Some of the four changes Valerien Ismael made to his starting line-up last week may have surprised people, but a 5-1 win at Preston and a squad still with only one player out of action suggests he made the right calls.

Tom Dele-Bashiru played at right-back for the first time ever, and Francisco Sierralta, Vakoun Bayo and Matheus Martins all started, while Ryan Andrews, Ryan Porteous, Mileta Rajovic and Yaser Asprilla dropped to the bench.

“The rotation last week was necessary and very good for some players. It means some had the possibility to recover and others had the chance to play,” said the head coach.

“We’ve managed this week to come through with all the squad available except Jeremy Ngakia.

“Availability of players is very important, and especially if you want to attack a period like we are in at the moment.

“It means we are flexible, we aren’t forced to do anything and it’s up to us to stay that way by managing the players between the games.

“The game will always dictate when we have to rotate and when we have to change.”

There has been a week between games, but tomorrow marks the start of a run of five in two weeks.

“We adjusted our week a little bit because we had three games and then this week no midweek game, but we have four games close together ahead of us,” said Ismael.

“It’s important to make sure the players stay fresh and ready to go during such a tough period.

“The win last week gave the players a lot of confidence, there’s been great focus in training and a big desire to continue to push.

“Scoring five away from home gives us a lot of belief and we have always shown that we can score from the very first minute to the very last.

“I said that many weeks ago and now we are starting to show the confirmation of that.

“When we have the belief we know we will create chances and that we can score goals. It’s just about being ruthless now.

“The second half last week was excellent from that point of view. If you take the chances when you get them it makes the game easier, and forces your opponent to take more risks.”

Blackburn are the first team the Hornets will have faced twice this season, after they won 1-0 at Vicarage Road in late August.

“It was one of those games at the beginning of the season that we never should have lost,” said the Watford boss.

“We dominated, especially in the second half, missed a lot of chances and then we got punished.

“We’ve learned a lot since then. We’re a different team.”

One player who has stood out in recent weeks has been Canadian international midfielder Ismael Kone.

“I think we have found the stability and consistency in his performance now,” said the head coach.

“At the beginning of the season I spoke with him at length and told him he is a great player, and he has everything.

“But he had to show it in every game. You can’t do it for one half, or for one game in three. It was all about performing in every game and doing it every three days.

“That is what top players do, and I said to him at the start of the season he was on the way.

“He needed time to understand but now he has found his rhythm and he is playing to a very high level and is enjoying it.

“The balance we have in midfield is good. The formula is good at the minute for the team but we have a lot of options and we face a lot of games, so it’s important that we can count on everyone.”

There were stories during the week that Giorgi Chakvetadze wanted to cut short his loan at Watford due to lack of playing time, but Ismael said the Georgian international is going nowhere.

“I don’t know where those reports have come from,” he said.

“I can tell you that Giorgi will stay here. He’s a very important player for us, we love him as a human being and he is a great professional.

“We work well with him, and from my side there is no reason to let him go.”