Cleverley's progress really has been (and continues to be) astonishing. I wouldn't have been even remotely surprised if he'd been released in the summer of 2007 - more than possible I just missed it but I saw nothing in him at that stage to suggest he had any sort of real future in the game, let alone with us. Looking at him now he looks every inch the future Premier League player. Above and beyond his obvious ability, it's his attitude that impresses me so much.
Tom Cleverley
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How is Cathcart in that match? Is he any good so far in Watford?
I was really impressed with him last night, he didn't have the ball as much as I would have liked but when he did have it his decision making was excellent.
Cathcart had a lot of problems with Tudgay, and the Watford defence looked pretty shaky most of the game. He played ok, he lacks a little pace on the turn and needs to add a bit more physicality to his game but he was probably the pick of their defence.
Watford fans in general don't seem overly impressed with Cathcart - I know one or two who call him Craig Carthorse.
Just scored his 6th of the season for Watford.
In the words of Gabby Logan: "Lansbury went past 2 players and found Cleverley, who is having a wonderful game..."
Love how often this thread is getting upped 
Talk about making the most of the opportunity.
Talk about making the most of the opportunity.
The lads been on fire since he scored in pre season for us.
Love how often this thread is getting upped
Talk about making the most of the opportunity.
That's by far his biggest strength. He's a decent, tidy footballer, but nothing incredible. Almost like Gary Neville in that every time he gets an opportunity he makes certain he makes the most of it.
not too many stepovers and might not have the flair , but too early to say he has limited skill/ability .. he can improve a lot .. still very young (wasnt he injured 3 years back , improved a great deal since he recovered)
he does have a good workrate which is great
He has a chance and we can list all these qualities - the one thing he's showing himself to be is consistant. When you have that on top of ability - you gain peoples trust. He's got every chance the boy.
apparently cleverley had a good game to along with the goal .. one of the better players .
great
great
Saw his goal on the bbc highlight show and he took it very calmly.
He has an eye for goal that's for sure and takes his chance well. I hope he goes on and makes the jump to premiership level.
A word of caution here though, a few years ago I thought Dave Jones had similar ability and was scoring a few in the same manner. Unfortunatley he never made the grade
I rated Jones aswell but he was a completely different type of player than Cleverley. Jones never developed physically and is very one paced. A tidy player in the youth team and the reserves, he was the captain of our last youth cup winning team (open to correction on that one).
Cleverley will no doubt go on to have a more successful career, whether its at United that remains to be seen.
Cleverley's goal against Preston North End in the FA Cup. Great sprint into the box from half-field, gets the pass, slots it home.
Link
Link
Watford 2-0 Preston match report: The Daily Mirror verdict - MirrorFootball.co.uk
Tom Cleverley has warned Manchester United wingers Antonio Valencia and Nani: I'm coming for you.
The 20-year-old from Old Trafford is enjoying a spectacularly successful loan spell with Watford - having scored six goals already from midfield.
Cleverley, who joins up with Stuart Pearce's England Under-21 squad this week, was the star of this show along with another borrowed gem in Arsenal's Henri Lansbury.
And although Cleverley would be delighted to stay on at Vicarage Road beyond January, he has not given up on winning over Sir Alex Ferguson.
He said: "I think I'm ready to play in the Premier League. I've been watching United's games and I don't think they've hit their best form yet this season.
"I've looked at the people in my position and thought 'Why not?'. I could step up. I think I'm ready.
"My best chance of getting in the United team would be on one of the wings, not yet in the starting XI that would be a bit ambitious.
"But in the squad or coming off the bench, left or right, and with my energy and goals, I could add something.î
Joint-top scorer Cleverley coolly converted Lansbury's perfectly weighted pass after 33 minutes, and that all but settled this mismatch.
And it will make more enjoyable viewing for Ferguson when he receives the next DVD of Cleverley's progress of those regularly sent back to Manchester by Malky Mackay.
Prodigal son Heidar Helguson had earlier opened the scoring with a fine header on his first start since returning to Watford on loan from QPR in September.
As well as dropping his own personal hints to Ferguson, Cleverley also believes Watford are sending out their own message to the rest of the Championship.
