I think you could pick 3 outfield players from any team from 6th to 15th and they’d massively improve us. I’m not trying to be over dramatic, I think the squad is genuinely that bad, through a combination of crap players, and far too much reliance on youth.
Bored, so I did it, but included managers. I'd say Spurs, Wolves, Everton, Arsenal, Southampton and Burnley upgrades would really help us, but the rest not so much.
Spurs -
Son,
Alderweild,
Lo Celso - People will mock the last choice but he was fantastic last year and Pogba-Lo Celso-Fred would be a great midfield against bad teams. Kane's injuries worry me. N'dombele, Eriksen or Dele Alli would also fit nicely instead of Lo Celso. Son is too similar to Rashford but I love him and we could drop Martial deeper and play more like Liverpool.
Wolves -
Traore at RW, Neves/
Moutinho in midfield (Moutinho for this season, Neves going forwad) partnering Fred, and
Jimenez battling with Martial for the 9 job would massively aid us. Jota as a 10/2nd striker I think would also do well with his goalscoring compensating for not being a classic playmaker type.
Sheffield - Is there an upgrade here?
O'Connell just looks an overall solid left-sided center back,
Fleck a talented enough CM to at least battle McTominay and Enda Stevens is very composed and consistent as a LWB and we need one, but this exercise really makes me think we should consider hiring their manager,
Wilder, he must be a genius there's really not that much talent here, particularly up front they are quite poor and Norwood and Lundstram can hit crosses brilliantly but otherwise are just good Champo midfielders. Even if he's wedded to 3 at the back, that would suit a few of our players (Whoever he chose from Shaw, Lindelof, Maguire and Wan-Bissaka as wider center back types would be interesting and, Rashford, Martial and Greenwood could rotate up top and have a partner which might suit them).
Saints -
Ings,
James-Ward Prowse and long-term I do really like Bednarek as a prospect but it's probably
Hassenhuttl here. Ings-Martial up top with a midfield of Rashford-Fred-WardProwse-James would be fun and obviously Pogba coming in for one of the strikers and the other being our main bench option (or Martial at LW and Rashford at RW and we really try to capitalize on Pogba and JWP's crossing and through balls with 3 strikers basically) would actually make a fun if imperfect team.
Arsenal -
Aubameyang, Torreira, Pepe - last choice might not be popular but he is a proper RW, which we're obviously in need of. Pogba-Torreira-Fred looks fantastic to me and Rashford-Aubameyang-Pepe would certainly scare teams on the break and has actual width and a penalty box option.
Palace -
Zaha, Milivojevic and
Hodgson to coach set-piece defending. Palace are also poor on talent when you look close. I guess Tomkins is probably more reliable than Jones as a backup CB but jesus there's not much here. Even Mili I think is quite flawed but also he seems like a really good fit partnered with Fred as a double pivot freeing up Pogba to do damage.
Everton -
Digne, Richarlison and uh, I dunno? Sidibe has been very good when I've seen them and he could rotate with AWB or play as a wingback and we go 3-5-2 with Richarlison and Rashford up top, Digne and Sidibe as wingbacks and Maguire-Lindelof-AWB as a back 3 but then someone still has to start with Fred and Pogba in the midfield. Don't trust any of their midfielders though
Gbamin had good stats in Germany as a ballwinner. Sigurdsson would help as a squaddie but he and Iwobi are both terrible at the stuff the other is good at. Calvert-Lewin is playing well but Richarlison is better and those 2 with Rashford or Martial in the mix seems a bit lacking in creativity and playmaking for a front 3. Delph has looked rough when I've seen them and Davies is playing well but I don't think that will last. Keane is all over the place and Holgate outplays them. Ancelotti is probably past it?
Burnley -
Tarkowski to bolster us at CB,
McNeil to either start at RW and see if cutting in improves his goal threat, or as a very attacking left-back with AWB tucking in to a pseudo back 3. His crossing is definitely good enough.
Wood is my 3rd choice since we could really use a backup 9 who's a threat in the air/box to backup Martial.
Newcastle -
Almiron, he doesn't score enough but works hard and has skill and proper pace, could help us as a #10 or RW but we'd complain he doesn't score enough. I guess
Shelvey since we do need another deep midfielder who can pass, though if you believe the media/scouts it's Longstaff if you're talking longterm. I'll say
Schar since he's great on the ball but pickings are slim here. St Maximin is a fun dribbler but Rashford and James are better LW and don't think he'd do as well on the right, though that's an option here.
Brighton - I think
Trossard would be a nice fit at RW for us with his pace and skill. Either Propper or probably
Mooy as a CM, and then I'd go with
Dunk and his passing but picking Gross to give us a generic chance creating #10 for the squad is also a reasonable choice. Maupay would help us too as a striker with a pulse to backup Martial, think he'd suit Rashford as a facilitator too. I was tempted to pick Potter since I like the way he has them playing proper football even without results and that he has dropped effective but limited player like Duffy and identified that a guy like Alzate has pace, skill and works like a dog and gotten players like Dan Burn to look better than other managers did.
