We want to improve a number of aspects of our game today. But, to begin, I want to emphasise I am really pleased with the players’ commitment and the intensity they bring to the training ground every day.

I can see from all of them the desire to improve individually and help the team.

It is a long process to reach the level we are targeting and your patience is helping with this.

I could not criticise the effort against West Ham on Sunday but we were missing a few elements we did well in other games. We talked about it being okay for the opposition to have some possession because we have been really dangerous on the transitions.

But we allowed West Ham too much of the ball. There were situations where we could have counter-attacked but the pass wasn’t precise, or we chose the wrong option.

These are isolated incidents but there is a knock-on effect. It allows the opponent to continue moving the ball, then you have to defend and grow tired earlier in the match.

We felt a little bit unlucky with how West Ham scored but once it happened the reaction could have been better and this is the main thing we learned from the game.

Instead of keeping the ideas that brought us good results, we felt the pressure and began rushing and losing control.

The priority is to stop conceding first, which has happened too many times. But our response has usually been positive, we have shown character and spirit and togetherness, all those things, and also the composure and quality to come back.

When you suffer a defeat, it is inevitable that people ask if the injured players could have made the difference.

Any team would find it tough to miss their top two goalscorers – but we have won matches without Dominic and Richarlison and we're capable of doing it again.

It is really disappointing to lose Abdoulaye Doucoure for some games but the first feeling is for the player because he was enjoying the freer role in midfield and showing his talent. Abdoulaye is a top professional and will come back strong.

Injuries can never be an excuse and we have faith in every player in our squad. It is important they have chances in the team and we want to give them confidence and support them.

The complication for a manager when numbers are lower is you have fewer options to bring on fresh legs to change a game.

I already knew about Goodison Park and how you show your passion for Everton but it was special to experience how you stay with the players and encourage and fight for our club.

I know this afternoon it will be the same.

We welcome Claudio Ranieri and the staff and players of Watford.

I have competed with Claudio in three countries, going back to our first meeting in Spain in 1998 when he was in charge of Valencia and I was managing Extremadura.

He was always a tactically clever guy and had the incredible enthusiasm for football you see today.

After another week working with his new club, I am certain Claudio will bring a Watford team that is very compact and organised and ready to exploit any loss of focus.

We have to understand the reasons for our result last time, then be more precise and concentrated to achieve the standard of some of the previous games.

It is tempting to constantly analyse the table, to see where we can be with three more points, or how high we can go with two straight wins, for example.

For me, that is not important right now. If we had beaten West Ham, we’d have had our Club’s highest points total after eight games in 43 years.

But I said before the match – and it still applies – that would have meant nothing.

As long as we are in contact with the teams towards the top, we should not be obsessed with our exact position and points total.

What matters is that we are in the position we want at the end of the season. My teams are used to finishing strong at the end of campaigns and I’m quite confident we will do the same this season.

In the meantime, we must continue going step by step. Always asking for maximum effort and learning from every match and trying to improve tiny details every day. Anything else is a distraction from our objectives.

Today is an opportunity to show we took the lessons from our previous game and to try to produce the reaction you want from our team.

I hope you enjoy the game.

Rafa Benitez