Who Stays, Who Goes, Who Needs Signing?

Dennis by a country mile.

The bloke would absolutely destroy the Championship even if he'd rather be anywhere else.

 

Louza vs Kamara.... That's not a fair question. Too close to call, probably only to be answered by "depends on which of their positions is easier to find a suitable replacement"?
Dennis - hasn't got the "head" for it....

 

Same was said about Sarr though….

It was a theoretical question anyway - if you could have one, I think you’d have to pick Dennis. There’s not many goals in the team otherwise.

 

Agreed. Probably has the highest replacement cost of the three. I think Louza and Kamara are both PL quality but we could get adequate top 6 championship replacements for £5m all in. Would cost £15m+ to replace Dennis’ goals.

 

Don’t think so given how poor our finances are, especially how projections will look the following summer if we don’t bounce back, and we have no further players of any value to sell.

 

A good read from Leventhal on the way forward with youth set up changing

https://theathletic.com/3257828/202...alented-youngsters?source=user-shared-article

 

Until Watford decide to operate as a Cat One academy or go a different way like Brentford and come out of the academy system entirely, they’ll never produce players good enough for regular Championship football, let alone Premier League. In 10 years under Gino we’ve not produced one single player for the first team, and going by the pitiful results the U23’s get, it doesn’t look like changing anytime soon.

If they remain a Cat Two academy then, whatever the club say, it’s all lip service. To have a viable academy you have to invest a lot of time and money. This is something Watford have never been prepared to do. Until I see big infrastructure changes and real investment, I won’t believe it.

 

I guess so. If he's motivated.? Agree he could murder champ defences but will he even consider givi g it a go.? I might be wrong but I can't really see it myself and we will need fully motivated players next season..

 

Ideally I'd get rid of most of them, too much loser mentality within the squad but would keep the following:

DF
Kamara

MID
Louza

FWD
Pedro
Cucho

 

Between Louza and Kamara for me with Kamara just edging it

 

I think we're going to need a few more players than that if we're going to push for promotion. What if Louza gets injured? We'd only have three players left.

 

Of course, only time will tell, but I would be absolutely shocked if, firstly, he actually agreed to one of Fuxbury's magical relegation wage drop clauses having joined us halfway through a historically poor season that was always somewhere between pretty likely and inevitable to end in relegation, and secondly, he didn't make some kind of deal at the time, as you suggest - be that purely verbal, or not.

I think he's one of our most saleable assets, and the most impressive performer of them in our team since he's been here. He's also rapidly running out of time to continue his oft-stated 'dream' of being in the Prem, and I would not imagine him being inclined to throw away a year of that dwindling time in the second division, if he has any say in the matter at all.

 

We'd have no more Louza's in the starting XI! weey!

 

God knows what is going to happen in the summer, we almost need to start again.

 

Kamara would be great in the championship (IMHO)...

 

Kayembe

 

I hope we’re looking at the likes of Jed Wallace, John Swift, Nick Powell and Joe Rothwell. All out of contract this summer. Wage dependent perhaps Seri at Fulham too.

 

Good point, don’t know what I was thinking.

 

Am actually excited about the close season now and seeing if we can actually do what we need to for a promotion charge. There's going to be a lot of churn but probably not quite as much as the last time we went down (mainly because we don't have as many proven PL performers who will want out).

 

Shared this on a DM with someone back in Feb.

With Newcastle and Everton winning we're done. I don't think if we won another 6 games it will be enough, unless Brentford absolutely implode. I also think Leeds will inconsistently drag themselves to safety. So looking at the Championship I would like to see us get a manager that is going to play a possession based 4-2-3-1 or a 4-3-3 with an anchor man in front of the defence that would allow the full backs to push on and support. I don't know who that might be.

The following need/have to go - Cathcart, Cleverley, Gosling, Kucka, Elliot, Rose, Quina

Nkolou, Dennis, Sarr are 100% gone, I think we'll be lucky to get £45m for Sarr and Dennis. Foster too I think/hope will retire if we go down. Bachmann, Etebo, Sissoko, Samir will look for moves IMO.

Pedro and Cucho could easily leave but I'll be optimistic. Squad coming back for pre-season

GK
Okore / Dahlberg

FB
Kamara (fingers crossed) / Masina (we'll need someone else if Kamara goes. Masina can go as well but we might be stuck with him)
Kiko / Ngakia (perfectly fine at champ level)

CB
Ekong (honestly who is going to take him)
Sierrelta
Kabasele (I still rate him if he can stay fit)
Pinnock (although, could probably use another loan vs being a back up)

CM
Etebo
Kayembe
Louza (won't have done enough to secure a move but will be class in the league below)
Dele-Bashiru
Zinckernagel (will he want to stay

FW / WG
Kalu (is he real)
Baah
Joao Pedro
King
Cucho
Sema
Fletcher

However, without the promise of a more stable environment if I was in the position of Dele, Pedro, Ngakia, Louza, Cucho, Baah I would want out - even Fletcher. They are all at critical points of their career and would merit a £15k a week contract minimum (maybe not Baah yet) on a 3 year deal which is £1.5m whether here or somewhere else. So the motivation for them has to be development and game time to solidify their carerr at the top end of the Championship or better.

