not available yet. In the next week I suppose they can be with the team.

"Doucoure, as well, feels some pain. He needs to rest for a couple of days and I think in the next week he will be ready.

When quizzed on the injury, Gracia replied: "The doctor would explain better than me, I'm not able to do it."

Asked if Doucoure will be fit for the start of the season, Gracia replied: "I think so."

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A number of players have missed out on game-time during Watford's pre-season campaign, and with another friendly coming up against Brentford on Saturday, Gracia says he needs to use his players wisely.

He said: "We need to do it (make changes) tomorrow and organise the players we have because the players that are available in this moment are the players that we have seen today.

"Then we need to organise the line-up and try and give minutes to all the players.

As you can see from the team in this moment you can see players on trial or ben Wilmot playing as a midfielder even though he played a centre-back until this game, Tommie Hoban as well played there.

"It is a position we need players but if we recover the players who are in the moment are injured then we have very good players, with Doucoure, Chalobah and Cleverley."

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