Matej Vydra “needs to wait” for his opportunity

Matej Vydra will be denied the chance on Saturday to show West Bromwich Albion he is much more than just a bit-part player at the exalted Premier League level .

The Czech international had to be content with seven starts and 16 substitute appearances during his one season with the Baggies in 2013/14. He found the back of the net three times, against Tottenham, Hull and Fulham, and West Brom never lost when he scored.

Vydra is also yet to convince Quique Sanchez Flores, his current head coach, he has bought into his philosophy and, as a result, was an unused substitute on Saturday. A place on the bench this weekend is the best the man who clinched promotion with a goal at Brighton can hope for.

“Some players connect a bit late,” the head coach said. “Vydra needs to wait a little bit more. Some players connect a little bit late with the idea, with the team. Some players need to wait a little bit longer for the first XI.”

Odion Ighalo, on the other hand, is pushing hard for a starting spot after he came off the bench to send England internationals John Stones and Phil Jagielka sliding across the turf before putting Watford 2-1 in front. The Nigerian, whose tally of 17 goals this year is more than any player in the English football league pyramid, was only deemed fit enough to be named among the replacements at Goodison Park after missing virtually the entire week’s training.

“I say thank you [to him] after the match,” said Sanchez Flores. “He played really, really well. Ighalo expects to be in the first XI, like the rest of the squad. If a player is not 100 per cent I prefer to keep him out of the first XI. It is difficult to choose [the starting XI], always. I could name 14 or 15 players in the first XI, it depends on the feeling of the week, the feelings from training. I am really happy with what I watch. It is a long season and some not starting too much at the beginning. We have the tools – we need to do something with them.”

Alessandro Diamanti is another gun in the club’s arsenal but Saturday’s game will come too soon for the Italian international. As we reported earlier in the week, the paperwork to secure his release and registration from his loan club in China is mired in red tape, thus delaying any official announcement of his arrival. The head coach will, in general, only integrate players in the squad let alone the team who are fully up to speed with his tactical requirements.

“He [Alessandro] is training with us every day and is at a good performance and at a good level,” he said. “It is difficult for next Saturday. He is strong from set pieces, from free kicks and he has experience for us. That is very, very important.”

Sanchez Flores said he will make a decision tomorrow on the fitness of Almen Abdi and Steven Berghuis who have “improved during the week” but not trained “at the same level as the rest of the group.”

This would, on past evidence, immediately rule them out of starting the first Premier League home game of the season.

Click below to see where the head coach stands on coming and goings.

Transfer update: QSF is very clear on who he wants in (and out) of his #watfordfc squad. http://t.co/M4ILepj8LC pic.twitter.com/QJRcQU9JN1 — WD Sport (@WDSport_) August 13, 2015

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