Watford's situation ahead of Sunderland fixture including views on Joao Pedro, Ismaila Sarr and Chris Wilder

The Hornets have dropped to 13th in the Championship and won just two of their nine games following Chris Wilder’s appointment as head coach in March.

It means Watford can no longer finish in the play-offs after a hugely-disappointing campaign following their relegation from the Premier League.

To find out more we caught up with Andrew French from the Watford Observer on the latest episode of The Roar Podcast.

You can listen to the full episode here

How would you sum up Watford’s season?

AF: “It’s been a massive underachievement.

“You don’t sit in the Championship, which is a notoriously difficult division, and think to get out of it easily. But when you’re a relegated team and have retained players like Ismaila Sarr and Joao Pedro, I think the minimum anyone at Watford was expecting was the play-offs.

“They have been so inconsistent that you could never at any point think they are going to make the top six. The stat that backs that up is that they have only managed to win consecutive games once this season.”

How will Wilder set his team up?

AF: “He started with the three at the back with Watford. They were very attack-minded but that didn’t work.

“Then they tried 4-4-2, they’ve tried everything 4-3-1-2, 4-2-3-1, and within games he’s changed it.

“He has tried everything, he’s tried all manner of different things and none of them have worked. Away from home they haven’t won at all under Wilder.”

How are Pedro and Sarr viewed there?

AF: “They are viewed quite differently.

“Pedro is still seen as quite a hero, he’s very young, he’s 21, has captained the side. He’s one of those players that the way he plays he looks committed, he covers a lot of ground and wants the ball.

“If anything that probably goes against him because one of the things that Wilder has said is that when Watford are struggling Joao Pedro wants to be everywhere and do everything, which you can’t do. You want him at the top of the pitch.

“The Watford fans are less keen on Sarr. He can look a bit languid, his body language, sometimes he can have stooped shoulders.

“He’s a good player but I think a lot of Watford fans wouldn’t have been too disappointed if he had left in the summer.”

Who are some other players to watch out for?

AF: “Wilder has said he wants to give some young players a run. He’s already done that at right-back, Ryan Andrews who is only 18 has played the last four and done very well.

“We could see one or two more of the academy players coming through, but Wilder is also mindful that he can‘t play such an inexperienced team that they can have people pointing and saying that’s not fair.

“In terms of players who are key for Watford, Ryan Porteous at centre-half who Watford bought in January has become a bit of a talisman, really wants to win every ball and is really committed.

“Imran Louza who plays in midfield has had a season interrupted by a really bad ankle injury just before the World Cup. He hasn’t quite been the same player since he came back but is still capable.”