Honestly, we are not that far away...

[Maluco]

There is obviously a lot of disappointment and frustration after today. There is also talk about Ole, talk about Pogba and lots of details of the day to day running of the club, but I actually think we are closer to a way forward than we have been since Ferguson.

We have had years and years of scattergun buys, different set-ups and teams that you look at and wonder how all the issues will be fixed. I don’t feel like that anymore.

GK Whatever decision is made, we have three strong options in this area.

RB A young RB who is great defensively with one of Europe’s former top prospects, in Dalot, backing him up

CB Finally, a true leader in Maguire and potential options in Lindelof and Bailly. We also have Axel who could really step up and make a claim next season

LB A resurgent Shaw and exciting prospect in Williams

CM. Pogba, Fred, McTominey, Matic

AMC. Finally, in Bruno, a player with real ability and technique to build the team round

AMR. Nothing natural

AML. Rashford with Martial as an option

CF. Greenwood and Martial as potential options.

We can see immediately that the team is far closer to being “ready” than it has been since Sir Alex.

The transfer plan seems to be crystal clear for the summer. There are no arguments to be had about what is necessary and I think we can just about complete the squad with 3 deals.

RW Sancho/Chiesa. Real quality from the right hand side. Our main transfer

AMC. Grealish. Another option to provide quality and technique in our attacking phase

CF. DLC/Jimenez. A proper number 9 who can hold the ball up and push teams back with their work rate and strength, allowing our other attackers to flourish

You may need to sell Pogba, Lingard, Pereira and Smalling to make this happen. And if you did, picking up someone like Bellingham who can give you another option on midfield and grow into a future world class player would be the way to go.

All of a sudden, with three transfers (4 if Pogba has to go), we are left with this team...

de Gea
AWB
Bailly
Maguire
Shaw
Fred
McTominey
Bruno
Sancho
Rashford
Jimenez

Leaving you with alternatives in...

Romero, Henderson, Lindelof, Tuanzebe, Dalot, Williams, Matic, Bellingham, Grealish, James, Martial, Greenwood.

You can play around with the team but there is good cover for every position and it offers lots of options and flexibility, especially in the forward areas.

It also offers Ole options to change the game and to make meaningful subs from the bench.

I just think we have some real players now and are so close. To even think at times under Mourinho that we could be only 2-3 transfers away was unthinkable. We needed at least 6-7.

I think there is an awful lot to be positive about, and whether you are pro or con Ole, Pogba, Lingard, Woodward or the half time pies, we are well on our way, and I am enjoying it more than at any stage since the great man left us.

 

[2 man midfield]

I’m not massively on board with the Wan Bissaka hype tbh. He’s improved in recent months, but is it enough in the modern game to be just good defensively? I think Laird could challenge him eventually.

We also have a lot of centre backs with question marks over them, instead of nailed on first choices. Lindelof, Bailly, Tuanzebe, Smalling, Jones...all have their issues or have yet to make the spot their own. Could need addressing.

 

[GledTheRed]

We are Sancho and Grealish away in my opinion. We play some decent stuff and Ole is doing a decent job with recruitment / sales.

 

[el3mel]

Definitely I think we have a pretty decent squad now that if we have a proper summer we'll be looking forward to a very exciting next season. Ole has actually done a good job regarding recruiting players. Unfortunately him being a terrible coach isn't really something he's going to improve.

If he leaves in summer, Poch comes and we have another proper window, with a RW as Sancho, a top striker and maybe another defender, I'll be very optimistic about next season, and I might look back at Ole's reign and thank him for his recruiting while forgetting everything else.

 

[Regulus Arcturus Black]

Until we actually prove it, these kind of posts all feel very RAWK 2000–2018.

 

[Witchking]

Until we actually prove it, these kind of posts all feel very RAWK 2000–2018.

Yup. So many threads coming and saying we are missing just this and that and things are looking up etc. They right now point to a redcafe version of rawk.

 

[VeevaVee]

We're closer to actually having a full team in correct positions than we have been for a long time.

I think we're a long way off challenging for the league though. It will take a lot more of the right mentality, not just more quality.

 

[VeevaVee]

Yup. So many threads coming and saying we are missing just this and that and things are looking up etc. They right now point to a redcafe version of rawk.

This always happens when we don't lose for a little bit.

 

[Regulus Arcturus Black]

Yup. So many threads coming and saying we are missing just this and that and things are looking up etc. They right now point to a redcafe version of rawk.

I'm certain someone on here will soon dare to utter "next year is our year".

Seriously, we're 5th, level with Wolves in 6th and we have just 42 points and 11 wins from 28 games; yet "honestly, we are not that far away".

