Bachmann: “We Need To Start On The Front Foot”

Daniel Bachmann says, with 18 games to go and 54 points to play for, the team are still very much eyeing automatic promotion back to the Premier League.

The Hornets are nestled in fourth spot, two places and one point better off than they were at the exact stage of the promotion season in 2014/15. With 13 clean sheets, the Hornets have a solid foundation on which to add some layers of attacking play and challenge for one of the top two spots.

“We are in a decent position,” said Bachmann, the Austrian keeper. “We'd like to be higher up, but we have a lot of games to play and we've just got to make sure we win as many as possible. I'm sure we can get closer [to the top two] and I'm positive we will go up. Our aim is to go up first or second. Everybody wants to win the league, but we'll take second. That's the target and what we are all working so hard to achieve. Once we get on a roll, we'll be tough to beat.”

Bachmann is certainly doing his best. He has kept four clean sheets in six games and is taking his chance with both hands in the absence of the injured Ben Foster.

“My first six games couldn't have gone much better, really,” said the 26-year-old. “The results have dipped in the last 10 days, but I'm pretty pleased with my form. We've defended well and are keeping clean sheets. I've really enjoyed every game, but that's what I'm here to do: keep the ball out the net.”

The Hornets host 10th-place Bristol City at Vicarage Road on Saturday in a game you can watch on Hive Live.

“We know it will be a tough game,” said Bachmann. “They are a good team and there is no easy game in the Championship. We've got to just stick with our own game, start fast and don't give them any encouragement. We need to start on the front foot and not wait for something to happen in the game. If we do that then I'm confident we can get a positive result.”