Gracia departure signals arrival of opportunity.

Javi Gracia’s departure from Watford increases the size of the Hornets’ squad. Not only with the late January arrivals, but also with the players the Spaniard did not select for his team and squad.

Gracia will have his reasons for not picking them, which will undoubtedly include contributions in games, training ground performances, and attitude.

However, Formose Mendy, Jeremy Petris, and Pierre Dwomoh, who were unable to make the team, as well as Nestory Irankunda, Kwadwoo Baah, and Papy Mendy, who were doubtful to start, will now have a chance under Charlie Daniels and his partner coaches Dan Gosling and Adrian Mariappa.

And we saw that in their first match as manager on Tuesday, when Mendy started and others were left on the bench. Watford were the superior team against third-placed Hull, and their performance in the 0-0 draw at the MGM Stadium was equally remarkable.

Perhaps with something to prove, the players played with a serene sense of freedom, as opposed to Gracia’s previous match in charge, in which they were chaotic and eventually lost control.

Gracia felt let down by the club. He needed veteran players to supplement the younger players, but he didn’t receive it and became increasingly angry.

He then had to deal with disillusioned players that he did not trust.

It’d been cooking for a while. Watford’s finest move in January could be the loan acquisition of Pierre Ekwah, who arrived immediately after Gracia left.

The midfielder performed well at Sunderland and matches the characteristics of the midfielder that Gracia was looking for.Saba Goglichidze, a centre-back on loan from Udinese, joined the squad late.

The most intriguing player appears to be Manchester City’s 17-year-old Stephen Mfuni, who made an impressive start at Hull.

Edoardo Bove, the other new recruit, is still a few weeks away from making his debut after suffering a heart arrest little over a year earlier.

On paper, this is a decent Championship squad after the transfer window. Some expertise in attack and defence would have been beneficial.

However, whether Watford can push for the play-offs and promotion contention will rely, as always, on this group’s mindset when things go tough.

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