The disappointment Javi Gracia felt about Watford’s 2-0 defeat at Tottenham Hotspur was clear in his voice, but the head coach felt the Hornets had produced a good display despite once again losing on the road.

A bad mistake from Orestis Karnezis which gifted the opener to Dele Alli and Harry Kane’s goal early in the second half proved to be the difference at Wembley as the Hornets were made to rue not capitalising on a several good opportunities they created.

“I cannot be happy with the result today but I think we had a good performance,” Gracia said. “We created many chances to score in the first half, but we didn’t and after that Tottenham scored with one of their first chances and then it was very tough in the second half to try to score and try to get points. We tried because we had another good chance with Richarlison but it wasn’t enough.

“We conceded goals cheaply today and when we create the chances we didn’t score them. I’m confident in the next games we will be able to keep the concentration in all the game and be stronger in the boxes.”

The defeat was Watford’s 11th away league game without victory and asked if this run was becoming a psychological problem, Gracia responded: “When I watch the games I can see a team. In some games we are not able to keep the concentration all the game and this situation is penalised without points.

“But I can see the team with the right commitment controlling the game many times and creating many chances but without scoring goals. I believe in the next games we will be able to score and be more aggressive and defend better.”

Andre Gray and Richarlison, twice, had Watford’s best chances to find the back of the net but another blank means it is now more than 12 hours of league and cup football since they scored on their travels.

“I don’t know about other seasons and I don’t know the stats about the scorers and the goals, but I prefer to analyse the games,” Gracia said when asked about his side’s problems in front of goal on the road. “We need to improve the last pass, the last control.

“Today for example Kiko [Femenia] had a touch to have a good chance to score and with the shot, Andre, Richarlison twice, and I try to understand why and look for the situation. But I prefer to try to improve that because I believe that is the problem, not that we don’t create chances or are defending all the time. For me that is not the situation.

“We need to improve many things, it’s obvious, but I believe we are doing many things well.”

The defeat means Watford remain 13th in the table, six points above the drop zone and still not mathematically certain of playing Premier League football again next season.

Gracia though, would rather look at the positives and said: “If you tell me about the position in the table I prefer to tell you my target at this moment is to improve the best position the club ever got in the Premier League. I prefer to be an optimist. It’s obvious we need the next game, we know it will be an important game for us and we are going to go about it the best way we can.”