VLAD HAS HAD TO SHAKE UP THE HORNETS

VLADIMIR IVIC has called for the real Watford to please stand up.

The Hornets dropped to seventh as a result of this abject defeat to Cardiff, their first at home this term.

They are only four points off top spot but performances have been far from convincing. And Ivic admits it has been a struggle for the team to deal with both competing in a new division and getting used to him as a new boss.

“Normally when you’re first time in some country you need to adapt as quickly as possible to the style,” said the Serbian (above).

“But our team played last season in the Premier League and that’s totally different. It’s not the football of the Championship. The Premier League is international, Championship is a typically English style of football. I believe we’ve adapted but at the beginning lost something adapting.

“It’s not easy to change your philosophy or how you attack. We need to be real from now, not from the second half of the season. We want to be this team who will attack, be dominant, keep the ball and this is changing.”

Captain Troy Deeney insisted not even promotion was good enough for Watford this term. He said: “Our job is to win this league. We’re not going to pussyfoot about it, we have to win this league. If we continue to lose these kind of games we will be in a very difficult place.”

Kieffer Moore grabbed Cardiff’s 43rd-minute winner and Will Vaulks hailed his 6ft 5in teammate: “He’s an absolute handful, certainly up there with the best in the division.”

WATFORD: Foster 6, Ngakia 6 (Femenia 46, 6), Kabasele 6, TroostEkong 6, Wilmot 7 (Perica 81, 6), Sema 6 (Quina 67, 6), Garner 5, Cleverley 6 (Hughes 67, 6), Sarr 6, Pedro 5, Deeney 5

CARDIFF: Smithies 6, Bacuna 6, Morrison 7, Nelson 7, Bennett 7, Wilson 6 (Whyte 88, 6), Vaulks 7, Ralls 7 (Bamba 88), Ojo 6 (Pack 76, 6), Harris 6 (Hoilett 70, 6), Moore 7 (Glatzel 88)

Stephen Martin