Ben Foster urges calm after Watford's winning start to the new season

Ben Foster insists Watford’s impressive start to the campaign has come as no surprise but has first-hand experience of the dangers of getting carried away with early season success.

The goalkeeper was part of the West Bromwich Albion side that won their opening two games twelve months ago before hitting a disastrous run of form that eventually resulted in the club’s relegation into the Championship.

Foster left the club this summer to join Watford where he has played a prominent role as Javi Gracia’s side have strung together an opening run of three successive victories that has positioned the club in third place, with only goal difference keeping them off the top of the table.

The keeper insists there few similarities between the teams but is well aware of the dangers of taking anything for granted.

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“No, you can’t believe you’ve cracked it,” said Foster. “Last season especially, we got off to that fantastic start and everything seemed so rosy and then we went on a 20-game run without winning. You never, ever, ever can take anything for granted. Every single game you have to scrap and battle.

“Against Crystal Palace, it could have gone either way if they'd taken their chances and we didn't. That's the same for the majority of Premier League games; the tiniest, minutest of things make the difference. As long as we're all on the same page and keeping the team spirit nice then that gives you a few extra per cent.”

While Watford’s lofty standing has was largely unexpected outside of Vicarage Road, inside the club, Gracia’s players believe they are simply hitting the targets they have set themselves against opponents they believe they can beat. Brighton, Burnley and on Sunday, Palace, have all come off second best to the Hornets.

‘They were three games that we targeted three wins in – they're massive for us, because if you beat one of the big boys they're almost bonus points, but beating the teams we've beat so far is bread and butter,” he said. T’hey stop those teams getting points, and pull us away from teams like that, which is what we need to do. If we can get something from Tottenham next week it's a world-class start from us.”

The key, according to Foster, is the team’s success in playing further up the pitch as well as Gracia’s decision to employ Troy Deeney and Andre Gary as a front two.

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“It's a different way of playing to what we have been, last season especially,” Foster said. “The manager is very big on pressing and pushing higher up that pitch, and it suits us, we've got the players to do that. Troy and Andre up front will cause a lot of problems for most teams in this league. We've got very good players in the middle of the park that can play football if we need to, and Troy and Andre can get hold of it and get round from there.

“The main thing is work-rate – they've got to work hard. There's a lot of high-intensity running and shutting down and closing. We're quite aggressive as well – we've got the players to do that.”