Watford predicted to finish 17th in the Championship by Not The Top 20 podcast. The podcast's annual 1-24 preview episode has placed Watford comfortably in the bottom half but clear of the drop. They claimed that the Hornets are a tough team to get a read on, noting the likes of Othmane Maamma and Rocco Vata as exciting players for the level, but were cautious in predicting that potential to be followed through on after a summer of recruitment that does not appear to have fulfilled the brief laid out in May.
What happened?
Not The Top 20 have tipped Watford to finish 17th in the Championship this season. They claimed that the Hornets are a tough team to get a read on, noting the likes of Othmane Maamma and Rocco Vata as exciting players for the level.
Why it matters for Watford
The recruitment - particularly in light of Scott Duxbury's insistence that experienced EFL players would sign - is also a question mark. They've brought in five players this summer - and this is no slight on their ability - but four of them are from Udinese and the other one is a keeper from Bologna.
What comes next?
The Hornets will be looking to bounce back from a disappointing finish to the 2025/26 season. They ended the season in 16th place, 57 points, with 14 wins, 15 draws, and 17 losses from 46 games. They will be hoping to improve on that finish and make a push for the top half of the table.
League standing (final 2025 table -- new season not yet under way): 16th in Championship, 57 pts, 14W-15D-17L from 46 games, recent form LLLLL. Goals this season: 53 scored, 65 conceded (-12 goal difference). Title race: 38 points behind leaders Coventry. Next fixture: vs Charlton (at home, 2026-10-17) (19th in the table).
