[SIGNED perm] Wesley Hoedt

There's a lot of smoke on this. May never happen, like all transfers, but this seems to be more than idle rumours and arguably following the normal pattern of how our transfers happen.

 

@reids would be interested to see a radar if you have one...

 

Not enough to sign him this window, despite signing one or two other defenders.

 

Still lacking SB access

The internal tools I have access to say he's a bit of an all-rounder. Doesn't rank too badly in terms of progression (better than 57% of CBs in terms of progression) and pretty solid defensive numbers to back it up. I've not watched him for a number of years but I remember him being a bit of a donkey at the top flight level but reckon he wouldn't be the worst shout in the world for a Champ team.

 

Wasn't he at Southampton and basically completely ****?

 

Absolutely

 

Why?

We're currently only playing with 2 CBs and Cathcart has actually been pretty good lately as the left-sided CB.

I also don't really know why we'd need to sign both Porteous and Hoedt this window? One, sure, if they're an upgrade on what we have. But on the slim chance we got promoted they could both well need replacing immediately. Hoedt certainly given what people are saying about how poor he was last time in the PL.

They could be a good pairing in the Championship next season, but signing both would seem to be preparing for life in the Champ again.

 

Not saying you’re lying, but where was this? I want to read it for myself before I get the flags and bunting out.

 

Direct quotes from a Saints supporting colleague:

‘Hes a big time w*nker’

‘Thinks he’s world class’

‘Will do fine until someone or something upsets him, which isn’t hard, then he’ll throw his toys out of his pram’.

He’ll fit right in.

 

No doubt to the delight of many on here, “Hoedt is looking very possible” according to Andrew French.

 

I don't mind this one at all. He's not Kabasele or Sierralta for a start.

 

His Conference League stats this season (the latest fbref scouting report) are v good. Good in the air, good in possession. Obviously there are to big black marks a) his awful play for Southampton four-five years ago and b) that he’s fallen out with his club but there’s something to work with here for sure.


https://fbref.com/en/players/875898c7/scout/11456/Wesley-Hoedt-Scouting-Report

 

Isn't it a supposition based upon the arrival of Manga and Costa leading some posters to say that was bye bye Bayat?

 

Oh dear, just when you think Gino has learnt about having a solid defence and shipping off Ekong, we go and sign his Dutch twin who is just as bad.

There’s a reason Saints, Lazio and Anderlecht fans on social media are all laughing at us.

Soon to turn 29 yrs old, and there was me hoping we would be done signing crap aging defenders. This just reeks of a Bayat deal.

If he is on loan who misses out of the match day squad?

Kamara
Davis
Choudhury
Martins
Araujo

Because I would rather those 5 in the squad than Hoedt.

 

Kamara happily.

 

Sierralta is better than Hoedt. I would also say Kaba and Hoedt are basically the same, that’s how bad Hoedt is.

 

Granted he’s been woeful this season, but we saw the difference his pace made on the left when he replaced Morris against Rotherham. That’s why this deal loan with option to buy makes no sense to me. Either buy him outright (not that I want that at all), buy a better CB or buy a CB who has the potential to be playing for a top 6 side one day.

I certainly hope Anderlecht don’t con us into making it an obligation to buy.

 

I hoedt him already.
Boooooo !

 

When did you last watch Hoedt?

He isn’t playing for Anderlecht due to some sort of row, not because of his performances.

 

When he was at Southampton and he was woeful. Judging by comments based by fans of other clubs that have watched him countless times play for their clubs, he hasn’t changed.

He’s a massive liability at the back. If he was any good, there would be other clubs interested. The fact that we’re the only ones being linked to him, tells you everything you need to know. Zero point in bringing in this near 29 year old dud.

 

He’s a left footed progressive CB seemingly available for dirt cheap. He formally commanded an eight figure transfer fee. He’s had his issues but will be good at this level.

I do like how you’re celebrating his birthday early this year.

 

But he’s still rubbish. It doesn’t matter about Lazio over paying for him, he’s duff.

He won’t be good at this level because he’s not any good period. Fans know best, and it’s a common theme of his mentality of being billy big time and thinking that he’s better than what he actually is. He’s going to stroll into Watford with that same mindset. He doesn’t want to play championship football. It’s beneath him and he will eventually show that.

Happy to be proven wrong but so far throughout his career, according to fans that watched him week in week out, that’s who he is. A crap defender, who is a massive liability and thinks he’s bigger and better than what he is.

 

He was obviously bad at Southampton. Anderlecht it seems that he’s being frozen out for non-sporting reasons. The fans now want rid of him as he’s a big earner who is not playing at all. They’ve turned on him and won’t be providing objective analysis. I’m sure a year ago they’d have been more positive. Last season he played every minute of every match in every competition, bar two where he was suspended. That was under Kompany who is a good judge of players (and who signed him) and during Anderlecht’s best season in years. He was their highest rated CB on whoscored (not the most reliable source I know) last year. This year he is ever so slightly behind the highly rated Delcroix, and is their second most highly-rated outfield player.

The guy is at a low ebb but has a good skillset. He is available for very cheap. This is how a buy low strategy works.

 

What was his role on the bench?
Polishing boots?
Trimming toenails?

 

And they're always crap

 

I don’t think there’s much point going round in circles. If this were a PL signing I would be distinctly uninspired. But it isn’t. So I’m not. I think he’ll exceed the low low bar set by Hause and Kabasele.

 

I understand all of that, but that doesn’t take away from the fact that he’s absolutely rubbish.

A buy low strategy comes with the understanding that more likely than not you have a great chance of turning your risk into profit. He’s 29 in 5 weeks. Gino will give him a contract until he’s 33. We don’t need aging defenders that don’t improve us. We need young CB’s who have the potential to one day move on for a lot more than what we paid for them. Tuta and Ndicka signed for Frankfurt for less than £5mil. Now arguably both worth £20-30mil. That’s what we need to be doing. No signing poo like Hoedt.

 

That's a great sign in itself.

 

I highly doubt we give him a 4.5 year contract. Maybe 2.5+1. Or maybe just a loan.

Yes I’d like that profile of CB too. And I recognise the opportunity cost. But I do think Hoedt will be very good at this level.