Mackay was quick to downplay the Hornets' prospects of featuring in the promotion shake-up this season, but Cleverley has seen nothing to scare him so far.
And he is also savouring the prospect of a first appearance at Wembley in the crucial clash against Portugal on Saturday - just down the road from his temporary digs.
He said: "We're on 24 points now and in the play-off mix, if we can follow that up with a good result against Scunthorpe in a fortnight there could be good times ahead.
"We could have won more than 2-0 against Preston, and if we keep performing like that and make it a bit of a fortress here, we will be in very good shape.
"It will be a dream to play at Wembley. I've only been a couple of times as a fan.
"We're training there Friday and play Saturday, and I can't wait. It's not far. My house down here is right next to the Tube and it takes 15 minutes to get to Wembley."
Preston were if anything worse than on their last trip south which resulted in a 4-0 drubbing at QPR last month.
And skipper Callum Davidson, back in the side after a two-month hamstring injury, was scathing about both his own performance and that of his team.
He said: "I thought I was rubbish, and my form was unacceptable but it's one of those things and I've just got to improve. Maybe I was a bit rusty, but I was way below par.
"First and foremost ití' about work-rate and we were outworked. You don't like that as a team, it hurts.
"But you have to give huge credit to Malky Mackay and Watford for the way they played.
"Their loan guys have changed the team. Sometimes with loan players you can see it doesn't mean that much to them.
"But these guys - Cleverley, Lansbury and the others - they really want to play and it's a big thing for them. Malky has got people with the right character."
Tom Cleverley has warned Manchester United wingers Antonio Valencia and Nani: I'm coming for you.
The 20-year-old from Old Trafford is enjoying a spectacularly successful loan spell with Watford - having scored six goals already from midfield.
Cleverley, who joins up with Stuart Pearce's England Under-21 squad this week, was the star of this show along with another borrowed gem in Arsenal's Henri Lansbury.
And although Cleverley would be delighted to stay on at Vicarage Road beyond January, he has not given up on winning over Sir Alex Ferguson.
He said: "I think I'm ready to play in the Premier League. I've been watching United's games and I don't think they've hit their best form yet this season.
"I've looked at the people in my position and thought 'Why not?'. I could step up. I think I'm ready.
"My best chance of getting in the United team would be on one of the wings, not yet in the starting XI that would be a bit ambitious.
"But in the squad or coming off the bench, left or right, and with my energy and goals, I could add something.î
Joint-top scorer Cleverley coolly converted Lansbury's perfectly weighted pass after 33 minutes, and that all but settled this mismatch.
And it will make more enjoyable viewing for Ferguson when he receives the next DVD of Cleverley's progress of those regularly sent back to Manchester by Malky Mackay.
Prodigal son Heidar Helguson had earlier opened the scoring with a fine header on his first start since returning to Watford on loan from QPR in September.
As well as dropping his own personal hints to Ferguson, Cleverley also believes Watford are sending out their own message to the rest of the Championship.
Mackay was quick to downplay the Hornets' prospects of featuring in the promotion shake-up this season, but Cleverley has seen nothing to scare him so far.
And he is also savouring the prospect of a first appearance at Wembley in the crucial clash against Portugal on Saturday - just down the road from his temporary digs.
He said: "We're on 24 points now and in the play-off mix, if we can follow that up with a good result against Scunthorpe in a fortnight there could be good times ahead.
"We could have won more than 2-0 against Preston, and if we keep performing like that and make it a bit of a fortress here, we will be in very good shape.
"It will be a dream to play at Wembley. I've only been a couple of times as a fan.
"We're training there Friday and play Saturday, and I can't wait. It's not far. My house down here is right next to the Tube and it takes 15 minutes to get to Wembley."
Preston were if anything worse than on their last trip south which resulted in a 4-0 drubbing at QPR last month.
And skipper Callum Davidson, back in the side after a two-month hamstring injury, was scathing about both his own performance and that of his team.
He said: "I thought I was rubbish, and my form was unacceptable but it's one of those things and I've just got to improve. Maybe I was a bit rusty, but I was way below par.
