By the time they face Leeds United a week today, Watford will have played seven games of which five will have been at Vicarage Road.

Having taken four points from the first nine on offer at home, what sort of tally would head coach Valerien Ismael think was acceptable after that batch of five matches at Vicarage Road was completed?

“I don’t want to put any points totals,” he said.

“It’s more that we now take the next game against Birmimgham, knowing what we have to do.

“The motivation, the desire, what we have learned from the first block of games and the mistakes we made.

“I think if you watch the games back we have deserved to get more points and that is a good feeling. But feeling it isn’t enough, we need to get points on the board.”

Ismael said he is only too well aware that winning games breeds a positive mindset which in turn adds belief to players.

“We need more mentality, and that could be improved if we get more points which will then develop a winning mentality,” he said.

“It’s about us creating that mentality on the pitch, and to do that you need to win games to build momentum which in turn gives you confidence to be strong.”

Having only played five league fixtures since the season began, the next three weeks sees a proper Championship schedule with six games in 21 days.

It’s in those situations where managers often press the ‘rotate’ button and use their squad depth, something Watford have far less of this season.

“It is a decision we have made and we will manage it, taking games one by one,” Ismael explained.

“We play the first game against Birmingham and then we will see what happens after that.

“If everyone is available then it gives me more options, if not then then we have less choices. I cannot tell you what is going to happen on Wednesday or next weekend.”

One player the Watford boss may be able to call on is striker Rhys Healey, who is yet to play a minute of league football since joining in the summer.

“He’s recovered now from a calf injury, so he is close to training with the team,” said Ismael, who also confirmed young striker Tobi Adeyemi is currently sidelined through injury.

“I saw Healey yesterday and he was in good shape I have to say, mentally and physically.

“Maybe it was the setback he needed just to refresh and find in himself renewed motivation.

“He knows that we count on him and now it’s about getting that confidence and building it up day by day in training sessions.”

Fellow forward Matheus Martins has been one of the bright spots so far, and Ismael put much of that down to switching him from one flank to the other.

“I think last season he played more on the right, but we know he prefers to play on the left to come inside and to be dangerous,” he said.

“I see the potential in him. We have worked a lot with him on the left-side position and we put him there as it’s a position he loves.

“He’s showed his quality already and he has played at a very good level at the minute, but I think he can reach the next level.

“That is what we expected from him, to have the consistency at that next level.

“We want him to make an impact and a difference in games, and he can become a key player for us.”