Troy Deeney reveals the brutal tactics Watford used to keep Wilfried Zaha quiet
The Crystal Palace star feels he has been given some rough treatment in the Prem in recent weeks, but Deeney admits players are now using his complaints to influence the referee
TROY DEENEY admits Watford "took it in turns" to kick Wilfried Zaha as he reveals the brutal tactics used to stop the Crystal Palace star.
Ivory Coast international Zaha has called for more protection from referees after a couple of nasty challenges on him in the opening stages of the season.
He even suggested he would have to have his "leg broken" before any action would take place.
And Deeney has confirmed that teams do try to rough up Zaha in games, exemplified in the Hornet's 2-1 win over Palace earlier this campaign.
Deeney said to BBC Radio Five Live: "You take it in turns kicking him. I know no one wants to hear that, but you go: 'You hit this time, you hit him the next time'.
"You don't have the same player tackle him because you know you're gonna get booked."
Zaha still managed to score in that game late on, but was on the receiving end of a horrible challenge from Etienne Capoue who raked down his achilles.
The Eagles star lamented: "I know that for a fact [opponents are out there to hurt me] but I just don't know what to do anymore.
"I end up arguing with referees because today the guy studded me in my shin - do they need to break my leg before anyone gets a red card?"
But Zaha has also been accused of diving in the past, and Deeney added that players now use that to try and talk the ref out of giving him the benefit of the doubt.
And the Watford skipper has warned Zaha to stop his moaning antics at the officials.
He said: "You can flip it and start being more psychological with the referees.
"If we were playing him this week and he'd just said those comments I'd have been like: 'Ref, don't you be the first one to give him a pen. Don't you start going easy on him'.
"You want to say to him (the ref) in that little meeting we have an hour and a half before kick-off: 'Do you want to be the first one to give him a penalty for diving?'"
He added: "They might not listen to people, for example, we all know that Wilf is emotional on the pitch.
"So when he does get tackled and feels he's been fouled, the first thing he does, he goes screaming and shouting at the referee.
"Now it's human nature, if you're screaming and shouting at someone, you're not going to do them a favour are ya?"
