[NOT HAPPENING] Assombalonga

With the talk around not only Deeney, but Okaka and Zarate possibly leaving we will need at least one striker and maybe more. It would be unfair to expect too much of Success, although I except that if he is fit he could be very good. It's worrying that a newly promoted team like Huddersfield have pulled off a coup by getting Mounie. We are yet to land a key striker with a different skill set to what we have in Deeney or Okaka. The pool of strikers is relatively small so the longer before we sign someone means we are going to be forced to compromise or take the leftovers. Still hoping Troy comes back lean and raring to go but we need to be ready in case he is finally off. Coyhs!

 

Excellent, I may not say it often enough but I appreciate your efforts.

 

How is it "part of your point"? Even in those months Capoue still managed to get us more goals from open play than Deeney did across the whole season. Capoue got as many goals as Redmond. He made a vital contribution (and it wasn't just a couple of months - he also got the vital winner against Swansea in April).

I don't see how the fact that Deeney, who is meant to be our main striker, is getting outscored from open play by midfielders helps to prove your point that he is good enough?!

Deeney is getting older and fitness has never been his strong point - he has scored fewer goals in each of the last four seasons, I don't understand how he's suddenly going to gain the required sharpness which he lacks for this level at the age of 29.

Capoue, Redmond and Antonio weren't necessarily "getting fed" yet still managed to get goals - the problem with Deeney is he requires way too much feeding to do anything, both on and off the pitch...

 

I hope for your sake that Pulis and Shakespeare don't read your posts, otherwise Deeney will be going nowhere! My point is that we are still going to need one or more strikers so hope Gino has this covered.

 

It's quite simple really - other teams got very wise to the fact that Deeney was our focal point, and kept him under wraps for the whole time he was on the pitch.
This should have allowed Mazzarri to encourage other players to take advantage of the space afforded to them, but he didn't. He kept them hoofing it to Deeney instead.
He might well be a very good player, but he isn't in the class of Ronaldo or Suarez to constantly make stuff happen.
He most certainly isn't the miracle worker he was expected to be.
In Mazzarri's defence, the injury list was a complete joke at times and he simply didn't have the personnel to do any different.

 

Agreed. As he's nowhere near the class of Ronaldo and Suarez, we should look to replace him with them. Or Messi if he's available.

 

The point is that because he's so immobile it's not very difficult to keep him under wraps.

Because of course people are suggesting them here as reasonable comparisons...

If I was Shakespeare I'd happily still have him as a backup to Vardy and Iheanacho for something different and an option off the bench, but I'd much rather be able to start with one of the other two in a 4-5-1.

 

Deeney was fat and lazy last season. Hopefully he's learned from that
If not he will need to have competition

 

Yeah, we get it, you don't like him.

 

From the few pictures and videos I've seen. He's looking pretty lean. Leaner than he was midway last season. But photos can be deceiving.

 

I imagine if we had Pererya, Success and Simeone they would float and change positions throughout the game. More like 3 floating number 10s.

 

They can have Watson on a free and Hoban and loan as well. I'm sure we have enough we can throw at them to sweeten the deal and get them down from their £15million asking price.

 

In contrast to Deeney, who's more like 1 floating number 2

 

Do you not rate Deeney? I can't quite figure it out... zzzzzzzzz

 

Surprised people haven't mentioned Hughes more, he seems to me to be an ideal number 10 if he can make the step up. I quietly have high hopes for him, but we need to a striker who will run in behind.

 

I think he will be in and around the team. But he will have to work hard as he'll be fighting for Pererya or another CAM's role.

I think he will likely be fighting for the more attacking CM role.

i.e.

------------------------GOMES-------------------------
JANMAAT-----CATHCART----PRODL-----HOLEBAS
-------HUGHES/DOUCOURE-----CHALOBAH--------
BERGHUIS--------PERERYA----------------SUCCESS
-----------------------DEENEY--------------------------

Could be wrong. Depends where Silva sees him. I imagine he will play in both positions depending on Pererya form, injury etc.

