Watford head coach Alessio Dionisi is focused on Championship games rather than transfer signings as the season gets underway. The former Sassuolo boss, who replaced Ed Still in June, made his comments ahead of Saturday's trip to Wrexham.
Watford began their campaign with a 2-1 victory over Southampton. They currently sit seventh in the Championship table with four points from two matches, having scored three goals and conceded two. That leaves them just two points behind early leaders Millwall.
Alessio Dionisi was clear about his priorities this week. He believes the Watford squad requires strengthening but is leaving market activity to the club's recruitment staff. "I don't want to talk about the transfer market," Dionisi said. "I respect the question but for me it's important to speak about my players and my team - for us it's better to speak about Wrexham."
His immediate concern is handling a busy period with a relatively small group of players. Watford faces a Carabao Cup tie against Peterborough just three days after the league game in North Wales. Fans can track the upcoming schedule on the club's fixtures page.
Injury issues are adding to the selection challenge. Full-back Marc Bola is ruled out of the trip to the Racecourse Ground. "I am sorry for Marc because he is an important player, he is a leader, but there is also Jordan (Zemura), who is a good player," Dionisi noted.
Bola joins Jeremy Ngakia and Kwadwo Baah on the sidelines, as confirmed by the club's latest injuries report. Zemura is the natural candidate to fill the left-back role vacated by Bola. The manager's task is to manage resources carefully during this early-season stretch.
The opening win provided a positive start after the club finished 16th last season. The current goal difference of +1 reflects a solid, if not spectacular, beginning. The next home game is a significant test against West Ham, who are 17th, on August 29th.
Maintaining this early form will be key for Dionisi's side. Supporters can monitor the team's progress and the evolving standings throughout the season. The Italian manager's insistence on focusing on the present, rather than potential new arrivals, sets the tone for the weeks ahead. His job is to extract the maximum from the players already at his disposal as the club works on possible additions behind the scenes.