Come on people, have some bloody self respect and wait until we actually show some genuine evidence like I dun know, say winning a measly 4 Premier League games in a row before we start talking like this.

 

[Adnan]

Three summer recruits would make our team very competitive and enable us to hand a few teams a real thrashing IMO. We haven't had more than one central attacker who could create from the midfield so adding Grealish and Sancho who are both playmakers and also could play the flanks would galvanise the team.

The 3rd signing could be a DM who has the capability to pass the ball to a good level and contribute to the build up and have the mobility and speed to eat up ground. Denis Zakaria would be my choice for that role.

Or we could target a dominant CB who is lightening quick, strong in the air and good at bringing the ball out from the back. The towering presence of Ibrahima Konate fits the profile IMO and would be a fantastic addition.

I think it's important we start pinning teams in their own half and get back to laying siege to the opponents goal which has been missing for too long. So I feel strengthening the midfield and adding Sancho and Grealish along with Konate or Zakaria would help us achieve that. If we can manage all 4 then even better.

 

[MadMike]

I don't now if it's a sign of progress or just our fans just being the usual moany cnuts (or both). Being so disappointed over a moderately bad 45' mins against an in-from Everton away from home shouldn't be a thing really.

We have no divide right to go out there and school them for 90' mins. We were thrashed there last season. Today was much better and without 2 of our most influential players in Rashford and Pogba. Had it not been for DDG's brainfart we probably would have won today. And regardless of absences and other excuses, we'll have bad games or halves every now and then. There were still a lot of positives today, especially the way we played first half. Chill.

 

[Maluco]

I'm certain someone on here will soon dare to utter "next year is our year".

Seriously, we're 5th, level with Wolves in 6th and we have just 42 points and 11 wins from 28 games; yet "honestly, we are not that far away".

Come on people, have some bloody self respect and wait until we actually show some genuine evidence like I dun know, say winning a measly 4 Premier League games in a row before we start talking like this.

I wasn’t really writing about managers, or points. How Ole is doing and how much injuries have played their role is up for debate. I was writing about the make up of the squad.

If you add Sancho and Grealish to what we have, and you can stretch to a striker, our squad starts to look very good and our bench is actually full of players that can contribute when subbed on.

I meant it more as opposed to “lingard and Pereira subs are awful”. We are 2-3 transfers away from having a serious squad, and that would be a serious squad for any manager.

It’s one issue that all sides should be able to unite on, independently of their thoughts on Ole, Woodward or anything else.

Next season, we could have a very good squad, nevermind first eleven, and that’s something to feel encouraged by.

 

[TsuWave]

Someone needs to make some sort of graph about our boom-bust cycle.

I think it goes something like this:

horrible performances -> drop points -> decent performances -> win like three games in a row -> horrible performance -> fail to capitalise on rivals -> redcafe "we're only a couple players away" thread -> horrible performances -> drop points -> rinse repeat

 

[SmashedHombre]

I’m not massively on board with the Wan Bissaka hype tbh. He’s improved in recent months, but is it enough in the modern game to be just good defensively? I think Laird could challenge him eventually.

He's not the answer if we're going to play without a winger. I know there's been a lot of talk about a diamond formation on here recently but it's clear we don't have the fullbacks for that. That doesn't mean AWB isn't right for us though. We need to sign a rightwinger. If we can get a striker too and Matic can continue his form into next season, then I think out first XI would be among the strongest in the league. The biggest question mark then would be over the manager.

 

[Regulus Arcturus Black]

I wasn’t really writing about managers, or points. How Ole is doing and how much injuries have played their role is up for debate. I was writing about the make up of the squad.

If you add Sancho and Grealish to what we have, and you can stretch to a striker, our squad starts to look very good and our bench is actually full of players that can contribute when subbed on.

I meant it more as opposed to “lingard and Pereira subs are awful”. We are 2-3 transfers away from having a serious squad, and that would be a serious squad for any manager.

It’s one issue that all sides should be able to unite on, independently of their thoughts on Ole, Woodward or anything else.

Next season, we could have a very good squad, nevermind first eleven, and that’s something to feel encouraged by.

Sancho’s a pipe dream right now and Grealish, meh, we’ve signed enough players these past 7 years for me to want to wait and see.
Right now there’s as much chance we’ll be as equally shite next season.

 

[Tel074]

I agree we are not that far away and honestly alot on here are starting to see what us match going fans have been saying for ages . We are progressing it's just slower than some would like but if we can bring in Sancho and another CF we will not be a million miles away .

A forward 3 of Sancho Rashford Martial ( or new striker would be pretty hot .
A midfield with Bruno looks good as well .

 

[Maluco]

Sancho’s a pipe dream right now and Grealish, meh, we’ve signed enough players these past 7 years for me to want to wait and see.
Right now there’s as much chance we’ll be as equally shite next season.

