Sean Dyche believes there were things that were “not right” when he took over as manager in the summer but is convinced scoring goals is no longer an issue.

The Hornets’ record of nine goals in ten league games this season is their lowest tally at this stage of a campaign since 1994 outside of the Premier League.

Marvin Sordell is the only one of Watford’s four ‘main’ strikers who have scored this season, following Andi Weimann’s return to Aston Villa, but Dyche has backed the likes of Joe Garner, Chris Iwelumo and Troy Deeney to come good.

However, the Hornets boss, who was assistant manager under Malky Mackay, did highlight that not only did Watford need to contend with losing three of their leading attackers in the summer, they also had other problems after taking just nine points from a possible 39 at the end of the 2010/11 campaign.

He said: “There was always going to be the issue of Danny Graham, Will Buckley and Don Cowie leaving because they were 41 per cent of our goals.

“One of the things to address for me was helping the team to score goals and bringing in players, within our limitations, that can do that and they will do that, I am convinced of that.

“But also the bigger picture is we took nine points out of the last 39 last season so there were things that were not right and had to be addressed. So on top of losing 41 per cent of our goals is the bigger picture of what we needed to do.

“We have readdressed that, looked at the squad and have brought in a more rounded squad within the limitations of our club and there will be better times.”

Dyche said he was not overly concerned by the heavy defeat to Southampton at the weekend as days earlier his side had a “thorough” victory over Millwall and believes the Hornets have also enjoyed several other good performances this season, adding “there is a bigger picture that I am focusing on not just the Southampton defeat.”

When asked to expand on the issues he needed to address following his appointment, Dyche said: “We had to try to work on the concept of working in both boxes.

“We also wanted to build a group that was more rounded – so more experienced players but who were not in an age group that is outside what we believe in here at the club. The summer signings still fit the development mould of the club but they have a bit more experience.

“I felt that was important because towards the end of last season we had used so many youngsters that they were beginning to slip and I felt it was stunting their development. The games started to show the team were not as strong with all the youngsters included.

“I wouldn’t say the team were on a slide but they lost that edge needed to win games and the obvious factor seemed to be the number of youngsters in the side.

“We needed to bring in players, within our budget restrictions, that could develop as players but could also perform in the Championship now, and still fit into the way we do things here at Watford – in that we believe in team ethic and work ethic.”

Dyche accepts replacing Graham, Cowie and Buckley is difficult but he believes it is a “stiff but great challenge”.

He added: “I believe in the players we have here and I believe in the team. There is no reason why we can’t have goal scorers from everywhere and sometimes they have to believe it.

“It is about that moment of truth. When players go on the pitch, can they be the one to make the difference?”