If you want someone who offers something different to what we already have, then the Hornets ace has to come into consideration.
It’s an injustice and just lazy to say he is simply a target man and bully-boy.
Yes, Deeney is a nightmare to play against, using his strength to get flick-ons and physically mix it with defenders.
But he has the intelligence to drop off and either turn and dribble or look to play in the likes of Andre Gray, Roberto Pereyra and Will Hughes.
His partnership with Gray has been excellent and the two complement each other perfectly. The former Burnley striker looks to get in behind — leaving defenders with a dilemma.
Partners in Prime
1. Deeney drops off Gray, who looks to get in behind.
2. Pereyra tucks inside, giving Holebas space on the outside.
3. Hughes tucks inside, giving Janmaat space on the outside.
4. Capoue sits while Doucoure looks to get forward.
If they go with him then space will be left for Deeney. But if they don’t, there will be acres behind them to run into.
But what is so striking about Watford this season is how effective the combinations are across the pitch.
Some reckon Javi Gracia sets them up in a 4-2-2-2 but it’s definitely a 4-4-2 with Hughes and Pereyra playing as narrow wingers.
It’s my favourite system on the planet — no matter how out of fashion it may be in this day and age.
It allows you to play with two strikers, something few do but which the Hornets have taken full advantage of.
You can press with more numbers further up the pitch, making it easier to win the ball back in the opposition half.
And that is something Watford have done better than any other club in the Premier League so far this season.
Today, managers are reluctant to play two up front as they fear being outnumbered in the middle of the pitch.
But Watford don’t have this problem as Pereyra and Hughes play narrow and provide the extra manpower in the centre.
With Etienne Capoue shielding the back four, Hughes and Pereyra provide support for Abdoulaye Doucoure — ensuring they always have three in there.
By doing this they leave the wide areas vacated for full-backs Jose Holebas and Daryl Janmaat to bomb on into.
Teams these days are willing to forsake wide areas and concentrate on winning the battle in the centre instead.
Watford, though, have extra bodies in the middle to win that scrap and Gracia clearly trusts centre-backs Christian Kabasele and Craig Cathcart to deal with crosses coming in.
And so he should — they have faced the third-most crosses in the league (135) but conceded the joint- fewest (four) from them.
Gracia has picked the same team for each of their six league games — and it shows.
It’s obvious they have a real understanding throughout the team and know exactly what boss Gracia expects of them as individuals and mini-units.
The Spaniard deserves huge credit for Watford’s great start. He’s had a full pre-season under his belt — something few other Watford chiefs have had — and he’s probably got the players the fittest they have ever been.
After years of chopping and changing players and managers, Gracia has finally brought some continuity to Vicarage Road.
They should be going to the Emirates today with high hopes of springing a surprise.
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