Feels like a competition which everyone is desperate to get out of as quickly as possible. Wouldn't surprise me if League One and Two clubs featured heavily in the latter stages.
Vlad appears very calm and collected. It’s almost like he doesn’t realise that everything is such a shambles at the club..... or maybe it actually isn’t ?
Bennett played for the U23s today, he won't play tomorrow. However, Perkins and Agyakwa didn't play, so could well do tomorrow. Ivic didn't indicate either way about whether Dawson will be fit again, if he really has been ill then this could be too soon for him. I reckon he'll avoid playing as many of the players who started on Sat as possible. He'll probably leave them all out I reckon. I'll guess: Bachmann, Sierralta, Perkins, Agyakwa, Stevenson, Navarro, Phillips, Dele-Bashiru, Penaranda, Pussetto, Sinclair Sarr and Perica to get 45 minutes, if not as starters then off the bench. Crichlow also to come on as a sub.
With Sarr it's surely because he's not a number 9. No he doesn't. Sarr has never played a lead-the-line/back-to-goal/lone striker/number 9. All the others have. If Sarr plays it'll probably be alongside one of the 5 aforementioned players but arriving from deeper as an attacking midfielder/second striker, more like the positions Sema and Quina took up.
As a manager one of his main skills would need to be creating order and coherency out of potentially chaotic, variable or uncertain situations. If he was too affected and distressed by the possibility of having to arrange and manage disorderly situations, and incapable of instilling focus where necessary, then he wouldn't be a particularly good manager. There's a clue in the job title.
Was on the Watford Twitter: Baptiste (GK), Barrett, Trialist, Conteh, Spencer-Adams (C), Burchell, Hungbo, McKiernan, Hutchinson, Lo-Everton, Forster. Subs: Roberts (GK), Perkins, Lawal, Hunter, Janjeva.
The main U23s who didn't feature at all today were Parkes (g/k), Agyakwa, Wise, Phillips, Crichlow and Dalby. Sam Perkins came on as a late sub but with final match preparation for the 1st XI being done today (I presume) I'd be surprised to see him tomorrow, definitely not starting anyway. There still hasn't been any official confirmation Toby Stevenson has signed so he may have been the trialist listed in todays U23 game. Sam Dalby hasn't been seen in any pictures for the U23s this season yet but I've heard he's still at the club, so he could possibly be injured. So that leaves Parkes as sub keeper, Phillips possibly starting in midfield and some or all of Agyakwa, Wise & Crichlow on the bench.
Of all the cameos and cup appearances in recent years, none of our academy products have looked remotely like they could challenge to be in the first team. I get the impression that Vlad makes the game pretty simple, with expectations based around high tactical discipline and work rate. Have a sneaky feeling that this will suit a couple of youngsters as they just need to put a shift in and follow instructions rather than think for themselves too much. Would be great to see a couple of academy players make a contribution this season.
Didn't realise Perkins came off the bench. The thing is, he's surely usually first choice of the U23 CBs, so if he wasn't going to feature tomorrow then I'd have expected him to have started. If he just played a few minutes it could have just been as a warm-up or squad necessity, especially if Agyakwa might also play tomorrow, as the two have played alongside each other a fair bit already this pre-season. The only other reason why I could think he'd have been on the bench yesterday would have been if he'd had a knock.
As I was reading your post I was already forming a reply suggesting Perkins isn't 100% fit at the moment. It's impossible to guess due to possible sales, fitness and rotation as to who will start but I'd put 10p on Bachmann in goal & Sierralta in the back three. Other than that I've no idea. edit: I'm not sure Perkins is first choice CB for the U23s either. With Spencer-Adams captain today, having been here a little longer and far more comfortable on the ball, I'd say he was the main man at the back right now.
Lo Everton and Janjeva to the rescue. Is anyone listening/watching tomorrow ? I for one have little inclination to do so for the first time in a very long time. Depressing times.
I wouldn't call it inefficiency. More likely just poor judgement. Which is just as worrying since a large part of their system is based on being smarter than the others.
Official bids for Watford players need to be made in writing to the club secretary FAO Gino, not in random posts on this forum. Thanks. (But yes, everything’s a tenner)
Yeah it is really sad that it is difficult to muster any enthusiasm for a Watford game. Perhaps the team will surprise us and we will all regret missing out. So who has gone since I started typing this
Yeah, quite looking forward to this, to see some of the fringe players and youngsters, be nice to see a game without the pressure to win as well. The restart to last season was too intense man, and we're only going to get more of the same this season!
Will definitely be watching. Might see the first steps of a promising young player that Vlad will mould into a solid Championship player, or just see if we can notice a style of play even with a bunch of kids. Also, I've clearly lost the plot as I'm now convincing myself that Jerome Sinclair is going to play well and become a squad member that will contribute a bit throughout the season. Whisper it quietly, but I'm sure I read he wasn't that bad playing on the left at VVV Venlo, even though he obviously didn't score any goals.
You've lost it mate. Maybe you should watch just to get those silly thoughts out of your head, 90 minutes of that will sort you out I'm sure. Then you can re-join the group by slagging of fringe players nobody other than you has seen play.
He's going to be paid 100s of 1000s for a couple of months work and gain an increase in reputation. Of course he's relaxed.
Yes that will be this evening when you switch on at 1945 to see the first half only to realise that you have missed it because we kicked off at 1900! NB this is a free notification service!
Thanks. Genuinely had no idea and was planning for a 1945 kick off! Edit: don't suppose the mods could edit the title to show the kick off time as surely I can't be the only one to have thought that!
