I’m glad we are relegation favourites once again, I’ve taken over £3k from the bookies since we got to the prem. like candy from a baby. Another great season ahead.
But surely it's a squad game these days. Depth of squad is more important than a crack first 11 unless you are extremely lucky with injuries (as Burnley were last season). Banking on being not unlucky is imprudent.
Who on earth is rubbing their hands with glee? No one wants to watch us get ****ed on week in week out Championship isn't that bad - I don't think I've had a match in the Premiership compare to the Brighton and Leicester games. We did have a couple that knew what was going on but they all ****ed off to reddit Always favourites for relegation, even in the Championship at times Why am I writing like you?
I agree - but we already have more than just a decent eleven. We've (imo) 3 decent centre backs; heaps of options to play right back; finally some competition at left back; and numerous quality midfield options. Perhaps up front we're short - but if we're only ever going to play one up top, do we really need to bring in heaps more? I think one additional striker will be enough (of course, he must be decent and not some Belgian reserve from our favourite agent). So I think my point stands. Last season we didn't just lose players from our best eleven, the whole squad seemed to suffer (with very few notable exceptions). Keep the majority fit, and we'll be ok* *feel free to quote this back to me when either everybody is injured again, or they all stay fit but we're still ****.......
Last season was our 1348. The Black Death swept in callously & took a full 35% of our people. Unfortunately, 1349 wasn’t great for Black Death stuff either. I’m sure Gino & Dr Nick are ‘across’ all this.
A 2-1 win over West Ham u-23s in a behind closed doors friendly today. Kiko and Navarro scored for the 'Orns. team; Dahlberg (GK); Navarro, Pr*dl, Mariappa, Masina; Femenía, Wilmot, Charles, Pereira; Success, Jakubiak. No subs used. https://www.watfordfc.com/teams/first-team/pre-season-watford-2-1-west-ham-united-u23
Why in the world is Masina playing in the second team when we have our final proper friendly tomorrow? Please, please tell me Holebas is not going to start the season as first choice... surely not?
Also hoping we don't start the season with Janmaat ahead of Navarro or Femenia... Imagine signing two full backs yet continuing to play two useless ones that cost us so many goals last season
Two friendlies in two days, most if not all players get 90 minutes, does it really matter who plays in which game? Perhaps Javi is mixing it up to keep the players on their toes. Line ups have been mixed up throughout pre-season.
Considering these are our last friendlies before the season starts, one would hope to give the back four (and gk) expected to start on the opening day some time playing together beforehand to get to know each other as a defensive unit. It is very concerning that on this evidence Holebas and Janmaat appear to be the front-runners to start vs Brighton. Perhaps on closer inspection in training Masina and Navarro have appeared to be duffers. The only other scenario I can envisage is that this is an elaborate ruse by Gracia to fool any Brighton scouts who might be watching us vs Sampdoria in to thinking we'll play a different team.
Huh? One would imagine that Success, like a number of the other players who played vs West Ham, will in general be on the 1st team bench.
Isn't that precisely what pre-season is for? Bedding in new players, tactics and fitness? I know it's not a given based on Masina starting today, but it does seem strange, and it will be truly ridiculous if we go into this season with Holebas once again first choice left back. Janmaat I don't really have a problem with as I think he's underrated by our fans.
We don't know what has been happening on the training pitch, or which players are more up to speed than others. It's pointless to surmise. But yes, looking in from the outside this hasn't been the greatest of pre seasons, the team doesn't look ready, we desperately need some news on at the least a striker (unless by some miracle Penaranda lives up to his early promise) and I'm concerned.
We know next to nothing about Masina. Could be that Javi reckons he's not up to speed to play PL football yet. I'm no fan of Holebas, but he's not as bad as people make out
I know we shouldn’t read too much into it but the heavy rumour that Masina has taken the No.11 shirt leaves me wondering if he’s not really being thought of as a LB and more of a WB or winger. I bloody hope not.
Holebas has got a whiffy attitude and terrible fashion sense, but he held down the left back spot at Roma for a couple of seasons. He's the type of player and competitor who is hard to dislodge from his place in the team. Ashley Cole, albeit not as good as he had been, couldn't do it at Roma.
Holebas was only at Roma for one season. He did take the place of a 33 year old Ashley Cole though for about 2/3 of that season.
Charlie Daniels and Aleksandar Kolarov spring to mind as left backs who wear 11. I wouldn't read much into it.
His time at Roma was 3 years ago. It wouldn’t surprise me if he is one of the best trainers at the club and that gets him a game. Sadly what he’s shown in the 90 mins at weekends over the last year means he can’t trade on past form or glories.
I thank you for the clarification. Point still stands, he's a ******* piece of work who fights his corner. He won't go quietly.
I think he's a very good player, other than the times he downs tools, fails to get back or falls over crying. His standard of mayhem takes some reaching, for good or bad.
I'd say it's more a lack of competition. Aké took his spot no problem at all, because he could actually defend. Holebas lost his place last season on the back of being at fault for all three goals at Everton. Luckily for him, Zeegelaar turned out to be a truly dreadful defender so he got it back by default.
Errrmmm... exactly. The one season Holebas had proper competition for his role at Watford, he wasn't in the team. The fact he has been the rest of the time is because the alternatives haven't been up to much, rather than any amazing ability to keep forcing his way into the starting line up like a turd that won't flush. I do quite enjoy the mayhem he brings though.
Doucourae revels why he hasn't played all Pre-season . https://www.football.london/watford-fc/players/abdoulaye-doucoure-watford-injury-preseason-14988156
He’s terrible defensively and positionally. And they are key traits of being a defender. There was an obvious drop in ability last season.
Not sure what relevance him being Roma's first choice has at this point? He could have been the best defender in the world at Roma, doesn't change the fact he's well past it now and a huge liability.
If Holebas is first choice, then he's got there on merit. Ultimately its Javi's job on the line, so he'll only pick the players he feels are good enough.
Injury update; Deulofeu - full training from next week. Chalobah - currently training with the 1st team. Okaka - soon to return to full training. https://www.watfordfc.com/teams/first-team/treatment-table-deulofeu-chalobah-okaka-update Gerard Deulofeu has today received positive news regarding the muscle complaint which has restricted his pre-season involvement so far. The 24-year-old winger is improving sufficiently to be able to take part in full training next week. Meanwhile, Nathaniel Chalobah is training with the first-team, while Stefano Okaka will return to full training following his rehabilitation after surgery in May.
