LUCA VIALLI and Ray Wilkins believe the Hornets are now beginning to fuse into a team, after the influx of newcomers took time to gel.

"It is fair to say we look much more of a team," said the manager. "We were capable of doing special things in the past, but there is now a greater consistency in the way we perform."

He believes the fitness holds a key, and the entire squad underwent fitness tests on Tuesday. The results proved they are fitter now than at the start of the season.

"It is important to be fit. It is emphasised to the players," said Vialli. "They have to be tactically aware of what we are trying to do, and technically aware when they have the ball, knowing what to do. But they cannot do either thing well if they are not fit.

"You can see when a player is not fit. Players are not good at judging such things because they just want to play, and they do not know they are not fully fit."

But this does not mean Watford are going to storm up the table on the strength of a string of high-scoring successes, Vialli warned.

"It is a bit unfair to expect to win all the games and score plenty of goals. It is a game of two halves and sometimes when you play against a side that plays 4-5-1, as Barnsley did, it takes a little bit longer.

"Like a boxer, you have to produce a few more body shots to soften him up, and then the opponent is likely to drop his guard and you can knock him out. Don't expect to win all the games because it is not going to happen.

November 9, 2001 10:30