I don’t see how you can say that Sancho is a pipe dream, especially if we get CL football. He is at Borussia Dortmund, not Barcelona. Chiesa is at Fiorentina.

Grealish is also an excellent player that would add yet more creativity to our squad.

I don’t see how you can see that squad on paper, and not let yourself feel a little optimistic. Independent of how you feel about Ole, that is a really good squad. It would be far and away the best we have had since Ferguson.

I would be very excited about a new season with that group of players, and the fact that it is so young makes it even better.

 

[Regulus Arcturus Black]

I don’t see how you can say that Sancho is a pipe dream, especially if we get CL football. He is at Borussia Dortmund, not Barcelona. Chiesa is at Fiorentina.

Grealish is also an excellent player that would add yet more creativity to our squad.

I don’t see how you can see that squad on paper, and not let yourself feel a little optimistic. Independent of how you feel about Ole, that is a really good squad. It would be far and away the best we have had since Ferguson.

I would be very excited about a new season with that group of players, and the fact that it is so young makes it even better.

My thoughts have nothing to do with Ole.

But enough good on paper signings have come and gone in 7 years and right now we’re further away than ever.

It’s RAWK-esque at this point to claim “we’re not that far away”, it’s based on nothing but hope.

I liked our January window a lot, I like Maguire alot. I think we’ve brought in 5 players and only 2 of them I can see being part of a Premier League winning side. So I’ll wait until we actually show we’re not far away before making such claims.

 

[2 man midfield]

He's not the answer if we're going to play without a winger. I know there's been a lot of talk about a diamond formation on here recently but it's clear we don't have the fullbacks for that. That doesn't mean AWB isn't right for us though. We need to sign a rightwinger. If we can get a striker too and Matic can continue his form into next season, then I think out first XI would be among the strongest in the league. The biggest question mark then would be over the manager.

Oh believe me I’ve been beating the drum about a right winger on this site for nearly 10 years.

 

[Adnan]

The issue for many seasons has been the transition from defence into attack. If the engine room only has one conductor then it won't cut it. Add another and things will look alot better. We need to work towards pinning teams back, and if you add the likes of Grealish and Sancho along with Denis Zakaria, then pinning teams in their own half will become a reality. We already have a decent defensive back line to build from. The attack has potential. We just need a RW and top class attacking central attacker to look a team that is balanced. And if we manage that in the summer then I will be very confident of us doing very well in the new season.

 

[Denis79]

I've seen theese kind of threads almost every season since LvG.

 

[Regulus Arcturus Black]

I've seen theese kind of threads almost every season since LvG.

Ditto.

Hence why I’ll hold off getting giddy. I like plenty of our current transfer business but I liked getting in Shaw, Herrera, Depay, Schneiderlin etc etc also so....

 

[Raoul]

We're still missing a lethal finisher imo. Someone like Ruud when he first came.

 

[theklr]

The scary part is how much money we needed to spend to be competative for a 4th place, the even more scarier part is that we might even miss out on it.

But I agree that the «core» of the team is looking better - and that we need more.

 

[Jacko21]

I’m encouraged. Nothing more, just encouraged.

 

[Denis79]

We're still missing a lethal finisher imo. Someone like Ruud when he first came.

A Saha would do right now.

 

[Regulus Arcturus Black]

I’m encouraged. Nothing more, just encouraged.

Yeah even I’d go along with that.

 

[Jericholyte2]

I’ve said on other threads before that, whilst we would need 6-7 to have the squad to compete on several fronts, we are only 2-4 away from have a first XI that could compete with any team.

Assuming we play 4231:

With Pogba staying: DDG, AWB, NEW CB, Maguire, Shaw/Williams, PARTEY/NDIDI, Pogba, SANCHO, Bruno, Rashford, Martial

Selling Pogba: DDG, AWB, NEW CB, Maguire, Shaw/Williams, PARTEY/NDIDI, Bruno, SANCHO, GREALISH, Rashford, Martial

Think about this, with these few signings we’d have a bench including Greenwood, James (or another young wide forward), Mata, Fred, McT, Axel/Lindelof/Bailly, Williams/Shaw/Dalot.

We can the use this stable XI from which to add squad players better than the current crop with Matic, Lingard, Jones, Mata, Pereira leaving in the next year or two.

 

[eire-red]

Well what do we have here, a positive thread full of negative posts. Why don't we all go and moan in the Ole out thread instead.

In all seriousness, I get what the OP is saying, this is the first time I feel like we have a bit of direction at the club. Maguire, Bruno, Rashford, Pogba. There are 4 top players who I could see as instrumental in a title winning season for us. If we added another 3, then we're looking like a really good team again.

