BFT Watford

[Hound]

Losing 10 players has made the squad more tight knit and competative and the academy players are there on merit.

We still need another RB but Aluko's renaissance has made a wide player less of a need in the short term. Add a RB and the squad is more than capable of seeing us through to January.

I’d like a right back, a left back and a wide player. I don’t think we need another CDM. We can use one of our centre backs if need be. We need to start using our existing squad more. No need to loan out McIntyre or Holmes. They can play their part as and when needed.

I would hate to see us sign five or six more players effectively meaning some of our current squad get pushed out.

I’d be happy with another cdm to be honest. Both Laurent and Rino can play further forward, probably won’t be able to play every match and there are times like yesterday when you’d want to bring on a more defensive midfielder in place of Olise/Aluko/Ejaria.

Tom Mc did a decent job there but wouldn’t particularly fancy him starting a run of games there if one of the main two got an injury

[Snowflake Royal]

Losing 10 players has made the squad more tight knit and competative and the academy players are there on merit.

We still need another RB but Aluko's renaissance has made a wide player less of a need in the short term. Add a RB and the squad is more than capable of seeing us through to January.

I’d like a right back, a left back and a wide player. I don’t think we need another CDM. We can use one of our centre backs if need be. We need to start using our existing squad more. No need to loan out McIntyre or Holmes. They can play their part as and when needed.

I would hate to see us sign five or six more players effectively meaning some of our current squad get pushed out.

We've got Gibson and Bristow to cover LB.

RB would be nice, though I'd still like to see Watson at least tried there.

DM is crucial IMO relying on a CB is just daft given how much the Rino - Laurent partnership has transformed us.

LW would be good.

Max of 3 signings needed and we might cope alright with fewer if we minimise injuries.

[WestYorksRoyal]

If Aluko can keep it up all season, there's no need for an additional wide/attacking option. Ejaria, Meite, Olise and Aluko is enough.

It sounds like Semedo is close, which is important. Need cover for Rinomhota and Laurent.

[SouthDownsRoyal]

As much as I don’t want to end up with. Bloated squad and all the comments regards a tighter knit squad being positive are very valid. Yesterday we did very well, despite our injuries and against a strong team but it’s a long season and I would like to see a little depth added to the squad, especially after the start we have made, it’s a great spring board to build from

It’s great to be brining the kids into the first team and it will benefit them greatly but we can’t be in a position where we are having to rely on too many of them

[Westwood52]

Aluko’s was one of the better performances of any Reading player in a while. Barely put a foot wrong, had immense awareness all game and his deliveries were very very good. Worked tirelessly defensively too. I’d imagine this was the Aluko we thought we were buying.

Quite a performance, makes you wonder why the change

The cynic in me suggests he does not want to back to China.There again when I first heard about Trump and his infection,I thought it was a campaign gimmick.

[Zip]

Losing 10 players has made the squad more tight knit and competative and the academy players are there on merit.

We still need another RB but Aluko's renaissance has made a wide player less of a need in the short term. Add a RB and the squad is more than capable of seeing us through to January.

I’d like a right back, a left back and a wide player. I don’t think we need another CDM. We can use one of our centre backs if need be. We need to start using our existing squad more. No need to loan out McIntyre or Holmes. They can play their part as and when needed.

I would hate to see us sign five or six more players effectively meaning some of our current squad get pushed out.

We've got Gibson and Bristow to cover LB.

RB would be nice, though I'd still like to see Watson at least tried there.

DM is crucial IMO relying on a CB is just daft given how much the Rino - Laurent partnership has transformed us.

LW would be good.

Max of 3 signings needed and we might cope alright with fewer if we minimise injuries.

McIntyre is a smart cookie. I think he could adapt and cover CDM as and when needed. Who would have thought Holmes would be playing right back this season? Sometimes we are too quick to bring in players. Before you know it we have offloaded loads but brought in 9 or 10. That ridiculous turnover each season has to end.

[Snowflake Royal]

Which is exactly why I said max 3 to bring us to 5 total.

If you're ok with Holmes regularly starting @ RB why aren't you ok with Gibson and Bristow at LB as cover?

It doesn't make sense to me.

[NewCorkSeth]

A specialist LB and a DM to cover for Laurinomhota is all thats needed right now in my book. If further additions are needed we can look in January. If Aluko plays half as well as he did yesterday for the rest of the season we dont need any move attacking mids.

[NewCorkSeth]

Which is exactly why I said max 3 to bring us to 5 total.

If you're ok with Holmes regularly starting @ RB why aren't you ok with Gibson and Bristow at LB as cover?

