Pozzo and Giraldi begging for the drop if so. Might be worth them reflecting due to injuries we may get Dawson and Mapps playing at CB in Sunday’s 6 pointer and no clue who will be right back.
It’s worth noting that Joe Bryan played regularly for a Fulham team who were dreadful defensively in the PL last season. I want defenders as much as anyone - but I want them to be a recognised step up in quality from what we already have. I’m not sure Joe Bryan is and I’m not going to let my enthusiasm for signing new defenders cloud that thought.
If he is not an extortionate price based off his prior Bristol City performance I think he’s bound to be an upgrade on 35 year old Holebas as a squad player. Holebas is gone as a footballer. Kiko has been strong there but that just leaves us short on the other flank. We only need competence to upgrade what we have. Of course our management will end up offering Holebas a one year extension at end of the season instead.
I agree he would likely be better. But my fear would be we sign someone who is a minor upgrade and that would be it for another 3/4 years. And we tread water all over again.
Yes true. Right now I just think we need two defensive additions even if just to pension off Holebas and cover injury prone Janmaat - probably loans the best option. Owners don’t seem to see it that way. They compound mistakes with mistakes and never learn.
Other championship LB’s that appear to be having good seasons are; Max Lowe at Derby Rico Henry at Brentford Antonee Robinson at Wigan Think Max Lowe has a bright future ahead of him. Can play RB and LB, so versatile, which is always a plus. Derby won’t be making the play-offs this year, so could be worth a punt.
I’m going to hope that pretending we don’t need defenders is because otherwise the cost of all our targets goes up 50%. However after last summers efforts on the defensive recruitment front, I am not confident.
I wasn't too impressed with what I saw from him at the time either, though it's worth remembering though that Fulham's other defenders were Callum Chambers, Alfie Mawson and Tim Ream, who are absolute absolute gash; it certainly would not have helped him. He was also out injured for a couple of months towards the start of the season and had left home for the first time, which he has stated he found tough. He currently appears to be Fulham's highest rated LB on whoscored, and in fact the highest rated LB in the Championship for this season so far.
This is a good point and I'm torn between two competing ideas here. On the one hand, I believe that none of our incumbent defenders should be first choice. The likes of Kiko, Janmaat, Cathcart and Kabasele are all Premier League squad quality, but we should have brought in better in each of those positions by now. I don't know anything about Jon Barry or whatever this bloke is called, but certainly his record, as part of one of the worst defences I've ever seen in this league and a somewhat uninspired rating from his own fans in the lower division, doesn't lead me to believe he's the left back to take us up a notch. On the other hand, we might simply need a body, just to get us through the next few fixtures. With Kiko injured and Holebas looking hopelessly out of shape and slow, we could lose valuable points during the next few games if we don't get a couple of defenders in, just to give us some options. In any sane club, it would be possible to make 2 pragmatic signings in January and then, in the summer, move on to more long term targets and shift on the weaker options in the squad, but we all know that at Watford, any defenders signed will stay here until they die, on self renewing contracts. It would be a worry if this was seen as our "step up" in that position. In fact, with Massina there already, what actually would be the point of this signing at all?
He's an ok defender, but certainly not an upgrade on what we already have (IMO). If we're spending around £8-10m in order to get him, I'd say leave well alone and put the money towards a better option in the summer. Clearly, we need upgrades on what we have, right across the backline. The market for us is probably very small. An upgrade for us, would be a player that teams like Everton, West Ham, Wolves (the usual suspects) would be interested in also. With us being in our current position, we're not going to be seen as attractive. The only way we can complete against the clubs I've listed is if we are flying in the league. The other way is throwing a lot of money at it, but that's not something we'll do (or should do). The lack of planning last summer has come back to bite us, and I think we've got to accept that. I thought at the time we should have left Sarr alone a used the money on the defence. Now, because Sarr is looking the business, I've changed my mind on that. We somehow have to get through this season, stay up, then when we have next year's EPL money assured we can concentrate on bolstering the defence. When AL says we're only looking to upgrade the CB position with a player significantly better than Kabs and Cathcart I tend to believe that. I don't think they would be aversed to spending £20m on the right player, but it would have to be the right player. Someone who would improve the defence rather than someone coming in at a similar level to those already at the club.
Sounds a sensible strategy. However I feel we are at least one body short at full back so we need a loan. Getting rid of Folquier is bizarre if not. He may not be great but might be the best right back option for Sunday depending on our injury situation. To me Holebas is shot as is Prodl so we have 3 full backs and 4 centre backs (some are versatile and cover both positions). It’s not enough for the battle ahead.
When you put it like that I agree, however the powers that be think we have 4 full backs and 5 centre backs!
According to wikipedia, Bryan's father, Alan, is a cardiac surgeon, specializing in aortic surgery. It's a yes from me.
Fulham in for Huddersfield’s Kongolo ... who can play LB .... would suggest that things may of progressed with Bryan ?
My dad was an electrical wholesaler who once had a chat with Arthur Lowe and saw Paul McCartney in Hendon Central,so it's a yes from me too.
With that kind of celebrity recognition your Dad was very well qualified to spot a good full back, was he a part time scout?
Actually Eric Morecambe was under my dad's care when he died. Eric was a L**** fan. So I've changed my mind, I'm out.
When I was around 13 years old I was at a charity celeb pro/am golf event and stood next to Sir Harry Secombe at the urinals. Terry Wogan and the guy from Robins Nest/Man About The House were there also.
Saw Sir Tommy Smith at the small Tesco in Tring a couple of days ago. Guess he lives up this way ? Or perhaps he's really coming home ? Prem league experience.
He was very highly rated. Certainly wasn't the worst Huddersfield defender. So expect us to be linked with him too.
I was watching the Mr Men online with my grandchild. That took me back. He just needs to grow up faster so we can watch some Dad's army.
Yes,Thursdays,about tea time! Richard O'Sullivan I think? With Sally Thomsett (?) and Paula Wilcox and that's without Google! So we're fine: The Mr Men in central defence,RoS on the left and Paul McCartney and a squashed Eric Morcambe as back up, on the right. Geoff B,deceased as scout. This is easy!
Of course he wasn’t historically a L*t*n fan. The story he told was that his son wanted to go to a football match and, since they lived in Harpenden, it was us or ‘them’. So they tossed a coin and L*t*n won, which was traditional at the time.
Robinson is well worth looking at. I don't understand the purpose of signing Andy Scott to look at the pyramid to recruit young British talent (Robinson is a dual national and US full international) and then snubbing his recommendations. I expect Giraldi is a big stumbling block. The model may have worked well for a period but surely it is time to bin Giraldi Gino. The model needs changing and adding too. Pearson surely needs more control if we are going to keep him long term as manager and hopefully get someone like Walsh in alongside him.
Reading that just makes me think why aren’t we after the Wigan one they all seem to want instead, not that I have any clue about him.