2022 - 2023 Squad

Apologies, I was more making a statement about being left footed rather than arguing with your point. I'm not a huge fan of defensive players playing on the wrong side. It makes tackling difficult. Going forward is fine though. I've not seen enough of him to say if can play that role though. Desperately hoping Kamara stays with us as this system would seem to be made for him

 

Absolutely agree. The imbalance is horrendous.

 

Like it, I've heard good things about ??????, although not convinced by ??????

 

Updated

Non-Home Grown (Rule of Eleven) (currently 20)

Maduka Okoye GK
Vincent Angelini GK
Pontus Dahlberg GK

Kiko Femenia RB
Hassane Kamara LB
Adam Masina LB
Cristian Kabasele CB
Francisco Sierralta CB
Samir CB

Edo Kayembe MF
Moussa Sissoko MF
Imran Louza MF
Ken Sema MF
Yaser Asprilla MF

Samuel Kalu RW
Ismaila Sarr RW

Emmanuel Dennis FW
Adalberto Penaranda FW
Dapo Mebude FW
Joao Pedro FW

Home Grown (currently 14 – so 34 in total)

Daniel Bachmann GK
Rob Elliot GK

Jeremy Ngakia RB
James Morris LB

Craig Cathcart CB
William Troost-Ekong CB
Mattie Pollock CB

Tom Dele-Bashiru MF
Dan Gosling MF
Tom Cleverley MF
Domingos Quina MF

Joseph Hungbo RW
Kwadwo Baah LW

Ashley Fletcher FW


Possible Extras / Unknowns

Pussetto
Elitim
Sibo
Bayo
Manning
Rose
Andrews
Forde
Cukur

 

Thanks for this mate.

Looking at that and knowing 9 need to go (sold/loan) minimum, I would go;

Dahlberg
Angelini
Masina
Sissoko
Kalu
Sarr
Dennis
Penaranda
Mebude

 

10 once you factor in Bayo’s arrival (and assuming no more non-HG arrivals) though. I think that 9 is a good list and almost writes itself but the departures afterwards are not as obvious. Kayembe? One of the non-HG CBs?

 

Forgot about that. I was thinking the same thing, preference for me would be Sema and Kayembe. However I think you’re right in that it will be one of the CB’s. Unfortunately I think it will be Sierralta.

 

Not too fussed who it is provided they make way for a better homegrown CB. Sierralta is pretty limited but maybe Rob could construct a defence that utilises his strengths/hides his weaknesses (pace and in possession) well at CCB. Sema should be another. I think he’d do fairly well at LWB but don’t think we need him counting towards the 11 non-HG spots, especially because Kamara has a good fitness record and we have other homegrown backup options there (preferably Hungbo).

 

If we are really going to get down to 11 non-homegrown players in the squad (which I don't think is realistic given the current make-up) then surely we are going to have to see a large number of decent homegrown players coming through the door. I just don't see any evidence of that so far. And if we are waiting for the Sarr and Dennis sales before investing in those homegrown players, then we are going to be too late as we are already seeing many available, realistic targets move to our rivals. It just does not feel like the approach of a team with genuine promotion ambitions.

 

This could be Peneranda’s year. We’d be mad to let him go right when he’s on the cusp on becoming the player we dreamed he’d be.

 

I don’t understand their thinking in getting it down to XI. Sema is garbage but someone might need a rest one midweek so we bring him in then and just don’t have him in match day squad rest of time. Ditto Kayembe, Kabasele.

 

Each time one of those spineless cowards is moved on out of the club is an excuse for a small celebration. I would be quite happy for the whole lot to be thrown out of the club and everything start afresh. Obviously, it will never happen, but the vast majority of that lot should never darken our doorstep again.

