Now that the transfer window has shut and we have made a good number of signings who would you start the next game with and where do you think we will finish come the end of the season? IMO we have a stronger squad over last year without having the individual stand out players that made a difference. I think this will prove to be good and more productive come the second half of the season! in the last 2 years we have always faded away due to the lack of depth in the squad, this year I think its going to be a struggle until December whilst the squad gells but feel we will pull away from the relegation zone in the second half of the season. Hopefully we can then keep the majority of our squad together in the summer and improve again next season! all seems too easy really My starting line up for the next game would be: Gilmartin Doyley, Mirfin, Taylor, Dickinson Yeates, Hogg, Eustace, Forsyth Sordell, Garner Subs Loach, Marriappa, Hodson, Weiman, Bauban I know it may be controversial and I have always been a big fan of Loach & Marriappa but it seems to me that their levels have dropped since they have been the first names on the team sheet, maybe a shake up is what we need to start getting the performances we know they can give! I realise some on here seem to think Marriappa has been our best player this season and I would agree with that for 90% of the game, but then he goes and makes one big error in judgement and we concede a goal. I would also put Garner ahead of Weiman purely because he is a permanent signing and we need him to perform for the future of our club. Over to you guys! ....
I must admit, away to Reading isn't a game I would make too many changes! The team I would like to see is; -----------Loach--------- Hodson---Mariappa---Taylor---Dickinson -------Hogg-----Eustace----------- --Yeates-----Sordell-----Forsyth -----------Weimann----------- Yep, i've dropped Doyley. I would like a slight change of formation, with maybe Sordell a but deeper behind the front two. alternatively, if Bauben is fit, I owuld play him just behind Sordell, with Marvin up front on his own! I would have Hogg and Eustace just in front of the defence, making sure one always drops back, and both if we have a full back overlapping, going forward. I'd want the wide men to stay wide, hogging the line.
I think we have to try to get Loach back to where he was 2 years ago - we need a decent keeper and I think Gilmartin is not as good potentially. I think the loss of DG, Cowie and Buckley have weakened the squad. However we have brought in decent players - my concern though is whether they are journeymen or have a hunger - SD must be ruthless in accepting no 90% performances - if you pull on a Watford shirt you must give 100% every time - we can not afford less
W emay not have the individual quality of Buckley, Cowie or Graham, but the thing we dohave is competition, so you would hope alone that would keep up the intensity, with the players knowing if their form drops, they will be dropped. Let's just hope Dyche is strong enough to drop any non-performers... no matter who it is!
Ooops, didn't give my view of the season ahead..... I think most Watford fans see it as a season of struggle. I certainly think the next 2 months will be, and can see us picking up a very little amount of points, considering who we have to play... but also with so many new faces, they need time to gel and work on their play together. I do honestly see us picking up though, and finishing around the 16-19 position-mark... I just hope the early season struggle doesn't effect motivation too much,a nd this is where we need Dyche and the experienced heads in the team to shine through.... and we seem to have brought a few of these to supplement the likes of Eustace and Taylor!
I would like to see: Loach Hodson Marriappa Taylor Dickinson Hogg Eustace Forsyth Weimann Sordell Garner I feel that with both forsyth and yeates the side is one dimensional and feel that three up front would provide us with more attacking threat
Personally I would go with... Loach; Doyley, Mariappa, Taylor, Dickinson; Weimann, Hogg, Eustace, Forsyth; Sordell, Deeney I would like to see Weimann given a go out on the right side or failing that be given a bit of a free role behind the front two. Something needs to link the midfield to the front line and his mobility and high work rate makes him ideal. I'd also like to see Deeney given more of a shot up front. I see a lot of people saying he is a utility player but he has the presence and build to really cause problems in the area. I do think Yeates needs a week off.
Loach Doyley Mariappa Taylor Dickinson Hogg Eustace Yeates Garner Forsyth Sordell SUBS: Gilmartin, Mirfin, Jenkins, Whichelow, Weimann Effectively a 4-4-2 with Garner behind Sordell, and the central midfield sitting deep with Hogg making forward runs. We need to start naming more attacking benches - having two defenders on the bench leaves very little scope to change the game if we're losing. Hogg can slot in at full-back if theres an injury there, so theres no reason why we cant name 3 midfielders/attackers. Its harsh on Deeney to drop him altogether, but Whichelow is the better player and like Deeney he is versatile, operating as a winger or striker. Weimann can be very useful as an impact player, as we saw glimpses of last season. Its hard to judge at this point how our season will pan out - if things settle down and we find our feet within the next few games, if the partnerships of Sordell/Garner and Hogg/Eustace live up to their potential, then it could be a very successful season with us looking up the table instead of down. If for whatever reason things fail to click, we continue to play decent football and create chances but fail to get points on the board, then it could be a very long and difficult season. If i had to make a prediction now, id say bottom half but comfortably safe, but again its hard to judge at this point.