The performances in the last few months have been much improved, and Bruno has given us the extra dimension we've been missing all season. This is gonna sound ridiculous, but the season where we finished 2nd on 81 points, never at any stage did I feel like we would kick on or that we were going anywhere. Now though, the results are much worse but I feel like were slowly getting an actual identity back as a club, something that has been missing for a long while.

I don't know why I feel this way, maybe I've finally gone mad.

 

[Adnan]

A Saha would do right now.

I actually preferred Saha over Ruud and was happy when we sold Ruud. Saha wasn't as lethal in the box but was better for the team because he was quicker and aerially stronger. Pity he was injury prone because with him we were a more fluid team.

 

[Adam-Utd]

This summer is huge really.

if we get 2/3 players that give us what we’re missing then we’ve got an excellent chance to challenge next year.

in the ideal world if we managed to get sancho for the right, grealish, partey and another striker (assuming Ighalo doesn’t stay) then we will be strong in all areas.

the main challenge is to get consistency, a solid 7-8/10 in every match.

 

[ManchesterYoda]

I will be very confident in our chances of mounting a strong title challenge once we sign a quality left footed right sided attacker.
I have no confidence whatsoever in our chances if we don't.
I want to try and give Solskjaer the benefit of the doubt and I hope it will be his priority signing in the summer but I don't have much faith because his first signing was James, the exact opposite of what we need. We had Martial and Rashford to play on the left and NOBODY to play on the right. Maybe we should sign somebody to play on the right? We sign Sanchez to play on the left. Okay, so now we have Martial, Rashford and Sanchez to play on the left and NOBODY to play on the right. Maybe we should sign somebody to play on the right? Wait, something's happened to Sanchez. Let's get James. Now we have Martial, Rashford and James to play on the left and NOBODY to play on the right. Maybe now we should sign somebody to play on the right?

 

[lysglimt]

Of course we are not far away - but we are without 2 of our 3-4 best players - and that still hurts us. If we get in 3 quality players in the summer - or 2 if we can keep Pogba (which I doubt) - we have a team that in my opinion on paper are not far behind Liverpool and City.

 

[::sonny::]

Tweet

— Twitter API (@user) date

 

[The Original]

I’m not massively on board with the Wan Bissaka hype tbh. He’s improved in recent months, but is it enough in the modern game to be just good defensively? I think Laird could challenge him eventually.

We also have a lot of centre backs with question marks over them, instead of nailed on first choices. Lindelof, Bailly, Tuanzebe, Smalling, Jones...all have their issues or have yet to make the spot their own. Could need addressing.

AWB was always good enough defensively, so if you say he has improved in recent times, you must be talking about some other facet of his game. How can you ask if being defensively good is enough when you acknowledge that he has improved in other areas? Clearly he is not just defensively good.

 

[Adnan]

The striker can wait if needs be. Like I've said in my earlier posts, it's about transitioning play from defence to attack which is something Mourinho failed at. And he didn't help himself either by selling Blind and replacing him with Lindelof. Then he signed a immobile Matic who many Chelsea fans were unhappy with, which compounded things further IMO. Matic was very good in his pomp but past his best when we bought him.

Under the current structure I've disagreed alot with how much money we've shelled out etc, but I have to admit the signings of Maguire and Fernandes look very good from a transitional sense among other things. But for us to get closer to winning the league we have to improve the build up play which IMO is key for us. Sancho, Grealish, Zakaria would help us achieve that which would leave us with just a few tweaks away from putting Liverpool on their arse.

 

[stubie]

I remember the optimism during the summer of 2016, back then I thought we were all set to win the league, when we start challenging for the league I’ll take the optimism from some on here a bit more seriously

 

[Class of 63]

NEXT YEAR IS 'OUR' YEAR, mark my words

 

[croadyman]

This summer is huge really.

if we get 2/3 players that give us what we’re missing then we’ve got an excellent chance to challenge next year.

in the ideal world if we managed to get sancho for the right, grealish, partey and another striker (assuming Ighalo doesn’t stay) then we will be strong in all areas.

the main challenge is to get consistency, a solid 7-8/10 in every match.

You get the impression that Utd aren't really prioritising a DM at all this summer which I could live with if we got Sancho & Grealish but really have to be looking at paying Partey's release clause in January to give us more steel

 

[Ali Dia]

It’s the hope that kills you.

we are a few important signings away as always. I do prefer our recruitment at the moment but I still think we are shambles in the market. We take too long. We don’t sign players even casual fans of other teams can see we need. We need a good summer but I’m sure Ed with dither around spending weeks hashing out deals with loads of add on etc and I’ll be too slow and cumbersome.