At Our Place

Discussion in 'The Hornets' Nest - Watford Chat' started by 424TheBeautifulGame, Mar 13, 2018.

  1. Happy bunny

    Happy bunny Cheered up a bit

    Very convenient. We can all stay overnight with our friends in Mayfair
     
  2. RookeryDad

    RookeryDad Squad Player

    Handy for Amersham.
     
  3. hornetboy1

    hornetboy1 First Team Captain

    We have actually invested £29m on incoming players. We've received around £50m on incoming fees, plus loan fees not included, so we've made a net profit.....but what's wrong with that?

    A football owner's remit is not to sink in vast amounts of cash to make a loss every season. A football owner's remit is to improve the club season after season. I believe we are doing that.

    This is the first season where we've made a profit in the transfer market, after making a net loss for the previous 3 seasons. We have to balance the books at some stage.

    Unless we drop like a stone in league form, we are going to be in the Premier League for the 5th successive season after this campaign.

    Having said all this, I believe they were ready to spend a significant sum of money on a couple of players in this window. A club record fee was accepted by Lyon for Cornet, but it was the player himself who decided to stay at the club. We were prepared to spend a decent fee on a centre back as well, and again the player decided on another option.

    Will we nose dive in form from now to the end of the season, I think we probably will go on a bad run now, but it won't be bad enough to see us get relegated. At the end of the day, it's slow, incremental steps forward, and that's how it's got to be for a club like Watford.
     
  4. RookeryDad

    RookeryDad Squad Player

    The main thing for me is what Gino’s objectives are for the next 3 years.

    SD mentioned European qualification at an earlier evening.

    Is this realistic?

    With the Big 6 in the EPL, qualification must be tougher in England than in the other major leagues.

    Or is Gino working to a fixed investment in the club, first & foremost, & hoping for top half/cup runs within that?
     
  5. Robert Peel

    Robert Peel Squad Player

    Not exactly pressing, but are the club ever going to do tours of the ground? Tell them my kids would love to and tug at their heartstrings.
     
  6. vic-rijrode

    vic-rijrode First Year Pro

    That bloody Sean Dyche - always going on about European qualification.
     
  7. hornetboy1

    hornetboy1 First Team Captain

    Here are some questions to ask:-

    What's the latest on the Everton/FA enquiry?
    Has there been any progress on the stadium expansion project?
    Have they looked into the badge/logo redesign?
    Long term plan of the owner. Strong rumours of selling shares last summer, so what is the medium/long term vision.
     
  8. miked2006

    miked2006 Premiership Prediction League Proprietor

    It's perfect for anyone who works in London, and basically equidistant between Marylebone (for the two Chiltern line trains and the Bakerloo line to Harrow & Wealdstone) and Baker Street (Met/ Jubillee Line) stations.

    I'd say it's an excellent choice.
     
  9. PowerJugs

    PowerJugs Doyley Fanatic

    If someone can ask whether we plan on having Lukebakio and "Cucho" Hernandez in our squad for next year (With the latter having his work permit / passport sorted) that would be appreciated.
     
  10. Burnsy

    Burnsy First Team

    Thing is, that kind of question will always be side-stepped.

    'We will have consultations in the summer with the manager and the board and the make-up of the squad will be determined across pre-season as always.' But we are excited about the progress our loan players are making.' AND SO ON...

    While it's something we'd like to know, I just don't think its a question they will be prepared to give anything away on. I think at these type of event's, that its the way the question is phrased that will draw an insightful answer..

    If someone asks, 'the CB's we have are average at best - why aren't the club investing in that area?', it is very likely to get a defensive response from Gracia/Troy/Duxbury that the defence we have are doing well and they trust in them.
    But if it is pointed out that our CB's are all ageing and there are little to no prospects at the club or being linked, and ask the same question, you'd be more likely to get a decent response I think.
     
    Happy bunny, PowerJugs and Beekayess like this.
  11. RookeryDad

    RookeryDad Squad Player


    9th fewest goals conceded.

    Better than Man U & @rsenal.

    Next!
     
  12. FromDiv4

    FromDiv4 Reservist

    So we have conceded the 9th fewest goals, and we are also 9th in the scoring list. Looks like neither is our weak point, an improvement in either area would give us better results.
     
