2022 - 2023 Squad

You could well be right with exiting players, however, I used the same trick last season as what you've done this time around. Last year Pedro didn't have an updated photo for quite a while. So I wouldn't read too much into it really. Sierralta, Dennis, Sarr, Sema and Masina I think were all late back and missed the photo shoot. Pretty sure Pedro was late back too but has since been updated. I doubt the official site is overly clued into who is staying and who is going. But it's interesting nonetheless.

 

Oh I agree, it's not a sure fire way of predicting anything and I mostly look to see who's been moved around from the u18s & u23s.

It's interesting at this point though that Angelini is now placed in the 1st team squad yet he stayed in England while Dahlberg was in Austria, and the page hasn't changed for 4 or 5 days.

You're also right about players coming back late. Though I was surprised Sierralta hadn't been updated because I'm sure I remember him in some of the pictures or videos from London Colney.

Anyway, just a bit of fun trying to second guess what may or may not happen while they complete the updates.

 

The squad pages are slowly being updated - Dahlberg, Pollock, TDB & Mebude are now all included with the 1st team but remain one player shy of being able to enter the Barbara's Baps Tuesday 5-A-Side League.

Sarr, Dennis, Masina, Sema & Sierralta are hiding in plain sight from the club photographer as their profiles remain unedited.

Rey Manaj is living up to his billing by having no profile whatsoever.

Sonny Blu Lo-Everton has now disappeared completely from all squad lists. I'm giving it another 12 hours before I call the police.

 

Don’t mind that team

 

Would be competitive in League 2 tbf

 

Need to trim the squad size down to meet the limit. You can presume Rose, Penaranda and Pussetto would not be included even if we couldn't sell them, so that only leaves 1 more in need of going. Fletcher has reportedly been made available, which would get us down to 25.

Most likely also need a couple of overseas players to leave too, due to the 'rule of 11' which Watford take very seriously when selling players (just not when buying them). Masina supposedly missed the Austria trip because he's leaving, so probably off to Udinese. I still think Sarr and Dennis will move late in the window.

There should be space for a CM and a replacement ST to come in. Maybe even a CB if we're very lucky. Also think there's a chance Dahlberg goes out on loan and we bring in an out of contract, homegrown 3rd choice 'keeper.

 

With Masina gone, which is great news, just leaves Ekong, Rose, Penaranda and Pussetto as the complete wastes of space left.

 

Think we will manage to sell one of Dennis/Sarr.
Don’t think we will get Armstrong or Archer.
If we kept both D&S and got Armstrong or Archer I agree we would look very good.

 

With regards to the HG/NHG situation, I don't think for one minute Watford expected they'd have either Sarr or Dennis in their squad. That could well be the case now, or else we wouldn't be playing them in friendlies.

So, if we can dream that Sarr and Dennis will be part of our squad after 1st September, then that leaves the NHG player list at 14. Three would have to go. In this scenario I think they will regret signing Bayo.

So our HG players would be:- Cleverley, Bachmann, Gosling, WTE, Quina, Ngakia, Cathcart & TDB (8)
NHG:- Okoye, Kiko, Samir, Kabs, Sierralta, Kamara, Louza, Kayembe, Manaj, Dennis, Sarr, Bayo, Kalu, Sema (14). Fortunately, Pedro is still 20 until September, so wouldn't be counted as NHG.

So, from the list which three would have to go? The ones I'd say at most risk would be Sema, Kalu, Bayo. Although I could see Samir being switched back to Udinese if we had to. Louza wont be available initially, but he would still have to be named in the squad, so technically we'd start the season with just 10 NHG players available, which might mean we'd name 12 in total. If that's the case we'd only need to move on 2. Sema and Kalu would be my bet.

 

Have I misunderstood the rule? I thought that this rule applied to the match day squads rather than the overall playing squad, which - if so - would mean that 3 NHG players would need to be left out of each match day squad rather than that they would have to leave the club. Admittedly still not a desirable situation when the head coach has to rule out players simply because they are NGH.
EFL rule 33.8 Home Grown Players. Each Club shall be required to nominate a minimum of seven Home Grown Players on their Team Sheet of Players for all League Competition Matches (including Play Off Matches).

