Gianfranco Zola believes claims Watford are doing badly is down to perception and expectation

Watford currently sit seventh in the Championship and are just one point outside of the play-off positions but the Hornets have struggled recently after claiming just one victory in their last six league matches.

However, at this stage last season Zola’s side were 16th in the table. The campaign ended with Watford finishing third and twice missing out on promotion by the narrowest of margins.

Zola admits it is normal to make comparisons to last year but said “every season is different and you can’t live in the past”.

However, the Hornets boss added: “Looking at the table I think people expected us to be higher. The perception is we are doing badly but we are not.

“Of course we can do better and we are looking forward to doing that. But we need to keep it balanced, we don’t have to lose the reality.

“We are a team that has got potential but there are other teams that also have the same potential. So we need to keep working hard and improving every day.”

There is a history of sides in the Championship starting slowly before making a surge up the table in the second half of the campaign.

Watford are an obvious example but Reading won promotion to the Premier League in the 2011/2012 campaign despite winning just four of their first 15 matches – at which point they were only 16th in the table.

Zola hopes the Hornets will again build on a their slow start and admits the side is not “at the level” he would like to be.

He said: “What we need to do is make sure we keep improving. Last season we started slowly and then built up all the time and I would like to do the same this year.

“I know that we are not at the level that we would like to be. I want to see people focussed and improving.”

Watford take on Bolton Wanderers tomorrow and could move back into the play-off positions if results go their way.

But Zola stressed the importance of remaining patient and cited Bolton as a good example.

The Trotters are unbeaten in their last seven matches but started the season poorly and were without a win in their opening ten league games.

“Sometimes things don’t happen straight away and it is important to wait,” Zola said.

“Everyone has to be patient and that it is not only the fans. The club, the players and myself expect more but we just need to keep it under control. It is very important you are not unhappy with everything. There are certain things that can be done better but there are other things that are ok.”