What brace? And if there is one it'd have to be stupidly tight to even come close to pressing that much muscle down.
https://www.watfordfc.com/news/player-update-louza-cleverley-bayo Yes - won't see him for a bit then.
Player Update: Louza, Cleverley & Bayo - Watford FC Probably looking at early October before he starts playing first team football, the Rotherham home match. That's 13 games into the new season, or a quarter of the campaign gone, then he has to play his way in, get used to the rigours of the Championship, which will probably be another month to tune into it.....then it's the WC break. So, really I can't see him playing an instrumental part until after the WC. We've already seen Cleverley breaking down with little niggles. He's just not going to play a full interrupted season is he. It's absolutely vital we sign a top end Championship midfielder, even if we keep Sarr and Dennis.
So take Louza out of the equation (and assume Sarr goes at some point) and we’re officially significantly weaker in every single midfield position compared to our last Championship campaign. Kamara is the only potential upgrade in defence, and up front we’ve bought two thoroughly unconvincing forwards. Without drastic improvements it’s going to be a dismal season.
In defence, I would value Okoye as an upgrade over a severely declining Foster. Bachmann is a solid 2nd choice keeper as before especially for the Championship. Samir is an upgrade over what we had last time as is Kamara. This (with some good luck) was a record equalling defence last time. Although I'm expecting more goals to be shipped as we did get away with some stinkers we will still have a high quality defence and a better goalkeeper. Over the course of a Season it should be right up there with good number of clean sheets. In midfield I agree we're weaker for sure. If Louza was fit I would see it's much of a muchness compared to last time, but without Louza we are certainly weaker as it stands when kicking off the Season if we don't get new personnel in. Up front, that will depend on what happens between now and end of the window. As it currently stands, definitely weaker assuming Sarr and Dennis leave. Pedro and Bayo is not as potent as Pedro and Sarr. Manaj I will be surprised if he's a regular goal scorer. If one of Dennis or Sarr is retained then we would have a like for like attack but this is almost impossible to happen. Should we get Archer or similar profile in then I'd say it's roughly the same. 20/21 Strongest XI Foster Femenia - Cathcart - Kabasele - Masina Chalobah - Hughes - Zinckernagel Sarr - Pedro - Sema 22/23 Strongest XI for first game of Season (As it stands) Okoye Femenia - Kabasele - Sierralta - Samir - Kamara Dele-Bashiru - Kayembe - Gosling Pedro - Bayo
You’re playing football on paper though. When our last promotion season kicked off, there was no indication that Troost-Sierralta would turn out to become such a strong and solid defensive pairing. They evolved into one as the season progressed. There were no indications that Bachmann, who’d yet to play for us at that point, would become a regular and keep as many clean sheets. Equally, conversely playing football on paper you’d have hoped Perica would be a competent Championship striker but actually he only scored once. You’d have expected Gray and Deeney to do well up front, but neither really did (due to different circumstances). You might have expected Zinckernagel to have weighed in with a few goals from midfield but he only got one (and that a tap in thanks to another player’s generosity). My point being that over a season partnerships develop, some fancied players disappoint and others we don’t have high hopes for actually surprise us.
In the main youre not wrong. All we have to go on currently is on paper though and the precedent set with those here last time. Thats said, in Zinckernagel's case he got more assists (Sema finished with one behind him) than anyone else in half the games though now he's gone that's neither here or there.
Just noticed RE's comment on the club website about Louza saying “Long term we've got Imr*n Louza who’s been missing for a while..." Looks like he's not going to be playing any time soon!
Eh I wouldn’t read too much into that. The point being he is one of the known injuries that doesn’t need to be discussed each week because it is known that he’s out. Back on grass today and should be back early September, maybe sooner.
I hope we don't have another Will Hughes situation on our hands where Louza is due back a month or two into the season but doesn't really come back until January...
Well, I'm mightily relieved to hear this, even with him we need more in midfield, without him it's going to be very difficult.
Was that him leaping around at the end in a white tracksuit and black cap? Certainly was moving well..
Looks like he’s missing a whole right leg. Not encouraging . Seems to still have a small part of his right foot though , perhaps they can work with that .
Sounds like he's still miles away from a return. Described in the club's injury update today as, "making good progress, and has joined in with the main squad in some elements of their work out on the grass, but he is still a few weeks away from resuming full training."
If 'a few' means 2/2.5 weeks, then it's possible we might see him against Stoke after the international break (if not in a starting role, hopefully at least off the bench!)? Might only be one game between now and then!
a few weeks until he resumes full training - who knows how long it will take to get reasonably match fit from there
Will never play for us again, will magically be fit for the World Cup and play 3 x 90 minutes to then come back with a knock and eventually be sold in January.