Is the CB Todibo? Or was Welbeck just a lucky guess?! And if you do know the club’s plans - are we looking to sign more if we can?
Now the window is closed, there is a clear picture of the squad for the coming season. We have 11 home-grown, 16 foreign and 5 U23. All of the 11 HG players will be included, so 2 of the 16 foreign will not make the cut. I'm guessing they will be Zeegelaar (loan to Udinese probably) and Success (loan somewhere) Of the other fringe players, I think we'll include Okaka, Foulquier and Prodl in our roster. Here's a full list:- Home Grown Ben Foster, Daniel Bachmann, Adrian Mariappa, Craig Cathcart, Craig Dawson, Tom Cleverley, Nathaniel Chalobah, Will Hughes, Troy Deeney, Andre Gray, Danny Welbeck. Foreign Dimitri Foulquier, Sebastian Prodl, Heurelho Gomes, Adam Masina, Jose Holebas, Kiko Femenia, Daryl Janmaat, Cristian Kabasele, Abdoulaye Doucoure, Etienne Capoue, Ken Sema, Roberto Pereyra, Gerard Deulofeu, Stefano Okaka U23 Adalberto Penaranda, Domingos Quina, Tom Dele-Bashiru, Pontus Dahlberg, Ismaila Sarr This gives us an eligible squad of 30 players for the coming season. Keepers Ben Foster, Pontus Dahlberg, Heurelho Gomes, Daniel Bachmann Defenders Adam Masina, Kiko Femenia, Adrian Mariappa, Jose Holebas, Daryl Janmaat, Sebastian Prodl, Dimitri Foulquier, Cristian Kabasele, Craig Cathcart, Craig Dawson Midfield Abdoulaye Doucoure, Etienne Capoue, Tom Cleverley, Nathaniel Chalobah, Will Hughes, Domingos Quina, Tom Dele-Bashiru Forwards Ken Sema, Roberto Pereyra, Gerard Deulofeu, Ismaila Sarr, Troy Deeney, Adalberto Penaranda, Andre Gray, Stefano Okaka, Danny Welbeck
It’s U21 for Premier League purposes. Anyone born on or after 1 January 1998 makes the cut. So Peñaranada doesn’t make the cut and will take up a place as a non-homegrown player I suspect.
I don’t think we’d keep 30 players for the squad if we could help it. Too many to keep happy and occupied. So I wouldn’t be surprised to see 4-5 go out one way or another
Ah...good spot. Yes, he was one I was thinking they may loan out anyway along with Dahlberg. Probably would leave us with a squad of 28, with a full quota of 25 registered and 3 first team U23 players.
I would imagine we will cut: Dahlberg (loan) Success (loan) think he needs a full season playing regularly. Foulquier (loan) or Janmaat (permanent) Zeegeelar (loan or permanent) That'll leave us with 25 squad players and some U21's. Hard to pick a side out of that as well, a nice headache for Javi to have! Change of system for me, 4-3-3 Foster Kiko Cathcart Dawson Holebas Doucoure Capoue Hughes/Quina/Chalobah Deulofeu Welbeck/Deeney Sarr Also wouldn't be shocked to see Pereyra leave the club in this window. Could argue that the signings of Sarr and Welbeck clear the way for him to go, probably to Atletico Madrid or Torino as per previous speculation. We aren't desperate to sell either, so can command a decent price for him. Would prefer him to stay because I think now he's got genuine competition he'll probably kick on again this season!
Success doesn’t seem to sulk if he doesn’t play. I think successive managers have discovered Okaka does. I think he’ll leave and likely back to Udinese. He’s 5th choice. Maybe even 6th given Gracia stayed Sarr can play up front. I’d even let Success go as well if guaranteed regular football for a season. Keep Penaranda as we haven’t seen what he can really do yet.
I was about to say the same thing about Pereyra. I think there is every chance we will sell him, but I would not be overly upset about that as I think he is too inconsistent, and unfortunately his off form periods greatly out weigh his admittedly some times brilliant periods. Also you seem to have left Okaka out of your calculations, I would probably keep him in the squad, as although he lacks stamina he is still a good striker, who could do a kind of job share with Welbeck. By which I mean they could cover each others weaknesses, with one starting and the other coming off the bench. Therefore putting less stress on DW's well known injury problems and allowing Okaka to go flat out without having to worry about running out of steam, which in turn would hopefully give us a much more potent strike force throughout the whole game.