 

Updated

Non-Home Grown (Rule of Eleven) (currently 20)

Maduka Okoye GK
Vincent Angelini GK
Pontus Dahlberg GK

Kiko Femenia RB
Hassane Kamara LB
Adam Masina LB
Cristian Kabasele CB
Francisco Sierralta CB
Samir CB

Edo Kayembe MF
Moussa Sissoko MF
Imran Louza MF
Ken Sema MF
Yaser Asprilla MF

Samuel Kalu RW
Ismaila Sarr RW

Emmanuel Dennis FW
Adalberto Penaranda FW
Dapo Mebude FW
Joao Pedro FW

Home Grown (currently 13 – so 33 in total)

Daniel Bachmann GK

Jeremy Ngakia RB
James Morris LB

Craig Cathcart CB
William Troost-Ekong CB
Mattie Pollock CB

Tom Dele-Bashiru MF
Dan Gosling MF
Tom Cleverley MF
Domingos Quina MF

Joseph Hungbo RW
Kwadwo Baah LW

Ashley Fletcher FW


Possible Extras / Unknowns

Pussetto
Elitim
Sibo
Bayo
Manning
Rose
Andrews
Forde
Cukur

 

If that's Kwasi Sibo, he left Watford permanently last year.
https://ghanasoccernet.com/ghanaian-midfielder-kwasi-sibo-joins-spanish-side-real-betis

 

I couldn't agree more Reg!

 

Agreed. Wanted to keep Cucho, Pedro and Kamara, but ones already gone. The rest of them should be on eBay by now with no reserve price. If that fails, write them off for spare parts.

 

The homegrown side of the squad looks very weak, I don't think Rob is going to be left with only 11 non-homegrown players by the end of August. I'm predicting a horribly unbalanced squad including a few players he doesn't want and probably won't use.

 

I genuinely think that we will finish mid-table with that squad. Too many big egos too few players who are going to fight for the cause.

If Edwards has that squad come the start of the season, let's hope he can perform Jesus-like miracles and polish a turd into a diamond.

 

I reckon even if snuck all 13 of those onto the pitch, we'd lose most games.

 

I've seen the future and this is the line up against Sheffield United:

Bachmann

Massina
Cathcart
Ekong
Kabasele
Ngakia

Gosling
Cleverley
Kayembe

Fletcher
Sema

 

Happy with that. COYH!

 

Christ - with that line up lets hope Elton's on the bench again.

 

Bloody awful.
I know that your line up is sarcasm, but if by any chance it becomes so, we are in deep ****.
We can't attract any decent players due to our Owner/CEO.
We can't buy anyone decent due to our massive debt.
So you could be right with the line up. Back to the dark days for the fans.

 

We got 2 months left in the transfer window. Of course that is not going to be the final squad! I hope your all wind up merchants and none of you actually seriously think that is going to be our final squad.

 

Another good interview by Mr French.

https://www.watfordobserver.co.uk/s...xplains-watford-have-plan-place-sign-players/

RE stresses we don’t need much in terms of incoming players and the striking area is what we are looking at. He also confirmed Bayo is a Watford player.

 

Personally I don’t think we will see more than 4 or at a pinch 5 of these players starting, I will update this on the 1st August and see what happened!

 

Updated

Non-Home Grown (Rule of Eleven) (currently 20)

Maduka Okoye GK
Vincent Angelini GK
Pontus Dahlberg GK

Kiko Femenia RB
Hassane Kamara LB
Adam Masina LB
Cristian Kabasele CB
Francisco Sierralta CB
Samir CB

Edo Kayembe MF
Imran Louza MF
Ken Sema MF
Yaser Asprilla MF

Samuel Kalu RW
Ismaila Sarr RW

Vakoun Bayo FW
Emmanuel Dennis FW
Adalberto Penaranda FW
Dapo Mebude FW
Joao Pedro FW

Home Grown (currently 13 – so 33 in total)

Daniel Bachmann GK

Jeremy Ngakia RB
James Morris LB

Craig Cathcart CB
William Troost-Ekong CB
Mattie Pollock CB

Tom Dele-Bashiru MF
Dan Gosling MF
Tom Cleverley MF
Domingos Quina MF

Joseph Hungbo RW
Kwadwo Baah LW

Ashley Fletcher FW


Possible Extras / Unknowns

Pussetto
Manning
Rose
Andrews
Forde
Cukur
Holding
Mckiernan
Adeyemo
Blake

 

So here's my early thoughts on the matter. Depending on how good Bayo turns out to be and which other striker we bring in, I'd say we could put out a pretty strong Championship starting 11. Beyond that 11 is not good though.

Okoye, Femenia, Kamara, Samir, Kabasele, Cathcart, Louza, TDB, Pedro, Bayo, New ST.

 

We definitely need more quality HG options otherwise Edwards will have a wafer thin squad for a gruelling season.

 

Mid table mediocrity beckons.

A non season