Can't help but wonder how much damage our 17th place finish has caused us as an attractive destination for overseas players. Add to that two seasons of mainly dire long ball football and the treatment of younger players (signing them and then pretty much freezing them out e.g. Berghuis, Vydra, Oulare, Sinclair, Doucouré for half a season) and I think Gino and the team might have their work cut out this summer. Obviously Premier League money still talks but for young, ambitious overseas players who care about their career as well, I wonder if we're not quite as attractive a prospect as we could have been. Hopefully the appointment of Silva can offset this somewhat.
If the money is right for the agent the player will inevitably sign. Modern football isn't about league positions so much anymore. It's about getting top dollar for agent and player. That is one reason why modern football is a bit pants.
If we manage to sign a big name player (for us ) like Allan, Lemina , Simeone , it will be a massive credit to Gino as at this moment we look a less attractive option than we did last summer .
Bl00dy Nora Moog, I used to enjoy your insightful, educated posts full of dry wit and wry humour. But your posts lately What's happened for you to become such a negative miserable old git ?
Possibly, but the tiny percentage of negativity appears to becoming statistically significant - That, or I'm becoming more sensitive in my dotage ?
We certainly need a midfielder who can I play in tight spaces and pick a pass. Probably the biggest cause of our problems last season
Our new 'keeper, Bachman, counts as home-grown. Reckon he'll be our third keeper, meaning we will probably dispense with Arlauskis or Pantilimon, or even both; I still reckon we're going to go for another GK - one who's first-team ready. Reckon we'll keep Holebas, although his deal runs out in the Summer. So does Britos' but I imagine we'll look to move him on. Paredes will probably be moved on, too. Not sure what's happening with DjeDje, although I think I've heard murmurs that the club does rate him. Hoban has been linked with a loan to QPR. Behrami has been linked with a move away, and I can see why (see Britos and Holebas). I reckon Watson's time here is over. Agbo will probably move elsewhere on loan. I don't know where I stand with Suarez. I've been under the impression that, when a senior player is loaned out, that generally signals the end of their Watford career. I would not be surprised if Berghuis has a similar fate. Penaranda has not been awarded a work permit, so it's safe to say he won't be here. All I hope is that he plays regularly. Injuries aside, I don't want him to go on loan somewhere to only play five games in the whole season. I think Success will also be loaned out in the coming season, perhaps to La Liga again, or maybe to Granada. I've read a couple of rumours, however tenuous, that Zarate may be sold. I don't imagine Sinclair and Oulare having a huge involvement, either. Looking at the list from the OP, here's who I think will remain at the club, at least for this season: Gomes Bachman (HG) Djedje Janmaat Holebas Femenia Prodl Kabasele Kaboul Mariappa (HG) Cathcart (HG) Capoue Doucoure Cleverley (HG) Hughes (HG) Amrabat Pereyra Deeney (HG) Okaka Obviously this is prior to any assessment Silva has had over the squad.
We've got Hughes - Derby fans have said that this is his specialty. Pereyra/ Zarate, from their limited showings last season, have shown that they are able to do this - although questions remain about the long term impact of their injuries.
Someone did a thread last year showing an up to date list of our squad, which included positions and whether they were HG or not. Any chance someone could do one again? Can be updated when someone signs or leaves. Thanks in advance to whoever takes this on.
http://wfcforums.com/index.php?threads/squad-17-18.52853/ Here's this season's, it's ripe for a quick update from you!
Steve Sherwood and Ian Bolton are no longer with the club. I'll give you further updates in due course.
