LUCA VIALLI half suspected, after clawing their way back to parity, the Hornets would concede a late goal to lose again, "because of the way things have been going".

Said the Watford manager: "Obviously, when we play at home, I expect to get the three points all the time. I think we have enough professionalism in our side to get all three points when we play at home.

"Preston were coming off two straight wins so they were in good shape, but, with the performance against Birmingham, I was expecting to get three points.

"Obviously, after the first half, our main concern was to get back into the game. Actually, we managed to score quite early in the second half, and I thought we would have enough time to go on and win it. We created a couple of chances, good chances and we didn't take them.

"The way things have been going, we could have expected Preston to score before the end. It is not a big move forward, up the table but at least we have not been beaten for two consecutive matches," he added with a wry smile.

When asked if the weather was a significant handicap, he said: "Being a team that tries to play football all the time, the weather does not help because the pitch becomes slippery. It makes it difficult, especially when the opposition defend well and deep.

"I think we should have played a different style of football. In the first half particularly, we tended to overdo things. We were passing the ball around a bit too much without actually going forward.

"We are all working with this break now before we play in the cup tie, so we have time now on which to work.

"Obviously, our position is not where we would have wanted to be, and this is affecting the players a lot."

Asked if he was confident he could turn things round, Vialli said: "I do feel confident, and to say I don't see light at the end of the tunnel then I might as well not go to the training ground at all. I am a believer, and I think what we are trying to do is the right thing and we will carry on."

For the rest of Vialli's View, see The Watford Observer of Friday, October 5.