In the days since Saturday’s defeat at Loftus Road, there have been discussions about the game among players and coaching staff - but head coach Chris Wilder stressed they were “I talk, you listen” occasions!

The Hornets were very disappointing in their first game under Wilder, and he said yesterday that he had met with the players to talk about the match at Loftus Road.

However, when asked if the players shared their thoughts he said: “No, not at the moment! It’s not that type of conversation!

“I talk, you listen. It’s pretty straightforward.”

Wilder has said he is a very keen student of the game, and told the media at Loftus Road after the game that he would already be assessing what he’d seen on the journey home, and would continue to do so well into the night.

“I trust my eyes and what I saw on Saturday, and nothing really changes. We had a chat on Sunday with the players and we have to move on quickly,” he said.

“What I saw was that we have to better on anticipation and winning second balls, because we’re not always going to win first balls especially against a physical side.

“We also have to be better on the ball when we’re in possession. They are bright and talented boys, but when we do get on the ball we have to show quality.

“The amount of times we turned the ball over on Saturday didn’t allow us ever to gain momentum or get up the pitch to cause them serious problems.

The head coach said he is well aware it’s down to him to set the tone and role-model what is required.

“I have to lead from the front,” he admitted.

“Even though I’ve come into the job quickly and I’ve not got a Watford tattoo on my arm, this is my club for the games I’ve got and I’ll do my best to help those players.

“The group has been nice and bright and bubbly in training, and they’re looking forward to getting themselves going for the two games this week.”

After Saturday’s game, Wilder talked about the need to have shots, send in crosses and make the most of possession in the final third. Ahead of the visit to Vicarage Road of Birmingham, he hammered that message home again.

“Players have to braver in and out of possession,” he said.

“There are different forms of bravery: a last-ditch tackle, putting your head in where someone’s about to score, those are competitive parts of bravery.

“But then there’s the bravery of taking responsibility, and these players have shown it in the past. My message to them has been take the opportunity and be brave: if it goes over the bar, so be it.

“I think the biggest thing is they need to keep doing the right things. If they shy away from that then we are never going to achieve anything.

“If the ball drops to Keinan Davis on his right peg, which we all saw, then he has to take the opportunity and not try to be safe. It wasn’t just him, it was quite a few of the boys at the top end of the pitch.

“If we’re brave and we create more then hopefully we give ourselves a better opportunity of winning games.”

By the time the game kicks off tonight, Wilder will have been in charge for a week. What has that seven-day period taught him about his new side?

“I’ve learned they are an honest group and they gave it a go on Saturday. You’re going up against a big physical side, that set their stall out early on.

“But what you have to do is be brave in possession and play our way. When you keep turning the ball over like we did that just gives the opposition the chance to get back on you.

“We analysed certain bits over the weekend, talked to the players about those, and then had a bright day in training.

“I know a lot about these players, and I’m aware of some the issues the team has maybe had through the season.

“But only when you get up close and personal do you really get the best view and look at things.

“The players have got a big week and the chance to put Saturday right. Can we play better? Most certainly.”

Wilder said he tried a few different formations across the 90 minutes in West London, but he refuses to get hung up on which one is best at this early stage.

“The difference between formations is usually yards. It’s a question of distances, and there’s not a lot about it.

“I am pro-active in terms of substitutions and formations, and that has been shown in the teams I’ve managed before.

“Ultimately it comes down to how you implement those formations, and I understand that.

“On Saturday, the way we lined up was the best way we felt to go and get a result. It was quickly changed.

“During the game you have to make decisions to try and either get back into a game, or if we’re in front to make it as comfortable as possible to get three points.

“A lot is talked about formations and ways of playing, and my teams always try to dominate possession. There are a lot of conversations going on about what is the best formation to suit the players.

“People will analyse and judge, but on Saturday we didn’t create enough chances, I’d like us to have more control of the ball during the game and we need to do more than we did to win a game.

“The difference between a right back and a right wing-back is maybe 10 or 15 yards. The details in terms of formations are very small.”