 

That was close to the line-up I first came up with, but I thought it might be abit light defensively with Hughes CM and Berghuis RM. I have an unjustified positive view of Hughes so tried shoehorning him into the team along with what I think must be starters: Doucoure, Chalobah (if he signs), and Pereyra. Something like:

------------------------GOMES-------------------------
JANMAAT-----CATHCART----PRODL-----HOLEBAS
--------------DOUCOURE-----CHALOBAH--------
SUCCESS/GROSICKI-----HUGHES------PEREYRA
-----------------------DEENEY--------------------------

If in the event Hughes isn't good enough to merit starting then Pereyra will shift inside and it will basically be your formation. I'm still not sure what to make of Berghuis. In the right system he could be fantastic, but I don't know whether Silva's fast counter-attacking style is that.

 

I like that team. Maybe need to upgrade the wingers? I'm a fan of Berghuis but we don't know for sure he's made for the Prem and Success didn't look good enough in his cameos the second half of last season.

 

I think Success needs to play a real set of games. I don't feel like he knew what his role was on the pitch. Was he a winger? A forward? A wing-back? I think given a go and a steayd set of games and he'll prove himself... whether its to be good or rubbish.

Agreed though. We need better wingers. Giovanni Simeone can play LW, RW, CAM, CM or ST. So he would be great to fit in wherever we need him game by game. If we get Simeone, Chalobah and maybe Assombalonga then i'll be very happy with this transfer window.

 

Swap Assombalonga for Deeney and that would be a pretty mobile eleven.

 

Simeone would be good if we could actually get him... However, PSG et al are interested and I can see him going for over £17 million which imo would be a bit steep for an unproven player. That said, I wouldn't be disappointed to see him at Watford

 

Thank you! He's had one decent season. I think there are plenty of options out there. Hell Zarate came out of nowhere. If Zarate stays and keeps fit then I think we could probably hold out until January whilst the scouting team do their thing.

 

I'd like to see Assombalonga push Deeney for his place but I wouldn't just give it to him. But I really do see Assomablonga as his potentially better successor... if he can stay injury free. Which I'm sure he can. He's had a couple of bad ones but it doesn't mean he's injury prone. Just unlucky.

 

Why is Simeone being mentioned a lot over the last couple of days? Have I missed something? Last I remember it looked like the ship had sailed on that one.

 

It was brought up in the Deeney slagfest. People saying that want Simeone to replace him.

 

Yeah I expect (hope) to see Doucoure and Chalaboh making lots interceptions and being central to starting threatening counter attacks. Both are capable of bringing the ball out from the back and breaking through the lines.

 

1/2 to sign for us currently.

 

I must admit I mention Simeone quite alot. Doubt we'll get him. He's reasonably quick, good technically and instinctively seems to know where the target is. Might be out of our price range but you get the gist. Impeccable pedigree of course but seems to want to carve his own path. He's more representive of a different type than a power striker like Deeney or Okaka. Zarate is probably closest to what we have already so another reason I don't want him going home either. Was excellent against West Ham until they decided to crock him. Also you guys seem to have already forgotten about Cleverly in midfield (already)! COYHs.

 

I think Cleverley will be fighting for a place. Which is a good thing. I'm looking forward to seeing some rotation and the lads really digging in for their place. No more guaranteed football for anyone. No more favourites.

 

Not bothering with Kiko Femina then?

 

Apparently can't find the key for the handcuffs!

 

This turned into a serious *****ing session about whether or not Deeney is good enough pretty quickly! A point I would like to make is last season, we didn't pick up a point when Deeney didn't start. He is a team player and not just a goal scorer. He is Mr. Watford. I would be mightily disappointed if he left because with the right players around him Marco should be able to get the best out of him. I think Assombalonga would be a great back-up, but we need Deeney.

 

Probably best to see him in a Watford shirt before giving him a starting place ahead of Janmaat.

 

We can barely defend a set piece with Troy. We would need to replace his leadership and goals. I would like to see Assombalonga return to play understudy. He seems a big character himself and maybe like Deeney can use his strength and determination to make the best of the talent he's got.