That squad will not get anywhere near the playoffs.

 

I could see a Premier club taking Kamara. Masina and Ngakia are simply not good enough imo. Kiko was decent in the Championship but can honestly see him go too.
I believe you meant Pollock who warrants a chance.
Ekong = hopeless
No idea where FS is.
Kabs can go too.
Etebo will not be picked up I believe.
Kayembe looks a total waste of time and money
Louza needs to stay and build a midfield around him.
Zinckernagel I like and needs to force himself into the starting 11
Dele has had his moments this season but I believe Ince prefers playing his boy instead.
Seen a max of 10 minutes of Kalu looked spritely but another pointless signing along with Kayembe
Baah God knows
Would only try and keep Cucho and JP from the rest.

Honestly can't see a major overhaul like that though.

 

Dennis is our best player but also the most disruptive. He needs to play for a club with a MANAGER in it for the long term, and that's not likely to be Watford.

Sell him and spend the money on a replacement not managed by Mogi.

 

I opened up Football Manager Editor, removed everyone that had really wound me up or was obviously going to be sold and this is what I ended up with. Masina stays on the basis that Kamara does and there is no point replacing a back up left back given all the other departures. Femenia stays on the basis that he was great in the division below last time.

Was quite therapeutic actually. I fired Duxbury too.

 

Louza definitely has talent. I can see a French club coming in for him.
Kayembe was a joke signing. His old team mates in Belguim were shocked that he signed for a Premier league side.
Ekong can go.
Fletcher can go. He is hopeless.
Pedro will go back to Brazil
Kalu may turn out to be yet another waste of space.
Okoye is hopeless when there is a cross and is a slow as f**k off his line. If you think Foster loves the limelight, just wait for this guy. If he were an ice cream, he would lick himself.
Ngakia can go. He is as nervous as hell. The ball is like a grenade to him.
Cucho l like, but l think he will go.
The following players can go as well
Foster
Cleverley
Cathcart
Kucka
Rose: We are paying this tub of lard for another season.
Femenia
Bachmann
Sema
Gosling
Sarr
King
Dennis.

A mid to lower table finish in the Championship for 2022/23 for Watford.

 

So, by my reckoning, that’s 18 players you think will leave in the summer, plus another three you think are no good and should presumably leave as well. We might struggle to put out a 5-a-side team.

 

Can't see Sissoko staying personally.

 

An almost total clear out is needed. We will suffer for a few years, but it will give time for new and fresh approach.

It is why we require a manager/head coach who wants to build a side. We don't want a dinosaur like Dyche, Bruce, Pulis or Pardew.
I would go for Martinez. I wouldn't be surprised if he turned us down if asked.

We have a cancer at Watford and it begins with Duxbury. We need to cut it out, heal, recover and move forward.

You cannot build on unstable foundations.

 

We're a good club to go for on FM because we have a lot of dead wood which is easier to shift on FM than in real life, hence there's a lot more wiggle room to get good players in. Also, Cucho is an absolute goal machine and Sarr actually tries lol

 

Agree but my gut tells me that the 2 things are opposed.... Shape a quick team to push for immediate promotion means more of the same old gambling, vs major shake up with growth of younger players which means 2+ years in chumps hip..?

 

I actually don't think we need a major overhaul to compete for promotion next season (depending on who we retain of course). We do need 3/4 starting players with different (better!) skillsets. Two midfielders, a striker and potentially a defender. Players that are coming in as first choices. We have a plethora of good enough for a top Championship side, woefully inadequate in the Premier League players in our squad.

If we then got promoted, we would need some pretty major surgery though, particularly at the back. We'd also have quite a few of the old guard whose contracts should be up unless Gino gets on the Asti Spumanti again and goes on another pointless contract extending spree, so should be a bit easier to do.

 

I don’t think many will want to suffer for a few years. Tasting the PL has led to new expectations. I see the crowds dwindling terribly if there isn’t some feel good vibe around the club again. Our crowds aren’t great unlike other clubs where the team is a big Part of the community I see people losing interest, going off to see other London clubs or find other things to do on a Saturday.

 

I think the club will realise a decent goalie will be required. The two quoted are only going to be acceptable for the Carabao club and no more.