"First and foremost ití' about work-rate and we were outworked. You don't like that as a team, it hurts.
"But you have to give huge credit to Malky Mackay and Watford for the way they played.
"Their loan guys have changed the team. Sometimes with loan players you can see it doesn't mean that much to them.
"But these guys - Cleverley, Lansbury and the others - they really want to play and it's a big thing for them. Malky has got people with the right character."
Fantastic attitude.
Wouldn't be too surprised to see the Sun twist that into some sort of "Cleverley slams current Manchester United wingers" news story.
you lot think he'll extend his loan at watford or will fergie keep him for the run in?
When is he scheduled to come back? January?
early jan .
think he will stay there for the season
tosic and adem joining in jan .. cleverly is good , but he is getting regular football and there wont be too many easy games in the second half of the season for him to get a proper crack at the first team .
season at watford and preseason with united .. hopefully he will step it up .. would love to see him make it at united . anyone coming through the academy is great to see
think he will stay there for the season
tosic and adem joining in jan .. cleverly is good , but he is getting regular football and there wont be too many easy games in the second half of the season for him to get a proper crack at the first team .
season at watford and preseason with united .. hopefully he will step it up .. would love to see him make it at united . anyone coming through the academy is great to see
Sky sports carrying his interview now aswell. Good to see him handle the limelight so well.
He always struck me as someone who'll end up playing in the middle. I said it at the start of the season about the type of clubs we send our players on loan to. The style of football really makes a big difference IMO.
He always struck me as someone who'll end up playing in the middle. I said it at the start of the season about the type of clubs we send our players on loan to. The style of football really makes a big difference IMO.
ffs
two different points ..
we have tosic and adem will join in jan (options for wide men)
next time , i'll make it clear for idiots like you
edit: oberreaction
must've been in a bad mood
two different points ..
we have tosic and adem will join in jan (options for wide men)
next time , i'll make it clear for idiots like you
edit: oberreaction
must've been in a bad mood
Now now be nice, this isnt the general forum you know..........
Manchester United talent Tom Cleverley agrees to stay with Watford for rest of season (From Watford Observer)
Manchester United talent Tom Cleverley agrees to stay with Watford for rest of season
The progress Watford's talented crop of young players are making under Malky Mackay and his staff has been given another impressive endorsement after Manchester United agreed to extend Tom Cleverley's loan until the end of the season.
The Hornets boss, who had five players away on Under-21 duty with England and Northern Ireland during the international break, admitted he was "absolutely delighted" that Sir Alex Ferguson had given the green light for the Basingstoke-born midfielder to remain at Vicarage Road for the remainder of the campaign. The 20-year-old, who is Watford's joint top-scorer with a goal almost every two games this term, can also play in the FA Cup, unless the Hornets draw the Premiership giants.
"I had made the call to Sir Alex Ferguson and he was very interested in him staying here until the end of the season, he wanted him to stay with us, which is great news as far as I'm concerned," explained Mackay.
"Then I spoke to Tom and his representative and we made sure that it was something his family wanted as well, and Tom, his family and his agent felt this was the correct environment for him to kick on as far as his career's concerned.
"Since he's been here he has become an Under-21 international and it now looks as if he's starting internationals for England, he's also scoring goals at Championship level and he's got his own targets for the end of the season that myself and him have sat down and spoken about.
"He's now settled in the knowledge that he's at a club where he can be happy with his football, concentrate totally on his own football and his progression for the bigger picture as far as his career's concerned and going back to Manchester United in the summer."
Asked if he was concerned Ferguson would not agree to extending the loan, the Watford boss admitted: "You never know with players and you never know with clubs and how they change. All it takes is an injury, you don't know.
"I look at it like the situation that was here two years ago when Adam Johnson came here and made a big impact on our club and we were hoping to retain him, but at the time Middlesbrough decided he had to go back and Adam went back and sat on the bench for the next six months and never moved off it.
"Was that the best thing for Adam Johnson's progression as a young player? At the time maybe not, but at the same time was he required to be part of their staff to go straight on the pitch at any minute? Probably.
"So clubs have got to look out for themselves, but I'm just delighted that Sir Alex has felt for Tom's career progression he needed to back playing every week with us."
