Carillo didn't get much of a chance. We got to see him just after they signed him in that game when we got knocked out of the cup and Holebas was offering out his own supporters. I think they lacked a bit of patience with him because they were so desperate for points at that time. Boufal yes. Made some terrible mistakes and was pretty sloppy. Not sure if he'd improve with a second season elsewhere, but perhaps he's just not suited to the Prem.
Origi is crocked since Funes-Mori busted him - not the same since. Tottenham supporting colleague says the same for Dembele - can't play more than 60 minutes and barely trains.
Reference to the 2 deals wasn't published - someone I trust said it to me but had no specific details on identities.. Here's the Zakaria link. https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/denis-zakaria-everton-radar-marco-12971540
I'm sure we have the funds too - probably just waiting to free up squad spaces and not end up with unwanted squad members like in the past..
What about Vincent Janssen from Spurs? He ddnt hold down a regular place at Spurs but he's behind Kane and Llorente in the pecking order and hes worked very hard in games I've seen him in. Admittedly I know you're all thinking he's going to cost over the odds etc but there's a good player there that's got a point to prove in the premier league.
On the contrary, I don’t think many would think he would be too expensive. There is a question of quality though that some will ask I’m sure. I’d liken him to Berghuis in the respect that he lit up the Dutch league but didn’t make an impact here in his limited opportunities. I would rather have him than Okaka as an option, I will say that. Was prolific before joining Spurs where he was never, ever knocking Kane out of the team.
He would make a very welcome replacement to Okaka, hard to tell if Javi Gracia will prefer a target man or a poacher up top
Regardless of their particular style, I think the most important thing is that their movement, speed of thought and technique is such that they can be on the same wavelength as Pereyra, Deulofeu and Hughes - whether that's through being able to make accurate one-twos with them to find space around the penalty area, making quick runs behind defenders which can be found with through balls, or being enough of a threat in the air to get on the end of crosses. Way too many of our attacks last season broke down through either Gray misplacing passes, or our midfielders getting in to dangerous positions but when looking up only seeing Deeney standing on his heels.
He's available, and probably feasible, but I'm far from convinced he'd be any good for us either. Spurs are a team that create lots of chances, yet he could only manage 2 goals from open play for them. He looked very slow and limited for a striker, and he had some misses which even Gray would be ashamed of.
https://talksport.com/football/efl/...ansfer-news-derby-matej-vydra-premier-league/ All I want this summer.
I have to say, I'm starting to feel like we are being left behind in the transfer market a little bit, whilst a number of rival "bottom half" teams strengthen significantly. Deulofeu should be a great signing, Masina will hopefully be a success in place of the awful Holebas, Foster is a good signing but not exactly a game changer, Sema is an unknown quantity that could go either way, and then we have Wilmot who is a kid that has only played in the lower leagues. We have major issues up front and to a slightly lesser extent centre back, and Doucoure continues to be linked away. We have 3 weeks until the window closes and we need at minimum two strikers, a centre back, and possibly a Doucoure replacement. Time to get on with it.
To a certain extent I agree. However, I haven't seen anything from a reputable source involving "Doucoure links". You've also forgotten Navarro who impressed me on Saturday and can also play CB (I'd like to hope we buy at least one natural CB though). In addition, we also have Success and Peneranda with us in preseason too. I imagine we have a list of potential forwards to purchase but Gracia wanted to first see if he felt these two could have an impact this season. Same went for Lukebakio who he unsurprisingly decided would not help us this season. Give it another week or so and then see what state the squad is in. Sent from my G3311 using Tapatalk
I thought Navarro looked OK at best, but regardless of whether he looked good or not, nothing can really be judged from such a friendly, and he's someone who plays in a position that we already had solid options in, again not addressing a real problem area. Success is more of a left sided player who may potentially fill the Richarlison void, and who knows whether or not we will actually finally see Penaranda play for us this season, or whether he will be good enough if he does? I just worry that we have again taken a few punts on relative unknowns, that could be great, but could also easily soon be added to the ever growing rubbish pile of poor Watford signings in recent years. There are reasons to be optimistic when you look at our current squad, but there are also reasons to be concerned, and until those concerns are properly addressed I'm going to feel a little uneasy, especially whilst those around us are splashing the cash on proven quality.
