"Looked quite impressive" - Tom Cleverley told to consider potential Watford FC 2024/25 wildcard | OneFootball

Kwadwo Baah has caught the eye for Watford in pre-season

This article is part of Football League World's 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…

Watford have been urged to consider a potential first-team role for young winger Kwadwo Baah following a series of impressive displays throughout their pre-season campaign.

There has been growing concern surrounding the Hornets' pre-season preparations, with supporters voicing their skepticism about what the upcoming 2024/25 season may bring after last term's disappointing 15th-placed finish, as well as cashing in on Ismael Kone who has moved to Marseille, with little sign of any of the money being re-invested into Tom Cleverley's squad.

The Hornets initiated their off-season schedule with a 2-0 defeat to League One side Reading at the beginning of July, which was followed up by winning 1-0 at Boreham Wood days later. They then drew 2-2 with Stevenage before losing 2-0 against Gillingham.

A trip to Edinburgh yielded a thrilling 3-2 victory over Hibernian, although they subsequently lost by the same scoreline to Wycombe Wanderers on July 30.

The real cause for concern, however, was Watford's heavy 6-1 defeat to Fulham in a behind-closed-doors fixture last month. Tomorrow's match against Brentford will be their final pre-season fixture before opening the curtains on the Championship season with a trip to Millwall next weekend.

Watford boss Tom Cleverley told to give Kwadwo Baah a chance in 2024-25

Despite a string of frustrating results in pre-season, both Rocco Vata and Baah have represented rare signs of positivity for Watford supporters, who are keen to see the two wingers impact second-tier proceedings next term.

While Vata is a recent arrival from Celtic, Baah has been with the club since June 2021 after signing from Rochdale but is yet to play competitively for the Hornets following loan spells at Fortuna Dusseldorf and Burton Albion.

The 21-year-old caught the eye on occasion while on loan with the Brewers in League One during the first half of the previous campaign and has impressed in pre-season, scoring in the aforementioned draw at Stevenage.

As such, Football League World's resident Watford fan pundit Justin Beattie believes that Baah has justified a role in Tom Cleverley's 24/25 thinking amid a dearth of attacking options currently at the club.

"With regards to Kwadwo Baah, Watford desperately need more options up front," Justin explained to FLW.

"At the moment, [Mileta] Rajovic and [Vakoun] Bayo aren't the answer as was shown last season. If we are not to have any new incomings to that position, then we're going to have to give players like Baah a chance in the first-team.

"He has looked quite impressive in pre-season so you would imagine that Tom Cleverley would be looking to utilise him if we aren't making any more signings up front."

Kwadwo Baah could be Watford FC's wildcard for 2024-25 season

The fact that Baah is yet to make his competitive debut in Watford colours doesn't rule out the possibility of a third loan spell away from the club next season.

However, Justin is right in referencing Watford's deficiencies in the final third - even if Baah is more at home on the right flank instead of through the middle like Rajovic and Bayo.

His final ball still leaves plenty to be desired but he's direct, daring, full of tricks and can beat a man. It's a profile that can blossom under the right coaching and simply isn't provided by the likes of Tom Ince and Ken Sema these days.