Thought it might be a good idea to keep an eye on the senior squad for next season, in particular to see how many incomings/outgoings might be expected towards the end of the transfer window. Will update as and when people sign/leave. Feel free to inform me of any mistakes and I'll correct them. Non home-grown (over 21) - Running total 19 (Maximum 17) Gomes Pantilimon Arlauskis Zuniga Holebas Janmaat Dja Djedje Britos Prodl Kabasele Kaboul Behrami Capoue Doucoure Amrabat Pereyra - Out for season? Niang Zarate Okaka Home-grown (over 21) - Running total 6 Gilmartin Cathcart Mariappa Watson Cleverley Deeney Under 21 (but first team squad) - Running total 1 Success
Plus another 2-3 at least still to arrive ?? Probably like for like replacements for Amrabat, Suarez etc
Currently our crop of strikers, second strikers and CAMs likely competing for only 3 positions ( assuming 352, 343 or 4 3 3 formation)... Ighalo Deeney Vydra Oulare Amrabat Sinclair Success Penaranda Berghuis Abdi Jurado Pereyra (possible) Vazquez (possible) Bearing in mind Deeney is a certain starter, thats 10 to 12 players going for 2 spots. We are going to need a clear out
I agree, chipped in with as many goals as Jurado and Capoue combined, not bad for a non playing centre half.
Gomes Pantilimon Arlauskis Paredes Nyom Holebas Pudil - Sold to Sheff Wed Britos Prodl Belkalem Kabase Abdi - Sold to Sheff Wed Behrami Capoue Guedioura Doucoure Jurado - Sold to QSF's New Team Suarez Berghuis - Loan to Feyernord Amrabat Ighalo Vydra Home-grown (over 21) - Running total 7 Gilmartin Cathcart Hoban Murray Watson Anya Deeney Under 21 Success Oulare - Loan to a Belgian team Sinclair Penaranda (on loan Udinese) Highlighted in Red - probably going Highlighted in Blue - Possibly going Highlighted in Green - GONE!
I'd rather keep Abdi than Amrabat to be honest. Yes, I know they don't play in the same position but looking at the list above its not quite as simple as picking a player in each position
Don't know what to expect with Vydra, I honestly think if you could put Deeney's attitude and mentality into Vydra's body, you'd have a top tier player in a couple of years. Alas, we can't. Ultimately I think his fate rests in Wally's hands, I just hope we don't sell him to another PL club. Hope they send Oulare out on loan. People suggested he should have been loaned out last year but I suspect the medical team wanted to get his fitness up to scratch first. Feel abit sorry for Amrabat, bought from a club where he was loved only to be continually played out of position. I think he'll stay but whether be breaks into the first team, I don't know. Sinclair and Success will obviously be here. I expect Sinclair to mainly make substitute appearances for a tiring striker, and Success to be a starter given his final product is up to scratch. I think Penaranda will stay out on loan with Granada. The most important think right now is game time, and given the stacked lineup, I don't think this can be guaranteed. Berghuis is a tough one. I'm not sure if he has the pace or ability to go past people, so i don't know if he'll be deployed out wide. Personally, I think he could play well in the center, good technically and an eye for a pass. Perhaps a backup for the main CAM?. Abdi and Jurado may well go, I think Abdi could do a job for Udinese these days and selling Jurado is probably best for both parties. Pereyra, Vazquez. Honestly can't see either joining - but this is mainly because I don't want to get hopes up. Assuming my pessimism is correct, it will be interesting to see who they get to actually fill the main CAM position.
Agreed about Vydra . The only difference between him and Vardy is attitude . Attitude gets you a long way and Vydra needs to improve his or he ll fall by the wayside .
Not sure if he's still our player or not! I thought his contract expired this June but just checked on Twitter and Deportivo fans seem to think they can't afford to buy him from us even though he wants to stay with them. OP edited to include Matias Ranegie who is somehow still on our books...
Days Window has been officially open - 4 Days remaining - 58 I expect this list to change a lot. Would't be too sorry to wave goodbye to Nyom or (especially) Holebas in addition to those mentioned.
From WD40 today... "Vydra is back with the bit between his teeth, determined to fight for his place in the squad, evidenced by the fact he spent more than two weeks last month training under the guidance of Pavel Nedved’s former fitness coach". Hopefully his coach's been giving him lots of not-sulking training.
I would not be surprised if Vydra did go to a Nepalese Monastery this summer for a spot of attitude training. However that alone won't save his Watford career, on evidence to date he has two god seasons in the UK with Watford and two poor ones on loan. Has he got the talent to make one of this years places in the squad? I doubt that the management team will risk it and I expect him to go to Udinese in the transfer window.
What business does everyone think we still need to do? I would say a right wing back and a creative midfielder are the only two necessities, we're reasonably well stocked elsewhere. I don't think I'd be happy going in with just Abdi in that position, although I wouldn't mind seeing Capoue played a bit further up the pitch. Of the 4 non home-grown we need to cut as it stands, Belkalem, Pudil, Arlauskis are clearly the most likely to go, I'm not sure who the fourth would be. My preference would be for Paredes as I don't think he's good enough. Even for a wingback role, I'd much prefer Anya. I'm hoping that Tommie Hoban has fully recovered from injury and can play a significant part this season. It would be nice to have someone from the academy involved and before his injury problems I thought he had the potential to be our best centre back. Edit: couple of hints about the squad on the WDSport live blog of the Stevenage game. They said we're still looking for one more centre back and suggested that Paredes might not be around too much longer...
Depending on finances/how risky the club is feeling/what is going on in training, I wouldn't be shocked if there were no more "starting 11" purchases made. For CAM we have Abdi, Amrabat, Berghuis and Doucoure who might be able to play there. None fill me with massive confidence but Walter might see enough in training to feel that we have enough cover already. We could also play with a front 3, where I would say we have good options. Deeney/Ighalo up top, with Vydra, Berghuis, Success or Amrabat behind. RWB is the biggest question mark. I don't know much about Zuniga so I wont prejudge too much. His form and number of games played over the last couple of seasons is abit of a concern though. Nyom, Paredes and Amrabat are really make-shift solutions and nowhere near the quality of Holebas. Janmaat would be a good addition, Peres even better. I really have no idea about the club's transfer model and budget now the TV money has gone up, so these options might be completely unrealistic. We have 4 good CB's and need 5. Hoban and Nyom might make the step up although it is a risk. WD say we're still after Chambers on loan which would be a good move. I think it's easy to see all the rumours, Muff dropping 15mil on Ibe, the increase in TV money, and think that we have to start doing the same. Gino usually has a few tricks up his sleeve so I'm not worried, there are normally a few surprises each window that come from nowhere.
Can Zuniga play RWB and LWB? I'd buy two wing backs and Zuniga. Play Holebas LWB and buy a new RWB. Zuniga and another back up LWB too. Get rid of Nyom and Paredes as they aren't good enough in my opinion.
Agreed. A top notch CB would be good too as our current bunch are decent but no better than lower mid table . I know that's what we are , but would be nice to aspire for better .
I have a real feeling Sinclair could be a bit of a 'surprise' package for us this season not too sure why or if there's any real logic behind this belief. I can see him having to wait a little while to get real game time but have in my head he will end up with 7-10 goals this season.
Been having that same hunch too. No other reason than he looks a little bit like Sturridge and played for Liverpool.
With Zuniga official thats 22 Non HG-assuming Pudil and Bekelem go we are still three over-Parades or Nyom but not both surely leaves us two over Who might miss out-Guedioura, Vydra ?