It doesn't make sense to me.

Would you prefer a short term loan at RB or a season long one? If Yiadom is back sooner than we expected then it might be a bit of a waste. I tend to lean towards your argument of "no square pegs in round holes" but Holmes did do well. Not that I want it to be a permanent thing.

[Zip]

Which is exactly why I said max 3 to bring us to 5 total.

If you're ok with Holmes regularly starting @ RB why aren't you ok with Gibson and Bristow at LB as cover?

It doesn't make sense to me.

I hadn’t picked up on Gibson playing left back. Saw him as a centre back and someone we didn’t need to bring to the club. I see Holmes as a centre back which is why I believe we need another right back.

[Snowflake Royal]

Which is exactly why I said max 3 to bring us to 5 total.

If you're ok with Holmes regularly starting @ RB why aren't you ok with Gibson and Bristow at LB as cover?

It doesn't make sense to me.

Would you prefer a short term loan at RB or a season long one? If Yiadom is back sooner than we expected then it might be a bit of a waste. I tend to lean towards your argument of "no square pegs in round holes" but Holmes did do well. Not that I want it to be a permanent thing.

I'd be thinking about succession planning.

Yiadom missed half of last season, is likely to miss at least 10 games this season and he's 28 going into the last year of his contract next season I believe.

I'd be looking for either a perm signing with a view to transitioning from Yiadom as first choice over the next year or so, or an initial loan to January and review again then depending on what's available.

Or just offering Osho / Gunts a short term contract to Xmas if they remain without a club and nothing is on for them.

[NewCorkSeth]

Which is exactly why I said max 3 to bring us to 5 total.

If you're ok with Holmes regularly starting @ RB why aren't you ok with Gibson and Bristow at LB as cover?

It doesn't make sense to me.

Would you prefer a short term loan at RB or a season long one? If Yiadom is back sooner than we expected then it might be a bit of a waste. I tend to lean towards your argument of "no square pegs in round holes" but Holmes did do well. Not that I want it to be a permanent thing.

I'd be thinking about succession planning.

Yiadom missed half of last season, is likely to miss at least 10 games this season and he's 28 going into the last year of his contract next season I believe.

I'd be looking for either a perm signing with a view to transitioning from Yiadom as first choice over the next year or so, or an initial loan to January and review again then depending on what's available.

Or just offering Osho / Gunts a short term contract to Xmas if they remain without a club and nothing is on for them.

Yeah that makes sense. Its a shame because Yiadom in his first season was incredible, my player of the season. I really though we had our RB for the next 5 years sorted. I really wish he never got injured. Guess this is a good test of what the club intends to do.

[Super_horns]

Wasn't the Watford manager a total contrast during the game. Looked withdrawn and detached.

He does seem to be a quite and reserved type of guy....how long will he last!?

Cannot complain really about the result given after that opening 20 minutes you handled us fairly well and had a lot more efforts on target.

Good luck for the season and well maybe we'll see you at the Vic!?

Do you think that the constant turnover of managers is finally having it's toll ? Over the years always enjoyed watching Watford as games were rarely dull.

It does seem to be once things go wrong the manager gets blamed very quickly or the players have a moan and groan - of course player power seems to be bigger than the clubs thesedays.

Although I don't think Pearson was sacked simply due to a few iffy results on the pitch - something went on off the pitch we don't know about.

The mistake last year was bringing back Flores who they had got rid of before!

But people in football are fickle - I've heard calls for Lampard and Pep be sacked this season already!

[Notts Royal]

I'm impressed at the way Rino carries the ball and always seems to glide away from opposition players...

There's a touch of the Mick Gooding about him IMHO

The bloke’s just superb really. I’ve said he’s the most important player at the club & stand by that.
The best thing about it for me is you barely hear anyone from the outside talk about it, which means we’re likely to retain him for a years to come. And that long-term consistency is exactly what we need.

Both him & Laurent are proper midfielders, as others have suggested. We’ve had too many midfielders who were good at one thing (spraying the ball crossfield for example) but deficient in many other areas. These 2 are Dynamic, have superb spatial awareness, and TEMPO. How many midfielders have we had to watch over the years play at a snails pace and go nowhere?!

Long gone are the days of Liam Kelly & Danny Guthrie

[leon]

I'm impressed at the way Rino carries the ball and always seems to glide away from opposition players...

There's a touch of the Mick Gooding about him IMHO

The bloke’s just superb really. I’ve said he’s the most important player at the club & stand by that.
The best thing about it for me is you barely hear anyone from the outside talk about it, which means we’re likely to retain him for a years to come. And that long-term consistency is exactly what we need.