From the fishal site... The Hornets' squad numbers for the new Premier League campaign are now confirmed and can be seen below. Daryl Janmaat has switched from 22 to 2 and Jerome Sinclair moves from 19 to 17. Nathaniel Chalobah has been handed the number 14 shirt whilst fellow new signings Will Hughes will wear 19, Kiko Femenia will be number 21 and Daniel Bachmann is 35. 1 Heurelho Gomes 2 Daryl Janmaat 3 Miguel Britos 4 Younes Kaboul 5 Sebastian Pr*dl 6 Adrian Mariappa 7 Nordin Amrabat 8 Tom Cleverley 9 Troy Deeney 10 Isaac Success 14 Nathaniel Chalobah 15 Craig Cathcart 16 Abdoulaye Doucoure 17 Jerome Sinclair 19 Will Hughes 20 Mauro Zarate 21 Kiko Femenia 23 Ben Watson 25 Jose Holebas 26 Brice Dja Djedje 27 Christian Kabasele 29 Etienne Capoue 30 Costel Pantilimon 31 Tommie Hoban 33 Stefano Okaka 35 Daniel Bachmann 37 Roberto Pereyra
Unless Zarate's injury is well on the way to recovery, playing again by the end of September, he will probably be left out. It's looking quite well balanced at the moment Heurelho Gomes Costel Pantilimon Daniel Bachmann HG Daryl Janmaat Kiko Femenia Miguel Britos Younes Kaboul Sebastian Pr*dl Adrian Mariappa HG Craig Cathcart HG Jose Holebas Christian Kabasele Brice Dja Djedje Nathaniel Chalobah HG Abdoulaye Doucoure Ben Watson HG Etienne Capoue Tom Cleverley HG Roberto Pereyra Will Hughes HG Mauro Zarate Nordin Amrabat Isaac Success U21 Stefano Okaka Andre Grey HG Richarlison U21 Troy Deeney HG Jerome Sinclair U21
I would probably (sad to say) let Mapps go unless Zarate is miles off fitness. We currently have 6 centre backs for 2 spots - I don't think there is a likelihood of Silva going to a back 3.
I think I miscounted. I thought we had 26 instead of 25, so assumed someone would not make squad, in which case a strike option rather than a CB would be best bet to keep in.
Gomes Pantilimon Bachmann Djedje Janmaat Holebas Femenia Prodl Britos Kabasele Kaboul Mariappa Cathcart Hoban Capoue Doucoure Chalobah Cleverley Watson Hughes Amrabat Pereyra Zarate Richarlison Success Deeney Okaka Sinclair Gray Running totals: Non HG - 16 (1 under maximum) HG - 10 Combined over 21 players - 26 (1 over maximum) U21 - 3 Updated OP (hopefully correct). Shows how well we've done this summer that we have a stronger squad and still have a bit of room to maneuvre in the next couple of weeks. The centre back list looks very long for a season with a back four, so presume that Tommie Hoban will go out on loan and maybe one other be sold/loaned? I know there's a rumour about Prodl but wouldn't be too surprised to see Kabasele go out on loan. Other than that, main question is whether or not Zarate is far enough along his recovery to warrant a squad place until January. It definitely looks like we'll have a full 25 man over 21 squad this season.
To get 25 from 26 with possible future transfers this window; looking at each of those groups: GK - obviously if we bring in another GK then Pantilimon will be out. R&L/B - we do need cover for LB, so if one comes in I suspect Djedje would be axed or if following an assessment that Janmaat just won't be fit enough until Jan he might get the chop. CB - not expecting change unless Hoban gets loaned out. DM - Watson may get the chop. AM - If Zarate doesn't look like he'll be fit before November he may get the chop if Watson stays F - Not expecting any further change. If there were no more transfers in, then I'd expect the current order for the chop is Hoban (loan), Watson (sale), Djedje (locked in cupboard), Zarate (length of injury), Janmaat (ditto).
A fantastic window for the Hornets - so we wait for the final 25 man squad I'll go with (Zarate and Okaka my only question mark): Homegrown: Bachmann Cathcart Watson Cleverley Hughes Chalobah Deeney Gray Foreign: Gomes Karnezis Wague Prodl Britos Kaboul Kabasele Janmaat Femena Holebas Zeegelaar Doucoure Capoue Pererya Carillo Richarlison Amrabat Plus youth: Success Sinclair Folivi Pereira Mason Etc In limbo: Mariappa Dje-dje Zarate Hoban (injured) Okaka
