A need to be better against lower teams, and better in first halves
Watford have taken a greater percentage of their points this season against teams in the top half of the Championship table.
Of the 34 points earned so far in the 24/25 campaign, 21 have been gained in games against teams currently placed 12th or higher.
With the next three fixtures against the sides currently sitting 20th, 22nd and 14th, there is a chance to improve that – a must if the Hornets are to keep pace with other promotion hopefuls.
“It’s my job to make sure the mindset of the players is focussed on the fact that every game is worth the same three points,” said Tom Cleverley.
“I’ve said before that a game with Leeds on Sky doesn’t win you any more points than Portsmouth or Cardiff at home.
“I have to make sure everyone is motivated.
“I don’t think it’s anything technical or the way we approach games, so let’s be motivated and respect every opponent as much as another.”
Another statistic that needs attention is first-half returns: Watford have only led at half-time in around 20% of games, and have scored a similar share of their goals in the opening 45 minutes.
“We sometimes feel we are in control of games just by probing and keeping the ball, and being happy to be 0-0 at home and still having a little bit of a feeling-out process,” Cleverley admitted.
“Whereas it’s in these games where our mindset needs to be a bit more ruthless: to feel like we’re not in control of the game until we’re ahead, and then go for a second goal.
“We have a high level of super-focus against teams in the top half and maybe we don’t show the same ruthlessness or engagement against the teams in the bottom six.
“We’re also guilty of going through that feeling-out process a little bit too much.
“The lads just need to trust their bodies and know they will get a second wind, it’s the way the human body works.
“We need to be coming out of the blocks really quickly, which is what we’re trying to do.
“Trust that the second wind will come, because after that first 15 minutes of games you tend to get that plateau period.
“But on the flip side, give credit to our second-half performances and the impact of our substitutes, the levels of physical performance and being able to sustain that into the second half.
“In an ideal world we improve our first-half returns though.”
