An international break can be looked at from two standpoints after a bad result and poor performance.

Some managers and head coaches may regard a two-week gap before the next game in a negative light because they would prefer to try and get back on track as quickly as possible on the pitch; others may see the enforced break as an opportunity to spend more time with their players and seek to right what went wrong on the training pitch.

Given his attention to detail and quest for improvement in all circumstances, it was no surprise Javi Gracia took the latter view following the 4-0 defeat to Bournemouth.

He said: “We have two weeks to prepare better for the next game, it’s something positive for us. With some players out (away on international duty) but with others with us, we have more time to prepare.”

Despite the disappointment of Saturday though, the Hornets boss looked at the result in the wider context of the Hornets’ season to date.

Gracia said: “We started really well, playing with good results. In the games before today we didn’t have such good results but we had good feelings, and we competed really well in all the games without exception.

“Today has been different. Today we need to know why we didn’t and try to improve, but after eight games plus two in the Carabao Cup today has been the first game where we didn’t compete at the same level. It’s only one day and I’m sure in the next games we will come back to our level.”