The 2022–23 season was the 124th season in the existence of Watford Football Club and the club's first season back in the Championship since the 2020–21 following their relegation from the Premier League in the previous season. In addition to the league, they also competed in the FA Cup and the EFL Cup.
Players Current squad
Squad No. Name Nationality Position Date of birth (age) Since Ends Signed from Apps Goals Goalkeepers 1 Daniel Bachmann GK 9 July 1994 (age 28) 2017 2024 Stoke 86 0 26 Ben Hamer GK 20 November 1987 (age 35) 2022 2024 Swansea 1 0 35 Maduka Okoye GK 28 August 1999 (age 23) 2022 2027 Sparta Rotterdam 2 0 Defenders 2 Jeremy Ngakia RB 7 September 2000 (age 22) 2020 2024 West Ham 59 0 3 Mario Gaspar RB 24 November 1990 (age 32) 2022 2024 Villarreal 33 0 13 João Ferreira RB 22 March 2001 (age 22) 2023 2027 Benfica 5 1 14 Hassane Kamara LB 5 March 1994 (age 29) 2022 2023 Udinese (on loan) 51 1 15 Craig Cathcart CB 6 February 1989 (age 34) 2014 2023 Blackpool 262 8 22 Ryan Porteous CB 25 March 1999 (age 24) 2023 2027 Hibernian 17 2 27 Christian Kabasele CB 24 February 1991 (age 32) 2016 2024 Genk 166 7 30 Kortney Hause CB 16 July 1995 (age 27) 2022 2023 Aston Villa (on loan) 3 0 31 Francisco Sierralta CB 6 May 1997 (age 26) 2020 2027 Udinese 57 2 42 James Morris LB 23 November 2001 (age 21) 2021 2026 Southampton 15 0 44 Wesley Hoedt CB 6 March 1994 (age 29) 2023 2025 Anderlecht 15 1 57 Ryan Andrews RB 26 August 2004 (age 18) 2012 2024 Academy 7 0 Midfielders 4 Hamza Choudhury CM 1 October 1997 (age 25) 2022 2023 Leicester (on loan) 37 0 6 Imran Louza CM 1 May 1999 (age 24) 2021 2028 Nantes 43 5 8 Tom Cleverley CM 12 August 1989 (age 33) 2017 2023 Everton 181 19 11 Ismaël Koné CM 16 June 2002 (age 20) 2023 2027 Montréal 17 0 12 Ken Sema LM 30 September 1993 (age 29) 2018 2026 Östersunds 127 11 16 Dan Gosling CM 1 February 1990 (age 33) 2021 2023 Bournemouth 37 3 18 Yáser Asprilla AM 19 November 2003 (age 19) 2022 2026 Envigado 39 1 24 Tom Dele-Bashiru CM 17 September 1999 (age 23) 2019 2025 Manchester City 11 1 25 Leandro Bacuna CM 21 August 1991 (age 31) 2022 2023 Cardiff 15 0 39 Edo Kayembe CM 3 June 1998 (age 24) 2022 2026 Eupen 35 0 Forwards 7 Keinan Davis ST 13 February 1998 (age 25) 2022 2023 Aston Villa (on loan) 34 7 10 João Pedro ST 26 September 2001 (age 21) 2020 2028 Fluminense 109 24 21 Henrique Araújo ST 19 January 2002 (age 21) 2023 2023 Benfica (on loan) 8 0 23 Ismaïla Sarr RW 25 February 1998 (age 25) 2019 2024 Rennes 131 34 28 Samuel Kalu RW 26 August 1997 (age 25) 2022 2025 Bordeaux 13 0 34 Britt Assombalonga ST 6 December 1992 (age 30) 2023 2023 Adana Demirspor 15 2 37 Matheus Martins LW 16 July 2003 (age 19) 2023 2023 Udinese (on loan) 6 0 49 Michael Adu-Poku ST 22 September 2005 (age 17) 2018 2024 Academy 2 0 50 Adrian Blake LW 15 July 2005 (age 17) 2013 2023 Academy 3 0 53 Jack Grieves ST 5 December 2004 (age 18) 2020 2023 Academy 3 0 54 Tobi Adeyemo ST 14 March 2005 (age 18) 2018 2026 Academy 5 1
Transfers Transfers in Date Position Nationality Name From Fee Ref. 19 May 2022 DF Scott Holding Stockport County Undisclosed 2 July 2022 CF Vakoun Issouf Bayo Sporting Charleroi Undisclosed 6 July 2022 DM Luigi Gaspar Arsenal Free Transfer 12 July 2022 CF Rey Manaj Barcelona Undisclosed 19 July 2022 GK Ben Hamer Swansea City Free Transfer 29 July 2022 RB Mario Gaspar Villarreal Free Transfer 4 August 2022 DM Max Delyfer Potters Bar Town Free Transfer 15 November 2022 CB Aidan Coyne Perth Glory Free Transfer 14 December 2022 CM Leandro Bacuna Cardiff City Free Transfer 1 January 2023 CM Ismaël Koné Montréal Undisclosed 7 January 2023 RB João Ferreira Benfica Undisclosed 13 January 2023 FW James Collins Hertford Town Undisclosed 13 January 2023 MF Jordan Fankwe Mickleover Undisclosed 13 January 2023 CM Zak Fraser-Grante Hampton & Richmond Borough Undisclosed 13 January 2023 FW David Hamiga Beaconsfield Town Undisclosed 13 January 2023 CF Ezio Touray Basingstoke Town Undisclosed 27 January 2023 CB Ryan Porteous Hibernian Undisclosed 29 January 2023 CF Britt Assombalonga Adana Demirspor Free Transfer 31 January 2023 CB Wesley Hoedt Anderlecht Undisclosed
