Watford boss sees Emmanuel Dennis positive in West Ham defeat

The Hornets lost by the odd goal against the Hammers in London to stretch their winless run in the league to ten games

Nigerian forward Emmanuel Dennis was on the pitch for every minute as Watford suffered a 1-0 to West Ham at the London Stadium on Tuesday evening.

Jarrod Bowen’s wickedly-deflected strike in the 68th minute earned all three points for David Moyes’ men while handing Roy Hodgson his first defeat as Watford’s manager.

Despite the Golden Boys’ 15th defeat of the campaign, Hodgson was pleased with his wards battling display and Emmanuel Dennis’ contribution.

The fringe Super Eagles star was not available for Roy Hodgson’s first game in charge – a 0-0 draw at Burnley – as he was serving a one-game ban. He had picked up a red card in the 3-nil humiliation on home soil at the hands of Norwich City – Claudio Ranieri’s last match at the helm.

That suspension aside, Dennis has been Watford’s best player by a country mile during what has been a poor season for the Hornets. The former Club Brugge ace, in his maiden campaign in England, has contributed eight goals and five assists in nineteen appearances in the top-flight.

The 24-year-old has, however, struggled in 2022, having yet to open his account in the new year. Dennis has fired blanks against Tottenham Hotspur, Newcastle United, Norwich City, and West Ham.

Still, Hodgson was pleased to have the club’s leading goalscorer back on the pitch.

“We need to improve at both sides of the game. It was good to have Dennis back and we’ll have Sarr back soon as well, who’s going to be important,” the experienced English football tactician said to Watford’s official website.

“I thought we had attacking threat today and I’m not concerned about that end of the field. Perhaps we didn’t produce that golden goal chance, but I’m sure we will as we work more.”

Of the four Nigerian internationals presently at Watford, only Dennis was involved on Tuesday.

New signing Samuel Kalu was in the matchday squad, but he did not make it off the bench.

Super Eagles vice-captain William Troost-Ekong and Oghenekaro Etebo were not available. The former was at the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations in January, while the latter continued rehabilitation from a lengthy injury layoff.