[SOLD] Will Hughes

Nobody and I mean nobody is irreplaceable. Infact we may of even got an upgrade with Louza and Etebo already.

 

He's a decent player because of his reading of the game and comfort in possession. It was a combination of the change in formation and Hughes moving to the base of the three that led to our best form. None of our other midfielders last season could take the ball from the centre backs and progress it along the floor up the pitch.

The first half of the season when he wasn't available saw Chalobah, Cleverley and in particular Garner repeatedly getting the ball from the centre backs and then giving it straight back to them. Rinse and repeat until the centre backs ended up hitting it long. Hughes can take the ball on the half turn or under pressure and this marked him out as unique in our midfield.

The really frustrating thing is that he'd be such a better player if he had any pace, both in attack and defence. He has the quick feet to get past someone but more often than not has to buy a foul as they catch him up. And his constant tactical fouling is as a result of him spotting danger but being too slow to stop people running past him. If he was more dynamic, he'd be at a much better club than us but I think we're about his level.

 

Hughes is a player who I have always liked but I can rarely think of occasions where he has truly shone. Yes he does the gritty and dirty stuff really well, but he is not a midfielder that any club competing in the premier league hasn’t already got and he is not good enough to go and play for the big 6/7.

I honestly don’t think he would probably play at somewhere like Everton or even Villa. I’m sure he would like to go there but they can afford better.

In the end I reckon he probably stays and signs a new deal with us and I for one will be happy with that, but he certainly is not irreplaceable.

 

you articulated this so much better than I managed in the comment below yours

 

In my inexpert opinion, the two main catalysts for our improved form were 1) Masina returning and solidifying left back. This was huge. Not only was he able to control most Championship wingers, but his ability to get forward opened up avenues for attack beyond just Sarr. 2) Hughes solidifying that 6 position. This enables Chalobah to get forward on occasion, again creating angles and opportunities for others.

That said, without in any way diminishing Hughes' contributions, I am concerned that his stature and speed won't allow him to do the same at the Premiership level. I'd love to have him, but we need more options. We have to have someone back there who can both slam the door and complete a pass - otherwise we have to drop too many players deep and we become a counterattacking team only.

 

I'm just not a fan of this type of behaviour, as good as I think he is - if he thinks he's worth more than what we are offering he can go. These moves very rarely work out for the players involved, he'll be sat on Villa's bench till he's 30, with the odd loan move to the championship in the latter years of the contract.

 

It would seem he is content with the salary, but not with the potential size of the reduction on relegation. With a five year contract `on the cards` most people would understand that if he can avoid that he would.

 

I also wonder if we could offer a shorter contract…

 

To be fair to him, at times he basically played as though in a back 3 when he stayed back and allowed Kiko to bomb forwards. Even his way of defending crosses (i.e. standing with his arms behind is back 4 metres away from the winger) is more like a centre back than a full back.

Then again its one thing doing it v Wycombe and another doing it v Man City.

 

About time the 'Masina could do a job at CB' myth came around again. Give it a few weeks and the 'Deeney could play CM/CB' viewpoint will re-emerge too.

 

Mmmm, just for full elaboration, it's not just the 'Masina at CB' gag that I was responding to with that gif; it was every single word of it.

 

Spose the argument to that is he won’t get anywhere near what he’s on now, and 35k a week on a four-year contract is arguably the best he could get in a COVID market

 

Partly agree but that was when we were in the Championship, we are playing in the Premier League and at a higher level Hughesy is a middle of the road bang average player, who could probably be replaced relatively easy with a better midfielder. If I had the choice between Hughes and Lemina I would would prefer Lemina.

 

Yeah but I reckon he goes to Nice. Got a great new manager in Galtier and they’re recruiting in an upwardly mobile way. Have money to spend as well as their owner is Britain’s richest man, Jim Ratcliffe.

 

This whole situation just doesn’t smell right.

Based on what we know Hughes is firmly in the ‘good egg’ basket. When we got relegated he was pretty much the only player we saw in front of a camera looking hurt or angry, and that includes Deeney.