I really don’t think we will sell Pereyra. Sarr plays predominantly on the other side and I think competition will help Pereyra be more consistent. Plus we need to build the strength in depth of the squad. No point buying Sarr, selling Pereyra and Sema being backup and only an injury from starting again. Defeats the object somewhat.
For Brighton I’d start with what we know as long as no injuries Foster fermenia/Janmaat Dawson/kabasele Cathcart holebas Capoue Doucouré Pereyra Hughes Deeney Del Boy.bench Bachman Mapps Grey Sarr massina Chalobah one of femenia/ Janmaat/Dawson Kabasele Don’t think Welbeck is fit yet Can see Okaka Prodl leaving permanently preferably, as loans now in there career is waste of time. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I saw Gracia mentioned Peneranda was training away from the first-team group when giving his update on squad fitness for the weekend opener. I assume that’s because of his injury rehab, rather than being ostracized? Chalobah recovering from his pre-season work, but should be available next week (sounds vaguely familiar?). It would be interesting to see Foulquier be a part of things, given that he’s had consistently successful loan spells in La Liga.
If it was up to me HG: Bachmann, Cathcart, Chalobah, Cleverley, Dawson, Deeney, Foster, Gray, Hughes, Mariappa, Welbeck Overseas: Capoue, Deulofeu, Doucouré, Femenía, Foulquier, Gomes, Holebas, Janmaat, Kabasele, Masina, Okaka, Pereyra, Pr*dl, Sema (Plus U21s inc. Dele-Bashiru, Quina and Sarr) Although Burnsy makes a good point re. Okaka sulking, so maybe Success in his place if he’s going to ruin the squad harmony. Loan out Dahlberg for experience and Peñaranda for one last chance to show he’s worth one of the overseas slots.
Interesting graph here from last season, minutes played vs age (taken from https://statsbomb.com/2019/08/watford-2019-2020-season-preview/)
I wonder whether the club are holding off on a CB signing because there’s an expectation that Wilmot will come back after his loan at Swansea and be ready to compete for a place in the first team. Our random ITK guy mentioned that the CB from Barca was a loan deal, which could support the idea that the club might be looking upon Wilmot as a a defender again.
So, when everyone is fit and fully integrated, how will the forward line work? Welbeck has to start, Sarr has to start, Deulofeu has to start (all IMO of course). So where do you fit in Deeney & Pereyra? I think we'd play Welbeck on the left and Sarr on the right with Deeney central and Deulofeu behind him. I don't expect Gracia will deviate away from 4 at the back (nor should he). We have to play Doucoure and Capoue in a deep holding midfield, so there' no room for the likes of Pereyra, Hughes, Cleverley or Quina in this system. It'll be fascinating to see how Gracia knits this all together, keeping all key players happy in the process.
I think a lineup like this will do: Foster Dawson Capoue Doucoure Sarr Hughes Gray Deeney Welbeck Pereyra Deulofeu
Okay, so who sticks around when we go down to the Championship? I think: Released - Gomes, Janmaat, Holebas, Foster Sold (think they’re better than the second tier despite being part of the reason we’re there) - Deulofeu, Welbeck, Masina, Doucoure, Penaranda, Gray, Kiko, Sarr, Kabasele, Capoue, Okaka, Pereyra Stick around - Dawson, Prodl, Mariappa, Cleverley, Deeney, Success, Sema, Chalobah, Cathcart, Hughes, Bachmann (because who would pay actual money to take them?) Quina, Dele-Bashiru, Wilmot, Dahlberg (because they haven’t proven yet that they’re PL ready)
https://www.watfordobserver.co.uk/sport/17878365.watford-submit-25-man-premier-league-squad/ Prodl and ZZ included - just to make the numbers up ?
The 4 keepers is top class squad management. Still, it does allow some Mazarri style japes if Gracia fancies rubbing Pozzo’s nose in it.
With Janmaat, Kiko, Janmaat, Foulquier, Hughes & Sarr, it's not we are short of men who favour the right.
The revised squad announced. The only new inclusion is Penaranda. https://www.watfordfc.com/teams/first-team/confirmed-updated-watford-squad-submitted. Only have 24 named players though.
