Squad 2023 - 2024

This is based on those actually signed to the club right now. There are 3 or 4 names that we can pretty much rule out for playing for us from this list (I would imagine). Positions of some of the players are variable, but I've tried to place them where most likely to play (could well be wrong on a few). We also have a couple of U23's who I suppose could step up during pre-season.

GK Bachmann
GK Hamer
GK Okoye

RB Ngakia
RB Ferreira
RB Andrews

LB Morris

CB Porteous
CB Hoedt
CB Kabasele
CB Sierralta
CB Pollock

CM Louza
CM Kone
CM Kayembe
CM Dele-Bashiru

RM Sarr
RM Kalu
RM Baah
RM Pussetto

LM Sema
LM Hungbo

AM Asprilla
AM Ince
AM Martins

ST Healy
ST Bayo
ST Adeyemo
ST Fletcher
ST Hurtado

Definitely need a LB based on numbers alone. Depending on formation and use of the 'AM' players, I'd say we are in need of 1 or 2 'traditional' CM's. We officially have 5 strikers there - deals to be done hopefully so we can bring in at least 1 more!

 

Horrendously weak midfield.

 

That strike force is beyond pathetic

 

A considerable amount of work to be done to make us competitive in this league. The only area that is approaching acceptable is CB, and that includes Kabasele!

 

If Valerian can't win promotion with that squad we need to replace him swiftly with someone who can. There can be no excuses.

 

Take out Louza and Asprilla, then I wouldn't expect this squad to even gain promotion from League One.

The midfield and forward line is a joke. Central defence is probably strong enough. Right back we have covered, but on the left we're well short, even if you switch Sema and use as a left wingback, which is what I expect may happen.

How anyone be excited or optimistic over next season is beyond me, but I do envy you. So much needs to be done, and time is ticking down rapidly. One month today we play QPR.

 

What a multi layered turd Pozzo has generated. And that’s after a few bits of droppings have already been cleaned up. Horrendous collection of players!

 

Awful.

No wonder Duxbury was labouring the point at the Q&A about being proud to be a championship team and where we naturally are, because that collections of drop outs, nobodies and journeymen is going nowhere near the top 6.

 

Very much a year of transition. And the only real hope to cling to is that we can comfortably avoid the relegation scrap, as if we get involved at all I'm not sure that bunch of no marks will be able to pull us clear.

 

A year of transition to being truly potless and adrift, with no further Premier League money pointlessly providing new tranches of cash for Macquarie to remortgage

 

Funnily enough I disagree almost entirely with this, formation depending, we might have the foundation of a decent front line--not expecting Fletcher or Hurtado to be here, but Healey is a smart signing and Bayo isn't a bad backup. If we were to sign Cho, that would be amazing, but as it is, it's far from our biggest problem. We have some good options in attacking midfield, but very little steel, and Livermore last season was basically a poor man's Choudhury, he isn't getting any better. On paper, our defensive unit and goalkeepers should be OK, it wasn't our main problem last season, but not unlike Edwards' problems getting a suitable RWB, nobody we have at CB or in goal look like they're suitable to playing a high line, WTE for all his faults looked like the most suitable of all of them (not that he's tremendously suited to it), which leaves us with a bunch of slowpokes and an ageing Kabasele

 

I'm investing in Bayo stocks now, they're an absolute bargain, I advise you to join me ASAP. Once he's bagged a couple of pre-season goals against lower league opposition, you've probably already missed the boat.

 

What a depressing list. How have we gotten to this stage ffs

 

We can pretty much bank on not having Sarr and Pussetto before the season starts.

I look at other teams in this league and see vastly superior squads at the moment. If this is a season of transition fair enough but if VI is expected to vie for promotion with that squad, then we're in for a rude awakening.

 

Is Pussetto still a thing?
I suppose he is if Sampdoria don't take up the option.

 

This is what I currently make out our effective depth to be based on our current squad and Leventhal article.

 

I know once the close season occurs, all the sh1te players become amazing in the view of the board. Everyone get a clean slate and given a chance to impress the new head coach. We have the advantage as fans, as we know the playing standard of the vast majority of players. Ismael and his team don't have this insight and the board are lobotomised every summer also, so they forget who the players are and their abilities. This is where the frustrations occur.

We all know the Kayembe's and Okoye's of this world are gash, but we have to go through the process of pretending the entire squad is good really.

So let's drill into it and see where we really are with it. The starting point is, last season's team finished 11th. Whether we underachieved or was placed in a correct position is up for debate, but the league position is a fact. We only attained 63 points.

Since then we've lost Pedro (11 goals, 4 assists), who is a huge loss for a club in Watford's position. We'll be losing Sarr (10 goals, 6 assists), Davis (7 goals, 2 assists). So that's 3 players out the door who contributed to 28 goals and 12 assists. So far, they have been replaced by Healey and Ince. It's a big downgrade to our scoring potential, which was even a big concern last season. It's across the front line where I think we're going to really struggle.

From midfield, the only big loss is Choudhury. I wasn't too impressed with him anyway, but his energy and tackling was good. His distribution left a lot to be desired. So, midfield, which was an area needing upgrades last season, is further hampered by the loss of Choudhury and no replacement.

The defence has seen Kamara, Cathcart and Troost go. On last season's form, this isn't really a loss, but Kamara is a high level player when he's motivated, and I think we'll miss Cathcart more than we think. Again, there's been no replacements coming in.

Goalkeepers have remained the same.

So overall, considering we're hopefully going to be more motivated and play with a higher intensity, that might makeup some shortfall, but I just don't see goals in this team. We may be competitive, in terms of being in games, but I can see a season where if we concede the first goal we're done for. When you're playing with that type of pressure, it always leads to a relegation fight.

Unless we have a lot of upgrades in the pipeline, which I'm now doubting, I can see only a miserable season ahead for us I'm afraid.

 

It’s all about the forwards for me. I think the new coach can hopefully get the players to run around more than they did last season, but if you haven’t got the strikers it will be a struggle. Bayo needs to be shipped out. We therefore need 2 quality strikers, otherwise we are looking like a relegation battle

 

Not particularly. It was a relaxed mood and there was no chants of Pozzo out or similar. There was chants of "We've had a shot" apparently in the 2nd half at some point around the 70th minute.

Think fans got what they were expecting minus a goal.

 

Why?

 

Because he is a goal every 4 games striker, and his all round game isn’t great. But apart from that..

 

Last season for us he scored a goal every 2.6 games (90 minutes). That was better than any other player to have played more than a few games for us. That's also a better rate than any other player for us managed the last time we were promoted from the Championship (excluding penalties).

 

We will not be debt free. It is all smoke and mirrors by Pozzo and Duxbury.
We are over £200m+ in debt.
We are heading for League One, not the Premier league.

 

Christ! That is a league one squad for sure.
I would release 17 players from that squad. They are not good enough for the Championship.

 

Hope you’re wrong.

 

Don't know where to start with this. It's the first year I'm struggling to say "we need x, y, z". I think we just need a whole new team.

 

Despite the assurances given at the Q&A, when specific questions were asked and we're directed to the used car salesman finance bloke, he just waved his hand and said about not needing to get into details.

That negated the assurances for me.

 

Over £200m in debt.