Hughes showed a clear determination to stay with us and make amends for our relegation and he did that. When fit he was key to our promotion. It clearly mattered to him.

He gives an interview saying he isn’t thinking of leaving and is relaxed about contract negotiations. Now we hear he’s offered a 5 year deal putting him among the top earners and doesn’t want to sign.

It just doesn’t add up. I trust our owners more than many of our fans, but I know who I trust more in this ‘saga’.

 

The new contract includes a relegation clause, and he believes that he can get the same/better contract without that clause at another club. If he /his agent is correct, a move would be a no-brainer given we will be odds on for relegation

 

He’s obviously a nice bloke - but very little in football is done without an ‘end game’.

Give interview to The Athletic stating you aren’t thinking of leaving even though you only have a year left - by association, he’s just told a major media outlet he’s free in a year, alerting clubs all over the country and beyond to the fact.
When giving said interview, the club may not have told the players any new contracts would contain relegation clauses and that has subsequently made him think twice about the deal put in front of him.

In the meantime between that interview and now, PL interest has arisen in which he will likely earn more money, for bigger and better clubs, who wouldn’t cut his wage in half if they fail next season. And he looks at the transfer business we have done and thinks ‘we got relegated with a squad better than this and the dealings so far are not impressive’…

I’d say he’s ambitious and probably believes he can play higher up the table - he probably even thinks he can knock on the door for a few England caps. And I would happily bet he believes he can’t do that with us so is looking to explore the interest of clubs better placed to provide him with those opportunities.

Him looking to potentially leave has nothing to do with him being a nice, honest football player. And everything to do with the detail. It’s not that deep.

 

Sad, but probably true.

 

It's odd that chalobah is training with the first team yet Hughes isnt. Neither have accepted a new contract and apparently looking at their options. When did Hughes have his knee surgery? Last summer?

 

Unless one has intimated he’s happy to sign and only a few details need sorting out - and the other is at a complete impasse with the club and has far more interest in him.

 

Because Chalobah loves Watford, we'd have to really screw up to have him want to leave. And one size was his agent, and if he still is, will be giving good advice.

Future captain.

 

Did Chalobah not want to leave the club in January this year but the deal broke down?

He clearly has affection for the club but most players are going to prioritise their career over feelings for the club.

 

Sell the ****(s)

 

Last season when we got relegated Hughes had two years left on his deal at that point, we held all the cards back then. No doubt we’d have sold him if decent offer came in but due to the circumstances nobody did, or at least that were aware off. If a decent offer had come in he’d have been off, I don’t think he stayed because he wanted to in the slightest, he stayed because that’s what the circumstances dictated. He seems like a decent bloke and a good pro, but he would’ve been off like a shot if the right offer had come in. Fast forward 12 months, he has a year on his deal and he holds all the cards, and low and behold he won’t sign a new deal. I don’t think there is anything odd going on in the slightest.

 

Give him a 5 year deal with a relegation clause but release value of £10m if we are relegated. Simples.

 

That seems like a good deal, are your initials SD?, if not please send him your suggestion

 

Hughes' agent is Vernazza isn't it? He also seems like a good guy. But Paolo and Fitz aren't players anymore, it's their job to get the best deal for their client (and themselves of course).

 

Or he could just take the same deal elsewhere, without the worry he gets an injury around the time we get relegated and nobody wants to buy him.

 

I understood it to be Lesta came knocking rather than he agitating to leave. We know he didn't do that last summer (because he wasn't separated out into the naughty group) so would like to see some evidence he did it in Jan.

 

Don't know about Hughes, just about Chalobah. But yeah, they're not coming from a starting position of being a total slime ball.

 

Yes but the risk of sitting on a bench vs guaranteed games. Of course if it is 100% about the biggest possible contract then we are unlikely to be his best option but my suggestion seemed a reasonable compromise.

 

Guaranteed games in more than likely a relegation battle. It’s not like he’s going to City, I think most pros would take the better contract and also back themselves to get into a better team, vs a weaker contract and a dogfight at the bottom of the table.