SER19
Full Member
- Joined
- Apr 15, 2008
- Messages
- 12,675
I should preface this by saying that I think we still need more depth and that I think solskjaer is so far being failed in the window by about 3 signings.
But on a note of optimism, if you consider our terrible form in the first stages of last season and consider who was often starting or featuring frequently, we have quietly transformed for a number of reasons including fitness, youth development and signings.
Looking at last season in the first third of the campaign we frequently saw starts or common involvement from
Lingard
James
Pereira
Young (made 15 starts before mid season departure)
Often, at least one of these was starting. I expect we will rarely see any start this season. We saw little of matic. Mata was commonly called upon.
This season we add the following, who we did not see for most of the first third to half of last season, or at all:
Pogba - return to fitness
Bruno Fernandes--January window
Van De Beek - new signing
Henderson--return from loan
Ighalo--loan
Not to the same extent but we could arguably add
Greenwood--lightly used initially and developed far beyond expectations.
And if rumours are to be believed
Reguilon - said to be close.
When you compare how we are starting this campaign, versus the first third of last season, we are arguably around 7 players stronger and that includes some real quality.
As I said I still think we need at least 2 more recruits (plus Reguilon) and if sancho is one then fantastic, but are we in better shape than we think, especially compared to the stages of last season when so much damage was done to our ambition?
But on a note of optimism, if you consider our terrible form in the first stages of last season and consider who was often starting or featuring frequently, we have quietly transformed for a number of reasons including fitness, youth development and signings.
Looking at last season in the first third of the campaign we frequently saw starts or common involvement from
Lingard
James
Pereira
Young (made 15 starts before mid season departure)
Often, at least one of these was starting. I expect we will rarely see any start this season. We saw little of matic. Mata was commonly called upon.
This season we add the following, who we did not see for most of the first third to half of last season, or at all:
Pogba - return to fitness
Bruno Fernandes--January window
Van De Beek - new signing
Henderson--return from loan
Ighalo--loan
Not to the same extent but we could arguably add
Greenwood--lightly used initially and developed far beyond expectations.
And if rumours are to be believed
Reguilon - said to be close.
When you compare how we are starting this campaign, versus the first third of last season, we are arguably around 7 players stronger and that includes some real quality.
As I said I still think we need at least 2 more recruits (plus Reguilon) and if sancho is one then fantastic, but are we in better shape than we think, especially compared to the stages of last season when so much damage was done to our ambition?