How Abdi fitted into Watford's promotion side.

[gurujuan]

1 hour ago, spike1867 said:

We should have looked to build the team around Abdi. I said it months ago, we should have looked at Abdi as the constant, not Hooper, Fletcher or FF. They needed to learn how to play with him. However if you are going to play someone like Abdi as a No.10 or attacking CM, the strikers have to be mobile. Constantly on the move or half turn. Both to play aggressive forward passes to and also to create space for him. I think someone said earlier he had more mobile strikers at Watford to hit. I don't think Fletcher or Hooper fit that description, I think FF can be a little unpredictable, Joao maybe fits more than the others but has been a rare sight this season. 

 

My point is this, Abdi will forever look out of place if we don't have the right players for him to feed and feed off. I think it's less important who plays in midfield with him and more important who plays ahead of him. I reckon Scott Hogan or someone of that ilk is essential in January. It's a shame that Matias has been even rarer this season because I think there would have been potential there.

 

For what it's worth, I think the 4-2-3-1 away from home with Abdi as the central player in the 3. At home, tweak it to 4-1-3-2. Minimal change of system, minimal change of personnel. 

 

My hopes when we signed him, were to revert to a 4-3-3, with him, Lee and Bannan/Jones forming the central three. Ahead of them, ideally it would have been, Joao, Forestieri and Matias. That front three, and Abdi, with licence to roam, would cause problems for any side, full of pace, movement and trickery. Injury, and form, has probably scuppered that idea, though it seems Carlos is moving away from that kind of set up anyway. 

[darra]

Didn't we change formations during matches at times last season or is my memory playing tricks with me.

[ash60s]

On 11/10/2016 at 20:24, Hedwig said:

Go for the juggler...

Maybe when we play Billy Smart FC 

that'll be the day..............

[theowlsman]

My only observation in this thread, is that it seems bleeding ridiculous to blow millions on a player you don't then play.

 

 

[The Night-Owl]

I'd play 3-5-2.

 

Westwood;

Hutchinson,

Lees,

Pudil/Loovens;

Lee/Buckley/Palmer,

Jones/Lee,

Abdi,

Bannan,

Reach/Urby/Pudil;

Hooper/Forestieri,

Fletcher/Joao/Hirst.

 

Plus in January I'd consider another centre back suitable to play in a back 3 alongside Hutchinson and Lees; a pacier wing back, a pacy striker plus I'd sell Forestieri and try and bring Guedioura in to play alongside Abdi.

[Hack-Abusi]

On 10/11/2016 at 15:46, scram said:

I'll be honest - i said at the time that our pre-season recruitment convinced me that we were going with a 3 in central midfield - either in a 3-5-2, 4-3-3 or 4-5-1

 

It would defintely get our best players in their best positions

Been crying out for 3 central midfielders all season with 2 wingers whether thats 4-5-1 or 3-5-2

[gurujuan]

On 12 November 2016 at 10:12, theowlsman said:

My only observation in this thread, is that it seems bleeding ridiculous to blow millions on a player you don't then play.

 

 

 

Lord only knows what Mr Chansiri thinks of that

[Roscoe P. Coltrane]

On 12 November 2016 at 10:12, theowlsman said:

My only observation in this thread, is that it seems bleeding ridiculous to blow millions on a player you don't then play.

 

 

Scandalous waste and CC is ruining a quality player all for the sake of shoehorning his favourites into the starting lineup IMO.

[gurujuan]

2 hours ago, Andoverowl said:

Scandalous waste and CC is ruining a quality player all for the sake of shoehorning his favourites into the starting lineup IMO.

 

A simple switch to 4-3-3 would do the trick, oh, and maybe a cheeky bid for Sergio Busquets in January

[Shezza]

On 10.11.2016 at 16:25, Beholder said:

Carlos really can't afford for it not to work out for Abdi with the Forestieri situation.

 

No sarcasm, but what exactly is the Forestieri situation?

[steelcityowlsfan]

Forget the bench (this was my thoughts on freshening it up) but this is a 4-1-4-1 which I think would work and plays Abdi in a central position. 

[Holmowl]

21 minutes ago, steelcityowlsfan said:

Forget the bench (this was my thoughts on freshening it up) but this is a 4-1-4-1 which I think would work and plays Abdi in a central position. 

 

But what about goals?

 

An extraordinary number of posters pick teams full of midfield talent, but without taking into account that we need to score goals.

 

Im a huge fan of Hooper but I have never seen anything in his game to suggest he would be effective as lone striker. We need him in the box, not holding up play with his back to goal.

 

Buckley, Jones and Reach rarely score.

 

Abdi and Lee might be good for a dozen between them.

 

I think we are over-complicating things. We scored freely and won handsomely playing 442 last year, but with the sole difference that we had a LW and a RW rather than 3 CMs. 

 

In the words of Alan Partridge, last year's team needed to evolve, not revolve.

 

 

[Crack pot]

Back 4 always picks itself 

4231 4132 withers good and it suits the players we have aswell can fit most players into a position where they like I don't get why it's so hard to realise if you want 3 CMs then you can't play 442 

 

                   Hooper

 

forestieri.      Abdi.         Reach

.           

           Jones.           Lee

 

.          

