Never mind who we're signing this summer, for me it's equally important we have a massive clear out of the sub-standard mercenaries that have, in some cases at least, been a plague upon our squad for a few years now. It's time for a massive reboot. - Deeney - Best days well and truly behind him, completely ineffective on the pitch and doesn't behave like a captain. Media wh*re. - Holebas - Already made me feelings perfectly clear on this one. - Mariappa - A likeable character and I appreciate his efforts, but a Championship defender that has no business starting games in this league. - Britos - Old, past it, not very good, hot head. Bye. - Okaka - Never going to score goals consistently at this level despite the odd good moment. Another that just simply isn't good enough. - Prodl - Painfully slow and absolutely awful in possession. A shame because he's looked a good defender in the past but has been woeful in the most part this season. - Kaboul - Plays about 35 minutes a season. Complete waste of wages. - Zeegelaar - Terrible, just terrible (but would still rather see him play than Holebas). - Hoban - Never, ever going to be good enough. - Sinclair - League One player. - Capoue - Good for a goal now and then but heart of a mouse and horribly inconsistent. - Ndong - Who? - Carrillo - Decent ability and pace, poor application and end product.
Some of those have just signed new contracts! Maybe we are just hoping to get a bigger fee for them. Cannot really argue with that list - certainly hope we aren't going to be paying the reported 20 million Benfica wanted for Carrillo. Toruble is we're more likely to lose Doucouré and Richalison which whilst they haven't been on very good form for a while leaves us without 2 very good players if not replaced well.
If things weren't always bad what would we talk about on here? The weather? We need players that the fans hate to keep this place in business. Hopefully we can get Neymar on a free.
Agree with they list. Although would keep Mapps and Holebas as back ups. What a dreadful squad we’ve managed to assemble.
I'd keep one of Deeney and Okaka, maybe Gray as well. Also Holebas or Zeegelaar Prodl and Mariappa - would rather other 3 cb you listed leave. Capoue Need to have some squad players but agree we have assembled a horrible squad or below average players
Up to a point, Jumbo. Our squad is annoying not because they're not decent footballers, but because it seems that they could give more than they do (except for those glorious two or three matches a season when they all put a shift in). Nevertheless, we're halfway up one of the world's top leagues and even if we don't win another match this season - which is quite likely - we'll still be better than 3-6 other teams in this 20-team league.
It wasn't until I started ticking that I realised that there's a good case for getting shot of pretty much everyone. Really depressing.
Surprised to see Cleverley on that list. I've ticked most of the boxes, so that tells me we need a big clear out. It's at odds with SD's statement though, that they are happy with the squad.
Mariappa isn't good enough to start regularly but you need a squad, not just a starting eleven. Having a homegrown player who can play anywhere across the back four, knows the league and can put in a bloody good performance occasionally is not something we should be getting rid of.
I added some like Cleverley, Pereyra etc. that I don't necessarily think should go, but just to give people the choice.
Yes, that's fair enough. Maybe a smaller list would be who we MUST keep. For me, that list comprises of the following:- Chalobah, Kiko, Hughes, Cleverley, Doucoure. I can't think of many more that I would consider vital to remain. Of course I'd like to keep Pereyra, Gomes, Cathcart & Mapps, but I don't think are vital. All others can go as far as I'm concerned. Richarlison will be for big money, and Watford would be foolish not to take advantage of that. I would love to sign Deulofeu permanently. To my mind we have far too many squad players, and not enough first teamers.
Well I think Dyche would be very pleased with our squad, as it's given him 6 points this season......but it was Duxbury I was talking about.
Duxbury is part of the problem. Only an imbecile would claim that we don’t need major surgery. They said they were backing Gracia in January and they bought him NDong and the Belgian nobody because they wanted to grease the hand of an agent.
I do seriously fear for us if Duxbury and the Pozzo's truly believe the squad only needs minor tweaking this summer, or they aren't willing to shell out on the changes needed and wield the axe in shifting on all the crap we have. If the squad remains almost as is with little change then we are absolutely looking at being next seasons West Brom. It's just not good enough.
Completely agree. If this collection of cowards remain in place being led by their awful captain then we are likely to go down.
I think it's a bit naive to expect Duxbury to say to a room full of fans, plus a new coach and a signing from last summer, that we need yet more surgery to the squad. Seriously, what did you expect him to say? Things could have been even worse if the squad had heard Duxbury say that we're going to have a big clear out in the summer because these tossers aren't good enough.
