Was okay last time he was with us,so hopefully he will still be amble to do a job? Did Clevs actually play with him? If so, Clevs obviously knows his game very well, and still rates him. And now Sissoko has been here training with us, Clevs must consider he still has the legs to do a job for us.
And what a fortunate coincidence for Gino that the play Tom has settled on is one in the Bayat orbit, available on a free and probably not subject of much competition to sign up. Phew!
Yes they did. For example when we won 3-1 at Norwich early on our last PL season, they had 82 minutes playing together in our midfield.
Might have a good season in him at Championship level - not a match winner, but should make us more solid and will be good for the younger players hopefully
A midfield 3 of Asprilla, Kayembe and Sissoko as well as Chak is more than good enough. I do see the big weakness at the moment as our wing backs, and need a quality no 9
Not a defensive bone in any of their bodies though. None of them (nor Dele-Bashiru who will also get a lot of game time) follow runners, see danger unfolding or cover when defenders are out of position.
I feel people (sometimes even managers) take one look at players like Kayembe and see how physical they are and think they're something they're not
I think it’s good enough for games against Stoke, Preston, Oxford. I really doubt it’s ’more than good enough’ for the more elite operators of the league though and it’s certainly not good enough in terms of depth or covering off all facets required of a midfield unit in 90 mins. Asprilla will be more used in a front-3, Kayembe best games have all come as a progressive No.8 and we don’t know what legs Sissoko has left - and even then, he won’t be used as someone to shield the defence. Now finances may well dictate that is what we have to work with regardless. But I don’t think it’s enough. We clearly are in need of a midfielder who can not only win a lot of the ball in between the defensive third and the halfway line but also be adept on the ball and take it off the CB’s to give to Sissoko/Kayembe or others in front of him. It clearly won’t be Capoue - but someone who does that job.
Surely Sissoko isn’t aeen as a replacement for Kone … I think we will bring a more mobile Midfielder in, at least I hope we do
As I mentioned earlier, I don't really know what kind of player he is. He is awful on the ball and kills attacks through his terrible shooting and passing. But he also doesn't get through a lot of defensive work, so many times in our relegation season he was trotting back slowly as attackers ran straight past him into the box unmarked. I guess he was quite good at running around a lot in the middle third but he's coming back three years older. Seen some suggestion that he wanted to return to us and wasn't so bothered about money because his kids are still at school somewhere local. If that's the case, I don't really see it as a good thing, as it feels a bit like he's come to us as some sort of semi retirement which means he can do the school run and dial in the odd performance.
I’m enjoying the notion on twitter that he was Tom’s specific number one choice of all available midfielders out there. According to same oddballs, Clevz appears to have taken on a Sir Alec Ferguson remit at the club, deciding on all team affairs, where Pozzo cowers at his approaching shadow
Yeah, Tom’s number one choice who in fact we first approached last summer when Tom wasn’t actually in charge lol
Some said because Cleverley played with him he'll like Sissoko. Well actually think Moussa replaced Tom in the team and got the capacity off him when Ranieri came in. There would be some who'd be bitter about that.
Signed him three years ago, was pretty crap, tried to sign him again last year, failed, finally got him back this summer. 100% Cleverley's man.
Just because we tried to sign him before - and the signing was probably proposed by Pozzo - doesn’t mean it’s been forced on Cleverley.
Indeed not. I wouldn’t imagine it was forced on him. Sounds like he approved it, and Roca who we first showed interest in back in winter. I think people were just saying it can’t be highlighted as a purely TC signing
Cleverley will just approve/say no to names given to him in the main. He may specifically want 1-2 players but I don’t really understand why people think it would be any different. Thats how the large majority of clubs function. He won’t have said ‘go and get me Sissoko!’ - but the club knew they could get him, put the suggestion to him and he green lit it. Don’t see why that’s an issue!
It’s an issue because that it all sounds very reasonable and normal and doesn’t have sufficient sinister undertones.
See twitter for the hyperbole around Tom Cleverly and his all powerful remit. The point as you say is everything will be as normal and as it is with previous managers I imagine.
Squad player? Yes. Starter No, but in truth it's not a player we need as our strike force is still lacking and our RB remains Andrews and a crocked Ngakia. It's good we are bringing people in so I an gathering the positions we are still weak in are out of our pitiful budget or just lost causes. Still time though.
Clevs is going to do the bitter FM player move of making Sissoko train with the U18s doing fitness drills until he breaks.
RWB is far less of an issue than LWB. Given the finances, I would suggest RWB is a position well down the list of attention (but agree the options we have aren’t optimal). But we have Andrews, Ngakia and (at a push) TDB there. LWB we have Sema who is often crocked and Morris, who is utter dross.
Burnsy did also say it's the way most clubs work, not just us. Our problem is maybe the lack of viable alternatives offered to any of our HCs if they turn down a 'suggestion'.
https://x.com/AdamLeventhal/status/1810313150937366612?t=By75shhNmVJDOhCZ21c93g&s=19 2 year deal. Ffs
He always wanted to stay at Watford, wanted his family to settle here but was due to costs of the relegation he was offloaded. Cheap wages, squad player who TC knows. Not much to complain about yet, but if another Midfielder doesn’t come in then I’d start to worry
Could be useful in the Championship if he can stay fit . Funny thing is he took over the captaincy from Tom.
