Preview: Cleverley On Derby, Bayo & Vata

Tom Cleverley is eyeing a more attacking performance than what was seen against Cardiff City when the Hornets travel to Derby County tomorrow (January 18, 3pm KO).

The Golden Boys beat the Rams 2-1 at The Vic back in August but the Head Coach believes that Paul Warne’s side have come on since then.

“We have watched quite a lot of Derby recently,” Cleverley said. “At the start of the season they scored early, and sat in a really low block, and we found it hard.

“They were a real counter-attack style team but now they have developed into being more than that.

“They play out from the back a lot more, they do the basics very well, they have got a lot of pace along the top line, they have got a lot of players that I admire.

“For me, they have progressed a lot from the last time we played them, so it will be a very tough test.”

Vakoun Bayo rescued a point with a late equaliser in the 1-1 draw at Cardiff on Tuesday, when the Hornets set up with a more defensive mindset.

On wanting to attack, Cleverley added: “I want us to entertain as a team.

“I want to do the best I can do to let our attacking players flourish. I think that is our best chance of success.”

Bayo now has 10 Championship goals for the season – a tally he shares with three other players and is bettered only by Norwich’s Borja Sainz (15) and West Brom’s Josh Maja (12).

“He’s been fantastic for us this season,” Cleverley said on the Ivorian. “I’m really pleased with what he’s doing.

“On Tuesday I feel like he was a real positive. His all-round play was excellent and he got rewarded with a goal.

“If he plays like that continuously, he’s a real complete striker and he deserves the goals he’s got this season.

“All of Bayo’s best performances come when he’s that positive influence on the team and when he’s leading the line. He’s doing an excellent job in that.”

Rocco Vata started on the bench in Cardiff despite his stunning goal in the FA Cup tie at Fulham in the Hornets’ previous game, but Cleverley remains excited by the young forward.

“I spoke to Rocco and told him not to lose any faith,” he said. “He’s a lot closer to the starting XI than he was three or four months ago.

“He’s learning fast his out-of-possession responsibilities and how important that is, and how important the basics at this level are. So all of those dark arts, second balls, tracking runners, they are really, really important.

“I had a really good chat with Rocco about forward players – if you’re scoring more goals than you are costing out of possession, that’s how I judge it really.

“He’s really improved out of possession as he’s not costing the structure anything, and he’s got bags of quality to add.

“His numbers are outstanding and his hunger to be in the right place to score a goal is what I feel will take him to the top.

“They [young players] have grown up in a generation of YouTube highlight reels and tracking your runner and winning a second ball are not part of that!

“But he has an openness to learn, and he’s got a little edge to him which I like.”