 

           Hooper.     Fletcher

 

Forestieri.      Lee.            Reach

 

                     Jones

 

i could go on but they seem perfect formations for our squad and it's really mind boggling why we can't change this 442 formation if he's not going to play 2CMs and 2 wingers 

[WFC]

Hi, hope you don't mind a Watford fan commenting but I've been following your progress this season and waiting and hoping for things to really click into gear. Not least because after your summer signings I bunged some money on you for promotion!

 

It was sad to see our promotion team being broken up but it was probably inevitable - all 3 of your recent signings from us I think Watford fans were sad to see go. Forestieri was always worth the entrance money when he played for us but he was in and out the team sometimes because of the form of others sometimes because of injury. He almost always delivered though and was so entertaining to watch. Towards the end of his time with us his attitude was being questioned by some. Things like having a strop when Deeney didn't pass to him against Fulham - at that point Deeney was one on one with the keeper and instead of passing to Forestieri tucked it in for his hattrick. I enjoyed watching him last season for your boys and really hope he can hit that form again. When he's on it, he's unplayable.

 

Anyway, I came here to comment on Abdi. You probably saw the reaction from Watford fans when he left. Most were absolutely gutted. With regards to how Abdi fitted into our team, as others have mentioned earlier our most successful formation tended to be 3-5-2. Abdi would be advanced and in behind the forwards with another regular central midfielder (Munari, Guédioura) and a third (Toszer, Watson) with more defensive responsibilities. The width came from the wing backs (Anya, Parades, Pudil) rather than out and out wingers. The front two would be from (Deeney, Vydra and later Ighalo). With Deeney and Vydra up front you had a combination of strength and electric pace. Vydra had one amazing season and that was playing in front of Abdi and alongside Deeney. Most of his goals that season came from linking up with Abdi. In that central position, Abdi would also break through the defence after a few passes and you always knew when he was in on goal he wouldn't miss. The options in front of Abdi with Vydra and Deeney moving the defence around - Vydra was constantly playing on the shoulder and looking for through balls - were ideal for Abdi. Also, with the pacey wingbacks, Abdi had options on either side for a pass. Ultimately, everything went through him and he thrived on it.

 

Last season our formation and mentality changed, both as a result of a new manager and the need to avoid relegation. Despite new signings coming in and Abdi being shunted out onto right midfield he adapted, did the defensive work very well and became a very reliable option on the side of the midfield. But his talents were completely wasted there. We even saw him at right back towards the end of season. Probably something that helped make up his mind it was time to leave. So he can do a job in most positions but from what we saw at Watford, to get the most out of him he needs to be in that central advanced midfielder role, feeding the forwards, moving the ball around the edge of the box and including a few goal of the season entries every year.

 

I really hope he can find form for you boys soon because as with Forestieri, he was a joy to watch in full flow. Ultimately, we wasted him by playing him out of position and it led to him leaving. I hope that doesn't happen again for you.

 

Good luck for the rest of the season.

Edited November 16, 2016 by WFC
Typo

[Roscoe P. Coltrane]

1 hour ago, Holmowl said:

 

But what about goals?

 

An extraordinary number of posters pick teams full of midfield talent, but without taking into account that we need to score goals.

 

Im a huge fan of Hooper but I have never seen anything in his game to suggest he would be effective as lone striker. We need him in the box, not holding up play with his back to goal.

 

Buckley, Jones and Reach rarely score.

 

Abdi and Lee might be good for a dozen between them.

 

I think we are over-complicating things. We scored freely and won handsomely playing 442 last year, but with the sole difference that we had a LW and a RW rather than 3 CMs. 

 

In the words of Alan Partridge, last year's team needed to evolve, not revolve.

 

 

Think you're summing up of Buckley could be slightly off the mark considering he never gets a look in!

[modboy]

On 10/11/2016 at 20:56, scram said:

 

Under Zola it was 3-5-2

 

Under Sannino then Jokanovic it was more 4-3-1-2 (with Abdi being the 1)

 

Sometimes Ighalo would play ahead of Deeney in a loose version of 4-5-1

 

But Abdi always played - and starred in the team

 

IF Carlos doesnt turn it around pretty soon he would be the guy i would go and get in to coach us

[Holmowl]

2 minutes ago, Andoverowl said:

Think you're summing up of Buckley could be slightly off the mark considering he never gets a look in!

 

I stand corrected. Apologies.

 

19 in 109 for Brighton is excellent for a winger. One in six beats most wingers.

[Southie_Owl]

                Westwood

 

   Lees     Hutchinson  Loovens

 

Lee       Jones     Bannan     Reach 

                    Abdi 

           Hooper    Forestieri 

 

 

[Spookone]

On 10 November 2016 at 17:32, Beholder said:

...........Lees.........Hutch........Loovens

 

Wallace..............Jones......................Reach......

 

...............Lee..................Abdi..................

 

.............Hooper...............Forestieri.............

 

..

 

 

Glad someone else see's the benefits Wallace brings to the team, he makes the odd mistake but drives us forward.

[HirstWhoScoredIt]

1 hour ago, Holmowl said:

 

I stand corrected. Apologies.

 

19 in 109 for Brighton is excellent for a winger. One in six beats most wingers.

I think you also need to check Abdi's goalscoring record at this level.

 

He got 12 in one season for Watford. 23 in 83.

Edited November 16, 2016 by HirstWhoScoredIt