Blues boss Paul Jewell thought his side were outstanding during the first half of their 1-0 victory at Watford. The victory ended Town’s 15-game hoodoo against the Hornets.
Jewell said: "I thought we played outstanding I felt in the first half. To be honest, the only thing that concerned me in the first half was that we were so much on top and you know that any team at any level is going to come back into it.
"I just didn’t want us to take that extra touch and be a bit sloppy in possession. We knew they would have a bit more of the game in the second half, and that was the case, it was more even. But to score a goal and to keep a clean sheet I thought was the least we deserved.”
Watford are a bit of an unknown quantity since Gianfranco Zola took over as manager and brought in a number of new players but Jewell says that like any Championship game the Hornets presented a tough challenge: "I saw them play here against Wycombe a fortnight ago in the League Cup and we had them watched on Saturday.
"Gianfranco wants to play a certain way, he’s going to be a terrific manager and it’s a difficult place to come. Like every team in the Championship, wherever you go, it’s a hard game.
"I was speaking to him before the game and every game in this league you’ve got to be at it full tilt and full-on to get a result.
"It’s been a bit of a bogey team for us over the last few years and it was nice to put that to bed. It’s done now, we’re looking forward to the next game.”
The Blues boss thought Watford’s aerial threat posed the biggest problem and felthis side ought to have created more clear-cut opportunities: "I thought we looked crisp and sharp right throughout the game.
"Obviously when Iwelumo came on they had a height advantage, with Taylor and Nosworthy. It’s an area where we lack a little, but we don’t lack fitness or quality.
"The only thing that was missing in the first half was a couple of goals. We have to be ruthless in both boxes and I felt we were a little bit wasteful and for all the play we had, we didn’t work the goalkeeper hard enough.”
As for Michael Chopra, Jewell was delighted to see him get off the mark for the season, although he says the Blues striker had been in good form in any case: "Someone just said to me it’s his first goal for 10 games but he got six in pre-season and we’re counting them!
"There’s more to Chopra’s game than just goalscoring, he’s a good all-round player. He’s bright, but like all strikers he thrives on goals and it was a terrifically-worked goal.”
Watford manager Gianfranco Zola was magnanimous in defeat: "Absolutely, no doubt about it, it is a fair result and the team who played better today has won the game.
"I knew [how much work he had to do]. I didn't get under the illusion that the game we played the other day was the solution to everything. We know there's a lot of work to do and, as I said to the players, games like this will help us improve.
"I never said it was easy [to change the style of play]. I said that the first day, but that doesn't stop me from trying and I'll carry on. It certainly won't be a bad result which is going to kill my enthusiasm or desire to play football in a certain way."