Squad 2023 - 2024

Haha that would bring the house down if Manaj pops up on deadline day! Reckon it would be end of Uncle Ron!

 

Also, "even so" what?

"A few" tweaks and 10% of a squad of 27 just sounds in line with what I think we were expecting the club still to do:

- a new number 9
- another CB (probably backup LCB)
- plus outside chance of one other in another position?

 

The troubling thing is when we all mocked last year about what this years squad would look like with Cleverly/Cathcart etc it’s actually worse than any of us joked about.

Livermore/Sierralta defensive mid. Pollock first reserve at CB. Ngakia about to get 20 matches. Bachman captain on 5 year deal. It’s horrendous!!

 

Livermore is 5hite, but Sierralta has seemed very good at DM in pre-season at least.

 

I like Sierralta at DM. He will simply drop and split the CB'S so the fullbacks can bomb forward. It could be the making of him.

 

Can’t see how that can be determined until he’s played 10 games there. In the meantime he and Livermore as the DMs is very risky. And additionally it means we are lighter at CB.

 

Has done a good job there in pre-season, but I do fear for him tomorrow against Willock and Chair...

 

LINK

https://www.watfordfc.com/news/ismael-we-feel-ready

 

Even if you classify Sierralta as a CB we're arguably a bit short, 3 CBs is ridiculous. Have to hope there's truth to what Leventhal says about getting a LCB

 

So a big part of the strategy is for players to not get injured. Good luck with that one.

 

That's not how he's being used from what I can see. He might drop in there if we're defending but when we're in possession he's next to useless receiving the ball off the centre backs. Morris was playing very inverted against Palace, I'm assuming to give the centre backs another passing option because Sierralta is so limited.

Then there's the mobility issue, on turnovers he's a walking red card because he just doesn't have the positional awareness for that position yet. He could have had a red card within 10 minutes against Palace because he was caught out and hauled back a player.

 

Sierralta is still the best centre back we have. Using him at DM is hilariously mental.

 

On the surface, I agree it seems bonkers. Been trying to work out why VI is preferring him in this position (apart from the obvious that we got no one else to play that role and Livermore is past it). I think what he intends to do is play Sierralta in the DMF position when we're attacking. Once we're defending, then he drops into a back three, which could be an advantage. I think he's going to be clunky in a DMF position, but it will be an advantage having him on the pitch defending corners etc.

 

I was supposed to say I like the thought. But yes you're correct.

 

Livermore/Sierralta as DM options is not gonna cut it - need a new signing in there for sure

Another thing to remember about Sierralta performances as DM in pre season is that referees don’t tend to give our cards in friendlies… he’s gonna be walking on a tightrope for probably 50% of games due to his style of play and clunkiness

 

We would be horrifically short in CM. I think we need a CM and No.9 who are upgrades on what we have. This is an absolute minimum.

 

I suppose there's also potentially Kayembe.

 

He’s a bit sh*t though isn’t he

 

I like Sierralta and if playing him
OOP means he gets a start, then I’m fine with that. I wouldn’t say he’s our best centre-back and a succession of Head Coaches since Xisco haven’t thought so either, but I must admit I’ve always liked him and I know @NathWFC does too. So I think we will both be pleased of he starts, and interested to see how he gets on OPP. It’s such an ugly position anyway and one that rarely draws any praise. When we look back over the last ten years, how often do we remember great defensive midfielders we’ve had compared to the strikers, wingers and even goalkeepers.

Our re-build has started but frustratingly is nowhere near ready. It’s annoying we will still have gaps in prime positions tomorrow. But hopefully they get filled soon and by October we will have forgotten all about tomorrow’s starting line-up and will he pleased it’s evolved. Cliche I know but it really it a long season.

 

Frankly really fairly starkly different quotes Ismael has given to The Athletic today, to be honest:

 

Interesting how he doesn't mention Forde among the strikers in the squad, presume he's our 3rd choice DM then

 

As a matter on interest, how many do you think makes our first eleven now? I would say Eustace, Sordell and Taylor. Based on that I still think were a bit behind that squad still

 

On that basis alone I would sign him!

 

Hard to rank Andrews ahead of Doyley at this early stage in his career, and I'm not the biggest fan of Hoedt so I'd agree with Mapps ahead of him

 

Not sure that rules him out to be fair! he wasn't that bad before his injury and this probably is his level. Unfortunately we bought him for the Premier League!

 

I know most Watford disagree but I thought Doyley was one of the poorest footballers I've seen. He was quick which got him out of the brown stuff a lot but as a footballer he was truly awful.
Mapps for Hoedt I could understand, not much in it

 

Forde is not a striker, that would be why.

He's not really a DM either mind.

More an attacking midfielder or winger I think. If we don't loan him out I still doubt we'd plan to give him any minutes beyond cup games.

 

There's not much too wrong with that.

It's more difficult for him to fully assess players in pre-season relative to a competitive game. Also, it raises the possibility that if he thinks some players don't end up being up to standard that we could make more signings in different positions than the couple that have already been hinted at.

He also talks about the need for depth and the ability to potentially cover injuries, so he's not oblivious to the concerns raised by some here (albeit his assessment of the quality of some of our squad players may end up differing).

 

Non on any list of strikers - Tick
Knows the championship - Tick

 

Would walk into our team as first choice.

Even now aged 40.