andersj
Nick Powell Expert
After several years of walking through a dessert blindfolded we could be at the cusp of making it back.
By back, I do not mean being the dominant force we used to be. I’m not sure that is possible for any team. But the starting elleven is starting to look very good - even compared to the best teams in the world! I have not felt that way about our team for a long time. Not since Ferguson. We are still not there yet though and this summer and the next one feels very «make it or break it».
The way Greenwood has looked for us the last few games, we are already in a stronger position than before the break. Rashford, Martial and Greenwood is an exciting attack. With the talent and flexibility of these players adding one attacker could give give us depth. We would have gone from being a player short at the beginning of this season to having competition in attack again.
The most important challenge in the market will be replacing the players who is surplus due to lack of quality or inconsistency. Our squad is big and we have a lot of deadwood. That might give us an opportunity going forward. Not including the attack, where we need to spend, we should be able raise most of the funds we need to strengthen our team from selling deadwood.
- Sell/remove Smalling, Rojo and Bailly. Replace them with one central defender that is ready to challenge Lindelof.
- Sell/remove Lingard/Pereira. Bring in a player who can challenge Fernandes and Pogba.
- Sell Dalot. Bring in a new left back.
If we do this properly the remaining issues in our squad will be;
- Keeping Pogba,
- Replacing Matic,
- de Gea vs Henderson,
- Consider if Martial is good enough,
Beside the Pogba situation, all of these four issues can wait to 2021 in my opinion. After several years of struggle this feels like a good position to be in. The question is, can we take advantage and make it to the next level?
Looking back on our actions in the transfer market the past year I feel a bit mixed. All in all, we have done a good job getting rid of players and have made two or three important signings. At the same time, we look so slow in the market and it makes you question if we will be able to do what it takes to push us back over the next year or so. There is also the whole Covid thing making everything a bit more difficult.
By back, I do not mean being the dominant force we used to be. I’m not sure that is possible for any team. But the starting elleven is starting to look very good - even compared to the best teams in the world! I have not felt that way about our team for a long time. Not since Ferguson. We are still not there yet though and this summer and the next one feels very «make it or break it».
The way Greenwood has looked for us the last few games, we are already in a stronger position than before the break. Rashford, Martial and Greenwood is an exciting attack. With the talent and flexibility of these players adding one attacker could give give us depth. We would have gone from being a player short at the beginning of this season to having competition in attack again.
The most important challenge in the market will be replacing the players who is surplus due to lack of quality or inconsistency. Our squad is big and we have a lot of deadwood. That might give us an opportunity going forward. Not including the attack, where we need to spend, we should be able raise most of the funds we need to strengthen our team from selling deadwood.
- Sell/remove Smalling, Rojo and Bailly. Replace them with one central defender that is ready to challenge Lindelof.
- Sell/remove Lingard/Pereira. Bring in a player who can challenge Fernandes and Pogba.
- Sell Dalot. Bring in a new left back.
If we do this properly the remaining issues in our squad will be;
- Keeping Pogba,
- Replacing Matic,
- de Gea vs Henderson,
- Consider if Martial is good enough,
Beside the Pogba situation, all of these four issues can wait to 2021 in my opinion. After several years of struggle this feels like a good position to be in. The question is, can we take advantage and make it to the next level?
Looking back on our actions in the transfer market the past year I feel a bit mixed. All in all, we have done a good job getting rid of players and have made two or three important signings. At the same time, we look so slow in the market and it makes you question if we will be able to do what it takes to push us back over the next year or so. There is also the whole Covid thing making everything a bit more difficult.