Championship preview: Watford

Watford's new manager Gianfranco Zola Photo: PA

Manager: Gianfranco Zola

Position last season: 11th

Nickname: The Hornets

Ground: Vicarage Road

Capacity: 17,477

Players in: Manuel Almunia (Arsenal, free), Fitz Hall (QPR, free), Almen Abdi, Matej Vydra, Steve Leo Beleck (all Udinese, free), Daniel Pudil, Ikechi Anya (both Granada, season-long loans)

Players out: Adrian Mariappa (Reading, undisclosed), Rene Gilmartin (Plymouth, free), Josh Walker (Scunthorpe, free), Scott Loach (Ipswich, undisclosed), Tom James, Chez Isaac and Michael Bryan (all released)

Key man: Manuel Almunia (pictured) still a solid keeper with Champions League experience, should prove to be a shrewd signing both on and off the field.

Chances: Winds of change have blown through Vicarage Road this summer as the Italy-based Pozzo family took control of Watford. The new owners replaced manager Sean Dyche with Zola and although their ultimate goal is promotion, the more likely outcome will be the bottom half of the table.

ITV prediction: 17th