Watford boss Malky Mackay became something of a loan deal expert last season with Manchester United's Tom Cleverley and Arsenal's Henri Lansbury proving to be two of his shrewdest signings.
But with Watford competing at the top end of the Championship, this year has been all about giving the youngsters a go.
The latest discovery is 19-year-old winger Matthew Whichelow, who came off the bench for Marvin Sordell during Saturday's defeat against Scunthorpe.
The loss failed to put a dent in the optimism of Whichelow. He said: "It came as quite a surprise but I got on and enjoyed every minute of it."
Whichelow will get more opportunities but there can be no doubt about who was missed — injured midfielder Don Cowie.
Watford's most influential player is out for six weeks with medial knee ligament damage. The gap will be tough to fill.
