We ask whether Isaac Success should get his first league start for Watford this weekend.
Isaac Success’s explosive cameo performances have led to growing calls for Watford boss Walter Mazzarri to hand him his first start against Middlesbrough on Sunday.
The Nigerian forward has looked impressive in all five of his substitute appearances and scored in Watford’s last game against Bournemouth.
Mazzarri has persisted with Troy Deeney and Odion Ighalo up front but the latter’s form has been questioned by pundits as well as the Vicarage Road faithful. Ighalo lit up the Premier League last season, but his form has begun to tail off, and his once formidable partnership with Deeney is now failing. With only one league goal in seven starts, it may be time to bench Ighalo and give Deeney a chance with a fresh new striker partner.
There will be a temptation for Mazzarri to keep Success on the bench and continue to utilise him as an impact substitute. Especially, in what could be a tight and nervy away game against a Boro side who are yet to win at home this season.
With Aitor Karanka’s side under pressure to end that run, they will be pushing hard for a winner as the game goes on, leaving themselves vulnerable to the counter-attack. Success would be the perfect option off the bench to stretch and get in behind the Boro defence.
Success’s attributes do make him the ideal substitute and this works against his case for a starting place. The 20-year-old’s pace, power and trickery are a nightmare for tiring Premier League sides, particularly those who are chasing games. With two away games in a row – against Boro and Swansea City – Mazzarri may opt for the cautious choice of starting Ighalo and keeping Success in reserve.
However, the young forward’s time has come and it should benefit Ighalo to sit out a couple of fixtures. There is a big gulf between appearing off the bench and starting week-in week-out in the Premier League; so it will be a steep learning curve for Success. It will be more challenging than starting for Granada every week, but Deeney is the right strike partner to lead Success through his first start. Deeney’s experience and work-rate will only aid the Nigerian youngster’s progress.
Paired together they could have a similar impact as Deeney and Ighalo had last season. So Mazzarri, now is the time for Success.
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