 

Yes, this rule only applies to the the match day squad, however, RE has insisted on only having 11 NHG players in his entire squad. It’s his choice to operate under these terms.

Personally I think it’s a bit stupid to restrict yourself like this. You never have a fully fit squad for an entire season.

 

Doesn't JP still count as NHG in the matchday squad rule?

I'd be very surprised if we actually ended up restricting ourselves to that rule.

 

No. He’s still 20 until September. Counts as U21 for this season.

 

Is the rule of 11 not: you're allowed a maximum of 11 Non HG players in your matchday 18? Basically 7 of your matchday squad needs to be HG.

JP isn't HG, so would be part of that 11, right?

 

As you’ll see from my table above - he doesn’t count as an ‘overseas’ player in the 25-man registration. However the ‘rule of 11’ is actually more a ‘rule of 7’, as it states the matchday squad must have 7 HG players. JP will not count towards this for the first half of the season.

 

Fanciful to believe that either will be here come September. I expect we’ll take the £15-20m we’re offered for each and The Athletic can get to work on the spin.

Also you left Hungbo off the HG list!

 

And Kabasele.

 

JP would be considered an U21 player, so is the same as Aprilla, Baah, Mebude, etc. He’s not HG though.

 

Didn’t realise Hungbo was 22. I’ll adjust my list, but that’s useful to us him now being a HG player.

 

I'm aware he's under 21. I'm saying the 'rule of 11' refers to the maximum amount of 'non-HG' players allowed in the matchday squad.

JP isn't HG grown yet, so for the matchday squad equation, his age is irrelevant, as he's not home grown. We'd still need 7 HG players in the matchday squad, and JP wouldn't count towards that.

 

Odd editing you’ve done there. I never said “no” to your question. Not sure what point you’re making but it seems like crossed-wires to me.

 

Eh? I asked "Doesn't JP still count as NHG in the matchday squad rule?"

You replied "No".

You can scroll up and read it yourself.

 

Assuming that the team selected vs Wycombe will be a close match for the side that'll be named against Sheffield United, who do we think will be, and indeed should be, captain?

A lack of leaders in the squad was one of many glaring weaknesses last season, and as things stand I don't see a candidate to fill me with confidence that this deficiency has been resolved. Those that do have leadership qualities - Troost-Ekong, Cleverley - don't deserve to start, although I can see Edwards picking Cleverley or Gosling and giving them the armband almost by default.

One player who I wonder might be a left field shout is Kamara. He certainly leads by example on the pitch, is undoubtedly worthy of his place in the side, and would command the respect of his teammates.

 

Thats a good question that Ive been pondering for we do lack many leaders in that squad.

I would say WTE is the best captain but the question is to whether he is good enough to start. Although he has had his issues he was the mainstay of the best defence in Championship history ( at least in terms of goals conceded) so I would plump for him.

Agreed about Kamara, although I think he is a supportive type rather than an out and out leader. I could be wrong, because we dont really know what goes on behind the scenes.

 

And the answer is absolutely f**king not.

 

He shouldn't be at the club full stop. A liability, a waste of money and a shirt.

 

No need to sit on the fence, Carpster.

 

It’s quite common to have a ‘club captain’ who doesn’t necessarily make the first team on a regular basis and WTE, if he stays, is the obvious choice for this. He would be the players’ representative with the management, undertake media duties etc. However you then need a captain on the pitch, probably one who leads by example. There are one or two possibilities, but I doubt whether any of them have the character to make meaningful representations to referees or knock teammates into shape if they’re not performing.

 

And that I won't when I know I'm correct. I was one of only a few that slated him last time in the Championship. He's poor at absolutely everything. When you play as a defender you never ever turn your back on the ball. He's nothing short of powder puff.

 

Disagree we need a leader on the pitch who leads not only be example but by voice too. We haven't got that and it's going to be sorely missed.

 

Isn’t that what I just said?

 

You said WTE is the obvious choice. I disagree.

 

Cathcart was captain on Saturday wasn't he? I can't think of a more glorious hero to lead us to promotion this season. Craig gets my vote.

 

I said he was the obvious choice for club captain, if we were to go down that route, rather than on-field captain.