Rodgers on team selection

Brendan Rodgers defended his decision to make several changes to the side that had just won three games on the bounce without conceding any, after Watford’s 2-1 loss to Plymouth Argyle.

Rodgers made five changes. Only one however, was enforced.

Rodgers was questioned over his selection at the end of the game but the boss took full responsibility for his decisions.

“I will always put out a team I can feel can win every game,” said the Hornets’ supremo.

“I was looking at the games that we’ve had recently – a lot of big games and a lot of physically tough games – and looking at the games that we have for the future. I may not get many opportunities now to change it.

“A lot of these players have played in a lot of the games this season and we were still strong enough with what we had to win the game.

“I don’t regret making the changes because I trust the players and trust in their work – it was just one of those nights where we never got going.

“I just felt this was a game we could come and do well in and use the strength and the power of our group, rather than flog the same players all the way through, knowing that when we need them in a few weeks time that fatigue would have set in.

“I am disappointed for the supporters. It’s a hell of a long journey to here and they want to see their team come and win and no-one more so than myself wants that, so I’m disappointed for them.”

Commenting on the events of the game, Rodger said: “I was just disappointed with the first half – it didn’t feel as though we ever got going. I was probably thankful it was only 1-0.

“Then, in the second half we started brighter and he [Tommy Smith] seized on the mistake brilliantly and that was Tommy and what he’s great at, going one v one with a goalkeeper, and he finished it really well.

“Then the momentum swung and we never had that in the first half. At one-each I felt we were the team that was going to go on and win it, but then we made a mistake, they got in and finished well.

“In the second half we were better, I was happy in terms of the character and a terrific goal. We were on the front foot, but we made two mistakes and got punished and congratulations to Plymouth, we got caught by the sucker punch.

“We haven’t made mistakes in the last few weeks and tonight we got punished for two defensive mistakes. We have got live with that and move on.”

The Golden Boys face a crucial game at the weekend with a trip to fellow relegation battlers Charlton Athletic.

“The confidence of the group is still high and we’ll take that into the remaining games,” added Brendan.

“Obviously you’d want to be comfortable with three or four games to go, but it is a strange league and every team can take points off each other from the top to the bottom. Because of that there’s not a logical sequence of results you can depend on or look at.

“As always, I have only ever concerned myself about ourselves. We made a nice little jump up the table recently and we’ll look to do that again on Saturday but it’s not one where you can rely on other teams, you must rely on yourself and your own abilities. If we do that then we’ll be fine.

“We’ve still got a lot of the teams around us to play and I am still looking upwards. We’ll go to Charlton and we’ll be back strong.”