Watford are ugly but sitting pretty

Talk about the money to be made exporting English football. If Watford were to survive in the Premier League they would probably have to play in Patagonia to attract a crowd.

Ipswich defender Jason De Vos believes Watford will have to change their direct approach if they are to avoid a repeat of 2006-07 when they were relegated after just one season in the Premier League.

"I don't think any of the successful teams in the top flight play that style of football," said the Canadian. "It's not for me to be judging anyone else on how they decide to play but I've always believed the way forward is to pass the ball and keep it on the deck.

"Watford have a style of football they play which is effective for them. We believe at this football club that that's not the way forward.

"But you could argue that time will tell and at the end of the season the league positions show whoever's more successful gets promoted."

With Danny Shittu back from Africa Cup of Nations duty and dominant at the centre of the Watford defence, Ipswich were never given the opportunity to play the fast-flowing football preferred by Jim Magilton.

And once Tommy Smith had headed home Mat Sadler's 33rd-minute corner to put the visitors in front, the result never seemed in doubt.

The introduction of Alan Lee to try to unsettle Shittu and his defensive partner Leigh Bromby almost paid off when the Republic of Ireland striker hit the bar with a clever chip just after the interval.

But three minutes later Watford responded with a second goal as Nathan Ellington scored from eight yards out when Ipswich failed to clear a cross-cum-shot from substitute Jordan Stewart.

Ipswich pulled a goal back through Jonathan Walters with 19 minutes to go but Watford effectively shut up shop again by bolstering their defence and time-wasting.

The two minutes that Bromby took to take a throw-in and the threeminute delay while John-Joe O'Toole was prepared as a substitute for Ellington were inexcusable and deserved sterner action from referee Andy D'Urso.

However, there was no attempt after the game from anyone in the Watford camp to make excuses for their style of play, especially scorer Smith.

"We do our homework on teams we're going to play and I felt we did very well today,' he said. 'We had a good start, set our stall out as we thought the game was going to go on and put them on the back foot.

"I think at the moment we're playing some good football — with a quite direct approach. Often, especially away from home, you need to do what you need to do to get the win.

"I thought we did that today. Sometimes it was a bit ugly but we got the three points, so we're delighted with the way it went. We weren't worried about the fans' reaction. When you're winning, things like that are water off a duck's back."

Magilton had no complaints. "The best team won. They started better than us, dominated us physically and didn't allow us to play," he said.

"We were second best all afternoon. Watford are a good side and any team that finishes above them in the table will get promoted. They did a very professional job and we didn't have enough courage in our conviction."