Foster, Dawson, Cathcart, Holebas & Kiko

Discussion in 'The Hornets' Nest - Watford Chat' started by Bubble, Aug 10, 2019.

  1. Bubble

    Bubble Wise Oracle

    Jury is very much out on them IMO.

    Age has caught up with Foster & Holebas, both been dreadful at the end of last season and now start of this.

    Cathcart was always 'ok', but not blessed with speed to get him out of trouble. We've gone and signed someone exactly the same in Dawson! No speed in our central pairing whatsoever, so can see us getting picked apart at home where we try and take the initiative in the game and push up the pitch.

    Kiko just can't defend or tackle. Looks great bombing on up the pitch overlapping Hughes, but going the other way he looks hopeless. Janmaat isn't exactly much of an improvement either, the same as Femenia but without the pace.

    I genuinely think we've got one of the worst defences in the League and this hasn't been addressed adequately this summer. I think most of us (myself included) got caught up in the Welbeck and Sarr signings (which were both great) thinking that we've addressed a lot of problems. We haven't.

    A huge job for Javi, and for me it starts with changing the system to 4-3-3, dropping Hughes and Pereyra and putting Quina in alongside Doucoure and Capoue. Sarr & Deulofeu either side of Welbeck but until he's fully fit it'll have to be one of Gray or Deeney. For me it would be Deeney as he's better up on his own than Gray.

    Not the start we expected today, but things need to change! If we continues with this rancid 4-2-2-2 and we lost to Everton & West Ham then he's done.
     
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  2. wfc4ever

    wfc4ever Administrator Staff Member

    Bring back Mariappa !

    ;)

    The first goal summed up our performance.

    Twice lost the ball and then scored for them .
     
  3. davisp2

    davisp2 Reservist

    It’s a defence that needs a lot of protection. I think our best option is use our pace on the counter with 3 defensive minded midfielders. We are not good enough to play open attractive football, we will get picked off for fun.
     
  4. fuzzy73

    fuzzy73 Squad Player

    We’ve got pace?? When did that happen?
     
  5. Smudger

    Smudger Messi's Mad Coach Staff Member

    --------------------------------------Gray---------------------------------------------------
    ----Deulofeu-----------------------------------------------------------Sarr----------------
    -----------------------------------Pereyra-------------------------------------------------
    ------------------Capoue------------------------Doucoure-----------------------------
    Holebas---------------Cathcart------Kabasele--------------------Janmaat---------
    --------------------------------Dahlberg----------------------------------------------
     
  6. davisp2

    davisp2 Reservist

    We didn’t keep a clean sheet in any of our last 12 Premier League games last season, add today and that makes 13. The mind boggles as to when we will get a clean sheet with that defence. There is very little free money in this world, but betting on Watford to concede is a racing certainty.
     
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  7. folkestone orn

    folkestone orn Squad Player

    The one thing that give me hope is the possibility of a 4231 with 3 exciting, quick, creative players behind a striker. If JG doesn't try this at some point, he needs shooting.
     
  8. GoingDown

    GoingDown "The Stability"

    Pretty much like we were today, all over the place.
     
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  9. Cassetti's Beard

    Cassetti's Beard First Team

    We'll be alright, comfortable survival but nothing like last year's push for Europe.
     
  10. hornetboy1

    hornetboy1 First Team Captain

    Not sure Dawson has improved anything defensively, but he is a threat at the other end. We only had 4 shots on target and he had 2 of them.

    It was his mistake which led to the first goal. A miskick when under no pressure. Why do our defenders always seem to do this?

    The defence was probably the strongest one we could have fielded today, but it was nowhere near good enough. Players often out of position. Maybe Janmaat for Kiko would offer a little more protection, but it's a bit depressing when you think we are unlikely to improve at the back until at least January.

    Wait till we play the good sides. Remember, today was Brighton who were everyone's tip for relegation. We could even let 10 goals in against Liverpool or City this season. It wouldn't surprise me if that happened to us.
     