  13. Sort of OK

    Sort of OK Reservist

    We are 8th currently so how do they expect us to maintain this over achievement on league position when we clearly only have the 9th best defence and strike force, need to get their heads out of the sand!
     
    wfcmoog likes this.
  14. Burnsy

    Burnsy First Team

    Still working out what I am going to ask tonight given the chance...

    I want to ask about the Everton/Silva case but expect that it would be swerved for legal reasons.
    And I want to ask about the lack on investment in CB's but still figuring out how to phrase the question in order to get a decent response. I sense any questions that are about the current squad and/or transfers won't get straightforward answers and will get played with a straight bat.

    As mentioned, I will do my best to make a note of every question and brief summery of the answer to it on here tonight, so will apologise for the spam and/or multiple posts on this thread later.
     
    oxhey67, PowerJugs, Nelson and 3 others like this.
  15. UEA_Hornet

    UEA_Hornet First Team Captain

    Thanks for offering to keep a track of it Burnsy.

    You won't get a peep about Everton/Silva, especially a few days before we play them.
     
    Burnsy likes this.
  16. RMT79

    RMT79 First Year Pro

    We may of not conceded many now but our away fixtures are disgusting- I doubt we will be 9th best come the end of the season on either measure
     
  17. vic-rijrode

    vic-rijrode First Year Pro

    ...awkward, difficult, challenging, almost impossible to win but "disgusting"?
     
  18. Since63

    Since63 Squad Player

    As per discussions on another thread, I think the issue is salary levels we offer, not the initial transfer fee.
     
  19. RookeryDad

    RookeryDad Squad Player

    Ask who’s on the Kick Richie rota for Saturday.
     
  20. Beekayess

    Beekayess Reservist

    Neither Richie nor Success should start. Both are perfect as a sub because they dive dive dive ……..

    I'm looking forward to seeing them compete in their own private contest of "See how well I can fall down and flail my arms around like a child".
     
    Teide1 and Forzainglese like this.
  21. Burnsy

    Burnsy First Team

    Strange setup so far. Just a load of people in the boozer.

    Giraldi, Duxbury and the guy from the 1881 all visible so far but the pub is full of office bods having a post-work bev... atmosphere better than the 1881 have been cooking up in recent months though.
     
    kVA likes this.
  22. Burnsy

    Burnsy First Team

    Brewery, piss-up and organise are springing to mind.

    Imagine trying to organise this type of event in a pub of the red lion’s size. With no seperate function room. And then put that pub in the centre of London during rush hour. And you haven’t closed it for the event so the pub is rammed full of folks just here for a pint....

    Fan liaison officer just said on the mic ‘we were promised an empty pub...and it isn’t. If it doesn’t work, we’ll just walk about and mingle. CALAMITY SO FAR.
     
  23. Steve Leo Beleck

    Steve Leo Beleck Squad Player

    Feel like this would work better on the Shoutbox.
     
  24. Burnsy

    Burnsy First Team

    Troy asked if he will end his career at club - said he’s not against the idea but you would have to ask Duxbury....

    Scott asked what he will say to Silva on Saturday - Scott said he will have not speak to him on Saturday and no one from the board will. It’s up to the players if they want to but he hears they want to do the talking on the pitch.

    Wilmot to Udinese - Giraldi says can only be positive for the player. Different culture, new language and guaranteed more game time.

    Stadium - Scott says 3 year plan in place for stadium to be at 25k, this involves both corner where the screens are. Then there is approved planning for both GT and EJ stands. Fan liaison manager says there’s no hurry and Scott corrects him and says there is....

    A lane duck of a question about refs and every respresentative says they are powerless. VAR will improve but suggestion that age of referees in this country is an issue.

    Makeup of squad - Scott says the squad is complete for positions. They aren’t light anywhere. They have areas that they definitely want to improve in the summer and they will do that.

    Troy is asked about Holebas and why the sharp improvement this season - Troy says his attitude had never changed. We all know what he’s like. But the added competition of Masina was a factor. He’s not been pushed since Ake and maybe was cruising.
     
  25. Burnsy

    Burnsy First Team

    Centre Back - Scott and Giraldi say it was definitely the priority but the right player wasn’t available and they weren’t going to spend money for the hell of it. Will definitely be revisited in the summer.

