CHELSEA were denied a very late winner at Vicarage Road tonight when Heurelho Gomes expertly tipped away a Diego Costa header.
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| John Terry won't be at Chelsea next season |
But a draw was the least hosts Watford deserved from an entertaining goalless clash in the Premier League.
Chelsea missed the chance to go 11th, with the Hornets now moving up to ninth in the table.
Here, News News Blog Sport brings you the five things you need to know from Vicarage Road…
1. Diego Costa's temper hasn’t cooled… but the opposition don't help
Cries of “off off off” reverberated around Vicarage Road here when Diego Costa appeared to push right-back Juan Carlos Paredes in the face just before half time.
Costa had earlier been involved in a tussle with centre-back Sebastian Prodl and was denied a free-kick from a Paredes knick moments before the incident on the near touchline.
Thankfully, referee Mike Dean didn’t rise to the fans’ fury and simply booked the pair.
It was a good decision.
Costa pushed Paredes in the back when running for the ball but the defender went down as though his jaw had been shattered.
It was a cynical piece of simulation from the Ecuadorian and shows that while Costa can be the bad boy at times, the opposition certainly don’t help things.
2. Watford deserve their place in the top half
Watford moved up to ninth after this result and deserve their standing among the upper echelons of English football.
Manager Quique Sanchez Flores has instilled a strong work ethic in this team that stems from the tireless centre-forwards.
Ben Watson and Valon Behrami more than matched up to Cesc Fabregas and John Obi Mikel in midfield, while Jose Manuel Jurado was a constant worry for Branislav Ivanovic until he was hooked on 68 minutes.
3. John Terry is far from past it
Was there ever any doubt? Three days after revealing he won’t get a new contract at Chelsea this summer, John Terry puts in a solid display at centre-half.
At 35 Terry is not the springiest chicken in the hutch.
But 476 Premier League appearances count for something and Chelsea could regret letting their captain go.
Terry played every game of last season and earned a one-year extension off the back of it.
This term his performances have dipped - but then whose hasn’t at Chelsea?
Tonight he had the handful that is Troy Deeney and Odion Ighalo for company and did a good job.
Chelsea need defenders like him, even if he isn’t a guaranteed starter during those ‘big games’.
4. Alexandre Pato better be good
There will be plenty of eyes on Alexandre Pato when he finally makes his Chelsea debut and rightly so.
For most of the season the Blues have had to make do with Costa up front on his own.
The problem with that is, when Costa isn’t scoring, Chelsea had to find goals from other outlets.
Tonight proved Chelsea desperately need a second striker if only to offer something different.
Loic Remy evidently isn’t trusted with the role and Radamel Falcao’s chances of getting in the team are bordering on nil.
Blues fans even started up a chant of “attack, attack, attack!” to get their men moving.
Pato isn’t yet up to speed with the fitness requirements of Premier League football and Chelsea fans better hope that he impresses when Guus Hiddink deems him ready.
5. Troy Deeney makes this side tick
He was absolutely everywhere tonight. Once again the tireless engine that is Troy Deeney was racing away at maximum capacity.
The captain’s willingness to do the leg work meant Watford could switch from two up top to five in midfield in an instant.
His link-up with top scorer Odion Ighalo was key to the Hornets frustrating Chelsea and pinning them in their own half for much of the game.
What Deeney doesn’t get in goals (seven for the season) he more than makes up in yards.
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