Watford manager Malky Mackay insists he will not be making any "knee-jerk" forays into the transfer market to add to his thin squad.

Injuries to Heidar Helguson and Jay DeMerit, coupled with a virus which swept through the camp, illustrated how thin Mackay's squad is as they crashed 4-0 at home to Cardiff.

But Mackay remains happy with the group of players he has at his disposal and will only move for a player if he improves the squad.

"It is an ongoing process at the moment but I will keep my ear to the ground and keep chipping away to get the right people into the club and that will never stop as far as I am concerned," he said.

"The knee-jerk transfers I think always end up in tears and I think it has to be calculated and for the good of the football club and the good of the team.

"If somebody is coming in, they have to add to the group and until that situation we have a good group here."