Transfers out Date Position Nationality Name To Fee Ref. 21 June 2022 CF Cucho Hernández Columbus Crew Undisclosed 24 June 2022 RW Philip Zinckernagel Olympiacos Undisclosed 30 June 2022 CB Derek Agyakwa Port Vale Released 30 June 2022 GK Dante Baptiste Wealdstone Released 30 June 2022 DF Jack Broome Unattached Released 30 June 2022 CB Jack Burchell Unattached Released 30 June 2022 CF Ryan Cassidy Unattached Released 30 June 2022 CF Jimiel Chikukwa Unattached Released 30 June 2022 CM Kamil Conteh Middlesbrough Released 30 June 2022 CM Kane Crichlow Episkopi Released 30 June 2022 GK Rob Elliot Gateshead Released 30 June 2022 GK Ben Foster Retired N/A 30 June 2022 CF Andre Gray Aris Thessaloniki Released 30 June 2022 DF Will Hall Unattached Released 30 June 2022 MF Jordan Harrison Unattached Released 30 June 2022 MF Dominic Hutchinson Wealdstone Released 30 June 2022 CB Andi Janjeva Unattached Released 30 June 2022 SS Joshua King Fenerbahçe Released 30 June 2022 CM Juraj Kucka Slovan Bratislava Released 30 June 2022 CB George Langston Eastleigh Released 30 June 2022 CF Kyreece Lisbie Brentford Released 30 June 2022 LW Kyrell Lisbie Unattached Released 30 June 2022 FW Freddie Moriarty Unattached Released 30 June 2022 MF Enoch Muwonge Unattached Released 30 June 2022 CB Nicolas Nkoulou Aris Thessaloniki Released 30 June 2022 CB Josh O'Brien Salford City Released 30 June 2022 GK Adam Parkes Plymouth Argyle Released 30 June 2022 CM Daniel Phillips St Johnstone Released 30 June 2022 RW Maurizio Pochettino Gimnàstic Released 30 June 2022 MF Ben Smith Unattached Released 30 June 2022 CM Henry Wise New York Red Bulls Released 1 July 2022 CM Moussa Sissoko Nantes Undisclosed 13 July 2022 CF Tiago Cukur Fenerbahçe Undisclosed 18 July 2022 LB Adam Masina Udinese Undisclosed 28 July 2022 RB Kiko Femenía Villarreal Undisclosed 11 August 2022 GK Pontus Dahlberg IFK Göteborg Undisclosed 13 August 2022 CB Samir Tigres UANL Undisclosed 14 August 2022 LW Emmanuel Dennis Nottingham Forest Undisclosed 23 August 2022 LB Hassane Kamara Udinese Undisclosed 1 September 2022 CF Adalberto Peñaranda Boavista Mutual Consent 1 September 2022 LB Danny Rose Unattached Mutual Consent 3 September 2022 CF Dapo Mebude KV Oostende Undisclosed 30 January 2023 GK Vincent Angelini Brentford Undisclosed 8 February 2023 CF Rey Manaj Unattached Mutual Consent
Loans in Date from Position Nationality Name From Date until Ref. 10 August 2022 CM Hamza Choudhury Leicester City End of Season 13 August 2022 CF Keinan Davis Aston Villa End of Season 22 August 2022 CB Kortney Hause Aston Villa End of Season 23 August 2022 LB Hassane Kamara Udinese End of Season 13 January 2023 LW Matheus Martins Udinese End of Season 23 January 2023 CF Henrique Araújo Benfica End of Season
Loans out Date from Position Nationality Name To Date until Ref. 2 July 2022 CM Juergen Elitim Racing Santander End of Season 11 July 2022 CB Jorge Segura Independiente Medellín End of Season 29 July 2022 LW Kwadwo Baah Fortuna Düsseldorf End of Season 3 August 2022 AM JJ McKiernan Eastleigh 1 January 2023 8 August 2022 GK Myles Roberts Welling United End of Season 12 August 2022 CF Ashley Fletcher Wigan Athletic End of Season 16 August 2022 AM Domingos Quina Elche 31 January 2023 1 September 2022 RW Ignacio Pussetto Sampdoria End of Season 15 October 2022 RB Scott Holding Stalybridge Celtic 15 November 2022 28 November 2022 FW Tobi Adeyemo Hitchin Town 25 December 2022 28 December 2022 CF Shaq Forde York City End of Season 16 January 2023 RW Joseph Hungbo Huddersfield Town End of Season 24 January 2023 CB William Troost-Ekong Salernitana End of Season 25 January 2023 CM JJ McKiernan Eastleigh End of Season 29 January 2023 CB Mattie Pollock Aberdeen End of Season 30 January 2023 CF Vakoun Issouf Bayo Sporting Charleroi End of Season 31 January 2023 CM Domingos Quina Rotherham United End of Season 8 February 2023 GK Roraigh Browne Chertsey Town 4 March 2023 14 February 2023 DF Bogdan Marian AFC Rushden & Diamonds 30 April 2023 20 February 2023 MF Ethan Goulding Oxhey Jets 30 April 2023 20 February 2023 FW Damani Hunter Grays Athletic 30 April 2023 24 March 2023 CF Ezio Touray Maidstone United End of Season
Pre-season and friendlies
On June 24, Watford announced their pre-season schedule, which included a training camp in Austria. A replacement fixture for the Austria training camp was confirmed, against Panathinaikos.
