AN ANGRY Aidy Boothroyd pulled no punches in his post-match comments, describing his side's defeat at home to Burnley this evening (Tuesday) as 'lacklustre' and 'like looking at a team of clones'.

Having seen his side go two goals behind for the second time in four days the manager was clearly concerned, not just with the result, but the manner of the defeat.

"Very disappointing," said Boothroyd. "I was very surprised with the start. It was a bad start and it gradually got worse and worse.

"I cannot understand how such a fantastic group of people and such a terrific team that has done so well to get where we are now, puts on a performance like that. It's incredible.

"I'm not surprised by the result after that performance and to give Burnley their credit, they came here expecting an onslaught from us, but they didn't get it, they were allowed to play, we didn't close down, we didn't attack efficiently.

"We were over-passing the ball for some ridiculous reason tonight, the energy and the passion that is usually seen from Watford just wasn't there and it's one of those things where I know have to think about shaking it up again."

Dan Shittu scored his third goal in just two games, but it was a case of too little, too late for the beleaguered Hornets, who will now turn to Saturday's encounter with Bristol City to get their season back on track.

"Dan came up with a goal but the game was gone by then, we should have done far better than what we did. We should have stuck to the game plan and if we had have done that we would have won the game comfortably, but we didn't.

"If the ethic isn't there from a team of such fantastic willing workers, if it's not there for whatever reason then you'd have been surprised if we'd have won. If we'd have won tonight it would have been an unfair result.

"We didn't defend properly, to lose 2-1 at home, to concede two goals and three goals on Saturday is very, very disappointing.

"I made changes but for whatever reason tonight, the team that is Watford who usually have the work rate, the passion, the energy, didn't have it. I need to investigate that.

"It was sub-standard performance and it was like that from minute one and it didn't get any better. It was an awful spectacle, an absolute shocker."