Mackay also confirmed there were no unexpected financial consequences for the Hornets as a result of extending Cleverley's loan.
He said: "There was an agreement that if he was to stay for the season there would be a financial commitment there, so it was nothing that we didn't know that was going to have to be involved.
"And you weigh that up with the impact of the player and does Tom add to our squad? Yes he does, so I'm absolutely delighted to get a top young talent who wants to stay and wants to be part of our squad and his club have given us the trust again for another six months that they want him to be part of our squad and for us to give him growth as a player."
Manchester United talent Tom Cleverley agrees to stay with Watford for rest of season
The progress Watford's talented crop of young players are making under Malky Mackay and his staff has been given another impressive endorsement after Manchester United agreed to extend Tom Cleverley's loan until the end of the season.
The Hornets boss, who had five players away on Under-21 duty with England and Northern Ireland during the international break, admitted he was "absolutely delighted" that Sir Alex Ferguson had given the green light for the Basingstoke-born midfielder to remain at Vicarage Road for the remainder of the campaign. The 20-year-old, who is Watford's joint top-scorer with a goal almost every two games this term, can also play in the FA Cup, unless the Hornets draw the Premiership giants.
"I had made the call to Sir Alex Ferguson and he was very interested in him staying here until the end of the season, he wanted him to stay with us, which is great news as far as I'm concerned," explained Mackay.
"Then I spoke to Tom and his representative and we made sure that it was something his family wanted as well, and Tom, his family and his agent felt this was the correct environment for him to kick on as far as his career's concerned.
"Since he's been here he has become an Under-21 international and it now looks as if he's starting internationals for England, he's also scoring goals at Championship level and he's got his own targets for the end of the season that myself and him have sat down and spoken about.
"He's now settled in the knowledge that he's at a club where he can be happy with his football, concentrate totally on his own football and his progression for the bigger picture as far as his career's concerned and going back to Manchester United in the summer."
Asked if he was concerned Ferguson would not agree to extending the loan, the Watford boss admitted: "You never know with players and you never know with clubs and how they change. All it takes is an injury, you don't know.
"I look at it like the situation that was here two years ago when Adam Johnson came here and made a big impact on our club and we were hoping to retain him, but at the time Middlesbrough decided he had to go back and Adam went back and sat on the bench for the next six months and never moved off it.
"Was that the best thing for Adam Johnson's progression as a young player? At the time maybe not, but at the same time was he required to be part of their staff to go straight on the pitch at any minute? Probably.
"So clubs have got to look out for themselves, but I'm just delighted that Sir Alex has felt for Tom's career progression he needed to back playing every week with us."
Mackay also confirmed there were no unexpected financial consequences for the Hornets as a result of extending Cleverley's loan.
He said: "There was an agreement that if he was to stay for the season there would be a financial commitment there, so it was nothing that we didn't know that was going to have to be involved.
"And you weigh that up with the impact of the player and does Tom add to our squad? Yes he does, so I'm absolutely delighted to get a top young talent who wants to stay and wants to be part of our squad and his club have given us the trust again for another six months that they want him to be part of our squad and for us to give him growth as a player."
I hope that means that he has a chance at Utd while he's doing so well, and he won't be sold at the end of the season
Good decision IMO.. I wonder though was he the player that demanded a new contract? Remember the story in the week where SAF was talking about how fragile modern footballers are? He mentioned some player getting into the England U21 fold and his agent asking for a new contract.. To which SAF replied lets see how he plays for Manchester United first..
Bollocks! That wasn't Cleverly and SAF would never speak about a player who's still with us.
Relax.. I am not saying it has to be him I was just wondering if it could be him.. There is a difference you know..
he is already huge in india
saw this in the papers yesterday
saw this in the papers yesterday
Staying is the best thing for him this season. Get a full year's experience, fight for promotion...maybe even haul Watford back into the Premiership. Sitting on our bench from January-May would do nothing for him.
Watford 2-0 up at the moment, Cleverley with the assist for Helguson's first.
Had a quite enough game today and was subsituted early on apprently, still got an assist though. Did he play for the U21's last week?
Both games.
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