With a run of 10 unbeaten games at Vicarage Road in the bank, Watford now need to look at their return from away fixtures.
The Hornets did win at Millwall on the opening day, but they haven’t kept a clean sheet on the road this season.
Add in the games Tom Cleverley took charge of at the end of the 23/24 campaign, and it’s two away wins from nine attempts for the head coach.
“We’ve been so strong at home and maybe less strong away, and that is something we’ll address,” he said.
“Of course starting games better would give us a chance of that, but we go into every game with a plan to win.
“That’ll be the case again at Preston as well.
“To take us to the next level, so that we’re doing even better than we are now, would be an improvement in that away form.”
The Watford boss admits he might have been slightly too cavalier in games on the road this season, though the quality of the opposition is also a factor.
“Maybe I’ve gone for it a little too much away from home and certainly we were going for it at Norwich, then conceded so early that the game plan goes out of the window,” he reflected.
“Norwich then don’t have to come out at you as a result of that.
“I always say let’s focus on us, but we can’t forget Sheffield United and Norwich away are two tough fixtures against opposition I expect to be in the mix come the end of the season.”
The main thing, Cleverley says, is to find the ideal blend of attacking and defending.
“I think the main job of the head coach is the balance of the team.
“You try and get all your best players on the pitch at one time because I do think players win you football matches more than systems.
“My job is most importantly to look at the balance of the team, and I feel that we’ve got it right more times than we’ve got it wrong this season.
“We are certainly heading in the right direction but my number one priority is to get the balance of the team as perfect as we possibly can be.”
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