Quique Sanchez Flores has looked to take the pressure off his under-performing Watford players by shouldering the blame for their poor run in the Premier League.
Since climbing into the top eight after a 2-1 win over Crystal Palace on February 13, Watford have not won in the league, and as a result have dropped into the lower half of the table
Although they are still 10 points above the bottom three, Watford's run of one draw and four successive defeats has threatened to leave a sour taste on their return to the top flight.
And rather than putting all the blame on his players, Flores says he should held accountable for the FA Cup semi-finalists' recent form.
"The responsibility is on the coach. Me," he told a news conference.
"I need to focus on what is the target.
"They don't respond in the way I like because I am not able to transmit the necessary ambition to play the Premier League games.
"I prefer to assume the responsibility and I have to support the players."