  11. NathWFC

    NathWFC First Team

    Janmaat is a much better player than Femenia in every way, shape and form. Unfortunately Femenia is another one of Javi's precious, little favourites who will play no matter how **** he is.
     
  12. Markoa$

    Markoa$ Squad Player

    Schwaab is available on a free. Could be a shrewd move.
     
  13. davisp2

    davisp2 Reservist

    Janmaat is nothing special defensively, but at least he doesn’t spend the entire game passing to the opposition.
     
  14. Jumbolina

    Jumbolina First Team

    I would definitely prefer Janmaat starting than Femenia. He was dreadful today.
     
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  15. Smudger

    Smudger Messi's Mad Coach Staff Member

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  16. Markoa$

    Markoa$ Squad Player

  17. Jimb976

    Jimb976 Academy Graduate

    The slow defence we are stuck with will never be afforded protection from an equally slow, purposeful midfield that features capoue, doucoure and Hughes.

    None of them got out of first gear today - hideously pedestrian performance
     
    Jumbolina likes this.
  18. folkestone orn

    folkestone orn Squad Player

    Can't register players until January, now the season has started.
     
  19. Markoa$

    Markoa$ Squad Player

    I thought frees can be.
     
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  20. hornetboy1

    hornetboy1 First Team Captain

    Our last clean sheet was 9th February against Everton at home. Since then we've conceded at least one goal in 16 consecutive matches.

    The last 4 games have seen us ship in 16 goals. Bloody hell.
     
  21. wfcSinatra

    wfcSinatra Predictor Choker 14/15

    I don't think Femenia is great but he certainly isn't helped by the formation, Hughes is sometimes miles away from him.

    Pair him up with GD and all he has to do is pass to GD, bomb past and cross or act as the dummy for GD to cut in. Simple. Having no winger there for him to play off makes the job too complicated for a player of his limited ability.
     
  22. Harrow Orn

    Harrow Orn Squad Player

    Defensively are woeful. Im now at the stage of drunk where I want to panic.

    We are ****ed and we are going down.
     
    wfcmoog likes this.
  23. Supertommymooney

    Supertommymooney Squad Player

    Kiko is not a defender

    Nice footballer, but no way an RB.

    See Wolves at home last season, cup final etc etc
     
  24. Supertommymooney

    Supertommymooney Squad Player

    Masina in for Holebas?
     
  25. RookeryDad

    RookeryDad Squad Player

    wfcmoog likes this.
  26. wfc4ever

    wfc4ever Administrator Staff Member

    Both right backs prefer going forward than defending but guess that might be the same for most modern day full backs!

    Deeney wouldn't be playing if Success had progressed as expected or Okaka fit ..
     
  27. RookeryDad

    RookeryDad Squad Player

    In Javi’s system, the full back becomes the winger.
     
  28. NathWFC

    NathWFC First Team

    Problem is that Femenia is s**t going forward as well as defending. Janmaat has better end product and even pops up with a few goals.
     
    wfc4ever likes this.
  29. Steve Leo Beleck

    Steve Leo Beleck Squad Player

    Dimitri Foulquier to save our season. Heard it here first.
     
  30. folkestone orn

    folkestone orn Squad Player

    He's supposed to be half decent and has pace. Not the most outlandish theory.
     
  31. wfcwarehouse

    wfcwarehouse First Team Captain

    I completely agree.
     
  32. BigRossLittleRoss

    BigRossLittleRoss First Team

    I think we re up Dawson’s Creek without a paddle .
     
  33. Forzainglese

    Forzainglese Reservist

    Liverpool took their feet off the gas in the second half against Norwich - we could always hope for that.
    Actually, on MOTD, so very selective, one defence looked worse than Watford's:- Southampton.
     
    Last edited: Aug 11, 2019
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  34. Forzainglese

    Forzainglese Reservist

    Yup - name a good English right back (as opposed to a wing-back).
     
    wfc4ever likes this.
  35. Jumbolina

    Jumbolina First Team

    Wan Bissaka.
     
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