Both him & Laurent are proper midfielders, as others have suggested. We’ve had too many midfielders who were good at one thing (spraying the ball crossfield for example) but deficient in many other areas. These 2 are Dynamic, have superb spatial awareness, and TEMPO. How many midfielders have we had to watch over the years play at a snails pace and go nowhere?!

Long gone are the days of Liam Kelly & Danny Guthrie

This is the best midfield we’ve had since McDermotts team - with the potential to be better.

Two lively box to box midfielders and creativity in Olise and Ejaria.

Really impressed this season. Watford were decent and we snuffed them out second half very confidently.

I was convinced getting rid of Bowen was a massive mistake but the way this team looks now I think I was wrong.

[Hendo]

I'm impressed at the way Rino carries the ball and always seems to glide away from opposition players...

There's a touch of the Mick Gooding about him IMHO

The bloke’s just superb really. I’ve said he’s the most important player at the club & stand by that.
The best thing about it for me is you barely hear anyone from the outside talk about it, which means we’re likely to retain him for a years to come. And that long-term consistency is exactly what we need.

Both him & Laurent are proper midfielders, as others have suggested. We’ve had too many midfielders who were good at one thing (spraying the ball crossfield for example) but deficient in many other areas. These 2 are Dynamic, have superb spatial awareness, and TEMPO. How many midfielders have we had to watch over the years play at a snails pace and go nowhere?!

Long gone are the days of Liam Kelly & Danny Guthrie

This is the best midfield we’ve had since McDermotts team - with the potential to be better.

Two lively box to box midfielders and creativity in Olise and Ejaria.

Laurent is quickly becoming one of my favourite players. Not only for his performances but the passion he shows is infectious.

[Zip]

The bloke’s just superb really. I’ve said he’s the most important player at the club & stand by that.
The best thing about it for me is you barely hear anyone from the outside talk about it, which means we’re likely to retain him for a years to come. And that long-term consistency is exactly what we need.

Both him & Laurent are proper midfielders, as others have suggested. We’ve had too many midfielders who were good at one thing (spraying the ball crossfield for example) but deficient in many other areas. These 2 are Dynamic, have superb spatial awareness, and TEMPO. How many midfielders have we had to watch over the years play at a snails pace and go nowhere?!

Long gone are the days of Liam Kelly & Danny Guthrie

This is the best midfield we’ve had since McDermotts team - with the potential to be better.

Two lively box to box midfielders and creativity in Olise and Ejaria.

Laurent is quickly becoming one of my favourite players. Not only for his performances but the passion he shows is infectious.

Ditto Meite and McIntyre. Upbeat characters.

[TiagoIlori]

Looking back at all our games, it seems we were quite fortunate our defence hasn’t really been tested yet. Derby had a terrible front 4, Barnsley had no bite, Cardiff had no creativity until Tomlin came on and Watford are having serious trouble scoring goals at the moment. Indeed one could point out we wouldn’t have won those games under Bowen so that is also a good sign our attack seems a bit better this season.

[Lower West]

Looking back at all our games, it seems we were quite fortunate our defence hasn’t really been tested yet. Derby had a terrible front 4, Barnsley had no bite, Cardiff had no creativity until Tomlin came on and Watford are having serious trouble scoring goals at the moment. Indeed one could point out we wouldn’t have won those games under Bowen so that is also a good sign our attack seems a bit better this season.

What must be helping is the continuity from last season into this. Yesterday was noticeable (for example) how well Puscas and Meite are linking up. There's an understanding building. This can only come with time on the pitch.

[TiagoIlori]

Looking back at all our games, it seems we were quite fortunate our defence hasn’t really been tested yet. Derby had a terrible front 4, Barnsley had no bite, Cardiff had no creativity until Tomlin came on and Watford are having serious trouble scoring goals at the moment. Indeed one could point out we wouldn’t have won those games under Bowen so that is also a good sign our attack seems a bit better this season.

What must be helping is the continuity from last season into this. Yesterday was noticeable (for example) how well Puscas and Meite are linking up. There's an understanding building. This can only come with time on the pitch.

I think it’s more down to our coaching set up letting these players play! Our attack hasn’t changed very much. Everyone seems much sharper and more dangerous offensively. Meite caused lots of problems. Puscas has obviously been coached to hold up better which is also a brilliant sign as I had my doubts he could replace Joao but after that I think he’s capable. My only problem is that he does come across as a bit selfish, if there’s someone in a better position you’ve got to pass it to them, I’m sure that can be coached anyway.