Reckon so, on more than a few occasions we've been left with senior players that were not included in the squad and that is not a desirable scenario. forcing them to accept moves that perhaps they were not overly keen on.
We truly have no excuse not to be active, aggressive and ambitious in the next couple of weeks. We've shifted Richarlison, Amrabat, Lukebakio, Hoban, Sinclair and then potentially Britos, Okaka and others too. That is a huge amount in fees and reduction in the wage bill and to this point we've spent relative pennies. Two strikers and a centre back or a must, or it's going to be another long, painful season with the same glaring issues still dogging us once again.
Unfortunately we will be left behind for however long we survive in this division. All bar 4/5 sides are backed by billionaires willing to pump whatever is required into the club. We have to accept that we'll never be competing at the high end of transfer fees and wages. Still, I do expect we'll do a lot of business as the deadline approaches on the 9th. We just have to be patient
I don't expect us to compete at the high end by any means but coming into our 4th straight season in the Premier League, the most lucrative league in the world, I do think it's time to start showing the ambition to grow and kick on that the likes of Duxbury so often talk about. Something we haven't actually done since our first season in reality. Don't get me wrong I wouldn't want us splashing out haphazardly, but we have just sold a player for far and away the biggest fee we have ever received as well as cutting away a fair whack of dead wood in the squad and we've been sensibly managed financially ever since the Pozzo's came in, so there's little excuse now not to go and spend a bit on some proven quality to sort out some of the long term issues with our squad. There's only so long it can go before it puts us in real trouble in terms of staying in the division.
They probably will. Like I said, I think the majority of the deals will be done when the pressure is on towards the end of the window. Patience is the key
Hopefully 2/3 deals are being worked on quietly in the background. It’s likely we haven’t moved for a striker, as we weren’t sure what funds were going to be available. It is also possible we are waiting for other clubs to sell first, before players we want become available.
I hope I’m wrong but I can see us not doing too much unless Doucoure leaves. Full backs well stocked, they seem genuinely satisfied with the centre backs and we will keep Deeney and Gray. Richarlison is already covered by Sema. I can see one rotation striker coming in and a budget centre back if they can shift old Britos. It will be a relegation candidate squad but that is my prediction.
Bit worried that Rodwell is being kept around either as an emergency replacement for Doucouré if a bid comes in, or to cover Cleverley/Chalobah injuries. If Chalobah doesn't play any part in the next friendly, it's probably fair to assume he's had a set back. Going from the Doucouré/Chalobah axis to Capoue/Rodwell would be quite depressing, even with Capoue's improved form at the back end of last season.
I’m calm about the transfer scenario at the minute. But another week without a couple of strong moves for players who would improve the First XI and I’ll be beginning to panic...
I can hardly bear to even countenance the idea that this is a possibility. He's been in all the training videos with everyone else, so I'm going to choose to believe that he's not being used because Gracia is so sure of the fact that he will be starting and in what position that he doesn't need to waste a space/risk any injury in meaningless pre-season jaunts Our owners are not bad in the first place, and surely no owners are bad enough to allow that scenario to unfold at a club they own.
Right now I think we're a central attacking midfielder light to challenge/cover Hughes. We need a centre back to partner Kabasele. And two out and out forwards, one speedy and the other a hold-up player. What I fear is Pereyra will cover/challenge Hughes leaving us potentially light out wide. No new centre-back at all so when Kabasele is injured we're left with two from Prodl, Cathcart, Mariappa and Wilmot. Success will be cover for a forward spot AND out wide. My main fear being we'll have too many players who are adequate in their primary position but can cover other positions but not enough players with enough quality in their primary position.