Duxbury is no imbecile. He's influential but speaks for Gino, as he's the man that signs the cheques. I'm not sure why this is the message coming out from the club though, and it can only be down to money. Of course everyone can see we need major surgery, but that costs a lot of money. Extra funds can be raised by selling Doucoure and Richarlison. That could net £80m, if the reports are correct. I'm sure at least one of these players will be sold. The problem is, it appears we're no further forward from where we were last season. We collapsed into a mess in the final run-in. Everyone looked jaded and couldn't wait for the summer break. The exact same thing has happened this season. Are lessons being learned? Certainly this was the message at the end of last season, that this year we would not be seeing this collapse again....but hey presto....that's exactly what we've got. You can trot out as many messages as you like, such as "we need to learn lessons", "we need to ask some tough questions", or my favourite " a root and branch review", but this means nothing if nothing is done. Personally, I can see there's hope with some very good players already at the club. You can build something special with Doucoure, Cleverley, Chalobah, Kiko, Hughes, Deulofeu and Richarlison in the side. Add to that Pereyra then you have a terrific midfield and wingers. The defence is a big problem, but just imagine adding a couple of players like Gibbs and Dawson to that. Signing a young quality striker. Getting injured players back. A selection from Gibbs, Dawson, Cathcart, Kabasele, Kiko across the back-line would be enough to improve us. Gomes or the promising Dahlberg in goal. I know we won't be getting Hernandez, but imagine if we found other like him for next season? The team would be transformed at a relatively low cost. Imagine this team for next season:- Dahlberg Kiko Dawson Kabasele Gibbs Chalobah Doucoure Deulofeo Hughes Richarlison new striker Subs: Pendaranda Gomes Cathcart Janmaat Cleverley Capoue Deeney
Duxbury was poor at West Ham (see Carlos Tevez). Given some of our signings here where the main aim is to make agents happy combined with the history and I reserve judgement frankly.
Duxbury is a key player, but when it comes to recruitment it's down to Fillipo Giraldi and Gino Pozzo. Duxbury is more involved in other matters. The day-to-day stuff, stadium development and the overall running of the club, which I think he's done a brilliant job of doing. This signing players to grease the palms of agents is all hearsay without a shred of evidence. If that does goes on, then it's with reason. No club would deliberately sign dud players to make an agent happy for no purpose. There has to be some kind of payback, to which Watford would be the beneficiary. Are Watford perfect? No. Have mistakes been made again? Yes........but the overall picture seems to point to another season in the Premier league, although I wouldn't be as smug as some in suggesting we are completely safe just yet.
Individually our players are fine. Not great but they aren't as bad as many make them out to be. At the start of the season we looked energetic, skilful and able to play on the counter attack away from home and with a degree of control at the Vic. After telling injuries and a change in coach we again ship goals without really threatening going forward. So what's the problem? For me it's not the individual players as such but not having players who complement who they play along side. Early season Chalobah & Cleverley alongside Doucoure worked well with Gray making selfless runs up top. We really miss Chalobah and Cleverley. Richarlison caused problems which meant his full back couldn't get forward and Carillo looked promising when, as a team, we threatened going forward. Plenty of pace and movement in the six players mentioned. Now we have a sluggish Capoue in the middle who naturally slows things down when receiving the ball. Pereya, as good as he can be, isn't quick either. Hughes is slower too. As good as each of those players are (or aren't, depending on your point of view) they're easier to defend against than those previously mentioned because of that lack of pace. Add Deeneys name and suddenly the movement is reduced still further. That isn't a fault aimed at the players as such, that's what they are. No amount of training is going to make them faster to any great effect. Kiko adds plenty when he plays but as a team we lack dynamism purely through a physical lack of pace & strength going forward right now compared to what was there earlier in the season. Defensively things won't change (haven't changed) simply because of a lack of fit players. I think it was something like the first eight games were played without the same defensive partnerships being used due to injuries. Now we have Prodl and Mariappa, two good defenders who should complement each other with regards to one being pacy and the other more physical and taller BUT if one or both suffer a slump in form they just haven't been able to be taken out of the team because there was no fit player to replace them with. The same has happened with both full-backs. It's Janmaat and Holebas, bog standard Premiership defenders, or who? So if it's the best we have who are playing and there's nobody else fit enough to challenge their place, of course the same mistakes will happen time and time again. So whoever is sold and whoever is bought it's not just a question of getting someone different to what we have, it's finding players who complement those they're going to be playing with.
Hearsay? Oulare, Lukebakio, Kums and Okaka have all come from the same agent. All expensive. All dog*****.
I think if you make it clear we desperately need players we would have our pants pulled down on transfer fees
He’s been here for coming up 6 years and has helped us do all sorts of things but most importantly seen us become a mid table Prem team. How long are you reserving judgement for?
He did well up to the end of QSF season but he shouldn’t be immune from critisism? Anyone who thinks this squad doesn’t need huge surgery is deluded.
This poor form thing is an exaggeration in my book. He probably isn't hitting the exceptional heights he was, and he doesnt seem to do the box to box runs as much, but who knows what instructions Javi has given him. He's still an essential contributor to our good play. He made a great block to stop a Mounie shot yesterday. I think he's just a victim of expectations inflating, along with his wantaway comments tarnishing him a bit.
I think most potential buyers will just put it down to him surrounded by incompetent teammates. I get the sense he'll also kick up a fuss if he's not allowed to leave
Indeed. Also, if a club publicly comes out and says "we're desperate to sign such and such a player" then selling clubs straight away will add a few £mil on to their players' fees.
