A combination of slight injuries, illness, pre-season rotation and desire to ensure everyone gets game time meant the Watford team at Wycombe on Tuesday was a little unusual.

Several players were missing, others were at the game but didn’t play, and consequently a number of the younger players featured quite heavily.

“When it’s Saturday/Tuesday/Saturday in pre-season the squad gets a little bit thin, but even so these young lads have to earn those minutes,” explained Tom Cleverley.

“I’d like to not have exposed them all at the same time and drip feed them one by one, but we have a squad of 20 players covering a double game week.

“With that and wanting to get minutes into people’s legs in pre-season, then that’s how it is.

“They have done great and tonight was a different kind of experience, and one they’ll learn from.”

Although he didn’t play, Imran Louza was at Adams Park and watched the second half from next to the dug-outs.

“He was one of the lads who played on Saturday, and now is about getting minutes into everyone,” said Cleverley.

“We’ve got a strong midfield and it meant I could see Leo Ramirez-Espain out there, in what was a different test for him.

“We had a training group this morning, Imran was in that, and it’s how it’s been through the whole of pre-season.

“On Saturday we’ll probably show our cards a little bit more.”

Ramirez-Espain has been an Academy product that has shown up well during the summer in first-team games.

The 17-year-old was an unused sub at Middlesbrough on the final day of last season, and played regularly for the Under-21s last season.

Cleverley knows his game well, having coached him as part of the Under-18s.

“He’s very comfortable in possession. These games are probably not what suits him the best, as he prefers it a little less rough and tumble.

“But these boys need to experience it. League football is not as perfect as you’d like it to be.

“These games are perfect experiences, and he’s a player that I like, and one I know from the Under-18s.”

Kwadwo Baah has been brought in from the cold in pre-season.

The winger has not played a minute for Watford since signing from Rochdale three years ago, but has played out on loan for Fortuna Dusseldorf and Burton Albion.

Baah has played as a No.9 this summer and taken on the new challenge well – even if he’s inclined to veer towards the bookable end of combative, as was the case at Wycombe.

“We’ve got a lot of work to do with KB, as it’s a little bit of a positional change,” said Cleverley.

“I think he’s showed great attitude to work the channels, and he’s chased lost causes.

“He wins duals: I’ve not seen any of his duals where he’s overstepped the mark.

“But it was a tasty game and one where maybe the ref struggled to give things.”

The Watford boss gave an update on a number of players who weren’t at Adams Park.

“Rocco Vata missed the game with sickness, and Francisco Sierralta picked up a head injury in training on Monday that needed stitches, so it was too soon for him to play.

“Ken Sema rolled his ankle but should be alright for Saturday.

“Vakoun Bayo was in the training group and him not being involved was just rotation.”