It’s been a rollercoaster ride for Jeremy Ngakia since he returned to the first team after injury, in terms of results, team performances and positions he has played.
As well as right-back, in the last five games Ngakia has also played as a left wing-back and then as a right wing-back in yesterday’s 1-0 win at Norwich.
However, the 22-year-old played his part as the patched-up Hornets side claimed a 1-0 win, putting in a solid shift and covering a lot of ground.
“It’s a tough position to play and a lot of ground to cover, but to be honest I thrive on that,” he said.
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“I like doing that job. I’ll do anything I’m asked to be part of the team.
“It’s tough for us when you see more players going down injured during a game. We’ve got so many injuries that I’ve lost count. All you can do is try and stick together until people start coming back.
“What I’ve been through myself this season has been tough, and I know a lot of the team are injured and experiencing the same now. But all of us just have to focus on the target, which is getting back to the Premier League.”
Ngakia said he felt the main difference between the performances at Swansea and Norwich was the togetherness of the players.
“We knew Swansea wasn’t a good performance at all, from top to bottom,” he said.
“We just wanted to try and forget about it and move on as quickly as we could. So today was a great day for us.
“I thought we were really together as a team today and that was the main difference. We just weren’t together at Swansea, but we showed what happens today when we are a unit. If we do that all the time then I think we can beat anyone in this league.”
Like his manager, Ngakia felt Watford could have had the three points in the bag before the 86th-minute winner from Vakoun Bayo.
“We could have put the game to bed quite a while before we actually did,” he said.
“But it happens in football that sometimes you have to be patient, and we took our chance when it came at the end.”
Also like Slaven Bilic, Ngakia praised the numbers and noise from the travelling Watford fans.
“I heard the Watford fans throughout the whole game. I thought they were better than the home fans to be honest. We needed them today.
“We need to be together, all of us. If that happens, then things like today become possible.”
Although only a year older than fellow full-back James Morris, Ngakia has more than 50 career appearances to his name – Morris made his first league start at Norwich in what was only his sixth senior outing.
“I thought he was exceptional,” said Ngakia.
“He showed quality, he stuck at the task, listened to what the gaffer told him and went into the game full on.
“I think he’s been ready for the first time for a long while, but he came in today and took his chance.”
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