It’s been a problem – one of several – that has dogged Watford all season long.

They have dominated games, had significantly more possession than opponents but often struggled to register shots that required saving.

It has been a significant factor in the Hornets now not having won a league game at Vicarage Road since November 28 - that's 11 matches in total.

Saturdays goalless draw with Preston was another such example.

The Hornets had 72% possession overall (76% in the second half), but mustered only two on-target efforts at goal.

They made 225 passes in Preston’s half (the visitors managed only 87) and had 21 touches of the ball in the North End penalty area.

But perhaps the most damning stat was that of the 23 crosses they put into the visitors’ box, just eight were accurate - two-thirds of their crosses were wasted.

“I thought we lacked a little bit of concentration in our final product and a little bit of killer instinct,” admitted Tom Cleverley.

“It’s important when we’re playing against low-block teams that we accept it’s not just going to happen, and that you have to make it happen.

“You might have frustration after frustration, and it might not be until the last 10 minutes that you are able to grind teams down.

“I just don’t think we were relentless enough in our approach.

“On another day we’ve got the quality to open these teams up, but I think we needed better mentality in our approach.”

What about those crossing statistics? It felt like every ball into the box from the flanks either hit the first defender or cleared everyone, and it was the same with the seven corners Watford had.

“We did lack a bit of quality in our crossing today,” Cleverley agreed.

“I’ll probably get a bit of reaction about sticking up for the players on this one but it was a windy day for set pieces.

“But I won’t beat around the bush, we know we can do better and the quality can be better.

“Today it was about the mentality of things: in this league things don’t just happen, you have to make them happen.

“I don’t deal in draws too much and that’s not where I want us to be. It’s not what I want us to settle for.

“I would much rather have three wins and one defeat, than what we’ve actually got from the four games.

“It’s hard to sit down after the game and say we’re pleased with how it went because we didn’t get the three points.

“We’re still waiting for our first home win of the year and ultimately that was what today was all about.”

It was though, a clean sheet – the first at Vicarage Road for almost five months.

“It’s a matter of finding the balance between really pushing for a win, which we didn’t do enough of today, and making sure we’re tight at the other end,” said Cleverley.

“It’s a problem for every new coach when you’re trying to find balance in the team.

“That’s my job, to find that balance, and every game you play is different.

“Yeah we did look solid behind the ball, but again that’s about balance.

“I don’t want a team that looks really solid at the back but toothless in front of goal.

“We will find that balance, and it might take two or three more games, but we’ll get there.

“One thing I have felt since I came in is that the belief is coming back.

“We’re fearless now and mixed it in the last three games with teams above us in the league and in the race for promotion.”