Watford have won seven and drawn four of the 11 home league games they have played under Tom Cleverley at Vicarage Road.

The 11 before that bore just two victories and saw the Hornets lose six times.

It is a huge turn around in performances and results in WD18, and Watford have conceded only six goals at home under Cleverley.

What they haven’t done on the whole, so far, is romp to victory in league games with former captain in charge.

Indeed, only one of those seven home league wins has been by more than a single goal.

“There are two ways of managing a winning position: you can go and kill a game off by scoring another goal, or you can try defending what you’ve got,” he said.

“Now I’m not going to give away what one we’re going to go with, but we have certainly got a direction we will all follow on how we can turn those one-goal advantages into more comfortable wins.

“That doesn’t sometimes mean going after an extra goal, it just means being more solid in your structure and managing the game better.

“I’d still take a one-goal win any day of the week though.”

Only three teams have outscored the Hornets so far this season in the Championship, but just five teams have conceded more.

Does that suggest the balance still isn’t quite right?

“I felt like we nailed the balance on Friday at Plymouth,” stressed Cleverley.

“If you take it as a process, if that game is played 10 times then we win it eight or nine times.

“So I’m not too concerned about the balance of the team from Friday, and nor was I against Oxford.

“Can we manage the last 10 or 15 minute of games a bit better? Yes we can, and while  the balance of the team on stats and data will look like we’re scoring and conceding, I think the balance has been a lot better in the last two games.

“We were very, very unlucky to concede two on Friday night.”

Unlike last season when visiting teams arrived at Vicarage Road, took one look at Watford’s home form and felt confident they could leave with a point or more, this term’s improved results mean opponents are likely to be more circumspect.

“I think we have to get used to teams paying us respect,” Cleverley pointed out.

“Plymouth have been getting very good results with a back four but went to a back five on Friday because of our attacking strength.

“Teams in recent weeks have man-marked Giorgi, and we have to always try and be one step ahead and take it as a compliment that teams are paying us respect by going away from their own successful game plans to try and stop us.

“What we need to do is find answers to that, and make sure our best players can flourish.”