Am I the only one who is not convinced with Forsyth? And I'd like to see more of The Prince. I agree that we now have competition for places and I would start with: Loach (Still first choice and playing better than last season) Doyley (One of our most offensive players and has done nothing wrong so far) Mariappa (has done little wrong and compliments Taylor) Taylor (has done little wrong and compliments Mariappa) Dickinson (gave the ball away at both both Cov which led to the pen shout and Brum which led to the goal. But solid and otherwise dependable) Deeney (I like what I've seen of Deeney out wide and would like to see him start there). I'm not convinced he is a CF) Eustace (Slowing but still influential) Hogg (Liked what I saw against Brum) Yeates (Still not completely convinced, but he is seeing a lot of the ball and has been far better than Forsyth) Sordell (Obvious) Wiemann (again, still not completely convinced, but is our best option until we get a chance to see Garner) I think this is a squad that will grow and should be good enough to stay in the Championship.
I quite like this formation Archeologisthornet! Its a good idea ... Yeates is not consistent enough yet and a 3 pronged attack could ensure goals, would still drop Loach and Marriappa tho ........
It does not matter who we play or in which formation they play - wins are what's required - not good performances. I do not see us picking up from a bad first 3 months. If we struggle to pick up points in the next couple of months then confidence will drain away, heads will drop and even when we get to the so-called "easier fixtures", we will be in no shape to take advantage of them - even if the new players start to 'bed in', which is more difficult in a struggling team. I remember the last time we dropped from this division . We had a better start than this season, including wins against Sheff Utd & Stoke in the first 6 games. Then went on a confidence sapping run of draws & losses, had Phillips injured and, long before GT came back to the helm, were effectively doomed. This was with a team containing the likes of Bazeley, Steve Palmer, Colin Foster, Kevin Miller, David Holdsworth, Mooney, Ramage and Phillips himself - most of whom would probably get into the side today. No, we must start picking up wins & points pretty soon or the reality of the league table will weigh down on the players and supporters! Sorry to be so negative but I have seen this "it'll be all right later on" hopefulness before, and it rarely happens.
I am not a big fan of Loach, over the last two seasons he has cost us to many goals, his indecisions in dealing with crosses amaze me, he does not control HIS area why baffles me! So Gilmartin must start, Doyley(such a force going forward), Taylor and Mariappa, Dickinson(has the makings of a legend, lets the opposition knows he is there which we have been lacking) Forsyth, Eustace, Hogg and Yeates/Deeney Sordell/ Weimann Until we see Garner play, put him on the bench and if he is a different option ie goal poacher give him a chance, Weimann is a great option to come off the bench to add pace and change a game.
Loach Doyley, Taylor, Mariappa, Dickinson Deeney, Hogg, Eustace, Forsyth Sordell, Garner I honestly think that swapping Taylor and Mariappa on the pitch would benefit. Dickinson has been caught out a few times this season, either on the counter or just simply for pace....I think having Mariappa closer might help. For me, Yeates is too prone to mistakes in the midfield...he constantly loses the ball without putting up a fight, Deeney is more a physical presence, can win headers and is likely to be as effective on the wing. Garner and Sordell up front. Both are versatile and should be able to bang the goals in for us.
The switch of Keeper is an interesting idea and probably depends on whether the management feel that Loach would benefit from a time on the bench. I wouldn't drop Mariappa or switch him to right back for the point made eslewhere that Mirfin and Taylor are too slow and too similar and also because I think Mariappa is infinitely better than Mirfin. From the little I have seen of Garner and what I have been able to read he looks like a support striker / attacking central midfielder more than an out and out poacher. So I would favour: -----------Loach--------- Doyley---Mariappa---Taylor---Dickinson -------Hogg-----Eustace----------- --Forsyth-----Garner-----Yeates -----------Sordell----------- This formation (think Chelsea without the attacking wing backs) would offer more protection in the centre of the park and close the gap between midfiled and attack to encourage more passing and switch the wingers sides to get them coming infield more to support the striker. On the bench, Gilmartin, Mirfin, Weimman, Wichelow, Murray - only need one defender to cover an injury and this gives us creativity and energy if we need to chase a game (which we often have to). I still think this season will be a struggle, having said the window was the critical time for the club we have certainly added more numbers and more experience but there are a hell of a lot of rejects from teams in our division who I don't think add a lot of quality. The nine senior players signed may only have cost just over a million but if they are being paid let's say £3k per week on average that's an extra £1.4m p.a. in wages. For this sort of outlay I would have prefered more emphasis on quality over quantity. The other consequence of this is to block the progress of our youth players who are now struggling to get in the 16 and this in my opinion is very unwise.
We need to pick up some points soon otherwise I think we're in trouble, not because I don't think our squad is good enough but because if you have an extended bad run at the start of the season you can't afford to have another bad run later in the season, confidence will be shot and the 'experts' will be harping on about relegation and once that happens it often seems difficult to pull yourself away from it. Still, I like Hogg from what I saw against Birmingham he can tackle, pass and doesn't get lost from the game, a vital addition after some questionable performances by RJ so far this season. I also think Weimann is an excellent (albeit temporary) addition. It is generally agreed that Sordell is vital to our success this season but he does have a tendancy to go missing for larger periods of a game before suddenly pulling something out of the bag, which is a luxury that can't be afforded if the other striker is not particularly mobile e.g. an unfit Iwelumo; which means we need a hardworking foil for him who is always chasing something (Weimann). Unfortunately getting the eye from the boss so other observations so far; Dickinson - Solid Yeates - Fiesty Forsyth - hopefully grows into it like McGinn last year. On the subject I can see Mcginn being vital to the second half of the season if he can get fit and will be like a new signing.