Competitions Overall record
Championship
League table
Results summary
Results by round
Matches
On 23 June, the league fixtures were announced.
FA Cup
The Hornets were drawn away to Reading in the third round.
EFL Cup
Watford entered in the second round and were drawn at home to Milton Keynes Dons.
Statistics
Appearances and goals
No.Pos.Nat.NameLeagueFA CupEFL CupTotalDisciplineAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals1GKDaniel Bachmann4500000450512DFJeremy Ngakia10+40000010+40203DFMario Gaspar18+130101020+130404MFHamza Choudhury360000+1036+101406MFImran Louza16+55000016+55707FWKeinan Davis27+77000027+77608MFTom Cleverley3+1100003+111010FWJoão Pedro31+411000031+4117011MFIsmaël Koné13+30100014+301012MFKen Sema36+44000+1036+545013DFJoão Ferreira3+2100003+211014DFHassane Kamara30+20000030+208215DFCraig Cathcart26+20001027+202016MFDan Gosling9+80001010+800018MFYáser Asprilla14+231101016+2314021FWHenrique Araújo3+5000003+500022DFRyan Porteous17200001725023FWIsmaïla Sarr36+310000036+3100024MFTom Dele-Bashiru4+2000004+200025MFLeandro Bacuna10+400+100010+503026GKBen Hamer100000100027DFChristian Kabasele21+41000021+412028FWSamuel Kalu2+7000002+701030DFKortney Hause2+1000002+100031DFFrancisco Sierralta17+11100+1018+217034FWBritt Assombalonga1+10200001+1020035GKMaduka Okoye001010200037FWMatheus Martins4+2000004+201039MFEdo Kayembe19+20001020+202042DFJames Morris6+60100+107+701044DFWesley Hoedt14+11000014+115049FWMichael Adu-Poku0+1010001+100050FWAdrian Blake0+10100+101+200053FWJack Grieves0+200+10000+300054FWTobi Adeyemo0+410+10000+511057DFRyan Andrews600+10006+1010Players who went out on loan or left permanently but made appearances for Watford prior to departing5DFWilliam Troost-Ekong12+31101014+31109FWRey Manaj2+4100103+411019FWVakoun Bayo9+154001010+1540025FWEmmanuel Dennis200000200032DFMattie Pollock1+2010103+200036FWJoseph Hungbo0+7010102+7000
Goalscorers As of 8 May 2023
PlayerChampionshipFA CupEFL CupTotal 1 FW 10 João Pedro 110011 2 FW 23 Ismaïla Sarr 100010 3 FW 7 Keinan Davis 7007 4 MF 6 Imran Louza 5005 5 MF 12 Ken Sema 4004 FW 19 Vakoun Bayo 4004 7 DF 22 Ryan Porteous 2002 FW 34 Britt Assombalonga 2002 9 DF 5 William Troost-Ekong 1001 MF 8 Tom Cleverley 1001 FW 9 Rey Manaj 1001 DF 13 João Ferreira 1001 MF 18 Yáser Asprilla 1001 DF 27 Christian Kabasele 1001 DF 31 Francisco Sierralta 1001 DF 44 Wesley Hoedt 1001 FW 54 Tobi Adeyemo 1001 Own goals 2002 Total560056
Assists As of 8 May 2023
PlayerChampionshipFA CupEFL CupTotal 1 MF 12 Ken Sema 9009 2 FW 23 Ismaïla Sarr 7007 3 MF 6 Imran Louza 4004 FW 10 João Pedro 4004 5 FW 7 Keinan Davis 2002 DF 14 Hassane Kamara 2002 MF 18 Yáser Asprilla 2002 8 MF 11 Ismaël Koné 1001 DF 15 Craig Cathcart 1001 FW 19 Vakoun Bayo 1001 FW 21 Henrique Araújo 1001 DF 22 Ryan Porteous 1001 MF 24 Tom Dele-Bashiru 1001 FW 37 Matheus Martins 1001
Clean sheets
No.PlayerChampionshipFA CupEFL CupTotal 1 Daniel Bachmann 16 0 0 16Total 16 0 0 16
See also 2022–23 in English football List of Watford F.C. seasons
References
External links