Watford's week has featured a new signing's arrival, a tough away defeat, and a look ahead to the next challenge at Vicarage Road. The Hornets sit 14th in the Championship with five points from four games, scoring four goals and conceding five.
Soumaïla Coulibaly has outlined his ambitions after joining Watford on a season-long loan from Strasbourg. The 22-year-old French defender, who came through the Paris Saint-Germain academy and later played for Borussia Dortmund, spoke to the club's official site about his career path and readiness for English football.
Coulibaly highlighted the value of his experiences in top European competitions. "The Champions League is the best level," he said. "So to play in that competition was really good for me." The centre-back, who stands at 6ft 3in, believes his aggressive defensive style is suited to the demands of the Sky Bet Championship, a league he acknowledges is "really physical and intense." He is now eager to play in front of the Watford supporters for the first time.
Watford suffered a 2-0 away defeat to Swansea City on September 1. Goals from Eom Ji-Sung in the 8th minute and Adam Idah in the 29th minute secured the win for the Swans.
The loss leaves Watford five points behind Swansea, who currently lead the Championship. The Hornets' recent form reads LDDW, with the team looking to bounce back in their next fixture.
Watford's immediate focus turns to a home clash against Preston North End on September 8. Before that, the club reviews the last match at Vicarage Road, a 1-1 draw with West Ham United on August 29.
West Ham's lineup for that game included 18-year-old defender Airidas Golambeckis making his full league debut. The Hammers made three changes from their previous match, with Joël Veltman and Divine Mukasa also coming into the starting eleven. For Watford, the current injuries list includes Jeremy Ngakia, Kwadwo Baah, Marc Bola, Myron Boadu, and the newly-arrived Soumaila Coulibaly.
Watford's squad for the upcoming games can be seen on the official squad page. The team will aim to improve its home record when Preston visit, seeking a result to climb from 14th position.
