Blues manager Paul Jewell felt Watford had no answer to midfielder Jay Emmanuel-Thomas during Saturday’s first half with some aspects of the youngster’s game even resembling his former Arsenal team-mate Thierry Henry. The Town boss is delighted with the form the 21-year-old is showing with opposition teams deputing two and even three players to deal with his threat.
Jewell said: "In the first half on Saturday they couldn’t handle him but we didn’t get the ball to him second half. Teams are doubling up on him, sometimes trebling up on him.
"He’s got better and will get better as gets to know the game even more. He is important, he’s a big outlet for us and not just that, he attracts so many people to the ball that he leaves space for other people as well.
The Blues boss says he has spoken to the Londoner about what he should do when things aren’t going his way as was the case after the break at Vicarage Road: "I chatted to him today and said that when this happens he’s got to be able to handle that side of the game and make sure he makes himself available for the ball and when we haven’t got it he’s got to work as hard as he is doing.
"When we bought him, I’m not sure what we paid for him, I think it was £600,000 going upwards [with clauses], I’d seen a lot of potential when I’d watched him.
"At first I was like all the supporters, thinking ‘Come on JET, liven up a little bit’. He’s just got that languid [look about him], he rolls his shoulders.
High-flying JET
"But he picked one up on Saturday on the edge of our box and took it right up to the edge of their box almost Henry-like.
"He’s got lots of natural ability, he’s learning the game and he’s an outlet for us. As the season’s progressed and as we’ve done well, he’s played a key part in that.”
However, he warns that the former England U19 international can’t play as he did in the first half at Vicarage Road all the time and that there are things he still has to work on, but when he’s at his best says he can get people off their seats: "He’s the one player in our team who can do that. He can go past people in a breath, he can hit a shot.
"But the closer he is to goal, the worse he is! He’s better off having a shot from 50 yards than 20 by the time it comes down!”
Photos: Action Images