Humility and desire are just two things Slavisa Jokanovic says his Watford side are lacking and the Hornets boss believes that must urgently change if the Golden Boys are to challenge for promotion this season.

Watford were beaten 3-1 at Huddersfield Town this afternoon and were poor for the vast majority of the game.

They fell behind when Nahki Wells struck shortly after half time but managed to grab an equaliser through Odion Ighalo.

Almen Abdi wasted a vital chance to put the Hornets in front and it proved a crucial miss as Huddersfield struck twice in quick succession, via James Vaughan and Joel Lynch, to complete a deserved win.

Jokanovic has spoken many times since he arrived at Watford about trying to create a team ethic amongst his players. He again thought that was lacking against the Terriers.

He then said a lot must change if the Hornets want to secure promotion this season. 

“Today we didn’t deserve anything different than a defeat,” the Golden Boys head coach admitted. “We didn’t play at an acceptable level for the Championship.

“After we scored our first goal we had a good opportunity to score a second but we only played well for ten minutes in the game and that is nowhere near enough.

“In the first half we weren’t working hard enough on the pitch. We weren’t fighting enough, we weren’t playing enough and we made many silly mistakes.

“This is the completely wrong way to play. If we do not urgently change something then it will be difficult for us to think about our important target (promotion).”

A frustrated Jokanovic continued: “They must start playing as a team. I am working but when we arrive at the games it is the players time.

“I can’t do it for them on the pitch. How can we do better? If we show solidarity, starting working altogether, thinking ‘I’ve finished my job now I will help my teammate’ and showing 120 per cent effort on the pitch then we have that possibility.

“We can’t think about Chelsea or Manchester United. We need more humility and solidarity.

“I do not believe it is my job to show the players how and where to shoot and cross the ball. They play at this level of football and must know how to do this.

“But they must do their job in the right way. That is their obligation. If we are thinking ‘this game is done and we will look at the next game’ it is wrong.”

Jokanovic says the Hornets have played, on occasion, as a team but believes his side have performed as individuals more often than not since his arrival at Vicarage Road.

He then added: “We are not a top team, we are a second category team in English football. I am not working with stars and if one of my boys thinks they are a star then they are wrong.

“Sometimes we think we are a very good team but every three or seven days we have a new examination.

“It is not enough to only pass one of these examinations and then think it is done. This is the Championship and there are so many examinations during the season. If we are not always ready to work it will be very difficult for us.

“We haven’t found any consistency in the three months I have been here.”

All three of Huddersfield’s goals came from crosses into the Watford penalty area.

Being unable to defend balls into their box has been a recurrent theme throughout the season for the Hornets but Jokanovic says that wasn’t the only area his side struggled.

He explained: “We gave them so many facilities to win. They were two steps above us in terms of working and fighting. They also played better football than my team played.

“I can speak about bad luck and how my team missed a very good chance but that isn’t enough for us.

“We had one chance to win this game but Huddersfield made more chances. They played with more desire and played like a team. My team didn’t do this and that disappoints me.

“We had plenty of problems and it is not only about the three goals. They scored their goals from crosses but we have three centre-backs. So I have put more people in the box.

“But they had plenty of facilities to win the game. We were not at the level we expect and we were not at the level the supporters expect. We were not at the level that can help us achieve our targets.”