    A couple of nondescript questions regarding Troy’s matchday schedule and improving on queueing for a beer....

    Asked about Saturday’s performance, Troy says that Foster aside no one turned up and he can’t answer why. Then ‘jokingly’ says they may have been better if Scott had strengthened in January!

    How much input do the club have with the kit - Scott says a lot. They are out of the home template phase and sign off on any design now. Stripes are staying in some sort going forward.

    Is there a plan post-Gino after what happened to the Leicester owner?!? - Scott says no.
     
  26. Burnsy

    Burnsy First Team

    Still loads more to update but the 10 min break is over...will update when it’s finished.
     
  27. oxhey67

    oxhey67 Squad Player

    Great stuff Burnsy. Thank you.
     
  28. UEA_Hornet

    UEA_Hornet First Team Captain

    The least the club can do is make sure our captain doesn't have to queue for beer pre-match.
     
    wfcmoog and kVA like this.
  29. Steve Leo Beleck

    Steve Leo Beleck Squad Player

    The person that asked that question is an idiot.
     
  30. nascot

    nascot First Team

    I thought they were referring to the pub they're currently in.
     
  31. Burnsy

    Burnsy First Team

    Back again...event is over now.

    Would the club prefer to get to the FA Cup Final or Europa League qualification - unequivocally, all 3 said Europe. Troy was very keen to point out that you could get Man City in the final and then what? Long term view in the answer and seemed the club don’t have it as the best route into achieving their objectives.

    Is the team spirit good? - Lots it emphasis on pre-season from Troy. Good pre-season and everyone stays on it but a poor one and attitudes drop. Friendships are made in the summer and that helps.

    January outgoings - Deulofeu was paper talk and there was no offer and the club were adamant no one was leaving. Everyone has a price but only if it benefits improving the whole squad, and that doesn’t happen in January. No truth at all.

    Richarlison sale - was a ‘technical’ decision. The price was over £45m total and they felt in Deloufeu and Pereyra they had the players already to soften the blow. Scott says they don’t regret the deal at all.

    Debt - the club has no debt. If things went west tomorrow, the club is in no jeopardy. Scott’s words.

    A small debate insued about how to attract young fans to the club where the fan liaison manager said that Bournemouth do nothing at all to garner new support and have actively opposed any ideas to extend their ground. They want what they have and are fighting the PL to do so.

    Most impressive away setup - Scott: Woking Giraldi: Liverpool Troy: West Ham
    Troy remarks Giraldi’s answer is weird as we haven’t been there yet this season and then says WHU for all the criticism have done good job this year of making it a football stadium and not the Olympic stadium.
     
    dynamo380, hornmeister, kVA and 5 others like this.
  32. Burnsy

    Burnsy First Team

    Random question about Deulofeu missing 1-on-1’s - Troy’s said he gives him a hard time but is sometimes too harsh when he reflects. Giraldi says it’s difficult for him. He has one missed chance and it’s magnified here. At Barcelona, he can miss 4 and score 1 and be a hero.

    Troy says he prefers playing in a 2 - mentions Gray but says Vydra was the best. Ighalo stoke the headlines due to being in the PL but was clinical.

    Doucoure - as before, he will be sold when it benefits the club. Not on the cheap and not if they can’t replace him. Contrary to press reports, he has a 5 year contract and that’s to be respected if the club will be weaker as a result. Giraldi’s answer.
     
  33. Burnsy

    Burnsy First Team

    Ticket prices will not increase if we qualify for the Europa League.

    Most underrated player - Troy says no one. The spirit is high and so is the quality. If any player drops standards in training, we have the depth for them to sit out. Every player knows that and buys into it. Javi has made it clear.
     
  34. UEA_Hornet

    UEA_Hornet First Team Captain

    Dunno, he should ask Ben Watson.
     
  35. Burnsy

    Burnsy First Team

    Javi’s contract - simple answer and clinical. Scott says he buys into the club and it’s clear he doesn’t want to be anywhere else. He gets it. Giraldi takes over and says they like the fact that he doesn’t think he’s the next big anything. He never wonders where his next club will be. The most telling answer of the night....
     
    dynamo380, wfcmoog, kVA and 6 others like this.

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