Scout Notes – Pre-Season

Tom Ince hits his third goal of pre-season as Huddersfield Town lose in Germany, while a Stefano Okaka strike is enough for Watford to seal their first victory of the summer.

Here are Tuesday’s notes.

SV Sandhausen 3 Huddersfield Town 2

Summer recruit Tom Ince scored for the third consecutive match as Huddersfield slumped to a 3-2 defeat against their Bundesliga 2 opponents.

The midfielder, currently one of only three Terriers players enjoying more than 2% Fantasy Premier League ownership, curled home from the edge of the area after coming on at half-time.

Pre-season goalscoring exploits always need to be taken with a generous measure of salt – Burnley’s Andre Gray (9 goals) being a prime example last summer – but Ince’s form is welcome for those of us looking for an asset to exploit Huddersfield’s kindly start to the season (pal, NEW, SOT, wham, LEI, bur).

Elsewhere, club record signing, Benin forward Steve Mounie, was also on the scoresheet – his second goal in as many matches since his move from Montpellier.

Both goals were set up by Rajiv van La Parra.

The match was rather less memorable for defender Martin Cranie, who was brought on after 54 minutes and promptly had a hand in two of the German side’s goals, including the concession of the penalty that proved to be the difference between the two teams.

Town coach David Wagner again stuck to his preferred 4-2-3-1 formation and made a raft of changes at both half-time and on the hour-mark.

But a number of players remain unavailable to him. Tommy Smith (foot), Nahki Wells (ankle), Jon Gorenc Stankovic (knee) and Michael Hefele (Achilles) are injured, while Aaron Mooy is still on extended leave following Australia’s participation in the Confederations Cup. Meanwhile, Scott Malone suffered a knock and was forced off on 40 minutes.

Huddersfield Town XI: Lossl (Coleman 46); Scannell (J Williams 46), Jorgensen (Edmonds-Green 75), Schindler (Cranie 46), Malone (Lowe 41); Hogg (van La Parra 60), Whitehead (D Williams 60); Kachunga (Billing 60), Palmer (Lolley 46), Quaner (Ince 46); Depoitre (Mounie 60).

Viktoria Plzen 0 Watford 1

A Stefano Okaka goal 10 minutes from time handed Watford their first victory of pre-season.

The striker, currently the Hornets’ only fit first team forward, scored from close range having been set up new signing Will Hughes.

The former Derby County midfielder had been handed 20 minutes by coach Marco Silva to make a good first impression, and he did just that.

Silva again employed a 4-2-3-1 formation in a match in which neither goalkeeper was overly busy, but right-back Brice Dja Djédjé at least caught the eye, coming on at half-time and impressing in an unfamiliar role on the left flank.

Etienne Capoue was again deployed as part of the attacking midfield three behind the striker, with Ben Watson and Abdoulaye Doucouré occupying the roles in the double pivot.

Watford XI: Gomes (Pantilimon 60); Janmaat, Prödl, Kabasele, Holebas (Dja Djédjé 46); Watson, Doucouré; Berghuis (Amrabat 46), Capoue (Hughes 68), Success (Sinclair 68); Okaka.
Sub not used: Rowan.