-----------------------------------------Foster------------------------------------------- Ngakia-------------Kabasele-------------------Troost-Ekong-----------Sema------ ---------------------------Capoue------------Garner------------------------------------- ------------------------------------Hughes(c)-------------------------------------------- -----Sarr---------------------------Perica-------------------------------Deulofeu------- -----------------------------------------Foster-------------------------------------------- -----------------Kabasele-----------Cathcart-----Troost-Ekong---------------------- Ngakia-------------------------------Capoue------------------------------Sema------ -------------------Hughes--------------------------Garner---------------------------- ------Sarr----------------------------Perica--------------------------------------------
I thought his choice of substitutes were odd yesterday. TBD obviously had to go off yesterday. Would I thought Dom would of been introduced especially as Ken and Clevs were carrying knocks. Then Kiko who imo looked promising in attack leaves the field for Cleverly, again why wasn't Dom sent on? Ok we needed a change up top but Murray looks painful to watch.
Yeah would object to any of that. But at least we'd have options and seems to fit the squad so much better. Don't think we'll see Hughes quite yet though, Ivic seemed at pains to point out it's going to take him a while to get up to speed.
With all the sarcasm and playing up to character traits on here it’s always difficult to work out who is being genuine or not. But I’d like to believe no-one is honestly already feeling like Ivi* may have to go? That’s crazy. I’m seeing the games from now until the domestic transfer window shuts as part one of the season, ideally you want something in terms of points and general culture from this. The culture in my opinion has already been set by Ivi* and I like it very much. We have some points on the board and now have the international break so I’d say part one has been good overall. Then when the new squad is complete, you get the next couple of months to see how it develops - so part two. Hopefully we will have the right squad balance so we can improve the attacking area and actually score some goals. So big judgements, in my eyes, shouldn’t really be made until around 20 games in, something like that, and as long as we haven’t drifted too far away from those in the top 6 then all good.
I don't think I would pick Penaranda (like a new signing) ahead of anyone in the squad. Everything I've seen of him suggest an individual who just wants to be given the ball so he can take a few paces then shoot. Limited involvement in general play and made no attempt to tackle/close down. Of course I've not seen him as often as the various managers who see him every week in training don't trust him enough to ever play him. Pussetto looks too slight for the champ but I would gamble on him every time if it came to a choice between the 2. We just need to get Pen off our books at the lowest cost possible...
If Penaranda took some shots that'd be in his favour... Our front two didn't really manage that over a whole game
We've got super Vladimir Ivic He know's exactly what we need Wilmot at the back Suarez in attack He's going to get to the Premier League! ... Oh wait.
Pre season it was stated in the press that players were claiming that the training was too hard,people as normal linked this to deeney, could this now be the cause of the amount of non contact injuries that we have experienced .
Yes but whilst we won't have Capoue, Doucs, Pereyra, GD, or Sarr, we WILL still have big fat Troy, Gray, Sinclair, Dawson, Masina, Success, Penaranda (who I might add will be just like a new signing), plus a host of new exciting signings. Swings and roundabouts! Glass half full vs glass half empty!
Glad we have managed to retain the **** culture from last season but removed any semblance of talent. The perfect recipe.
A snippet I learned yesterday regarding Ivic and transfers. A player (who I can't name, sorry) Watford had on trial earlier this year, before Ivic arrived, will be having a second trial as the Head Coach wants to see the player first hand. This suggests to me he has quite a say on transfers rather than just being handed players and being told to get on with it, as has been suggested in previous seasons. Not exactly earth shattering news but it's nice to know he has control over who he puts on the pitch.
Given the level we appear to be shopping at now, I think it's a bit of a given. 'Do you want this free transfer on 3k a week or that one?'
Interesting and positive. Aside from his name, is he any good?? I assume he's playing in England currently, or he won't be able to join until January.
Dunno m8. I'm sure there's a an out of contract Montenegrin winger with a ruptured achilles with our name on him.
Uncontracted players can be signed by any club at any time. If this wasn't the case, players with no club would be unable to earn a living and a lawsuit would be slapped down faster than you can say "".
Well it was only a matter of time. Ivic has had long enough and we aren't even in the play-off spots despite all the strengthening this summer. Welcome to Watford Mr Struber.
Easy decision for him tbf, gets him back in the Red Bull machine - he'll spend a season at NYRB and then likely get the Salzburg job and then possibly Leipzig if all goes right.
I suspect confidence is still a bit fragile around the squad even though many of those who have played this season weren't those who contributed to our relegation. To illustrate this, we haven't won away since smashing Bournemouth in early January - two points in our last 30, a run comparable to the atrocious away runs we had under Mazarri, and Silva and Gracia combined. If we can get that monkey off our back sooner rather than later, who knows what we could achieve this season under Ivic.
Derby away could be big, we could have for the first time this season what a lot of people on here hope will be our 'first choice XI'...or we could have sold Capoue and Sarr, Hughes not ready to return, and no strikers (or, perhaps even worse, Murray up front!)
Another enthralling press conference from Ivic. You can tell he really enjoys the questions. Tons of stuff from the journalists about the game against Reading and the upcoming one against Derby. As you'd expect. Slightly worried he mentions injuries to players. I thought they were all going to be sorted by now. I'm sure our crack physio team is on the case and either in the next 10 days or the 10 days after that, they may be ready. Also slightly worried at him saying the club doesn't have a pot to piss in and despite all of the player sales, we might need to sell more. I'm sure this is just a miscommunication though.
I think he deserves far more credit than most give him on this forum, he got us through a very tough start to this season and I believe had he been retained he might well have done what he was tasked to do and got us promoted, but we shall never know now. However he gets full praise from me for the job he did for our club even if it was a real bore fest most of the time, as in my book he did a very effective job with very average tools at the time.
Agreed, yes, the football was dull, but let's be honest, it was initially under Xisco too, and I bet he's ripping his hair out that he had Deeney fit but not Hughes or Masina! He won't go down in history as our favourite manager, but your efforts are appreciated over here, Big Vlad!
The home form was steady and consistent all season and he he helped form a solid defensive base at a time when we had lots of injuries and COVID issues. Away from home was pretty dire and drab but then even under Munoz we had a few shockers so there was a theme running through the season really. Main difference was the players seemed to enjoy being under Xisco but let see what happens if we start badly next season or he has to ruffle a few feathers.
