It could have been 6-6! Deeney brands defending ´Sunday league at best´

Watford striker Troy Deeney described the defending as “Sunday league at best” following a 3-3 Premier League draw at Bournemouth on Wednesday, suggesting the match could easily have ended 6-6.

Deeney scored twice to put the Hornets 2-0 up at the Vitality Stadium before a remarkable period of four goals in six minutes shook up the scoreline prior to half-time.

Nathan Ake and Callum Wilson pulled Bournemouth level and, after Ken Sema briefly restored Watford’s lead, Ryan Fraser scored the final goal of a frenetic first half.

“It was an interesting game to be involved in,” said Deeney. “The defending from both teams was Sunday league at best to be honest. Both teams will look at it as points dropped.

“I didn’t feel we were fully in control. It was an end-to-end game. It could have been 6-6.

“As entertainers we’re happy, but not as professionals. The only people that are happy are the fans.”

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Both Deeney and manager Javi Gracia were critical of the performance of referee David Coote, despite Watford pair Abdoulaye Doucoure and Etienne Capoue being fortunate to avoid red cards. 

Doucoure received just a booking for a studs-up challenge on Fraser, while Capoue only conceded a free-kick when – already on a yellow card – he caught Dan Gosling with an arm to the face. 

Deeney and Gracia instead focused on a late Gosling tackle on Tom Cleverley and a handball by Ake in the penalty box in stoppage time, with both incidents going unpunished. 

“Abdoulaye Doucoure probably did get lucky,” conceded Deeney. “But you can’t tell me that their boy [Gosling] did not try to do Tom Cleverley. 

“They know it, we know it, but the referee bottled it on a few occasions today.” 

Gracia, who substituted Doucoure early in the second half with a second booking appearing likely, added: “Maybe if some decisions were different the result might also be different.

“In that moment [when Doucoure was replaced] I was seeing all the refereeing decisions going against us. Then I prefer to put Tom Cleverley on.

“I think there were different decisions… even with the last one with Ake, if you touch the ball with your hand in the box it is a penalty.

“We accept the decisions and try to do better next time.”