I think people underestimate us a bit based on last season. Even without Aguero we will still comfortably be top 2 in the league.
Are we the team of 2 years ago? absolutely not but there is still a clear gap in terms of squad quality between us and the rest. That will be huge especially with the condensed schedule. We'll be much closer to Liverpool than last season. The idea that we're somehow going to finish on 78 points again just isn't going to happen, we're also not going to finish near 100. We'll likely finish somewhere between 85-90 give or take. Whether that will be enough will depend on Liverpool. I don't see Chelsea, United or anyone else breaking 85 points.
I think with Ake we could play 3 at the back a lot this seasont, either 352 or 343 but also have the tactical flexibility to still play 433. I wouldn't bet against the line ups something like.
--------------------------------------------Ederson--------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------Ederson--------------------------------------------
---------------Fernandinho---------Laporte---------------Ake------------------------ ---------------Fernandinho---------Laporte---------------Ake------------------------
Walker-----------------------------------Rodri-------------------------------------Mendy Walker--------------------------------------------------------------------------------Mendy
-------------------------------------KDB-----------Gundogan------------------------------ -------------------------------------KDB-------------Rodri-------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Mahrez-------------------------------------------------------------------------------Sterling
------------------------------------Sterling-----Jesus--------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------Jesus------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------Ederson-------------------------------------------
Walker---------------Fernandinho---------Laporte--------------------------Ake
----------------------------------------------Rodri---------------------------------------------
----------------------------------KDB---------------Gundo---------------------------------
Mahrez--------------------------------------------------------------------------Sterling
--------------------------------------------Jesus-----------------------------------------------
With those teams we still have all these players left for cover.
FB - Cancelo, Zinchenko
CB - Garcia, Stones, Otamendi,
DM - Fernandinho
CM - Doyle, Foden, Bernardo
AM/Wings - Foden, Bernardo, Torres
ST - Kun (when fit)