Ben Foster says Javi Gracia has helped him settle at Watford by playing to his strengths and not complicating matters at the back.

Modern football has seen demands on goalkeepers increase, with building from the back being in vogue and being a shot stopper alone no longer enough for those between the posts.

Greater scrutiny has been placed on keepers in recent weeks after high profile mistakes by Liverpool’s Allison and Arsenal number one Petr Cech.

Foster admits that passing out from the back has never been his strongest point and is, therefore, happy to work under a head coach who allows him to play his natural game.

“If a manager knows he has a keeper that isn’t comfortable with the ball at his feet, his team won’t be able to play that way, it won’t work,” Foster told Radio 5 Live’s Monday Night Club.

“To be fair to [Javi Gracia] he knows I am OK with the ball at my feet, but I am very good at booming it 80 yards up the pitch. He is more than happy with me doing it the way I want to do it.”

Gracia’s tactics so far this season have proven highly effective and allowed Watford to head into the international break with a 100 per cent record in all competitions.

The Hornets sit joint top of the table with 12 points and only an inferior goal difference has them below pace-setters Liverpool and second-place Chelsea in the Premier League.

Foster says the flying start to the campaign is no fluke and cites a willingness to buy into Gracia’s methods and improved fitness as key elements to Watford’s success this term.

“Pre-season was class and everyone brought into it. Now we are looking so fit and so strong, we’ve been winning most of our games in the second half,” the 35-year-old said.

“Javi is calm and gets on about his business but shows you a lot of respect as a person and as a footballer. He has a style of playing and for what we have in our team it fits us perfectly.

“He wants us to play at a high tempo, pressing from the front, and when you add the physicality we have it is just a good recipe at the minute.”