I think the squad is starting to look clearer. I’d guess it will look something like: 1 - Bachmann 2 - Foster 3 - Elliot 4 - Femenía 5 - Sierralta 6 - Troost-Ekong 7 - Cathcart 8 - Kabasele 9 - Masina 10 - Rose 11 - Etebo 12 - Kucka 13 - Louza 14 - Tufan 15 - Cleverley 16 - Gosling 17 - Sarr 18 - Sema 19 - Hernández 20 - Dennis 21 - King 22 - Deeney 23 - Fletcher (U21) Ngakia (U21) João Pedro Sell: Chalobah Gray Hughes Navarro Quina Success Loan: Baah Pollock That leaves two spots, hopefully one will be taken by a new CB. I also think a new RB is a distinct possibility with Ngakia then going out on loan.
Baah will probably play in the EFL cup and then get loaned somewhere afterwards. Looking at the list posted by @simpleMASH we look like we have 9 HG players in the 23 spots so far. So there will be no necessity to keep either Hughes or Chalobah.
We’ve actually got 11 in that list, so well over the minimum 8 needed to register a full-sized squad.
Slowly but surely. It's turning into a very good window. Shift the deadwood and get a new CB in, hopefully Lyanco and it could be an amazing window. My optimism is rising.
I agree if we get Lyanco and shift Gray, Success and Navaro that would turn the window into the "excellent" category. As for Hughes, if he ends up north of the border that would be brilliant as it would mean not selling to a rival.
Easy to forget we signed Josh King. He is training today. Can't wait for the relief on the face of defenders when Dennis gets subbed, only to see that King is coming on. Three forwards with incredible pace. Cucho and João are no slouches either.
Since we gave him the big build-up, I wonder if he's in line to start at Brighton? Seems a bit late to be doing welcome videos
Bachmann Foster Elliott Kiko (Ngakia) Masina Rose Sierralta WTE Kabasele Cathcart (Pollock) Navarro Etebo Kucka Tufan Cleverley Louza Gosling Chalobah Hughes Quina Sarr Dennis Cucho Fletcher Deeney Sema King (Joao Pedro) Gray Squad at the moment, reckon it's almost complete in terms of incomings, maybe one or two more defenders at a push (depending on outgoings) 28 over 21s, 4 of whom are strongly linked with moves away (plus Navarro to that list as surely he has no future here lol), get rid of them all (or if any of them do stay, not listing them the squad) and we have 2 spaces, which we could use to bring in a CB and a RB to allow Ngakia to go out on loan, if one of them stays (ie Hughes/Chalobah), I imagine it'd be either a CB or a RB
The 4 I would like to lose are: - Navarro; Success; Gray & Deeney However, along with Success it is more likely to be Hughes; Chalobah & Quina
I reckon Success, Navarro, Gray and Quina will go. Hughes possibly interchanged with Navarro or Quina.
Have to say, I’ve been following developments a little too closely and have started to confuse myself with all the permutations of what our final squad could be. To clarify (for myself more than anything): We currently, officially at least, have 30 players over-21 at the club. So 5 need to go - 1) Hughes is probably already gone but just not announced, 2+3) Navarro and Alvarado will both surely be off, on loan at least and 4) Quina is rumoured to be about to go too. That only means one more departure is needed. Deeney and Gray have been linked with moves away, so either of them going brings our squad down to size. Both leaving would allow us to make a signing. Let’s not muddy things with the talk that potentially Chalobah or Gosling could leave as well. We’ll see what happens over the weekend!
Hughes, Deeney, Success, Gray and presumably Navarro out. with Sissoko included that's a full squad if someone else comes in then you expect it's for Quina or they fall in the U21 category.
I think Quina will go tomorrow. No way do we need 9 midfielders. I am expecting a new CB though. If Navarro stays he won’t be included in the 25 man squad.
A centre back and right back capable of challenging Kiko would be nice. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I hope they've taken the hint when Cathcart hobbled off and Kiko has been injured since the end of last season.
Obviously this is a simplistic view, and I know a lot of our players can play in various positions. But I find this an easier visual over the columns and cross over positions
I think we should possibly play 4231 and largely cut out the tippy tappy stuff out from the back. We should revert to God's long passing game to use the pace we have up front to best effect. In other words ATTACK should be our best form of defence which would hopefully give us enough wins to survive in the PL this season. Maybe our 1st eleven could look something like: - Foster; Rose or Masina; Sierralta; Kabaselle or WTE; Kiko or Ngakia; Etebo & Kucka in front of the back four; Then the front four maybe in a diamond shape: - Cucho; possibly Sissoko or even Pedro when fit at the base of the Diamond, Dennis out left; Sarr out right and King up front.
I'd go with Tufan ahead of Sissoko and WTE ahead of Kabasele (I know your feelings on that!), but otherwise agreed (though I recognise the first XI won't be set in stone)
Agreed that we shouldn't rely upon passing out from the back with WTE, but...it's obvious that our pace up front is our best asset, we shouldn't be exclusively aiming to hit long balls over the top as opposition defences can easily combat that
Barring any free transfers, that's us until January. With 2 spaces left I really hope the club have something up their sleeves for the defence.
The defence is a nightmare. Cathcart is now 32 (33 in Feb), Kabs is 31 in Feb. Sierralta and WTE are good ages being 23 and 28, but once you get over 30, your body does fail you more. It's normal to pick up injuries and slightly longer to recover from them. If we're guaranteed no injuries all season, we should be able to get away with it, although Troost-Ekong is going to AFCON and Sierralta will be playing for Chile (or suspended if he doesn't if that report is true). I heard AL mention Masina could be used as cover (yes the Masina who allowed Duffy to beat him all ends up to head a goal for Brighton), plus he's at AFCON also. I think Kucka could play at CB, but he's also 34 and has already been out with an injury in his short Watford career. As you say, hopefully they have something up their sleeve in the out-of-contract market, or else we've been negligent in this area of the team (once again).
Only Cathcart & Kiko left at the club now from the eleven that started the cup final. That's quite a clear out.
The good news is a revamped MF and strikers, plus the ability to slash costs if we are relegated. The bad news is little defensive strengthening, plus many players on loan who may be less committed and will leave significant holes if, as is very possible, we are relegated.
Good. A team that is capable of getting to a cup final and chasing Europe one season - only to get relegated the next season - shows a lack of application. We had some talent for sure, but the fact that only Doucoure and Capoue have moved up a level shows that there wasn't a great deal of it. Sheffield United showed a similar trait. Work hard and you will achieve. Believe that you are good enough to drop your levels and you get relegated. Thanks to the pandemic, we were unable to show our disgust for that pathetic relegation squad. Good riddance to bad rubbish.
Just the defence to go. Hopefully that'll happen next summer whatever division we're in. Cathcart, Kabasele, Kiko and possibly Masina out, younger fresher legs in.